1999 Lexus GS300

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS GS300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING 60 MPH OR ABOVE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIANS WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000. *TR

WHEN EXCEEDING 60MPH, THE GS 300'S STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND VIBRATES QUITE NOTICEABLY. THE FASTER YOU ACCELERATE, THE MORE NOTICEABLE THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES. THIS CAUSES THE THE CAR TO BECOME MORE DIFFICULT TO HANDLE, BRAKE IN A STRAIGHT LINE, SWITCH LANES AND CONTROL WHILE DRIVING IN A CURVE, OVER BUMPS AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. EVEN AFTER THE TIRES WERE BALANCED AND ALIGNED, THE NOTICEABLE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATIONS CONTINUED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE IT MAKES THE CARE MORE DIFFICULT TO HANDLE DURING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHEN THE THE VEHICLE IS BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. *TR

IN LATE SEPTEMBER1999 WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC WITH THE CAR IN AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND SURGED FORWARD. I REACTED IMMEDIATELY BY SHIFTING THE CAR INTO PARK. THIS ALLOWED ME TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED IN EARLY NOVEMBER 1999, WHEN I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP A STOP SIGN. AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE, THE CAR ONCE AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO SURGE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. ANOTHER EPISODE OCCURRED IN EARLY DECEMBER 1999 WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY SON HOME FROM SCHOOL. WE APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION AND I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR SURGED FORWARD SO INTENSELY THAT THE SEAT BELT TIGHTENED AROUND HIM SO TIGHT I WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE HIM. HE WAS COMPLETELY HORRIFIED AND HIS SHOULDER WAS BRUISED WHEN I CUT THE SEAT BELT OFF WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME. AT THAT POINT I CONTACTED LEXUS AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I WAS CONTACTED AND TOLD THAT COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ON APRIL 14, 2003 I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND SURGED FORWARD. AS WITH THE PRIOR INCIDENTS I REACTED BY SHIFTING INTO PARK. I CONTACTED LEXUS AGAIN AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. O APRIL 21, 2003 I SENT A LETTER TO [XXX], CEO OF LEXUS SEEKING ASSISTANCE. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED AN ANSWER AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THEIR HAS BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS OVER THE YEARS. I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN LEXUS ABILITY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I STILL OWN THE VEHICLE AND DECIDED TO FILE THE REPORT AFTER SEEING THE COVERAGE OF THIS INCIDENTS ON THE NEWS. THIS PROBLEM GOES BACK YEARS ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. OR PERHAPS SAVE A LIFE. OR EXPAND THE RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS GS300. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKES ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP SEVERAL TIMES WHERE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED TWICE, A LOWER BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS RE-ALIGNED AND BALANCED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000. UPDATED 11/03/10. *LJ

WHILE DRIVING FOR FIRST TIME AFTER LEXUS REGIONAL TECHNICIAN INVESTIGATED PROBLEMS DOCUMENTED IN PREVIOUS NHTSA COMPLAINTS 10323826 AND 10317084, ALL BRAKE RELATED PANEL LIGHTS CAME ON AND BRAKE ALARM SOUNDED. I DID NOT LOSE BRAKES SO DIAGNOSTIC MAY BE FALSE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ARE NOW INVESTIGATING THIS CONDITION. IT IS HIGHLY COINCIDENT THAT THIS PROBLEM, WHICH HAS NEVER APPEARED BEFORE, OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EXAM BY THE REGIONAL TECHNICIAN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS GS300. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AFTER HE DOWN SHIFTED. HE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SPEED UP WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL; A SHORT WHILE AFTER, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE RPMS INCREASED RAPIDLY. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES WHICH WERE UNRESPONSIVE SO HE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE SO HE TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,100.