2016 Lexus RX350

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 LEXUS RX350. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. ALL THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE LEGS, CHEST, AND BACK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED LEXUS OF TOWSON (1040 YORK ROAD, TOWSON, MD 21204; 410-769-9400) WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE VEHICLE HAVING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ON TO A BRIDGE, THE CAR PULLED THE RIGHT A LITTLE, I PULLED TO THE LEFT A LITTLE TO STRAIGHTENED IT BACK UP APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THERE WAS A LINE OF CARS AT THE RED LIGHT, I CONTINUED APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND WAS PICKING UP SPEED. I PULLED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID ALL THE CARS. CAR STILL WOULD NOT STOP INSPITE OF PRESSING MY FOOT HARD ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR CONTINUED MOVING WENT ACROSS A LARGE STREET, STILL TURNING THE CAR TO THE LEFT TO AVOID OTHER CARS. THE CAR WENT ON TO A GAS STATION LOT. I CONTINUED TURNING TO AVOID THE GAS PUMPS, STILL MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR KEPT GOING AND STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A POLE ON THE GAS STATION LOT. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE BRAKES COULD NOT BE DEPRESSED, THEY FELT AS IF THE CONSUMER WAS STEPPING ON A BRICK. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME DEFECT, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. *JS

MAIN WIPER ARM THE EXTENDS TO COVER MORE GLASS AREA (IN OTHER WORDS, THE RIGHT WIPER) BENT, CAUSING THE WIPER TO HIT THE HOOD. OUR LEXUS ISN'T TAKEN THROUGH A CAR WASH, AND THE DEALERSHIP WANTED TO BLAME IT ON SNOW, BUT LAST WINTER WE DIDN'T HAVE SNOW. THIS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER. IT HAS CAUSED PAINT TO RUB OFF ON THE HOOD AND MAKES A BANG EVERY TIME IT HITS THE HOOD.

I WAS DRIVING ON I-10 EAST CLOSE TO THE TX-LA BORDER, ON PAVEMENT THAT WAS EVEN, ALTHOUGH NOT WITHOUT SOME OCCASIONAL ROUGHNESS. TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND MOVING AROUND 65 MPH. IT WAS 67 DEGREES AND CLOUDY. I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS, WHEN MY FRIEND AND I HEARD A LOUD CRACK. IT SOUNDED AS IF SOMETHING HIT GLASS, BUT WE SAW NO FLYING OBJECTS AND THE SOUND WAS SINGULAR; NO ADDITIONAL OR RESIDUAL SOUNDS. WE BOTH JUMPED AND STARTED LOOKING TO SEE IF THE WINDSHIELD WAS DAMAGED BUT DID NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE. LATER WHEN WE STOPPED FOR GAS WE WASHED THE WINDSHIELDS AND DID ANOTHER LOOK, INCLUDING LOOKING FOR PAINT DAMAGE. WE FOUND NOTHING. WE CONTINUED DRIVING TO OUR DESTINATION. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN WE GOT IN THE CAR AND SHUT THE DOOR, WE HEARD GLASS FALLING. I STOOD ON THE OPEN DOOR AND SAW THAT THERE WERE TWO SMALL HOLES IN THE SUNROOF AND THE ENTIRE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED. THE COBWEB EFFECT WAS 100%, AND EXTENDED TO EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE GLASS, ALL THE WAY AROUND THE PERIMETER. I CALLED THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP NEAREST ME; AND I CALLED OUR INSURANCE PROVIDER TO START A CLAIM. GIVEN I WAS SOME DISTANCE FROM HOME, IT WAS LATE FRIDAY, AND NO ONE COULD GET THE GLASS, I HAD A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP (THE LOCAL AREA CONTRACT FOR OUR INSURANCE COMPANY) COLLISION WRAP THE ROOF SO I COULD DRIVE HOME, AVOID FLINGING GLASS ON TRAFFIC, AND BE PROTECTED IN CASE OF RAIN. MY HUSBAND NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE LEASED THE VEHICLE AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT (WE GO TOMORROW). NO ONE FROM THE TWO DEALERSHIPS OR THE INSURANCE COMPANY MENTIONED THAT SUNROOFS ON LEXUS/TOYOTA HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO SPONTANEOUSLY "POP" SINCE 2010. THE CAUSE OF THIS RISK MUST BE DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND/OR GLASS; THE SUNROOF MATERIALS BEING USED ARE EVIDENTLY UNABLE TO TAKE THE PRESSURE AND ABSORB THE SHOCK. THE ROOF'S MOST VULNERABLE PART IS EXPLODING AS A RESULT. 2016 MODEL; DRIVEN 6 MOS; >6000 MI.

I WILL GIVE YOU A BRIEF DESCRIPTION AS TO WHAT OCCURRED. I ENTERED OUR GARAGE FOR THE PURPOSE OF BACKING THE LEXUS OUT OF THE GARAGE SO WE COULD LOAD NEWLY PURCHASED PATIO FURNITURE INTO THE GARAGE. I ENTERED THE LEXUS, APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO START THE AUTOMOBILE. ONCE THE AUTO WAS STARTED, KEEPING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO ALLOW MY SHIFTING, I MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER FROM PARK TO REVERSE AND TO MY SURPRISE, THE CAR BEGAN MOVING WITH NEVER REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE. IT IS A VERY TIGHT SQUEEZE BACKING OUT OF OUR GARAGE SO WHEN THE CAR STARTED MOVING, I PRESSED MORE FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE PROGRESS AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE HARDER AND WHEN IT KEPT CONTINUING TO NOT RESPOND, I TRIED TO LOCATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM BY PUSHING WITH MY LEFT FOOT ON THE FLOOR TRYING TO ENGAGE IT. THE WHOLE INCIDENT LASTED ONLY A COUPLE OF SECONDS CAUSING THE COLLISION TO OCCUR. THIS WAS REPORTED TO HARTFORD INSURANCE COMPANY AUTO CLAIM # PA0016731644 WHOSE ULTIMATE CONCLUSION WAS AS FOLLOWS: "UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION WE DETERMINED....THE TOYOTA MOTOR COMPANY TO BE THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY." MY LAST COMMUNICATION WITH TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA WAS WITH CARLOS GARCIA IN THE LEGAL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT DATED FEBRUARY 10TH, 2017, COPY ATTACHED ALSO ATTACHED IS MY CORRESPONDENCE OF MAY 11, 2016 THE BOTTOM LINE IS TOYOTA HAS NOT CONDUCTED AN IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION OF A SIGNIFICANT FAILURE IN THE DESIGN/MANUFACTURE OF THEIR AUTOMOBILE. THEY ARE TOTALLY RELYING ON HEARSAY EVIDENCE WHICH IS THIRD HAND AND FALSE, HOPING THIS WILL ALL GO AWAY. I MADE MY AUTOMOBILE AVAILABLE TO THEM AS WELL AS MYSELF AND OTHERS WHO WITNESSED THE EVENT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A INNOCENT CHILD THAT WAS DAMAGED, RATHER THAN ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR YOU, IF REQUESTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN.