2002 Lexus ES300 Problems

I REPLACED THE BATTERY ON MY LEXUS AND IT WOULD NO LONGER IDLE YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE DIES.. THE COMPUTER LOST THE IDLE PARAMETERS THIS IS DANGEROUS AS I TURNED LEFT OFF ONE ROAD TO ANOTHER TOOK MY FOOT FROM ACCELARATOR TO BRAKE ENGINE DIED AND I LOST POWER STEERING ALMOST WRECKED MOST MECHANICS ARE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT LEXUS REFUSED TO ADMIT IT GOOGLE IT ALL OVER INTERNET

2002 LEXUS EXCELERATED ON IT'S OWN.I WAS GETTING ON FREEWAY I STEPPED ON GAS TO GO WITH FLOW OF TRAFFIC , THEN TRAFFIC STARTED BACKING UP SO I WENT TO USE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN BUT CAR KEPT EXCELERATING. I HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO TRY TO STOP ,THEN I FELT A POP FROM GAS PEDAL AT THAT TIME IT STOPPED EXCELLERATING

MY 2002 LEXUS ES 200 WAS DYING OR NOT STARTING AT ALL. SUDDENLY, IT WAS WORKING FINE. 2 DAYS LATER, WHILE IDLING OR WHEN MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, IT WOULD LURCH FORWARD AND START ACCELERATING AT SOMETIMES 40MPH. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES, THEN EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP, THEN AFTER I TURNED IT OFF, IT WOULD SHAKE FORWARD. *KB

LEXUS (2002 ES) HAS DRAMATIC TRANSMISSION STUTTER AT LOW OR HIGH SPEEDS, JERKING OCCUPANTS AND MAKING QUICK STARTS (TURNING ACROSS LANES) VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

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

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

LARGE CLOUD OF WHITE/GRAY SMOKE WHEN CAR SITS OVERNIGHT FROM PREVIOUS NIGHT DRIVING. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. THERE WAS A LAWSUIT FILED BECAUSE OF THIS. WHY NOT A RECALL????

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THERE WERE FLAMES AND A BLACK SUBSTANCE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR CENTER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

DEALER AND FINANCE COMPANY CLAIM CLEAN TITLE BUT DOCUMENTS REFLECT OTHERWISE. *TR

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS AT A SLOW STEADY SPEED(APPROX 20MPH) THE CAR WILL FREQUENTLY VIOLENTLY JERK. MY CAR HAS 75000 MILES AND HAS DONE IT SINCE DAY ONE. *TR

SIDE AIRBAGS NEAR WINDSHIELD ARE LEAKING WHEN IT RAINS. AT FIRST IT WAS A SLOW LEAK, BUT REALLY POURS IN NOW

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STAND STILL AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED PAIN ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER, CHEST AND UPPER ARM. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE THAT WAS CRASHED INTO WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE SHE EXPERIENCED BACK PAIN. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. UPDATED 08/30/11 THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. UPDATED 11/30/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AT 45 MPH BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS COLLAPSED. AS A RESULT, THE REAR PASSENGERS SUSTAINED TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT*JB

ON A SUNNY DAY AND WHILE IN MOTION, CONSUMER STATES THE DASHBOARD CANNOT BE READ, EVEN WITH SUNSHADES ON. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS *JG

WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY THE CAR MADE A SUDDEN & BRIEF SHUTTER IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF RESPONSE BY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO MOVE OFF THE FREEWAY KNOWING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR. UPON GETTING O THE OFF RAMP I SAW FLAMES COMING FROM AROUND THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. WITHIN A VERY FEW MINUTES THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. PASSERS BY WHO STOPPED TO ASSIST ME INDICATED THAT THEY SAW FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE CAR AS I WAS PULLING OFF THE FREEWAY. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FIRE (EITHER FLAMES, SMOKE OR GAUGE INDICATIONS) FOR ME S THE DRIVER UNTIL I HAD EXITED TO THE OFF RAMP. THE CAR HAS BEEN DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS WITH CAUSE LISTED AS " UNDETERMINED" BY THE INSURANCE CO.

SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP SIGN...CAR SURGES. *TR

LTR FM LLOYD SORKIN (FL) REPORTING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR ON HIS VEHICLE A 2002 LEXUS ES300 QUESTION IF ANY TIRE RECALL NOTICE APPLY.*MR THE TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR EVERY 18,000 MILES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE MAY BE THE PROBLEM NOT THE TIRES (DOT NUMBERS- EJF1DMM4401, EJF1DMM4501, EJF1DMM4501, EJF1DMM4601). *NM

THE TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR EVERY 18,000 MILES. DEALER HAD REPLACED THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH BRIDGESTONE, TURANZA T, SIZE P215/60R16. THE BRIDGESTONE FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 23, 000 MILES, REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 30, 000 MILES. CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH TIRES. *AK *LA

THE INSTRUMENTS CANNOT BE SEEN IF THERE IS ANY LIGHT COMING INTO THE CAR. THE RED POINTERS CANNOT BE SEEN. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I SEE THAT IT HAS BEEN KNOWN SINCE 2002 BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX IT. I WONDER JUST WHY?? I DON'T LIKE NOT BEING ABLE TO KNOW JUST HOW FAST I AM GOING, FUEL QUANTITY ETC!! *TR

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

THE AUTOMATIC WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WAS DRY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE FROM FRONT RIGHT SIDE DUE TO AN ENGINEERING FLAW. *AK *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 5 MPH AND EXITING ONTO A RAMP IN LIGHT RAIN, THE CONTACT LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE LEFT RAILING. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SERVICE SHOP. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE TO DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 38,500. UPDATED 03/04/10. *LJ

CAR PULLS VERY HARD TO LEFT ON HIGHWAY. DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THIS BY ALIGNMENTS, NEW TIRES AND SWITCHING TIRES. IF I AM ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE LEFT LANE, I WILL NEVER HAVE TO TURN LEFT! EVEN ON A LEFT HAND CURVE, I HAVE TO TURN RIGHT TO KEEP FROM GOING OFF OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ***NOTE THE 3 LOANER ES300'S DID THE SAME THING. LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE CAR IS DESIGNED! I HAVE GOTTEN THE CAR TO TRACK SOMEWHAT BETTER BY SWITCHING MY TIRES, BUT NOW I CAN'T ROTATE THE TIRES! FRUSTRATED!*AK

CAR PULLS VERY HARD TO LEFT ON HIGHWAY. DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THIS BY 1 ALIGNMENT AND NEW TIRES. THEY SAID THEY HAVE DONE EVERYHTING THEY ARE WILLING TO DO FOR FREE. SINCE I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY KEEP PUSHING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, IT IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO CUP, SO I WILL BE STUCK REPLACING TIRES EVERY 12000 MILES TO ELIMINATE LOUD ROAD NOISE.*AK

LTR FM LLOYD SORKIN (FL) REPORTING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR ON HIS VEHICLE A 2002 LEXUS ES300 QUESTION IF ANY TIRE RECALL NOTICE APPLY.*MR THE TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR EVERY 18,000 MILES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE MAY BE THE PROBLEM NOT THE TIRES (DOT NUMBERS- EJF1DMM4401, EJF1DMM4501, EJF1DMM4501, EJF1DMM4601). *NM

DASHBOARD HAS BEEN REDESIGNED, AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE VARIOUS NEEDLE GAUGES WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAY. AT NIGHT WITH LIGHTS ON, EVERYTHING IS FINE, BUT DURING THE DAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS SUNNY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE GAUGES. *SC...*AK

CANNOT SEE SPEED READING ON DASHBOARD IN SUNLIGHT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE CHANGE OF INSTRUMENTS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THIS MODEL HAS THE SAME LIGHTING. RIGHT FRONT DOOR HARD TO CLOSE DUE TO BEING MISALIGNED, DEALER ADJUSTED DOOR STRIKER, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLES DIFFICULT TO SEE. *SCC

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL VOLUME WAS VERY LOW AND COULD NOT BE HEARD WHEN IT WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SERVICED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82000.

MY 2002 LEXUS ES 300, WHEN DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT NIGHT TIME, THE HEADLIGHTS (HID'S) KEEP COMING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR OF DRIVING THE DISTANCE COVERED BY THE LIGHT IS ABOUT HALF THE LENGTH OF A SEMITRUCK TRAILER. IT IS VERY HARD TO DRIVE ON CORNERS ON THE FREEWAY AND I HAVE TO TURN THE HIGH BEAM ON. THE OTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE THE DISTANCE COVERED BY THE LIGHT IS TO TELL THAT I CAN SEE ONLY TWO DOTTED POINTS (THE DIVIDER LINE ON THE FREEWAY) AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME. MY ESTIMATION IS THAT THE DISTANCE COVERED BY THE LIGHT AT THAT TIME IS ABOUT 15-20 FEET AT THE MAX. THE LIGHT GETS SO CONCENTRATED CLOSE TO THE CAR THAT IF I TURN THE FOGLIGHTS ON (WHICH FALL VERY CLOSE TO THE CAR) I CAN'T EVEN SEE ANY DIFFERENCE IN THE LIGHT INTESITY. ONCE I HIT THE BRAKES OF THE CAR, THE HEADLIGHTS GO BACK TO NORMAL FOR A FEW MILES AND THE DISTANCE COVERED IS DEFINITELY MORE THAN 100 FEET. I DID TAKE MY CAR TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHICH IS ABOUT 250 MILES FROM MY HOUSE TWICE, ONLY TO HEAR THAT THIS CAR HAS A SPECIAL SENSOR WHICH ADJUSTS THE DISTANCE COVERED BY THE LIGHT AND ALL THE SENSORS ARE WORKING CORRECTLY. THEY SAY THEY CAN'T TEST DRIVE MY CAR AT NIGHT TIME AS THEIR DEALERSHIP IS CLOSED AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT THEY CAN CONFIRM MY COMPLAINT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE DISTANCE COVERED BY THESE SO CALLED SPECIAL LIGHTS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THE ONLY OPTION FOR ME AT THAT TIME IS TO TURN THE HIGH BEAM ON WHICH IS AGAIN NOT SAFE FOR THE OTHER TRAFFIC AROUND. I AM PUTTING THE INCIDENT DATE AS AUG, 2003 AS I BOUGHT THE CAR SOMETIMES AT THAT TIME AND THIS COMPLAINT HAPPENS EVERYTIME I GO FOR A FREEWAY DRIVING AT NIGHTIME. PLEASE HELP ME DEAL WITH THIS MATTER AND OBLIGE.*AK

2002 LEXUS ES300 WITH ABOUT 18,000 MILES HAS A PROBLEM WITH HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER SLOWING DOWN, ESPECIALLY AFTER COMPLETING A TURN. IT IS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ADJUST WITH THE PRESSING OF THE GAS PEDAL. ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE HESITATION. ALSO I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR DOWN SHIFTING AS I COME DOWN A HILL. ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT GEAR TO BE IN WHEN GOING AROUND 20 TO 25 MILES PER HOUR. YOU CAN FEEL THE CAR CHANGE GEAR. PASSENGERS EVEN HAVE ASKED WHAT WAS THAT? COMPLAINED TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE WAY I DRIVE. I HAD THE SB-TC004-03 PERFORMED AFTER RECEIVING THE LETTER FROM LEXUS, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. MAY HAVE MADE IT WORSE. *AK

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, IN WET CONDITIONS A VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF HIM WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO BROADSIDE THE OTHER VEHICLE WITH HIS FRONT END. THE BRAKES WERE SUDDENLY APPLIED AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALL OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS, BUT THE SHOULDER STRAPS DID NOT CATCH, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. *JB UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM