NHTSA Complaint #10019235 — 2003 LEXUS ES300

THE TRANSMISSION OF THE LEXUS 2003 ES300 IS SUBJECT TO MAJOR HESITATION, PARTICULARLY IN CROWDED INTERSECTIONS AND WITH LACK OF ACCELERATION. VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 27 MPH, AND THEN NEEDING TO MOVE, THERE IS MAJOR DELAY IN THE SIGNAL TELLING THE ENGINE, AND TRANSMISSION TO WORK TOGETHER, AND MOVE THE CAR. THIS VEHICLE IS NEW WITH ABOUT 1000 MILES. IT CANNOT MAKE UP ITS MIND TO UPSHIFT OR DOWNSHIFT AND THIS DELAY WILL MEAN A MAJOR CRASH SOMEDAY. AROUND 40 MPH IT WANTS TO UPSHIFT TO THE 5TH GEAR, AND JUST BELOW THAT HUNTS TO GO BACK TO 4TH. THE MFG. SAYS, AS HE DID FOR THE 2002 MODELS, THAT A SOFTWARE FIX IS BEING PREPARED. THEY STATED THE PROBLEM FROM THE 2002 WAS FIXED. EVIDENTLY THAT IS NOT THE CASE. THEY NOW TELL ME THAT A FIX IS COMING YEAR END. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS WILL OCCUR BY THEN? DEALER SAYS THAT THE CAR WILL LEARN FROM THE DRIVER, BUT THAT IS NOT WORKING, AND HESITATION FROM 0-5, FROM 27-45, ETC. IS VERY PRONOUNCED. IF YOU "FLOORBOARD" IT FROM SLOW SPEEDS, ITS HESITATION IS GREAT, AND CAR ALMOST DIES. LEXUS SAYS "DON'T DO THAT", BUT FROM CAR CREATION TO NOW, CAR MOVEMENT MEANT ADD MORE GAS, NOT THE REVERSE. MY SAFETY DEPENDS ON IT. *NLM