2002 Lexus ES300 Brakes Problems

I HAD JUST LEFT MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND GONE TO A PARKING STRUCTURE WHERE I HAD PARKED MY CAR FOR THE VISIT. I PAID THE PARKING CHARGE, GOT BACK MY VALIDATED TICKET, AND INSERTED THE TICKET IN THE GATE-ARM MACHINE. THE GATE LIFTED, AND I PUT MY FOOT LIGHTLY ON THE ACCELERATOR TO EXIT FROM THE PARKING STRUCTURE INTO THE STREET. THE CAR THEN PICKED UP SPEED, WELL PAST WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE PICKED UP BASED ON THE LIGHT PRESSURE I HAD PUT ON THE ACCELERATOR, AND THE BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT. THE CAR WENT FASTER AND FASTER, CROSSED A STREET, AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE WALL. ON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I SUFFERED SERIOUS BACK PAIN, AND MY WIFE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR THREE NIGHTS WITH TWO BROKEN RIBS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10319254

Incident

Aug 13, 2009

Mileage

60,000 mi

DT: CONSUMER OWNED A 2002 ES 300. CONSUMER WAS GETTING INTO A PARKING PLACE WHEN HE WENT OVER A SPEED BUMP, HE STOPPED WITH VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THEN, PLACED THE CAR IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, CONSUMER TRIED TO APPLY BRAKE AND BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, ENDED UP STRIKING A CONCRETE PILLAR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. NO POLICE REPORT, BUT IT WAS REPORTED TO INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING FORWARD WITH GREAT FORCE AND BRAKES COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF AN INVESTIGATION THAT WAS IN PROGRESS ON THIS MATTER. ALTHOUGH INVESTIGATION WAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED, NHTSA SAID THAT THEY WOULD MONITOR THESE TYPE OF VEHICLES. CONSUMER SAID THAT INVESTIGATION WAS ON THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10130854

Incident

Jul 27, 2005

DURING THE INITIAL WARRANTY 50K MILES, THE DEALERSHIP HAS RESURFACED AND REPLACED THE ROTORS 4 TIMES ON MY 2002 ES 300 LEXUS AND NOW THE ROTORS ARE WARPED FOR THE FIFTH TIME. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN BRAKING, THERE IS A VERY NOTICABLE VIBRATION IN THE WHEELS, WHICH IF NOT REPAIRED COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND CAUSE INJURY AND EVEN BE FATAL TO ME OR OTHERS. WHEN I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF LEXUS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, THEY RESPONDED WITH, THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ROTORS FREE OF CHARGE, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACING BRAKE PADS AND LABOR, $300. THEY SAID THE PROBLEM IS ATTRIBUTED TO MY BRAKING PRACTICES, DRIVING IN THE CITY AND THE MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE. I DO NOT BELIEVE ONE WORD OF THAT, SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE WAY I BRAKE (WHICH IS NO DIFFERENT THAN A MILLION OTHER DRIVERS) IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. I BELIEVE EITHER THEY HAVEN'T BEEN REPLACING THE ROTORS AS THEY STATED OR SOMETHING IS CAUSING THE ROTORS TO WARP, WHICH COULD BE A DEFECT. AT 67,533 MILES, WHICH IS WHEN I LAST TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE FIFTH TIME FOR VIBRATING, I WOULD BE SERVICING THE ROTORS ON AN AVERAGE OF EVERY 13,506 MILES.THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY BRAKING PRACTICES. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD FOR OTHER DRIVERS AND MYSELF. I DON'T WANT THEM TO JUST REPAIR THE SYMPTOM I WANT THE CAUSE TO BE REPAIRED. I WAS TOLD BEFORE I COMPLAINED, THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST BETWEEN $600 AND $700. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH THIS WOULD COST ME FOR ROTORS FOR THE LIFE OF THIS VEHICLE! AFTER I RECEIVED LEXUS'S DECISION FROM MR. DAN REYNOLDS, I ASKED HIM FOR THE NAME OF THE PERSON NEXT IN LINE FOR ME TO APPEAL THIS DECISION. HE TOLD ME HE WAS IT. THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE TO APPEAL TO. HE SAID HE HAD OFFERED ME A GOOD WILL EFFORT, AND NOTHING ELSE WOULD BE DONE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE HISTORY OF THE 2002 ES300 AND SEE HOW MANY VEHICLES HAVE NEEDED RESURFACED/REPLACED ROTORS 5 TIMES AT 67,533 MILES. I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION GIVEN TO MY SITUATION. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

10127010

Incident

May 3, 2005

Mileage

67,533 mi

THE FRONT ROTORS EXPERIENCED PERMATURE WEAR. THE FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN 5,000 TO 6,000 MILES OF WEAR. THIS CONDITION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN BRAKING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS, AND INSTALLED AN UPGRADED BRAKING KIT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE OR REPAIRS THE ROTORS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10115242

Incident

Jun 30, 2002

Mileage

5,000 mi

LEXUS ES 300 YEAR 2002, I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, TRAVELING AT SLOW SPEED, 5-8 MILES AN HOUR, WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP, DESPITE APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE CAR ENGINE APPEARED TO HAVE A LOW HUM AND APPEARED TO BE IN OVERDRIVE. THE CAR JUMPED OVER A CONCRETE DIVIDER, OVER A SIDEWALK, THROUGH A BRICK WALL AND PLATE GLASS WINDOW. THE CAR WAS IN A FURNITURE STORE. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. I ( THE DRIVER) HIT MY HEAD ( LEFT SIDE) AND THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BODY HIT THE SIDE OF THE CAR. THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO LEXUS. THEY HAD ACCESS TO EVALUATE THE CAR AND SAID THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE. THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER DRIVERS OF THIS MAKE AND YEAR OF CAR. I HOPE IT WILL BE EVALUATED CAREFULLY. I HAVE SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. JUST BECAUSE LEXUS COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM , DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT DOES NOT EXIST. ARTICLES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRING IN 2002 LEXUS ES 300 AUTOS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10108001

Incident

Nov 6, 2004

Mileage

40,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THIS STARTED TO OCCUR APPROX AT 22000 MILES. THE CARE NOW HAS APPROX 26000 MILES. FOUND 2 OTHER COMPLAINTS WHILE RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM. ODI #S 10034592 AND 10037938. IS THIS SOMETHING LEXUS CORP IS VOLUNTEERING TO FIX FOR THEIR CONSUMERS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10096330

Incident

Jul 1, 2004

Mileage

22,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED*AK THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE SITUATION BUT DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THERE WAS EXCESSIVE BELT SQUEALING IN THE MORNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED AND THE KEY WOULD NO TURN IN THE IGNITION. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10063168

Incident

Jan 12, 2004

BRAKE ROTORS WERE REPLACED, ENTIRE NEW BRAKE KIT INSTALLED AND ALL FOUR TIRE WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO REACHING 20K MILES. *PH THE CONSUMER HAS NOT BEEN PLEASED WITH THE SHIFTING PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DEMONSTRATE ERRATIC, ROUGH AND INCONSISTENT SHIFTING. THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE BUT IT ONLY SLIGHTLY IMPROVED THE PERFORMANCE. THE CONSUMER ALSO HAD A 2000 LEXUS GS 300 WHICH HAD A MORE DRAMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE LOCAL DEALER INSISTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10064969

1. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, AT 2-4 MPH, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT FULL SPEED, JUMPING THE CURB AND HITTING A TREE WITH FULL FORCE. BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS CONCERNS WITH THROTTLE PROBLEMS NOTED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AT 1000 AND 5000 MILE CHECK, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. AFTER A CONFERENCE CALL WITH LEXUS ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THE DEALERSHIP, MY CAR WAS FLAT BEDDED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE FRONTAL CRASH RENDERED THE VEHICLE UN-DRIVABLE. RADIATOR DAMAGE WITH LEAKAGE OF FLUID COVERED A PORTION OF THE PARKING LOT. THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SOMEBODY ELSE LIVE COULD HAVE BEEN IN DANGER. 2. THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE. 3. THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE CORRECTED AT 1500 MILES AND A "PART" WAS ORDERED AND PUT ON THE CARE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. 4. THE CAR WHEN DRIVING AT ABOVE 50 PULLS TO THE LEFT AND FROM THE BEGINNING IT FELT AS THOUGH THE CAR WAS UNEVEN EVEN WHEN NOT MOVING. AT THAT TIME I REQUESTED A WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF THIS PROBLEM AND TOLD MY RECORD AT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD SUBSTANTIATE THIS. ON THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT I LEARNED BY REVIEWING COMPLAINTS FROM THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE THAT THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN KNOWN BY THE CORPORATE OFFICE OF LEXUS FROM AS EARLY AS JANUARY, 2002 IN REGARDS TO ALL OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THERE HAVE BEEN TWO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE THAT I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT. I WILL BE REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION WITH THE LEXUS EAST REGIONAL OFFICE AND DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE ROCKVILLE LEXUS OFFICE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I BROUGHT THE LEXUS VEHICLE EVEN WITH IT'S PRICE TAG BECAUSE OF ITS REPUTATION AND TO DRIVE MY 3 YEAR OLD GRANDSON AND 1 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER IN THE SAFEST MANNER I COULD FACILITATE. I AM SURE THAT MY SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WILL NOT ALLOW THIS AFTER THIS CRASH!!!!*AK UPDATED 7/3/12 *CN

NHTSA ID

10045944

Incident

Nov 10, 2003

Mileage

12 mi

PROBLEMS WITH 2002 LEXUS ES300 SEDAN. *MR THE BRAKE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE CORRECTED. (DUE TO VIBRATION WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED) THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO'S VEHICLE MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE DEFECT. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE WRONG BRAKE PADS WERE PLACED ON THE VEHICLE DURING ASSEMBLY. THEY WILL NOT HOLD UP TO THE PRESSURE AND HEAT. NEW BRAKE PADS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED IN REPLACE OF THE DEFECTIVE PADS. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10037938

Incident

Jul 5, 2003

WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE TRAVELING AT LESS THEN 10 MILES PER HOUR, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, PROCEEDED FORWARD HITTING ANOTHER PARKED CAR HEAD ON. THE VEHICLE THEN JUMPED A CURB AND HIT A SECOND CAR. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE CAR USING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP. IN ADDITION THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO TWO OTHER VEHICLES BESIDE MINE.*AK UPDATED 7/3/12 *CN

NHTSA ID

10032815

Incident

Aug 7, 2003

Mileage

17,000 mi

PROBLEMS WITH 2002 LEXUS ES 300 STEERING WHEEL VIBRATING WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED.*MR THE ROTORS WARPED*TS *JB

NHTSA ID

10034592

Incident

Aug 7, 2003

THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WORN WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN BRAKING. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019711

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING 2-3MPH PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STRICK A CONCRETE BUMPER DAMAGING THE FRAME AND RADIATOR, THE CONSUMER BELIEVE THAT UPON DEPRESING THE BRAKLE HE ALSO PRESSED TH ACCELERATOR WHICH CAUSED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER. *JB *MJ

NHTSA ID

8010725

Incident

May 26, 2002