2007 Lexus ES350: brake failure

Filed Sep 8, 2010 · Acceleration · IL

Letter from senator durbin on behalf of constituent re a problem with toyota and his 2007 lexus es350 4 dr sdn sudden acceleration (dot/I#2010-1239) the consumer stated the vehicle failed to decelerate as he attempted to apply the brakes. The brake pedal went to the floor and the electronic system of the vehicle didn't register any warning lights.

Filed Jun 23, 2010 · Electrical · 50 miles · LA

In 2007, I purchased a new 2007 model lexus es 350 4 door sedan. Shortly after I purchased the vehicle, I noticed that when the accelerator was lifted and the car was downshifting and braking by the engine (the brake not being depressed), at one point the car continued forward for a time rather than continue to being braked by the engine. This condition has continued in spite my calling it to the attention of the lexus dealer in new orleans on several occasions, the first being shortly after I purchased the car, and the latest being on june 16th of this year. In each instance, I was told by the dealer that the car had no problems. The problem is not a rapid surge, but rather a sudden and unexpected moving forward in gear instead of a continuous downshifting and resulting braking when the car has been driven at about 30 to 40 MPH and the accelerator is lifted. This problem does not occur in every instance when the accelerator is lifted, but in traffic when the driver expects the car to slow itself the sudden forward movement, instead of a continuous slowing, is dangerous. The acceleration problem appears to be a fault of the car's electronic control system. I also called to the attention of the dealer the fact that when the car is braked, the car does stop but if pressure is continued to be placed on the brake pedal, the pedal goes all the way to the floor. This has not caused an accident to date, but it does require the driver to pump the brake pedal to make certain that the car will stop. Each time this is done, the brake pedal catches midway to the floor. Again, I was told that this was not a problem. I register these two issues as potential causes of accidents and as complaints on my part.

Filed Apr 14, 2010 · Acceleration, Brakes · 16,800 miles · MD

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) re: lexus es350, 2007; 16,800 miles; VIN: [xxx] on february 2nd, 2010, I was driving above referenced car, with only about 16,800 miles driven on it, barely at 20 MPH on a side street and our lexus accelerated on its own, brakes failed and the car skidded and hit the pavement of a sidewalk. I took the car to the lexus of rockville (301 762 9009) and they said although most repairs are covered under the warranty, a few are not. They initially quoted me my share of the cost to about $250 with which I agreed. Subsequently they called me and told me that my bill will be about $2300 in addition to the costs covered by the warranty. Please verify that these costs are legitimate and please re-determine why will they not release my car for a second opinion? Being in doubt, I asked for the car back for taking it to another dealer, but they will not give back to me my own car (they said due to safety reasons) and coerced me into paying a bill of $2199.36 (invoice #882736), which contained almost $1800 in labor cost and the balance in parts. Please look into this incidence and the attached invoice very thoroughly. It was a manufacturing defect that the car accelerated on its own, brakes failed and the car skidded and hit the pavement. It was none of my fault and the car is still under 7 year warranty. Lexus should fully and completely reimburse me for repairs and injuries (to my right wrist). As a civic and humanitarian duty, I also urge you to please consider a recall, so that others will not be injured more seriously.

Filed Mar 6, 2010 · Body, Brakes · 20,000 miles · CA

On 07/2009 we took our 2007 lexus es350 in for service with 20k miles. It was being taken in for a brake problem, faulty visor and vehicle tilted/leaning. I was advised that the brakes had 1mm left (near brake failure). A lexus tech replaced the brakes, visor and confirmed that the vehicle was tilted/leaning. Since then the vehicle returned several times for service including but not limited to the following: brakes and tilt/leaning. The brakes were replaced again and another tech confirmed that the vehicle was tilted/leaning with visual and physical inspection. The tech measured from the wheel well to the ground. The dealer replaced the front suspension but the results were the same. The vehicle is still tilted/leaning and now lexus is refusing to fix it and stated, they have done all they can do to fix it. After I complaint that the vehicle is unsafe a corp field tech was sent to inspect the vehicle. The field tech also confirmed that the vehicle was tilted/leaning and stated that they don't currently have a remedy for this problem. The vehicle currently has 25k miles. Due to the statement above it leads me to believe the this is a manufacture defect.

Filed Jan 7, 2009 · Engine · 12,500 miles · FL · crash

Upon pulling out of a parking spot, engine suddenly flared up excessively. Brakes failed, engine start/turn off button would not operate. Vehicle would not stop. To preclude hitting traffic on a major street, I put car in reverse. Engine continued to flare excessively. Brakes still would not engage. I could not control vehicle thus crashed into 3 parked unoccupied vehicles.

Filed Sep 5, 2008 · Acceleration · 5 miles · OH

On sunday august 31st, I left a departmental picnic at a colleague's house around 8:30 at night to go home to kent ohio. I left early because I wanted to get home before it gets to dark. I entered the I 76 ramp at the lake milton/newton falls entry. After driving perhaps around 35-40 MPH hour on the ramp I started to accelerate to enter the highway. Suddenly I felt the car accelerated by itself, I put my foot on the brake making the assumption that I may have stepped on the gas pedal to much. However, the car continued to accelerating reaching 80-85 MPH. I was getting closer to cars in front of me. The car accelerated very fast and I put my foot on the brake to slow the car down. The speed continued to be excessive in spite of me trying to break the speed. I thought at first that the brakes did not work, but noticed immediately that this was not the case. I was still moving 80-85 MPH. Trying to avoid cars in front of me. I put my breakdown light on to warn other drivers. I managed to drive over to the shoulder, trying to avoid hitting anything. I put my foot down on the brake and kept it on the brake to slow the car down. I was able to get the speed down to 40mph with my foot continuously on the brake. I tried to let my foot go but the car immediately speeded up again. I managed to put my car into neutral and than in park, the car slowly came to a hold. The brakes smelled and smoked. It was getting rapidly dark and I was scared and in a state of shock, but also relieved to be alive. At that time a state trooper stopped and I told him what happen. He called a towing truck and put red flares up to keep me safe on the highway in the dark. He pointed out to me that I was on mile marker 5.3 on I 76. I had to wait about 30 minutes until the tow truck arrived. The driver told me that my brakes were still very hot.

Filed Jul 1, 2008 · Acceleration, Brakes · 16,857 miles · CA

I was getting on hwy 101 ramp on a saturday morning around 10:45 am where traffic was moderate, suddenly felt the car began accelerating by itself so I eased up on the accelerator. Car continued to accelerate uncontrollably on its own. I then stepped hard on the brake but the car didn't slow down. Saw the cruise control light was on by itself, turned it off but the car was still accelerating. Meanwhile, the vehicle accelerated to 105 MPH .miraculously managed to move over to the shoulder without hitting any cars but the vehicle was still moving at 100+ MPH. Finally my husband had to force the gear box to park and I applied the emergency parking brake before the vehicle finally started to slow down and eventually stopped near exit #389. It was a 3.5 miles journey at over 100 MPH with many close calls of serious accidents .vehicle was towed to lexus dealership. Dealer later informed us that the sudden acceleration was caused by the all weather floor mat and their explanation on why the brake did not work was when the gas throttle was open, the horsepower of the car was so great that the brake wasn't able to stop it. We were not convinced and demand to have lexus corporation send a master technician or have an independent and qualified technician for a full and complete diagnosis. Request was refused by the dealership service department manager. Based on their computer diagnosis, there was no error code came up and therefore we have to trust them that the program has been resolved by the replacement of the floor mat our research found this problem has happened in a lot of different models of vehicles of toyota and lexus. Suspicion is that there is some other bigger safety issues behind and toyota is using the floor mat issue as an excuse to cover up more serious safety problem.

Filed Aug 16, 2007 · Acceleration · NJ

I purchased 2007 lexus es 350 in december of 2006. Sometime in last month, when I was driving the vehicle on a highway, its brake stopped working all of a sudden, and started accelerating by itself. I looked at my foot wondering if my foot was on gas pedal, instead of brake pedal, but it was on brake pedal. I was in a total panic, but managed to drove the car away to the shoulder of the highway by putting the car in park mode. I thought I was dead at that moment. I am trying to sue the lexus. I honestly believe that car will kill someone. Before starting a legal proceeding, my attorney sent a letter to lexus headquarter, and was told that the vehicle had no problem, and that the cause was the floor mat. But, it was not. As I said earlier, I looked at my foot when the vehicle did not stop, and after I stopped the car, I carefully looked at both gas pedal and brake again. I am not blind. Have you seen any other complaints for similar problems? Please let me know. It will be really helpful for me to win the case. I am not trying to make money by suing lexus, but trying to have lexus recall all of its es 350 since it will kill someone.

Filed Jun 3, 2007 · Acceleration · 10,700 miles · IL · crash · 1 injury

My daughter and friends were driving in my 2007 lexus es 350 on a 2 lane hwy. As they approached a speed zone the driver noticed the cruise control light was on without being engaged. She turned it off, it came on again. She tapped the brakes to turn it off and the car lurched fwd. She tried to slow the car but when she braked the car accelerated. She continued to brake but the car kept speeding up. She shifted the car into neutral but the car sped up. She tried the emergency brake, pushing the start/stop button, but the car would not turn off. She kept repeating these actions but the car continued out of control. The driver was standing on the brake with both feet trying to stay on the road as it approached speeds of 90mph with no brakes. As they approached a 4 way stop the front passenger seat desperately threw the car into park at 90mph. The car lurched and skidded approx 150 ft to the side of the road. When I arrived at the scene I called our salesman to inform him of the incident and our car would be towed in. He asked me how many floor mats I had in the car, and I told him only the two they sold me, the carpeted one and the all-weather rubber mat. He told me they had just issued a recall on the rubber mat as it was sliding fwd and jamming accelerators. I checked and our mat was jamming the accelerator. After my car was examined by lexus field tech's they determined the car had acted as designed and the expenses for a replaced transmission and new brake system would be mine- not covered by warranty. I disputed this and they offered to repair the car at no charge. If floor mats were contributory to this potentially fatal incident they were not the only dangerous element. The cruise control issues, inability to stop the car in an emergency situation by pressing the stop button, and the throttle seemingly overriding the other systems in a "sudden acceleration" pattern are all very strong concerns I have.