# 1998 LEXUS ES300 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
> NHTSA complaint `749311` · 2009-12-21 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** LEXUS
- **Model:** ES300
- **Year:** 1998
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- **Miles at failure:** 236,000
- **Speed:** 5 mph
## Narrative
THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO UNINTENDED-ACCELERATION AS THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD FIGHTING THE BRAKE. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR HAD A LIFE OF ITS OWN OVERRIDING THE BRAKING ACTIONS I TRIED TO IMPLEMENT.  I WAS PROCEEDING SLOWLY UP THE LONG NARROW DRIVEWAY. I MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING PLACE THAT WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE WALK-WAY. I SLOWLY TAPPED THE GAS ON MY LEXUS ES 300 AND THEN THE BRAKES.  AS I MOVED MY FOOT OVER TO THE HIGHER LEVEL BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN--THE IGNITION/ACCELERATOR SYSTEM TOOK OVER THE CAR. I PRESSED THE BRAKE AS FIRMLY AS I COULD BUT IT DID NOT OVERRIDE THE ACCELERATION. THE BRAKES HAD  ROUTINE MAINTENANCE SIX WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND I WAS TOLD THEY WERE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.THE CAR JUMPED THE SIDEWALK AND CRASHED INTO A BLOCK WALL. IT WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE ACCELERATOR WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT.  THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HIGH AND THERE WAS NO MISTAKING ONE PEDAL FOR ANOTHER. *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*