2003 Lexus GX470 Problems

I BOUGHT A LEXUS GX470 IN APRIL 2003. AROUND DEC. 2006, SOMETIMES WHEN I WOULD PUT ON THE BRAKES, I WOULD HEAR A THUMP ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IN THE REAR. IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING HITS THE BUMPER. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME, BUT IT HAPPENS ENOUGH THAT IT IS VERY, VERY NOTICEABLE. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I JUST RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PLACE IN THE PARK POSITION WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE VEHICLE WAS EXITED, A WITNESS OBSERVED THE VEHICLE REVERSING. THE VEHICLE'S DOOR KNOCK THE CONTACT TO THE GROUND AND FRONT LEFT WHEEL ROLLED OVER TO THE CONTACT'S CHEST, BACK, SPINE AND FACE.

FRAME IS ROTTING FROM INSIDE OUT, EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON AN OTHERWISE SPOTLESS VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT WAS COMMON TO THE EARLY/MID 2000'S TOYOTA TUNDRA, TACOMA, AND 4RUNNER, THE LATTER OF WHICH SHARES FRAME COMPONENTS. TOYOTA, FOR WHATEVER REASON, COVERED THE TUNDRA AND TACOMA THROUGH RECALLS, BUT SO FAR HAS NOT DONE A RECALL ON THE 4RUNNER OR GX470.

REAR SUSPENSION ARM BROKE A WAY FROM A FRAME SECTION THAT APPEARS ROTTED. NO OTHER RUST ON VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH ROAD AND MADE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. SCARED TO THINK IF THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. AGAIN..THIS IS A CLEAN..NO RUST VEHICLE

WE TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED. IT WAS REPORTED TO US BY THE SHOP THAT WHEN THEY RAISED THE TRUCK, IT MADE NOISES AND THEY FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE. THEY REPORTED TO US THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OR ROTTED, ESPECIALLY NEAR THE RIGHT REAREND, AND THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, THAT THE WHERL OR THE BACK END COULD COLLAPSE. LAST NIGHT, I DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ONLINE AND IT APPEARS THIS IS A LONG-STANDING ISSUE WITH TOYOTA FRAMES ON THEIR TRUCKS, WITH MANUFACTURING DEFECTS IN STEEL PRODUCTION AND SUBSEQUENT CHEMICAL TREATMENT ERRORS BEFORE TRUCK ASSEMBLY. EVIDENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN MASSIVE RECALLS OF TACOMA TRUCKS WHICH HAVE THE SAME FRAMES MADE BY A COMPANY IN OHIO CALLED DANA. WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM TOYOTA TODAY WHO ASSIGNED US A CASE MANAGER YESTERDAY WHILE WE WERE AT THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP. MANY OF THESE TRUCKS NEEDED A FRAME SWAP. THE EXTENT OF THE FRAME RUST AND ROT IS UNBELIEVABLE FOR THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE

FRAME IS ROTTING FROM INSIDE OUT, EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON AN OTHERWISE SPOTLESS VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT WAS COMMON TO THE EARLY/MID 2000'S TOYOTA TUNDRA, TACOMA, AND 4RUNNER, THE LATTER OF WHICH SHARES FRAME COMPONENTS. TOYOTA, FOR WHATEVER REASON, COVERED THE TUNDRA AND TACOMA THROUGH RECALLS, BUT SO FAR HAS NOT DONE A RECALL ON THE 4RUNNER OR GX470.

