NHTSA complaint: 2002 LEXUS IS 300 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
MY 2002, LEXUS IS300 HAD A CASE OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION THAT LED TO A CRASH CAUSING OVER $10,000 WORTH OF DAMAGES TO BOTH MY CAR AND THE OTHER PERSONS CAR. I HAVE SEEN OTHER REPORTS OF OTHER PEOPLE WONDERING IF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE IS SUSPECT IN THESE CASES, HOWEVER I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS ONLY PARTLY TO BLAME ON THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. IN MY OPINION, THE PROBLEM IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE PEDAL GETTING STUCK UNDER FLOOR MATS IS TOO HIGH, COMBINED WITH THE RELATIVELY "LIGHT" SPRING FORCE ON THE GAS PEDAL BECAUSE IT IS A THROTTLE-BY-WIRE SYSTEM WHICH LEADS TO THE FLOOR MAT EASILY HOLDING THE PEDAL DOWN TO FULL THROTTLE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I SAY THAT THIS IS "NEGLIGENT PEDAL DESIGN ON THE PART OF THE CAR MANUFACTURER". I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THEY KNEW THIS WAS AN ISSUE BECAUSE THEY MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL ON: PG.76 WHERE THERE IS A CAUTION THAT STATES "MAKE SURE THE FLOOR MAT IS PROPERLY PLACED ON THE FLOOR CARPET. IF THE FLOOR MAT SLIPS AND INTERFERES WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE PEDALS DURING DRIVING, IT MAY CAUSE IN ACCIDENT." NO MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE THAT CAUTION AS A DISCLAIMER TO GET AWAY WITH NEGLIGENT PEDAL DESIGN. THEY, FULLY WELL KNOWING THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THOSE CAR MODELS WITH A PEDAL DESIGN THAT HAS A HIGH RISK OF GETTING JAMMED AND REDESIGNED THE PEDAL SO THAT IT CANNOT GET STUCK BY A FLOOR MAT. IN ALL THE CARS THAT I'VE OWNED IN THE PAST, IF A MAT SL
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation