2008 Lexus IS 350 Problems

THERE HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON MY VEHICLE. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, UNFORTUNATELY THE LIGHT WENT OUT, AND NO CODE WAS CAPTURED. IT WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER RECENTLY, AND A FAULT CODE WAS RECOGNIZED; A POSSIBLE KNEE AIRBAG ISSUE. WHEN TALKING WITH THE SERVICE WRITER, THEIR TECHNICIANS HAD MENTIONED IT WAS MOST LIKELY A SHORT IN A WIRING HARNESS AT A COST OF $3500 TO REPLACE. I WAS TOLD ALL OF THE AIRBAGS MAY BE INOPERATIVE WITH THE WARNING LIGHT ON, BUT THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT SURE. A NUMBER OF ONLINE LEXUS BLOGS TALK ABOUT SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND STRUGGLING WHY A FAULTY (DEFECTIVE) WIRING HARNESS THAT DISABLES ALL AIRBAGS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE A FATAL CRASH DUE TO INOPERATIVE AIRBAGS TO WARRANT A RECALL.

AFTER HITTING A HARD BUMP, THE VEHICLE THREW A B1866 CODE INDICATING AN OPEN CIRCUIT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER KNEE AIRBAG. THE CONNECTOR HAS BECOME LOOSE AND AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN FREQUENTLY WITH THIS CONNECTOR OR ON THE DRIVER SIDE KNEE AIRBAG CONNECTOR.

25% OF MY 2008 LEXUS IS 350 DASH IS MELTING. THE SHINE FROM THE DASH REFLECTS OFF THE WINDSHIELD PRODUCING A SIGNIFICANT GLARE. THIS ISSUE COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE MATERIAL USED FOR THE DASH AND DOOR PANELS ARE DEFECTIVE AND NOT UP TO PAR FOR LEXUS OR ANY OTHER LUXURY AUTO MAKER. CONTACTED LEXUS CUSTOMER CARE DIRECTLY AND THEY REALIZE THERE'S AN ISSUE BASED ON THE PICS I SENT THEM. THEY OFFERED ME 25% PARTS AND LABOR.THERE IS NO RECALL AT THIS POINT. I BOUGHT THE CAR LAST YEAR, JULY 2013. IT WASN'T EVIDENT THAT THE DASH WAS MELTING UNTIL SUMMER, THIS YEAR. I BOUGHT A SUN SHIELD AND TINTED THE WINDOWS TO LIMIT THE MELTING DASH. THE SUM SHIELD STICKS TO THE DASH NOW. *TR

RECALL ON DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. STICKY MELTING DASHBOARD AND INSIDE PANELS DETERIORATING WITH EVERY TOUCH. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME THE COST OF LABOR TO REPLACE THEIR DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD AND PANELS. THE MELTING/STICKY DASHBOARD CAN BE HAZARD INTERFERING WITH VISIBILITY IN THE FUTURE. *TR

I WAS PULLING UP TO A RED STOPLIGHT WITH A CAR ALREADY STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, I REALIZED THE VEHICLE WASN'T BRAKING CORRECTLY. I STARTED APPLYING MORE PRESSURE UNTIL I WAS NEARLY STANDING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE ENGINE STARTING REVVING AS IF I WERE ACCELERATING. WHEN I REALIZED THE CAR WAS NOT GOING TO STOP, I TRIED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. LUCKILY, I ONLY TAPPED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHICH STARTLED THE 3 CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT OF THAT CAR. WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR AND I GOT OUT OF OUR CARS, WE COULD SMELL THE BURNING RUBBER. NO DAMAGE TO EITHER CAR, BUT LEERY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. HAD THE REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED DURING LAST VEHICLE SERVICE IN NOVEMBER 2013. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THIS MORNING AND WAS TOLD NO RECALL OR OTHER INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS IS350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 0 MPH AND APPLIED THE BRAKES HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A COLLISION CENTER WHERE THE FRONT END WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED FOR THE ACCELERATION MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,200. ...UPDATED 04-03-13 *BF UPDATED05/09/2013 *JS

