Place of accident - st. Joseph church parking lotmacon, ga 31201. I was turning to get into the available parking space and the car suddenly accelerated without no reason at all. The car flew and hit the electric post in front of me. This all happened in a split of a second. Luckily, the car side swept the electric post otherwise, I would have crashed into car(s) and the building in front of me. There was major damage to the entire passenger side of the car.
2003 Lexus ES300 acceleration complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 48, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Tl* contact owns a 2003 lexus es300. While coasting toward an intersection at speeds of at least 10 MPH, the vehicle abnormally accelerated at a rapid rate of speed. She was unable to maintain control of the unintended acceleration and the vehicle proceeded to veer toward a nearby wooded area. The vehicle crashed into approximately 3 trees before the vehicle came to a stop. As a result, she suffered unknown injuries. The vehicle had since been repaired. The failure mileage was 38,000 and the current was 39,000.
Backing out of parking space in small parking lot, car accelerated out of control. Would not stop when stepped on brake and crashed into two other cars. Reported to dmv in ca, where car registered, although accident occurred in nevada. Car severely damaged and repaired by insurance co. Lexus dealer checked car after repair and blamed floor mats but we disagree. If anyone had been behind car they would have been killed or injured.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lexus es300. The driver was driving in a parking lot approximately 10 MPH when the vehicle began to accelerate on it's own. The vehicle accelerated above 80 MPH which caused the driver to crash into 6 vehicles. The driver was injured and was taken to the emergency room. The police confirmed that the driver was traveling at 86 MPH due to the uncontrollable acceleration. The contact was not aware that the vehicle had increased at that speed. The failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage is 41,000.
Odi 10126111 filed 6-21-2005 sudden acceleration 2003 lexus es300.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lexus es300 purchased april 2004. She immediately began experiencing failures when the vehicle surged and violently lunged forward while it was idle. The dealer stated that the vehicle was a "smart car" and was aware when there was a driver, other than herself behind the wheel, which would "confuse" the vehicle. No diagnostic test were performed. The failure progressed and the vehicle was taken back to dealer a second time. Although the dealer became familiar with the failure; they stated that she needed to wait a year until the "new programming" was available. One year later, the vehicle was taken back to the dealer for the software reprogramming and the failure became progressively worse. The vehicle continued to lunge violently while sitting idle, driving at speeds of under 35 MPH or while coasting. When the vehicle lunged it felt as if she was being struck from the rear by another vehicle. There were no additional repairs made to the vehicle. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileages were approximately 78,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lexus es300. The contact stated that when the driver was shifting into reverse gear, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and he lost control of it. The driver crashed into another vehicle and a tree. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. There were no previous acceleration failures. She took the vehicle to the dealership and the dealer told her that they could see nothing mechanically wrong. She called the manufacturer and the representative told her that they could not assist her because they had no related reports. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current mileage was 49,094. The failure mileage was 44,916. Updated 04/19/10.
On january 13, 2010 while my wife was driving our lexus es 300, the car accelerated as she was entering a parking space, causing the car to collide with a pole in the parking lot. The dealer where we purchased the vehicle (lexus of louisville) would not repair the vehicle because it claimed the car was not one of the models recalled. We repaired damage to the body at a cost of $2500, but are now concerned that the vehicle is not safe to drive.
My 17 year old daughter was driving my 2003 lexus in town. We have never had any previous similar incidents, and have not experienced the same thing since. She had stopped at a stop light, but was too far back, so she wanted to pull up a little. She took her foot off the brake, and the car moved forward. She repeatedly pushed the brake, but they did not work. The car stopped when she hit the car in front of her. I had the car checked after the accident, but they couldn't find anything obvious. However, she, and the other passengers, have verified that she repeatedly pushed the brake to no avail.
2003 lexus es300 with unexpected acceleration. Consumer states that the vehicle was in park and all of a sudden jolted forward. She states no matter how hard the brake was depressed it kept accelerating until it hit a brick column. *kb
Pulling into parking spot on left ,about stopped and the car accelerater very fast for about 30 feet. Beening the second time this has happened, I was aware of where my foot was, on the brake. Last oct. Pulling into parking spot to left the same thing happened. Just felt like a nut. This time I am sure it was the car. *tr the contact wanted to add that the drivers floor mat was in the trunk.
When making as low turn, at under 5 miles per hour if the accelerator is depressed there is a significant lag before the car reacts and moves. Dealer claims that is the way it is an can't fix it. Also happened with a 2007 lexus es 350 as a dealer loaner and this time resulted in an accident with $3,700 damage to lexus.
The 2003 lexus es300 suddenly accelerated without warning, causing the vehicle to come out of a driveway, go completely across the street, up onto the sidewalk, and hit poles/fence, causing severe injuries. The gas pedal was not pressed down hard at the time, and there was no explanation for the rapid acceleration.
I was in the drive through at the dunkin donuts in germantown, md giving my order in the speaker. I remember hearing a roaring sound like a train and the next thing I know all of a sudden my car shot forward and hit the back of the car at the service window. It was quite strange. I am convinced I had my foot on the brake. The ems and police said I must have hit the accelerator by mistake. I am not convinced in my own mind that this is what happened.
While driving at 70 MPH in the fast lane on the freeway, my car suddenly lost acceleration and the check engine light came on. I was able to get my car to the right and get off the freeway to a gas station. As I was slowing to a stop, the car was shuddering before it came to a complete stop. I checked the owners manual and it said it was probably the electronic throttle control. I followed the instructions in the manual and was able to drive the car at lower speed to get home and then get it to the dealer the next morning.
Since I purchased the car, I have been complaining about a hesitation and stuttering when accelerating after a slow-down or a stop. I was told there was nothing wrong several times and more recently have been told it is a design flaw in the computer-controlled accelerator and cannot be fixed. I have several times had a close call on the freeway when I needed to accelerate quickly and the car hesitated before accelerating. I have not had an accident, but have been very frightened by the delay in performance. I have had 2 previous lexus es 300's that did not have this problem.
As I was pulling into a parking space, my 2003 lexus es suddenly accelerated and went over the curb and a small grass embankment. I immediately applied brakes and it did start slowing down. I finally got the car stopped. Thankfully no one was in that parking lot. Don't know what damage has been done to the car. This is frightening because there was absolutely no control over the car.
On jan 20, 2005 at about 7:30pm I was returning from work driving my lexus 2003. Just before reaching my home, I turned right into notley road from stone gate drive at silver spring, md after stopping at the stop sign. Before I realized, the car knocked over the mail box of the house on the right side and started racing on the yard of the house. Next the car knocked down the street light, crossed a road and raced towards a tree. Although I applied, the brakes were not working. Ultimotely the car crashed on to a tree, turned over and I was lucky enough to crawl out of the car with much effort. I was taken to the montgomery county general hospital by ambulance and after being examined by the physician and xrays I was released. The car was ultimately towed to lexus body shop and was pronounced a total loss I feel that the lexus took off on its own when I turned right from a stop sign into the notley road damaging propery and ultimoately crashing on to a tree. Because there was snow on the yard, I was able to videotape the track marks made by the car from the beginning to the end of the crash. I hope that you will investigate this incident and give me some report.
Lexus 300 hesitation. Stepped on accelerator, car hesitated and had to pump accelerator to go forward. *bf this problem occurred many times. The consumer almost had an accident while attempting to make a left turn. The consumer applied the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and the consumer pumped the accelerator to go forward. The dealer could not find a problem.
The consumer stated at any time the vehicle accelerated without warning. No impact reported. Please provide additional information. *jb the vehicle sticks in gear.
I have now sent my car in for service twice to lexus of orlando about unexpected surging of the vehicle and vehicle hesitation when the accelerator is pressed. This is an intermittent and dangerous problem, as I do not know when it will occur. When it does occur the upshift is harsh, the downshift delayed as if the transmission is confused about the driver's intention, and there is pronounced hesitation when the accelerator is pressed. This lack of responsiveness leaves both the vehicle and passengers exposed to accident and injury. On my first visit, I was told the vehicle computer would be reset, as the vehicle learns your driving style in the first 30 or so miles, and I must have driven the vehicle harshly. This so called reset did nothing to fix the problem; less than a week later, I narrowly escaped a crash after my car hesitated while crossing an intersection. I promptly returned the vehicle to the dealer for service. Upon completion of the second service, which included a drive with the technician, lexus service now says these problems are inherent to the model and they can't fix them. In addition, I am aware that numerous owners frequently complain of hesitation and surging in 2002, 2003, and 2004 models and many complaints (over 100) of the same nature have been filed with the federal safety agency. This statement is to issue notice that I am not satisfied, and the problem has not been fixed.
Verification on the investigation of the 2003 lexus es300 involved in surging, reporting 30 crashes due to a possible defect. *mr *sc
Ongoing and worsening lack of accelleration predictability. Car will hesitate especially when power is required (such as merging traffic, left turns, etc.) automatic ransmission sounds like it delays engaging when necessary.
When the consumer lifted foot of the brake pedal vehicle suddenly accelerated, and hit a women who was standing in the front of the consumer's vehicle, the woman fractured her ankle and arms.
Vehicle hesitated from a standing start position. The rpms went up but the vehicle did not move until it got into another gear. It will drive for a while and then vehicle will stop. Consumer did not feel safe. *ak the technicians claim that the cable from the gas peddle to the engine was removed and replaced by a computer in the 2003 models. On the highway, if the vehicle was slowed down, a hesitation would be present while pressing on the gas peddle to resume speed. The engine light would come on along with the hesitation, also when the engine light would come on the vehicle would lose power along with blue smoke blowing out of the exhaust, and the rear seat contained a flaw. *sc
While waiting in heavy traffic at an intersection and without warning vehicle suddenly accelerated. This caused the driver to rear end the vehicle in front. Upon impact, both air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The insurance company totaled the vehicle. *ak the dealership insisted that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. The consumer contacted the manufacturer and was told that nothing could be done.
Upon stopping, and when consumer removed foot from the gas pedal vehicle surged forward before the brake pedal was depressed. This occurred numerous times. Once, resulting in consumer's vehicle crashing into a concrete pole while pulling into a parking lot. Also, starting at 5000 miles battery had to be replaced 3 times because it died. This was due to an electrical short. *ak
Consumer complained about unexpected acceleration. Consumer took vehicle to the dealer. Also, the lexus corporation sent a representative to inspect the vehicle, and they claimed there was no problem. *ak consumer was pulling out from a parking space when vehicle accelerated forward as soon as consumer stepped on the brake pedal.
Vehicle suddenly lurched forward and veered to the right running into a wall. *mr no injuries occurred, but there's damage in the vehicle's front end and the garage wall.
Ltr fm brett woody (tx) re dangerous defective transmission software problems in the 2002-2003 lexus es300, reply attn jan crow/ houston ofc. *ph consumer would apply more and more pressure to the brake pedal but the vehicle wouldn't accelerate. *ph the transmission failed twice. Lexus had given the consumer a new vehicle and it had similar problems. The consumer was almost involved in several accidents. On numerous occasions, after the brake pedal was tapped, the vehicle would accelerate but the RPM's would rise and the vehicle would barely move. In stop in go traffic the vehicle would surge forward. (it felt as if the transmission slipped then the surging occurred) there was an annoying rattle in the ceiling console. *sc updated 7/5/12
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