SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Miles at failure
17,000
Speed
70 mph
Severity
Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
No
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No
Narrative
I WAS DRIVING MY 2007 LEXUS ES350 NORTH ON ROUTE 34 IN COLTS NECK, NEW JERSEY. SUDDENLY CAR SPEED INCREASED FROM APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH TO IN EXCESS OF 70MPH. I APPLIED BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKES WHICH DID NOTHING. I SPENT THE NEXT THREE MILES AVOIDING CARS IN MY LANE AND ONCOMING LANES. DURING THIS TIME I ATTEMPTED TO PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN IT OFF. NOTHING HAPPENED. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR IN REVERSE WHICH SLOWED IT DOWN BUT THEN IT STARTED GOING BACKWARDS. I FINALLY GOT INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF. CAR IS PRESENTLY AT LEXUS DEALER. THEY KEPT ASKING ME ABOUT FLOOR MATS AND THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THEIR PLACEMENT. I KEEP MATS AT LEAST SIX TO 12 INCHES FROM PEDALS. THERE HAVE 40 SUCH INCIDENTS WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL SINCE IT CAME OUT. LEXUS KEEPS TALKING ABOUT FLOOR MATS, BUT SOME OF THE CARS DID NOT EVEN HAVE FLOOR MATS. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE A LOT OF PEOPLE DIE. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO NOT KILL MYSELF AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. *TR