WHILE STATIONARY AND IN MOTION, WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, IT PRODUCES A GRINDING NOISE. WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING HAS THE TENDENCY TO LOCK UP/CREATE RESISTANCE FOR A FEW SECONDS AS A RESULT THE CAR WANDERS INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR INTO THE OTHER LANE/SHOULDER OF THE ROAD UNTIL IT BREAKS FREE WHICH THEN CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE OUT OF CONTROL AND I REGAIN CONTROL. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC FOR AN ESTIMATE. THE FAULT IDENTIFIED WAS THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MOTOR AND RACK AND PINION SYSTEM WAS NO GOOD. THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED FOR A YEAR BECAUSE IT IS TOO UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS IS 350. UPON ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT ALSO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V340000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TAKATA RECALL. AFTER LETTING THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP DO THE RECALL ON MY AIRBAGS, I RECEIVED A AIRBAG LIGHT SHORTLY AFTER AND LET THEM KNOW I DIDN'T HAVE THE ISSUE UNTIL AFTER THEY SERVICED THE AIRBAG. THE ISSUE IS STATED THAT THEY MADE THE HARNESS TOO SHORT IN MY YEAR CAR AND LEXUS IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ERROR WHICH IS PUTTING MY LIFE AND MY CHILD'S LIFE IN DANGER IF WE WERE TO GET IN A ACCIDENT WITH MY CAR. THE AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED DUE TO THIS FAULTY HARNESS. WHEN CONTACTING CORPORATE THEY ONLY OFFERED TO HELP WITH $500 OF THE COST WHILE THE DEALERSHIP WANTS $3500 TO FIX. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR A ISSUE THAT LEXUS KNOWS WAS THERE MISTAKE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY!

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS IS 350. UPON ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT ALSO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V340000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

I HAVE A 2008 LEXUS IS 350 IN WHICH THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR HAS BECOME HAZY AND FILLED WITH BLACK LINES LIMITING REAR VISIBILITY. I HAVE READ SEVERAL BLOGS AND BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. THIS SEEMS TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE FOLLOWING SAFETY GUIDELINES, HOWEVER LEXUS DOES NOT FEEL THE NEED TO REPLACE THE MIRROR WITHOUT $1000 OUT OF OWNERS POCKET. < 571.110 571.112 > SUBPART B - FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS 571.111 STANDARD NO. 111; REARVIEW MIRRORS. S1. SCOPE. THIS STANDARD SPECIFIES REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PERFORMANCE AND LOCATION OF REARVIEW MIRRORS. S2. PURPOSE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STANDARD IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND INJURIES THAT OCCUR WHEN THE DRIVER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A CLEAR AND REASONABLY UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW TO THE REAR.

MELTING DASHBOARD. MELTED MATERIAL IS CAUSING GLARE ON WINDSHIELD THAT IS IN DIRECT EYESIGHT. OCCASIONALLY IMPAIRS ROAD VIEW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS IS350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN BRAKING OVER WET ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME ABNORMALLY HARD TO STOP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SECURE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE AND POSSIBLE REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE IDLE SPEED WAS EXCESSIVELY HIGH. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. UPDATED 05/18/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS 350 IS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT ABNORMAL RATTLING NOISES AND WOULD SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD ALSO DRIVE ROUGHLY WHEN DRIVING AT LEAST 25 MPH. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V309000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITI9NG REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,400.

VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AT 45MPH AND GROUND GEARS. *TT

WHEN ACCELERATING ONTO A FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE WILL SHIFT GEARS NORMALLY. THERE HAVE BEEN A HANDFUL OF INSTANCES, THOUGH, WHERE THE GEARS DO NOT SHIFT AS EXPECTED. ON THOSE OCCASIONS, THE CAR WOULD SHIFT UPWARD TO THE 5TH GEAR (OUT OF 6). AFTER LIGHTLY RELEASING GAS PEDAL, THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT TO 6TH GEAR AND THE RPM STAYS HIGH AROUND 3500-4000RPM. IT STAYS IN THAT GEAR UNLESS I BRIEFLY TAP ON THE BRAKES AND BACK TO THE GAS PEDAL. IF THE SPEEDDROPS TO HE 35MPH RANGE, THEN IT DROPS TO 4TH GEAR. AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE BEHAVIOR OF THE CAR IS NORMAL AGAIN. THE REASON FOR CONCERN IS THAT THIS OCCURRED ABOUT A TOTAL OF 6 TIMES SINCE I OWNED THE CAR, AND THEY OCCURRED ON A NORMAL DAILY COMMUTE THAT I CONSIDER ROUTINE. THESE FEW TIMES WERE DEFINITELY OUT OF THE ORDINARY BEHAVIOR FOR THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

