Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
825–50K
250–75K
375–100K
4100–150K
2150K+
20 reports with mileage · 48 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Air Bags. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Structure. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
68 reports
50 miles · Aug 12, 2014
Engine
OCCASIONALLY AND RANDOMLY, MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS "STALLING" WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A STOP OR ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP. IT HAS HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES TURNING LEFT BUT MOSTLY MAKING A RIGHT-TURN. I'VE BROUGHT THIS UP TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR AND WAS AT FIRST TOLD THAT THE ENGINE COULDN'T "STALL" AND SINCE THEN I'VE REP…
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OCCASIONALLY AND RANDOMLY, MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS "STALLING" WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A STOP OR ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP. IT HAS HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES TURNING LEFT BUT MOSTLY MAKING A RIGHT-TURN. I'VE BROUGHT THIS UP TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR AND WAS AT FIRST TOLD THAT THE ENGINE COULDN'T "STALL" AND SINCE THEN I'VE REPORTED IT DURING MY NORMAL SERVICES. THEY WOULD TAKE IT FOR A DRIVE AND COULDN'T REPLICATE IT. THE LAST TIME I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT THE DEALERSHIP SAID I COULD LEAVE IT FOR A FEW DAYS SO THEY COULD DRIVE IT AROUND MORE. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME BUT THEN MY HUSBAND HAD IT HAPPEN TO HIM TOO. IT IS SCARY AND UNSAFE WHEN IT HAPPENS. I BOUGHT MY CAR IN 2008 AND IT STILL CONTINUES TO HAPPEN TODAY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10621702
Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2014
Structure
BOUGHT MY CAR IN 2008, SINCE 2012 MY DASHBOARDS IS VERY STICKING BECAUSE IT IS MELTING, BY THAT TIME MY GUARANTEE WAS ACTIVE BECAUSE I PAID EXTRA TO EXTEND IT. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2012 I CALL THE OFFICE OF LEXUS TO INFORM THE PROBLEM, MY CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR IN TO CHECK THE PROBLEM AND TO…
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BOUGHT MY CAR IN 2008, SINCE 2012 MY DASHBOARDS IS VERY STICKING BECAUSE IT IS MELTING, BY THAT TIME MY GUARANTEE WAS ACTIVE BECAUSE I PAID EXTRA TO EXTEND IT. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2012 I CALL THE OFFICE OF LEXUS TO INFORM THE PROBLEM, MY CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR IN TO CHECK THE PROBLEM AND TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT TO LEAVE THE CAR, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS INCLUDED ON THE GUARANTEE, AND HE TOLD ME NO, HE TOLD ME THAT MAYBE THE LEXUS WOULD HELP ME TO LOWER THE PRICE, BUT THAT I HAD TO PAY, AND I SAID NO THANK YOU I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. AFTER THAT THE DASHBOARD GOT WORSE, AND I CALL BACK ON APRIL 2013 TO TALK TO MY CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, AND HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, AT THAT POINT I TOLD THE REPRESENTATIVE THE PROBLEM, AND IT GOT WORSE TO THE POINT THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE WHEN IS SUNNY, HE TOLD ME THAT MY GUARANTEE IT WAS EXPIRED AND THAT I HAD TO PAY TO FIX IT. BUT I DON'T THINK IS FAIR THAT AFTER I PAID $40,000.00 FOR MY CAR I HAVE TO PAID TO FIX IT, WHEN IT SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE LEXUS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10617338
45,000 miles · Jun 17, 2014
Structure
I NOTICED THE DASH BOARD IS STARTING TO MELT. IN THE SUN IT IS REAL STICKY. I LIVE IN FLORIDA AND THE SUN SEEMS TO BE MELTING THE DASH CLOSE TO THE WINDSHIELD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10599016
34,000 miles · May 15, 2014
Power Train
BEGINNING ON OR AROUND JANUARY 13TH, 2010, THE TRANSMISSION ON THE ABOVE NAMED VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE. THIS PROBLEM PERSISTED UP UNTIL MARCH 15TH, 2014, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ULTIMATELY FAILED. DESPITE BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS AT TREASURE COAST LEXUS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS FROM 2010 TO 2014, T…
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BEGINNING ON OR AROUND JANUARY 13TH, 2010, THE TRANSMISSION ON THE ABOVE NAMED VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE. THIS PROBLEM PERSISTED UP UNTIL MARCH 15TH, 2014, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ULTIMATELY FAILED. DESPITE BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS AT TREASURE COAST LEXUS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS FROM 2010 TO 2014, THE DEALERSHIP AND ITS TECHNICIANS NEVER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. THIS ULTIMATELY PLACED THE DRIVER AND OTHERS AT RISK AND RESULTED IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION AT OUR EXPENSE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10588487
67,000 miles · Feb 20, 2013
EngineService Brakes
HAD TO MAKE A HARD STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FADED BADLY. PEDAL HAS BECOME SOFTER OVER TIME. ALREADY HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE FAULTY DESIGNED REAR PADS AND FRONT DISCS. LEXUS HAS A TSB ON THE SQUEAKY REAR PADS BUT NEVER LET US KNOW. IT WAS A REPLACE ONLY IF OWNER COMPLAINED. 1 PAD WAS BADLY WORN, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY …
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HAD TO MAKE A HARD STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FADED BADLY. PEDAL HAS BECOME SOFTER OVER TIME. ALREADY HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE FAULTY DESIGNED REAR PADS AND FRONT DISCS. LEXUS HAS A TSB ON THE SQUEAKY REAR PADS BUT NEVER LET US KNOW. IT WAS A REPLACE ONLY IF OWNER COMPLAINED. 1 PAD WAS BADLY WORN, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND LEXUS WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. WITH ALL THE TOYOTA MASTER CYLINDER ISSUES UNDER RECALL, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE OUR ES350 IS NOT EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. EXPENSIVE FIX THAT WE CANNOT DELAY FOR SAFETY SAKE. ENGINE IS BECOMING NOISY. TICKING SOUNDS AT TIMES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10499474
40,822 miles · Jan 6, 2012
Fuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control
WHILE DRIVING, I PUSHED GAS PEDAL DOWN TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. ENGINE REVVED TO HIGH RPM AND CAR ACCELERATED AND RPM STAYED HIGH IN SPITE OF LETTING OFF OF GAS PEDAL. INITIALLY I PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ENGINE CONTINUED AT HIGH RPM. I TAPPED HARD ON GAS PEDAL AND PEDAL RELEASED. THIS RECURRED AGAIN WHEN I PUSHED DOWN ON PEDAL.…
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WHILE DRIVING, I PUSHED GAS PEDAL DOWN TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. ENGINE REVVED TO HIGH RPM AND CAR ACCELERATED AND RPM STAYED HIGH IN SPITE OF LETTING OFF OF GAS PEDAL. INITIALLY I PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ENGINE CONTINUED AT HIGH RPM. I TAPPED HARD ON GAS PEDAL AND PEDAL RELEASED. THIS RECURRED AGAIN WHEN I PUSHED DOWN ON PEDAL. APPEARED TO BE DUE TO LEXUS FLOOR MAT CATCHING ON BOTTOM OF GAS PEDAL. I CALLED LEXUS DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS HAD NEVER BEEN REPORTED. (I HAD ALREADY HAD THE RECALLED PEDAL REPLACEMENT DONE). I PULLED THE FLOOR MAT BACK TO PREVENT THE EDGE CATCHING ON THE PEDAL. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED--PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THE MAT HAS SLOWLY PUSHED FORWARD OVER THE LAST MONTH. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10442624
Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2009
Exterior Lighting
THE "BLUE-TINGED" HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTS ON NEWER, EXPENSIVE CARS ARE A HUGE PROBLEM. I HAVE TO LOOK AWAY WHEN ONE IS COMING AT ME. THE BEAMS ARE EXTREMELY BOTHERSOME. OTHER DRIVERS I HAVE TALKED TO FEEL THE SAME WAY. WHY DO YOU ALLOW THEM ON THE ROAD? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10257647
Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 2008
Visibility
CONCERN ABOUT VERY BRIGHT WHITE HEAD LAMPS ON SOME NEWER AUTOS. THEY TEND TO BLIND ON COMING DRIVERS BECAUSE OF THEIR BRIGHTNESS. ACCORDING TO DR ISADORE ROSENFELD THEY CAN TRIGGER MIGRAINE HEADACHES. THIS IS A ROAD HAZARD AND CAN LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10234075
