1998 Lexus LS400 Problems

TWICE, WITH TWO DIFFERENT DRIVERS, THIS VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED/SURGED AT A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE HELD STEADY BY PRESSING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE, BUT VEHICLE STILL SURGED AND TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD. ON THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND CONTINUED TO REV MOMENTARILY. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE LEXUS OEM FLOOR MAT (STANDARD, NOT ALL SEASON) WAS REMOVED. THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED AGAIN TONIGHT WITH A DIFFERENT DRIVER AND THE FLOOR MAT STILL REMOVED. I AM QUITE CONCERNED THIS MAY BE RELATED TO OTHER TOYOTA RECALLS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED INTO A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE SHOP TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE WRONG PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 07/22/14 MA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS LS400. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER (ARROWHEAD LEXUS IN PEORIA, ARIZONA) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE HAD CLOSED/EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE RECALL INFORMATION WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 151,000.

1. VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE STARTING. 2. STARTER FAILURE. HAVE TO TURN IGNITION SEVERAL TIMES (15-20) TO GET THE STARTER TO ROTATE. I KNOW THERE WAS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN 98V016000 ON THE 1995 THROUGH 1997 LEXUS LS400 FOR THE STARTER ASSEMBLY DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE TERMINAL FOR THE MAGNETIC SWITCH. MY QUESTION IS CAN MY VEHICLE BE COVERED UNDER THIS CAMPAIGN CONSIDERING THE 1998 LS400 WAS BUILT IN 1997. ALSO CAN THIS CAUSE AN UNDERHOOD FIRE IN MY VEHICLE WHILE I'M CONTINUING TO START MY VEHICLE WITH THIS PROBLEM PERSISTING? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 3. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. *JB

CONSUMER HAD CLOCK SPRING AND AIR BAG MODULE REPLACED BECAUSE OF CONCERNS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEING ON. *JG

NO SUMMARY

THE AIRBAGS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR DROPPED AND IT WEIGHS THE FRONT OF THE CAR DOWN SO I NEED TO WARM UP THE CAR SO THAT THE FRONT ENGINE RISES AND DOESN'T SCRAPE WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL. PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS CAN BE CHECKED BY LEXIS FOR SAFETY REASONS FREE OF CHARGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO THIS INQUIRY. KIND REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THIS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING. STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN COUNTER CLOCKWISE AND WOULD BIND WHEN TURNED ALMOST ALL THE WAY. I TURNED IT ALL THE WAY AND THERE WAS A LOUD "SNAP" SOUND. I THEN NOTICED THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON IN THE DASH. AFTER THE "SNAP" IT WAS EASIER TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCKWISE AND COUNTER CLOCKWISE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG BUT WILL TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THIS OUT. *TR

CONSUMER STATES WHILE APPLYING BRAKES SUUDENLY VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

AT A STOP VEHICLE LURCHED OUT OF CONTROL AND ACCELERATED WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL. BRAKES DID NOT STOP VEHICLE, AND REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. DAMAGED HOOD AND GRILL ON VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER AND VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.*AK

THE TURN SIGNAL STOPS ON TURNING MAKES A VERY LOW CLICK SOUND AND THE SIGNAL ARROW ON DASH BOARD IS NOT VISSIBLE. YH

TURN SIGNAL SOUND LEVEL INADEQUATE. YH

THE AIRBAGS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR DROPPED AND IT WEIGHS THE FRONT OF THE CAR DOWN SO I NEED TO WARM UP THE CAR SO THAT THE FRONT ENGINE RISES AND DOESN'T SCRAPE WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL. PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS CAN BE CHECKED BY LEXIS FOR SAFETY REASONS FREE OF CHARGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO THIS INQUIRY. KIND REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

DRIVING AT 25 MPH I HEARD A BEEPING SOUND AND THE VSC OFF LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME UP ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE THEN WENT INTO FAIL SAFE MODE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE WITH GAS PEDAL. HOWEVER VEHICLE WOULD MOVE APPROXIMATELY 12(MPH) ON ITS OWN WHEN I RELEASE CONSTANT PRESSURE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I PLACED IN NEUTRAL OR PARK POSITION, RPM'S WOULD RISE TO ABOUT 2000(RPM). TURNED OFF POWER TO VEHICLE AND RESTARTED, STILL VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE 12(MPH) ON ITS OWN. AGAIN POWERED DOWN VEHICLE AND RESTARTED THEN TURNED OFF THE VSC BEFORE THE CAR WOULD SCAN FOR TROUBLE AND THIS ACTION RETURNED TO ME CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. I NOTICED THE GS300 AND GS400 LEXUS WAS RECALLED APRIL 16, 1998-NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V080000. MY QUESTION IS IF THE SAME VSC SYSTEM IS ON THE LS400, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD RECEIVE EQUAL TREATMENT IF PERHAPS THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED IN SOME ODD WAY TO THE YAW RATE SENSOR.*AK

DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, TRACTION CONTROL WARNING BEEPER AND LIGHT WOULD COME ON, CAR WOULD SWERVE AS BRAKES AND ACCELLERATOR WOULD ACTUATE WITHOUT INPUT FROM DRIVER. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. EACH TIME CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO TAKE CAR BACK AND BRING IT IN WHEN IT DOES IT AGAIN. WE HAVE DONE THAT 4 TIMES NOW. PROBLEM DOES NOT GET FIXED. WHILE WE CAN'T PREDICT WHEN IT WILL OCCUR, THE SWERVING WAS MORE PRONOUNCED ON THIS LAST EPISODE AND ALMOST CAUSED VEERING INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC. THIS CAR IS NOW IN THE DANGEROUS LIVES THREATENING PROBLEM CATEGORY. WHILE EVERYONE AT LEXUS WE HAVE CONTACTED IS POLITE, ETC. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT GET SOLVED AND THEY WANT US TO TAKE THE CAR BACK AND, "BRING IT IN WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN." THAT IS NOT A SOLUTION, IT IS A HAND BACK THE PROBLEM TO THE CUSTOMERACTION. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT PROBLEM WILL CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, ANT THINK THAT THE MAUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE THE CAR BACK, CHANGE OUT EVERY COMPUTER, SENSOR, AND CHIP RELATED TO ANY SYSTEM THAT COULD ACTUATE THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PHENOMENA WE ARE EXPERIENCING. WE HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS OF US IN TORRANCE, CA. AND THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN MELBOURNE F WE ALSO CONTACTED NHTSA BY PHONE AND SPOKE TO A REP WHO ASSIGNED AN ID# 607064 AND SAID FORMS WOULD BE SENT TO US BY MAIL. WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED ANYTHING. THIS IS TO ASK FOR HELP IN GETTING THIS PROBLEM FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED.L.TEM THAT. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON, THERE IS A BEEPING SOUND, AND VEHICLE SWERVES LIKE IT IS GOING INTO A CURVE, USUALLY TO LEFT. PROBLEM WILL OCCUR RANDOMLY OVER 40 MPH, WEATHER CONDITIONS DO NOT PLAY A FACTOR IN DEFECT. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN PROBLEM OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR, BRAKES, AND STEERING ARE ACTUATED WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE DRIVER AND PROBLEM IS NOT WEATHER RELATED, DEALER HAS KEPT VEHICLE LONG PERIODS OF TIME, ONE INSTANCE FOR ALMOST 1 MONTH, ALWAYS COMES BACK AND CAN NOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER FEELS THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO COMPUTER OR SENSOR DEFECT. *SLC

AUTOMATIC/POWER MIRROR ADJUSTER FAILED. MJS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY OPENED IN A SECURED POSITION AND WITHOUT WARNING, IT SUDDENLY RELEASED IN A DOWNWARD POSITION AND CLOSED. THE HOOD RELEASED ON THE CONTACTS LEFT HAND AND CAUSED INJURY TO THE MIDDLE FINGER. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000. UPDATED 01/24/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE HYDRAULIC PISTONS WHICH WERE SUPPOSED TO KEEP THE HOOD SECURELY AND FULLY OPENED FAILED SUDDENLY, WHILE HIS HAND WAS UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MOVE HIS HAND IN TIME. UPDATED 03/22/11

TWICE, WITH TWO DIFFERENT DRIVERS, THIS VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED/SURGED AT A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE HELD STEADY BY PRESSING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE, BUT VEHICLE STILL SURGED AND TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD. ON THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND CONTINUED TO REV MOMENTARILY. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE LEXUS OEM FLOOR MAT (STANDARD, NOT ALL SEASON) WAS REMOVED. THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED AGAIN TONIGHT WITH A DIFFERENT DRIVER AND THE FLOOR MAT STILL REMOVED. I AM QUITE CONCERNED THIS MAY BE RELATED TO OTHER TOYOTA RECALLS. *TR

ON BOARD COMPUTER FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER UPON ACCELERATION. NLM

AIR BAG WARNING LABELS ARE VERY DISTRACTING DUE TO LOCATION.