I WAS PULLING UP TO A RED STOPLIGHT WITH A CAR ALREADY STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, I REALIZED THE VEHICLE WASN'T BRAKING CORRECTLY. I STARTED APPLYING MORE PRESSURE UNTIL I WAS NEARLY STANDING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE ENGINE STARTING REVVING AS IF I WERE ACCELERATING. WHEN I REALIZED THE CAR WAS NOT GOING TO STOP, I TRIED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. LUCKILY, I ONLY TAPPED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHICH STARTLED THE 3 CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT OF THAT CAR. WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR AND I GOT OUT OF OUR CARS, WE COULD SMELL THE BURNING RUBBER. NO DAMAGE TO EITHER CAR, BUT LEERY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. HAD THE REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED DURING LAST VEHICLE SERVICE IN NOVEMBER 2013. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THIS MORNING AND WAS TOLD NO RECALL OR OTHER INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE. *TR

ON NOVEMBER 8, 2017, I WAS INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN SANTA MONICA, CA AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM AN ALLEY ONTO A TWO-LANE RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE OTHER VEHICLE STRUCK ME ON THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF MY CAR. WHILE THE AIRBAGS OF THE OTHER CAR WERE DEPLOYED , NONE OF MY AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. FURTHER, MY SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN ME AND THE TOP OF MY HEAD STRUCK THE LEFT 'A-PILLAR'. SOON AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I REQUESTED THAT LEXUS DOWNLOAD MY CAR'S EDR( AKA "BLACK BOX" ). THE INJURY TO THE TOP OF MY HEAD DID NOT TURN OUT TO BE SERIOUS. HOWEVER, ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, I STARTED HAVING PAIN IN MY LOWER RIGHT ABDOMEN. THIS WAS SOON THEREAFTER DIAGNOSED AS A RIGHT SIDE INGUINAL HERNIA. ABOUT THIS SAME TIME, I RECEIVED A DOWNLOAD OF THE RAW DATA FROM MY CAR'S EDR. I WAS ABLE TO COMPUTE THAT I EXPERIENCED A 20 G FORCE TOWARDS THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF MY VEHICLE. MY CONCLUSION IS THAT MY BODY WAS FORCED UPWARDS AND TORQUED TO THE LEFT DURING THE ACCIDENT WITH A FORCE EQUAL TO 20 TIMES MY BODY WEIGHT. I CONCLUDE THAT THIS CAUSED THE INJURY LEADING TO THE HERNIA. WHEN I FIRST CONTACTED LEXUS LAST NOVEMBER, I INDICATED THAT I BELIEVED THERE WAS A "SAFETY GAP" IN MY VEHICLE. WHILE I ACCEPT THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE SHOULDER BELT SHOULD HAVE PRECLUDED MY HEAD HITTING THE "A-PILLAR' AND THE INJURY TO MY LOWER RIGHT ABDOMEN. AFTER MUCH DELAY, I FINALLY RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA ON FEBRUARY 8, 2018. IN A BRIEF, DISMISSIVE ONE-PAGE LETTER, THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT MY CAR PERFORMED PROPERLY DURING THE ACCIDENT. IN THIS LETTER, THEY FAILED TO EVEN MENTION THE FAILURE OF MY SHOULDER BELT TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN ME. BASED ON EARLIER CONVERSATIONS VIA PHONE WITH LEXUS, I HAD BEEN EXPECTING A REPORT PREPARED BY LEXUS SAFETY ENGINEERS. IN CONCLUSION, I WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER LEXUS VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS IS 350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS PRODUCING A STICKY SUBSTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

AS I WAS PARKING MY LEXUS IN A PARKING LOT, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHOT FORWARD, MOVING OVER THE PARKING CEMENT BARRIER AND CRASHING INTO A WALL. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. AFTER I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA RELATING TO THE FLOOR MAT ISSUE, I MADE SURE THE FLOOR MATS WERE PROPERLY ATTACHED. THIS HAPPENED ONLY ONCE. I BELIEVE THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE FLOOR MAT SLIDING AND PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR. *TR