2007 Lexus ES350: jerking or lurching

Filed May 10, 2018 · Transmission · 220,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 lexus es350. While driving 70 MPH, the vehicle jerked and decelerated. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where failure codes were found for the transmission computerized system and transmission drive train. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 220,000.

Filed Sep 6, 2013 · Transmission · 27,500 miles · WA

I purchased the car with a certified pre-owned warranty as I did with two other lexus that I have owned. Shortly afterward I noticed that when I slowed down to stop at the top a steep hill the car would suddenly lurch forward and I had to apply the brake to stop the car. I went to the dealer and took a ride with the service manager with a laptop attached to the car. I duplicated the problem. The dealer said the problem was that the transmission has a problem shifting from 4th to first gear .the dealer applied some computer updates. Afterward, the problem lurching was still the same. I took the car back to lexus and duplicated the problem with them again. They did another update but the problem was still the same. The dealer brought in a tech rep from lexus. They decided that the problem was not significant enough for them to replace the transmission or the computer that controls the transmission. I still have the same irritating problem. Although the car is still under the certification warranty, it will run out soon.

Filed May 26, 2010 · Transmission · FL

2007 lexus es350. Consumer states unintended acceleration *tgw the consumer did receive a recall notice in the mail regarding accelerator problems, but was not concerned, because he never experienced any problems prior. However, on april 6, 2010, as the consumer was about to make a turn, the vehicle suddenly lurched forward and a red warning light illuminated as well as the check engine light. The consumer aborted the turn and went straight ahead and turned into a gas station. The consumer then turned off the engine and after a minute or two he re-started it; both the warning light and check engine light as well as a light indicating loss of traction were on. The vehicle was towed to the dealership where they reset the computer and the consumer was informed everything was fine. However, 4 miles into his trip, the vehicle lurched forward again when it was moving at about 20 MPH after a stop sign. The consumer drove the vehicle to the dealership the next day and upon inspection, the consumer was informed the vehicle needed a new transmission. The representative told the consumer there was a mechanical problem with the second gear and that the lurching of the vehicle was related to the computer bypassing that gear.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Acceleration · 1,000 miles · WA

When I let up on the gas and then step on the gas pedal to continue the car lurches. This happens on a random basis and I have reported this to lexus several times since I have owned the car but they tell me if it does not do it while they are test driving there is nothing they can do. They say everything checks out ok and there are no error codes showing on the computer. I have told them it is either the transmission or whatever controls the gas pedal and they don't seem to be concerned. In my opinion there is definitely something wrong somewhere.

Filed Feb 15, 2008 · Acceleration · KY · crash

Acceleration of vehicle on two separate occasions on interstate nearly causing death or injury. Could not stop vehicle. By the grace of god only my car sustained damage. The terror experienced should never have happened the first time, let alone twice! First time august 2007, claimed it was the floor mats. I felt the "lurch" after that and thought maybe I was just being paranoid. Until it happened the second time. It happened nine days ago. The dealer has had my car since the incident. I have yet to hear from them. I will not take the car back. *tr updated 11/13/09

Filed Aug 21, 2007 · Acceleration · 1,582 miles · CA

Driving on a primary surface street, I stopped at a red light. I was the first car in the lane. When the light turned green I accelerated to change lanes, the car picked up speed and the brakes could not stop it. The car growled and jerked for a couple of blocks until I forced the gear out of "drive". It finally stopped before the next intersection. I did not lose control of the car and did not hit anyone. The car was at the lexus repairs dept. For 5 days. I was told that I could not keep the two floor mats. They removed the factory installed carpeted mat, placed it in the trunk and left the thin, clear, protective plastic floor mat from lexus. I never had all-weather floor mats. I do not know if there is any damage to the transmission, engine or brakes. Prior to the incident and since I have occasionally found it accelerating but it stops by braking. I have not attempted a high accelerating test. When I took the car to the repairs dept. I ask if they knew of other similar instances and was told "no". I only had 1,582 miles at the time and I thought I was the only one with the problem. On august 16, 2007 there was an article in the newspaper referring to your investigation and now request that my incident be included. *tr the consumer provided pictures of the floor mats, accelerator pedal and a repair invoice. Updated 09/10/07

Filed Aug 20, 2007 · Acceleration · 1,100 miles · GA

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 lexus es350. While driving 60 MPH, the contact attempted to apply the brakes, but the speed only decreased to 20 MPH. She placed the vehicle in park while it was still in motion, which caused the vehicle to smoke and jerk instantly. The failure caused her to run three red lights and dodge other vehicles on the road. She called lexus and they stated that the floormats may have been installed improperly and caused the vehicle to surge forward. The vehicle is currently at the dealer being inspected and the contact is awaiting a follow-up phone call. The failure and current mileages were 1,100.

Filed Jun 4, 2007 · Acceleration · 13,000 miles · WA · crash

Here is the description I gave my local lexus dealer along with the photographs of the witness marks of the impact to the door. Lexus is evaluating the car. I have asked for a factory assisted replacement car of a different model. They have not responded yet: dave, attached is the extract from the federal safety agency on this problem with the es350 model along with the measurements on the garage door and photos of the car. There is the description: I was watching my wife slowly (3-5 MPH) approach our garage door when the car suddenly lurched forward and crashed into our garage door at 10-15 MPH. My wife said her foot was hovering over the brake after transitioning from the throttle as the car was coasting toward the door. She jammed on the brake but couldn't get it stopped fast enough to keep from hitting the door. I'm a licensed professional mechanical engineer and own a drive a ferrari f355 spider for fun so I am very familiar with how a car suspension and body angle responds to acceleration and braking. It looked to me like the car launched but was immediately forced into a nose down attitude as my wife was desperately trying to stop. Unlike like the audi problem of a few years ago had she mistakenly hit the throttle she would have never been able to hit the door in a nose down attitude and there wouldn't have been time to take her foot off the gas and onto the brake - as a result - it had to be an uncommanded acceleration. The car launched in a way that would be consistent of at least 2500 RPM minimum. I made some very careful witness mark measurements on the broken garage door and the impact point for the license plate screw is 3/8 of an inch lower than its normal free standing height on the car indicating she must have had her foot on the brake by the time of the impact thus ruling out the audi scenario. Make no mistake this is not the floor mat problem and we restarted the car to confirm the cruise control was off.

Filed Jun 4, 2007 · Acceleration · OH

We bought a 2007 lexus es 350 in november. At ~1,000 miles on the odometer I had one episode of unwanted acceleration. I was merging onto the highway. I was trying to keep a constant speed but the car accelerated in the blink of an eye. I do not remember the specifics. I think I was going about 30 and the car zoomed to 60. I put my foot on the brake and the car slowed down. I do not remember the exact dates so I am estimating for the entry below. I have also had some problems with stopping. I would slow to stop and put my foot on the brake but the car would continue to lurch forward. There again I just kept pushing hard on the brakes. This did not occur at a rapid rate of speed. Since I had the rubber floor mats reinstalled I have not noticed it. I dropped the car off at the dealership in may of 2007. I explained that I had heard there had been some problems with the black rubber mats and I requested they install them properly. I had tried to install them myself but was unable to remove the carpet mats that came with the car so the mats had been sitting on top of the carpet mats. The dealership checked out the car and said it was okay.

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.

Filed Dec 19, 2006 · Acceleration · TX · crash

2007 lexus es350. Excessive rpms during start up cause the car to sharply accelerate when put into reverse. Rpm stays at 1700+ for up to a minute after engine start. When putting the transmission into reverse at this high RPM, causes the car to lurch backwards as if the accelerator pedal had been floored. Has caused car to hit a pole and a tree on 2 separate occasions. Dealership says this is normal. Lexus customer satisfaction has not returned calls.