NHTSA complaint: 1999 LEXUS ES — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
THE FOLLOWING LETTER TO LEXUS & THEY DENIED FAULT OR OBLIGATION TO ASSIST ME: I SPOKE WITH HEATHER STAFFORD WHO ASKED ME TO CALL 800-348-2788 TO GET MY CAR INSPECTED BY A LEXUS IN CHARLESTON SC. I WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE SINCE THE CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SERVICE MNGR: DARYL WOULD CALL ME BACK BUT I NEVER HEARD FROM ANYONE. LIFE-THREATENING EXPERIENCE INVOLVED THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONING ON MY 1999 LEXUS ES300, THURSDAY, 3/9/06. I HAD SET MY CRUISE ON 50 MPH AND IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN UP TO 88 MPH. I DEPRESSED THE CRUISE TO TURN IT OFF WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND HELD THE BRAKES DOWN, THE ENGINE REVVED HIGH AND THE CAR STILL WOULDN'T STOP. FEARING FOR MY LIFE AND LOOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR, I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND HEARD THE ENGINE MAKE A LOUD, DISTRESSING NOISE. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND WOULDN'T RESTART, SO I CALLED THE ONLY TOW TRUCK IN THE AREA. TOWED TO CONWAY, BUMPER TO BUMPER IMPORT AUTOS AND THE MECHANIC: DALE SAID I HAD BLOWN THE MOTOR. I ASKED HIM, WHAT CAUSED IT, HE SAID IT'S OBVIOUSLY RELATED TO THE OVER-STRESSED ENGINE BEING STOPPED SO ABRUPTLY WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. HE MENTIONED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT AND HE ADDED HIS STATEMENT ON THE INVOICE: CRUISE CONTROL WIRING CAUSED STICKING THROTTLE. LEXUS VEHICLES HAD REPORTED PROBLEMS IN NY TIMES FOR RECALLS FOR THE SAME MALFUNCTION, SO MY CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation