NHTSA complaint: 2007 LEXUS ES350 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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 NHTSA 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 CONSISTEN
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation