2002 Lexus ES300: jerking or lurching

Filed May 21, 2014 · Transmission · 1,000 miles · CA

When the transmission shifts between first and second gears at a slow steady speed(approx 20mph) the car will frequently violently jerk. My car has 75000 miles and has done it since day one.

Filed Dec 20, 2012 · Transmission · 150,001 miles · SC

My 2002 lexus es300 has been jerking and shifting very hard on acceleration. It seems to have more of a problem when I accelerate slowly in the lower gears. It jerks very noticeably. I was told it was just the nature of the car, but it has been getting much worse over the course of the last year. It also hesitates when stepping on the gas after deceleration.

Filed Aug 17, 2011 · Acceleration, Transmission · 139,450 miles · TN

My 2002 lexus es 200 was dying or not starting at all. Suddenly, it was working fine. 2 days later, while idling or when my foot was on the brake, it would lurch forward and start accelerating at sometimes 40mph. I had to slam on the brakes, then emergency brake to stop, then after I turned it off, it would shake forward.

Filed Sep 3, 2010 · Transmission · 20,000 miles · OH

Lexus (2002 es) has dramatic transmission stutter at low or high speeds, jerking occupants and making quick starts (turning across lanes) very dangerous.

Filed May 25, 2010 · Transmission · FL

2002 lexus es300, car lunges and jerks during acceleration and deceleration. Car drove fine until lexus upgraded software, and then 100% noticeable difference in performance. Car was brought to jm lexus approx 4-5 times for problem, and once to palm beach lexus. Car jerked during test drive with mechanic. I was told it was a "characteristic" of the car, and there was nothing that can be done to fix it. Mechanic stated he has seen the same problem on other cars. Problem has been getting worse.

Filed May 23, 2010 · Transmission · 48,800 miles · MI

I have a 2002 lexus es300. My car at slower speeds has been jerking/surging at lower speeds and lurches forward without notice. It is a nightmare to drive this car in traffic. I keep being told its normal, it seems hundreds of others have complained, but I'm not getting anywhere. The lexus dealership did a software upgrade recently, it only made the matter worse. I hate driving this car, everyone in my family avoids driving it, as we just don't feel comfortable in the way it accelerates and shifts gears. Its a 2002 model, with 49k miles. I avg 25k miles a year driving, do the math, this car sucks, and I avoid using it out of fear/annoyance.

Filed Feb 4, 2010 · Acceleration · 92,388 miles · MD · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 lexus es300. The contact stated as she came to a stop with her foot on the brake pedal, there was a bump in the road and the vehicle lurched and accelerated forward. The contact stated as the vehicle accelerated it hit another vehicle and there was extensive damage to both vehicles. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was repaired and checked by a mechanic who stated there was no problem and everything was normal with the accelerator pedal. The mechanic also did a computer check showing no code problem. The failure mileage was 92,388. Updated 03/04/10. The consumer received a letter from toyota stating upon examination of the vehicle, it was discovered that the after market floor mat that was on top of the factory floor mat was preventing the accelerator from reaching the floor. And it was not recommended to stack floor mats on the drivers side because of interference with the brake and accelerator pedals. Updated 04/06/10.

Filed Jul 28, 2005 · Engine, Transmission · 48,480 miles · TX

Upon acceleration in stop-and-go traffic, severe hesitation with brake-like effect, engine reviving, with driver thrown forward, then lurching into gear. Said was fixed with installation of tsib tc004-3. Narrowly being missed by oncoming traffic when car basically stalled. Tsib not a fix. Now engine light on. Dangerous in stop-and-go traffic.

Filed Jul 10, 2003 · Transmission · 150 miles · CA

The transmission had a jerk in the transmission, the dealer told the consumer it was the design the of the vehicle. *ts

Filed Jun 19, 2003 · Transmission · 3,200 miles · FL

The 2002 lexus es300 has a significant flaw in the new electronically controlled transmission system. This flaw has been recognized by multiple dealerships and by lexus customer service. I have been waiting for a resolution to this problem since december 2002 which is shortly after I purchased the vehicle. There are three very obvious symptoms that have been occurring ever since I purchased the vehicle. Depending upon fuel and driving conditions, the car will develop a neck jerking shutter as it violently shifts between gears. This usually occurs anywhere between 40 and 50 MPH, but most often when you are trying to maintain a constant speed. The second condition occurs when you go from a slowing situation into an acceleration situation. During this time, the car often goes into a neutral condition and takes a couple seconds before power is returned to the wheels. This condition is very dangerous when moving into traffic or turning a corner. When turning, you will nearly coast around the corner until the power is returned to the wheels. When the power is returned, it is very abrupt and lunges the car forward. The third condition occurs during full throttle acceleration. This is most evident when accelerating onto a highway. The car seems to shift into a very low gear where RPM is nearly red-line and power is almost non-existent. The car then jerks into a different gear where you may get more power, but it doesn't usually stay in that gear either. It then shifts back to the low gear, red-lines again and repeats the process. This will often occur 2 or 3 times before a good gear is found and you can then proceed with normal driving. At this point, lexus did make a couple lease payments for me in exchange for waiting a few more months for the fix. Unfortunately, that was nearly a year ago and I'm still waiting. We need to get this fixed before someone gets injured, not after!