2000 Lexus ES300

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE DID SHUT OFF SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL , FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. TRIED START ENGINE AGAIN AND IT SHOWED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND LOW OIL LIGHT. INSPECTED ENGINE OIL WITH DIP STICK AND SHOWED GOOD LEVEL. TOWED IT TO MECHANIC AND BEEN TOLD THE SLUDGE FORMATION CAUSED ENGINE SEIZE . REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE IS THE ONLY OPTION. FOUND A TSB ON NHTSA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 628655 BULLETIN DATE: 20-JAN-2002 ABOUT THE OIL SLUDGE ISSUE. I AM REQUESTING NHTSA TO HELP ME TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BY MANUFACTURER.

I JUST PAID $3,600 TO HAVE THE KNOCK SENSORS AND CONNECTING HARNESS REPLACED, AND A TRANSMISSION RE-BUILD, IN THIS CAR BECAUSE THE KNOCK SENSOR PROBLEM CAUSED THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO AUTOMATICALLY STOP WORKING ("TRAC OFF" LIGHT, NO OVERRIDE) AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON. IT IS ALSO WHAT CAUSED MY TRANSMISSION TO NEED RE-BUILDING BECAUSE WHEN TRACTION CONTROL IS OFF, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE, AND THIS DESTROYS THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER REPLACING AND REPAIRING THESE, THE PROBLEM RECURRED WITHIN 2 WEEKS. AFTER TO SPEAKING TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AND TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY THE PROBLEM RECURRED, I WAS TOLD, AND YOU CAN FIND ALL OVER THE INTERNET, THAT 1998-2002 LEXUS ES300S AND TOYOTA CAMRYS WITH THE V-6 ENGINE HAVE THIS PROBLEM CONTINUOUSLY AND OWNERS ARE PAYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO TRY TO SOLVE IT WITH NO LUCK. ONE TOYOTA MECHANIC TOLD ME, OFF THE RECORD OF COURSE, THAT THE SENSORS IN THESE YEARS HAD SENSITIVITY ISSUES THAT WERE CORRECTED STARTING IN 2003. OF COURSE, DEALERSHIPS REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, AND WANT TO CHARGE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN DIAGNOSTIC FEES TO TELL YOU IT WILL COST THOUSANDS TO FIX, AND THEN THE PROBLEM RECURS. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, AND THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THESE SENSORS WITH A NEW SET THAT NO LONGER HAS THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR WHETHER THE CAR IS MOVING OR SITTING AT AN IDLE. TO ME, THE FACT THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM QUITS WORKING IS VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN A CAR THAT THE DRIVER IS USED TO DRIVING WITH THAT FEATURE. SEARCH "ES300 KNOCK SENSORS" ON THE WEB AND YOU WILL SEE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS BY FRUSTRATED OWNERS.