WHEN HARD ACCELERATING SULFUR SMELL ENTERS CABIN MAKES ME NAUSEATED... WONDER IF CARBON MONOXIDE IS ENTERING CABIN ALSO . WHEN STOPPING OR STOPPED DRIVE SHAFT BUMPS HARD LIKE SOMEONE HITTING BACK OF VEHICLE. *JB

MY SUV WHEN EVER GOING UP OR DOWN A HILL AT ANY SPEED LETS OUT A HORRIBLE SMELL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS BAD GAS, I LET THE TANK RUN TO EMPTY AND SWITCHED GAS DEALERS...THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. MY SON CANNOT RIDE IN THE BACK SEAT BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE THROWING UP EVEN DURING SHORT RIDES.*AK

IT IS POSSIBLE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL WHEN BRAKING, THIS CAUSES SUDDEN UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TOO TOYOTA AND REQUESTED UPGRADED ECU SOFTWARE THAT DISABLES THE GAS PEDAL WHILE BRAKING TOYOTA REFUSED TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE FIX MY WIFE IS A WITNESS. *TR

WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY LEXUS GX470 (2003) WITH MY FAMILY ON A LOCAL STREET AT AROUND 35 MPH, MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED BY ITSELF. THE BRAKES ENGAGE BY ITSELF AND THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATED WITH BEEPS. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC, HE CHECKED THE BRAKES, CALIPERS..ETC, HE SAID EVERYTHING IS FINE BUT HE COULDN?T FIND ANY REASON WHY IT HAPPENED, HE ASKED ME TO CONTACT LEXUS DEALER. I CALLED THE LEXUS DEALER SERVICE CENTER, I EXPLAINED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, HE TOLD ME TO CHECK THE BRAKE CALIPERS, I TOLD HIM THE MECHANIC ALREADY CHECKED IT. ANYWAY, EVEN THE LEXUS DEALER COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHY IT HAPPENED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS GX470. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE DEALER (POHANKA HONDA OF FREDERICKSBURG, 60 S GATEWAY DR., FREDERICKSBURG, VA 22406, (540) 735-9100) WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD BE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE DEALER (POHANKA LEXUS CHANTILLY, 13909 LEE JACKSON MEMORIAL HWY, CHANTILLY, VA 20151, (703) 968-9100) WAS ALSO CONTACTED, BUT HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,400.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL WHEN BRAKING, THIS CAUSES SUDDEN UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TOO TOYOTA AND REQUESTED UPGRADED ECU SOFTWARE THAT DISABLES THE GAS PEDAL WHILE BRAKING TOYOTA REFUSED TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE FIX MY WIFE IS A WITNESS. *TR

VEHICLE WAS IN LOW RANGE GOING IN REVERSE WITH A TRAILER VERY SLOW WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE IT ENGAGED FASTER AND WOULDN'T STOP ACCELERATING FOR 15 FEET OF THIS AND IT STOPPED MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS SO THERE WAS NO REASON WHY IT SHOULD HAVE ENGAGED IN THE MANNER THAT IT DID IN FACT I HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE TRYING TO STOP IT IT FELT LIKE I HIT SOMETHING WHEN IT STOPPED BUT I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. THIS ALL OCCURRED WHILE I WAS BACKING A BOAT INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHICH IS LEVEL GROUND

I OWN A 2003 LEXUS GX470. ON FRIDAY JANUARY 8TH AS I WAITED FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE TURNING RIGHT TO ENTER A BLVD, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RACE WHILE MY RIGHT FOOT FORCED DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM "LAUNCHING" INTO THE CROSS TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND SHAKE AND MY DAD YELLED "YOU'RE SPINNING YOUR TIRES!" I YELLED "MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE, WHAT SHOULD I DO?" WE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. LATER, WHILE MY DAD OBSERVED FROM THE OPEN DRIVER'S-SIDE DOOR, I ROUGHLY TRUMPED ON THE GAS PEDAL 2 OR 3 TIMES BECAUSE WE WERE VAGUELY AWARE OF A TOYOTA "ACCELERATOR STICKING" PROBLEM. I THEN STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT SEVERAL MILES - WHILE TOTALLY TERRIFIED. IMMEDIATELY I ARRANGED TO HAVE THE CAR TRANSPORTED TO MY DEALER'S FACILITIES. AND, AFTER THREE DAYS OF "TESTING," NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND I DROVE HOME, SHAKING. SO, JUDGING FROM RECENT MEDIA REPORTS, WHAT WAS NEW OR DIFFERENT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE? 1) NO MATS WERE EVER USED IN THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT DURING THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. 2) THE ENGINE WAS "AT IDLE" AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BEFORE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SUDDENLY RACE. 3) I AM NOT A "TWO-FOOT" DRIVER...NEVER, EVER. 4) MY DAD CHECKED (YES, HE IS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER) TO SEE IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS IN ITS CORRECT IDLE POSITION AFTER SHUT-OFF: THE PETAL POSITION WAS NORMAL, NORMAL BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER BEING "TRUMPED" ON. 5) MY CAR WAS NOT MOVING, JUST WAITING, AT IDLE, WITH NO OPERATOR INTERVENTION PRIOR OR DURING ENGINE REV-UP. IN A NUT-SHELL, MY NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PROVOKED BY A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR PETAL. THIS FAILURE HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN... NO REPAIR WAS MADE... MY DEALER CLAIMED THAT NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A LEXUS THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT...BUT CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY TODAY SHOWS THAT OTHER LEXUS OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ENGINE ACCELERATION WITH NO PEDAL INVOLVEMENT. *TR