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL IF PROPERLY SECURED USING THE RETAINING HOOKS PROVIDED BY TOYOTA.HOWEVER, IF THE ALL WEATHER MAT IS UNSECURED AND MOVES FORWARD FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IT CAN ENTRAP THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT THE FULLY OPEN POSITION AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEPRESSED.THIS CAN HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MAT (CARPET) IS UNDERNEATH.WHEN THIS OCCURS, SOME OPERATORS REACT BY APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, DEPLETING THE BRAKING SYSTEM'S (VACUUM BASED) POWER ASSIST.STOPPING THE VEHICLE WITH UNASSISTED BRAKING WHILE THE THROTTLE IS FULLY OPEN REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT PEDAL FORCE, WHICH SOME OPERATORS DID NOT, OR WERE UNABLE TO, APPLY FOR THE REQUIRED DURATION.CONTINUED DRIVING IN THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN OVERHEATED BRAKES, WHICH FURTHER DIMINISHES THE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.SOME OPERATORS ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF BY DEPRESSING THE ENGINE CONTROL BUTTON, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNAWARE THE BUTTON HAD TO BE DEPRESSED FOR THREE SECONDS TO STOP THE ENGINE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION; THIS FUNCTIONALITY WAS NOT EXPLAINED ADEQUATELY IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.IN ODI INTERVIEWS, OWNER'S REPORTED THEY WERE UNAWARE THE ALL WEATHER MAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL, ADVISING THAT THIS WAS NEVER PROPERLY EXPLAINED GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT HAZARD IT REPRESENTED.OWNERS REPORTED SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THE MAT WAS UNSECURED, INCLUDING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED IN THIS CONDITION (MOST COMMON REASON), OR THAT THEY HAD (UNWITTINGLY) INSTALLED THE MAT THEMSELVES, OR THAT ANOTHER PARTY, SUCH AS A CAR WASH ATTENDANT, HAD DISTURBED THE MAT WITHOUT THE OWNER'S KNOWLEDGE.ONE CONSUMER REPORTED THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED WITHOUT THE RETAINING DEVICES INSTALLED.IN A SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 LETTER TO NHTSA, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE ALL WEATHER MAT WITH A REDESIGNED MAT.ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, THE NEW MAT DESIGN WILL REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL.THE POPULATION NOTED ABOVE REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF SUBJECT MATSTHAT HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES.SINCE TOYOTA CANNOT IDENTIFY WHICH VEHICLES MAY HAVE THE SUBJECT MATS, THEY WILL SEND A LETTER TO ALL REGISTERED OWNERS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (ESTIMATED 750K) ADVISING THEM OF THE CONCERN AND REMEDY.A COPY OF THAT LETTER WILL BE POSTED TO NHTSA'S WEB SITE UNDER RECALL 07E-082; IT CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF THE CONDITION AND THE ACTIONS AN OPERATOR SHOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING.THE FATALITY INCIDENT NOTED ABOVE OCCURRED IN JULY 2007 AND WAS INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA'S SPECIAL CRASH INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE.IT HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED ON A VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE.THE OPERATOR REPORTEDLY TRAVELLED AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH FOR AN ESTIMATED EIGHT MILES ON AN INTERSTATE IN CALIFORNIA BEFORE IT STRUCK TWO OTHER VEHICLES.ONE OF THE STRUCK VEHICLES AND THE SUBJECT VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.THE OCCUPANT OF THE STRUCK VEHICLE DID NOT EVACULATE AND DIED AT THE SCENE.THE SUBJECT VEHICLE DRIVER SUFFERED A BROKEN BONE.THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT ALSO.ODI DID NOT ISSUE AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.THE TOYOTA REPORTS NOTED ABOVE WERE REPORTED DURING PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-016 AND ARE CURRENT THROUGH APRIL 2007 FOR MY 2007 LEXUS ES350 ONLY.ODI DOES NOT HAVE FIELD EXPERIENCE DATA FROM TOYOTA FOR CAMRY VEHICLES.THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FLOOR MATS COULD BE A CONCERN IN ALL VEHICLES.THEREFORE, DRIVERS SHOULD ALWAYS ENSURE THEIR FLOOR MATS ARE PROPERLY AND SAFELY INSTALLED.THIS INCL
Additional source detail variants (2)
Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL IF PROPERLY SECURED USING THE RETAINING HOOKS PROVIDED BY TOYOTA.HOWEVER, IF THE ALL WEATHER MAT IS UNSECURED AND MOVES FORWARD FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IT CAN ENTRAP THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT THE FULLY OPEN POSITION AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEPRESSED.THIS CAN HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MAT (CARPET) IS UNDERNEATH.WHEN THIS OCCURS, SOME OPERATORS REACT BY APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, DEPLETING THE BRAKING SYSTEM'S (VACUUM BASED) POWER ASSIST.STOPPING THE VEHICLE WITH UNASSISTED BRAKING WHILE THE THROTTLE IS FULLY OPEN REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT PEDAL FORCE, WHICH SOME OPERATORS DID NOT, OR WERE UNABLE TO, APPLY FOR THE REQUIRED DURATION.CONTINUED DRIVING IN THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN OVERHEATED BRAKES, WHICH FURTHER DIMINISHES THE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.SOME OPERATORS ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF BY DEPRESSING THE ENGINE CONTROL BUTTON, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNAWARE THE BUTTON HAD TO BE DEPRESSED FOR THREE SECONDS TO STOP THE ENGINE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION; THIS FUNCTIONALITY WAS NOT EXPLAINED ADEQUATELY IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.IN ODI INTERVIEWS, OWNER'S REPORTED THEY WERE UNAWARE THE ALL WEATHER MAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL, ADVISING THAT THIS WAS NEVER PROPERLY EXPLAINED GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT HAZARD IT REPRESENTED.OWNERS REPORTED SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THE MAT WAS UNSECURED, INCLUDING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED IN THIS CONDITION (MOST COMMON REASON), OR THAT THEY HAD (UNWITTINGLY) INSTALLED THE MAT THEMSELVES, OR THAT ANOTHER PARTY, SUCH AS A CAR WASH ATTENDANT, HAD DISTURBED THE MAT WITHOUT THE OWNER'S KNOWLEDGE.ONE CONSUMER REPORTED THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED WITHOUT THE RETAINING DEVICES INSTALLED.IN A SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 LETTER TO NHTSA, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE ALL WEATHER MAT WITH A REDESIGNED MAT.ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, THE NEW MAT DESIGN WILL REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL.THE POPULATION NOTED ABOVE REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF SUBJECT MATSTHAT HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES.SINCE TOYOTA CANNOT IDENTIFY WHICH VEHICLES MAY HAVE THE SUBJECT MATS, THEY WILL SEND A LETTER TO ALL REGISTERED OWNERS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (ESTIMATED 750K) ADVISING THEM OF THE CONCERN AND REMEDY.A COPY OF THAT LETTER WILL BE POSTED TO NHTSA'S WEB SITE UNDER RECALL 07E-082; IT CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF THE CONDITION AND THE ACTIONS AN OPERATOR SHOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING.THE FATALITY INCIDENT NOTED ABOVE OCCURRED IN JULY 2007 AND WAS INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA'S SPECIAL CRASH INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE.IT HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED ON A VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE.THE OPERATOR REPORTEDLY TRAVELLED AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH FOR AN ESTIMATED EIGHT MILES ON AN INTERSTATE IN CALIFORNIA BEFORE IT STRUCK TWO OTHER VEHICLES.ONE OF THE STRUCK VEHICLES AND THE SUBJECT VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.THE OCCUPANT OF THE STRUCK VEHICLE DID NOT EVACULATE AND DIED AT THE SCENE.THE SUBJECT VEHICLE DRIVER SUFFERED A BROKEN BONE.THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT ALSO.ODI DID NOT ISSUE AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.THE TOYOTA REPORTS NOTED ABOVE WERE REPORTED DURING PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-016 AND ARE CURRENT THROUGH APRIL 2007 FOR MY 2007 LEXUS ES350 ONLY.ODI DOES NOT HAVE FIELD EXPERIENCE DATA FROM TOYOTA FOR CAMRY VEHICLES.THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FLOOR MATS COULD BE A CONCERN IN ALL VEHICLES.THEREFORE, DRIVERS SHOULD ALWAYS ENSURE THEIR FLOOR MATS ARE PROPERLY AND SAFELY INSTALLED.THIS INCL
Vehicle Speed Control
THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL IF PROPERLY SECURED USING THE RETAINING HOOKS PROVIDED BY TOYOTA.HOWEVER, IF THE ALL WEATHER MAT IS UNSECURED AND MOVES FORWARD FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IT CAN ENTRAP THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT THE FULLY OPEN POSITION AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEPRESSED.THIS CAN HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MAT (CARPET) IS UNDERNEATH.WHEN THIS OCCURS, SOME OPERATORS REACT BY APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, DEPLETING THE BRAKING SYSTEM'S (VACUUM BASED) POWER ASSIST.STOPPING THE VEHICLE WITH UNASSISTED BRAKING WHILE THE THROTTLE IS FULLY OPEN REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT PEDAL FORCE, WHICH SOME OPERATORS DID NOT, OR WERE UNABLE TO, APPLY FOR THE REQUIRED DURATION.CONTINUED DRIVING IN THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN OVERHEATED BRAKES, WHICH FURTHER DIMINISHES THE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.SOME OPERATORS ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF BY DEPRESSING THE ENGINE CONTROL BUTTON, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNAWARE THE BUTTON HAD TO BE DEPRESSED FOR THREE SECONDS TO STOP THE ENGINE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION; THIS FUNCTIONALITY WAS NOT EXPLAINED ADEQUATELY IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.IN ODI INTERVIEWS, OWNER'S REPORTED THEY WERE UNAWARE THE ALL WEATHER MAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL, ADVISING THAT THIS WAS NEVER PROPERLY EXPLAINED GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT HAZARD IT REPRESENTED.OWNERS REPORTED SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THE MAT WAS UNSECURED, INCLUDING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED IN THIS CONDITION (MOST COMMON REASON), OR THAT THEY HAD (UNWITTINGLY) INSTALLED THE MAT THEMSELVES, OR THAT ANOTHER PARTY, SUCH AS A CAR WASH ATTENDANT, HAD DISTURBED THE MAT WITHOUT THE OWNER'S KNOWLEDGE.ONE CONSUMER REPORTED THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED WITHOUT THE RETAINING DEVICES INSTALLED.IN A SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 LETTER TO NHTSA, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE ALL WEATHER MAT WITH A REDESIGNED MAT.ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, THE NEW MAT DESIGN WILL REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL.THE POPULATION NOTED ABOVE REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF SUBJECT MATSTHAT HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES.SINCE TOYOTA CANNOT IDENTIFY WHICH VEHICLES MAY HAVE THE SUBJECT MATS, THEY WILL SEND A LETTER TO ALL REGISTERED OWNERS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (ESTIMATED 750K) ADVISING THEM OF THE CONCERN AND REMEDY.A COPY OF THAT LETTER WILL BE POSTED TO NHTSA'S WEB SITE UNDER RECALL 07E-082; IT CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF THE CONDITION AND THE ACTIONS AN OPERATOR SHOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING.THE FATALITY INCIDENT NOTED ABOVE OCCURRED IN JULY 2007 AND WAS INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA'S SPECIAL CRASH INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE.IT HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED ON A VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE.THE OPERATOR REPORTEDLY TRAVELLED AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH FOR AN ESTIMATED EIGHT MILES ON AN INTERSTATE IN CALIFORNIA BEFORE IT STRUCK TWO OTHER VEHICLES.ONE OF THE STRUCK VEHICLES AND THE SUBJECT VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.THE OCCUPANT OF THE STRUCK VEHICLE DID NOT EVACULATE AND DIED AT THE SCENE.THE SUBJECT VEHICLE DRIVER SUFFERED A BROKEN BONE.THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT ALSO.ODI DID NOT ISSUE AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.THE TOYOTA REPORTS NOTED ABOVE WERE REPORTED DURING PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-016 AND ARE CURRENT THROUGH APRIL 2007 FOR MY 2007 LEXUS ES350 ONLY.ODI DOES NOT HAVE FIELD EXPERIENCE DATA FROM TOYOTA FOR CAMRY VEHICLES.THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FLOOR MATS COULD BE A CONCERN IN ALL VEHICLES.THEREFORE, DRIVERS SHOULD ALWAYS ENSURE THEIR FLOOR MATS ARE PROPERLY AND SAFELY INSTALLED.THIS INCL
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