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED STEERING WHEEL FAILED, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL THE VEHICLE, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING 50 MPH. CONSUMER TOWED THE VEHICLETO DEALER TO BE INSPECTED, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT STEERING COLUMN BOLT SNAPPED. *AK

LEXUS GX470 HAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL AT SPEEDS FROM 10 TO 70 MPH. DEALER MADE AWARE OF PROBLEM AT 1,000 AND 5,000 MILE CHECK BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. DEALER CALLED THE PROBLEM "ROAD GROAN." *LA

THE TRANSMISSION DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE LUNGES AND THRUSTS FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKE IS FIRMLY ENGAGED AS A RESULT OF THE DEFECT WHICH IS QUITE STARTLING. THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT ALLOWS THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE FORWARD CAUSING A LOUD THUMP AND PROPELLING THE VEHICLE IN A FORWARD MOTION SEVERAL INCHES DESPITE HAVING THE BRAKE ENGAGED. THE SPLINES ON THE SLIP YOKE FOR THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT ARE NOT DESIGNED APPROPRIATELY.*AK

I BOUGHT THE 470 GX WITH 7 MILES ON IT. IT BEGAN TO "LURCH" AT ABOUT 2500 MILES. WHEN I REPORTED IT TO LEXUS, THEY AGREED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM ON SOME OF THE NEW GX'S. THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE, AND THEY RECEIVED AUTHORIZATION TO REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT. THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE AGAIN ORDERING A NEW DRIVE SHAFT. THE REASON I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IS BECAUSE IT ALWAYS HAPPENS AT A FULL STOP, AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE IS HITTING THE CAR FROM BEHIND. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THE SENSATION OF MOVEMENT OF THE CAR, THIS IS STARTLING AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A DRIVER TO REMOVE THEIR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE. I CAN'T TELL IF THE CAR ACTUALLY MOVES, HOWEVER IF IT DOES, THIS COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT (IE. "FENDER-BENDER" OR WORSE AT A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING).*AK

FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN 35 MPH REAR END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER STATIONARY VEHICLE ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. THE OTHER CAR WAS TOTALED OUT. THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE AS WELL.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS GX470. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,805.

STRANGE THUMPING SOUND ON MY LEXUS GX470. EASY CRACKING OF THE WINDSHIELD ( A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL).

I OWN A 2003 LEXUS GX470. ON FRIDAY JANUARY 8TH AS I WAITED FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE TURNING RIGHT TO ENTER A BLVD, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RACE WHILE MY RIGHT FOOT FORCED DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM "LAUNCHING" INTO THE CROSS TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND SHAKE AND MY DAD YELLED "YOU'RE SPINNING YOUR TIRES!" I YELLED "MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE, WHAT SHOULD I DO?" WE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. LATER, WHILE MY DAD OBSERVED FROM THE OPEN DRIVER'S-SIDE DOOR, I ROUGHLY TRUMPED ON THE GAS PEDAL 2 OR 3 TIMES BECAUSE WE WERE VAGUELY AWARE OF A TOYOTA "ACCELERATOR STICKING" PROBLEM. I THEN STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT SEVERAL MILES - WHILE TOTALLY TERRIFIED. IMMEDIATELY I ARRANGED TO HAVE THE CAR TRANSPORTED TO MY DEALER'S FACILITIES. AND, AFTER THREE DAYS OF "TESTING," NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND I DROVE HOME, SHAKING. SO, JUDGING FROM RECENT MEDIA REPORTS, WHAT WAS NEW OR DIFFERENT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE? 1) NO MATS WERE EVER USED IN THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT DURING THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. 2) THE ENGINE WAS "AT IDLE" AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BEFORE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SUDDENLY RACE. 3) I AM NOT A "TWO-FOOT" DRIVER...NEVER, EVER. 4) MY DAD CHECKED (YES, HE IS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER) TO SEE IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS IN ITS CORRECT IDLE POSITION AFTER SHUT-OFF: THE PETAL POSITION WAS NORMAL, NORMAL BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER BEING "TRUMPED" ON. 5) MY CAR WAS NOT MOVING, JUST WAITING, AT IDLE, WITH NO OPERATOR INTERVENTION PRIOR OR DURING ENGINE REV-UP. IN A NUT-SHELL, MY NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PROVOKED BY A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR PETAL. THIS FAILURE HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN... NO REPAIR WAS MADE... MY DEALER CLAIMED THAT NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A LEXUS THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT...BUT CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY TODAY SHOWS THAT OTHER LEXUS OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ENGINE ACCELERATION WITH NO PEDAL INVOLVEMENT. *TR

THE HEADLIGHT LENS COVERS SLOWLY BECAME FOGGED OVER TIME CAUSING GRADUALLY DECREASING LIGHT OUTPUT. THE MANUFACTURER WANTS TO CHARGE TO POLISH OUT THE FOGGED LENS BUT THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN IF THE MANUFACTURER DID DUE DILIGENCE IN ENGINEERING AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT MATERIALS SELECTION. THIS SAFETY FLAW SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE MANUFACTURER IS PROVIDING MATERIALS INFERIOR TO PAST PROVEN STABLE MATERIALS (GLASS AND OTHER AVAILABLE PLASTICS THAT DON'T DEGRADE HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR WELL OVER 70 YEARS). SERVICE CENTERS DO NOT OFFER INSPECTIONS TO MEASURE WHEN THE LIGHT OUTPUT DROPS BELOW FEDERAL SAFETY SPECIFICATIONS AND GLASS LENSES OF THE PAST NEVER SUFFERED THIS PROBLEM. MATERIALS THAT DON'T DEGRADE HAVE BEEN IN USE FOR MANY YEARS AND MANUFACTURERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO ADOPT LOWER PERFORMING MATERIALS FOR SAFETY CRITICAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS. INCOMPETENT MATERIALS ENGINEERING SHOULD BE PUNISHED BY REQUIRING THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THESE LENSES AT NO CHARGE REGARDLESS OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHEN THE LIGHT OUTPUT WAS OR WILL BE BELOW THE FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR VEHICLE SAFETY WHICH IS PART OF THE PROBLEM ! THIS IS WHY THE DATE OF OCCURRENCE IS UNCERTAIN AND TODAYS DATE IS USED.

THE TRANSMISSION DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE LUNGES AND THRUSTS FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKE IS FIRMLY ENGAGED AS A RESULT OF THE DEFECT WHICH IS QUITE STARTLING. THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT ALLOWS THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE FORWARD CAUSING A LOUD THUMP AND PROPELLING THE VEHICLE IN A FORWARD MOTION SEVERAL INCHES DESPITE HAVING THE BRAKE ENGAGED. THE SPLINES ON THE SLIP YOKE FOR THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT ARE NOT DESIGNED APPROPRIATELY.*AK