NHTSA Complaint #10041522 — 2003 LEXUS ES300

TRANSMISSION IS UNPREDICTABLE. SOMETIMES IT HESITATES, SOMETIMES IT LURCHES. IT SHUDDERS AT TIMES WHEN SHIFTING. I'VE HAD THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER FOR 2 COMPUTER DOWNLOAD FIXES. THE FIRST LASTED A DAY MAKING THE CAR SEEM LIKE THE DEMO I TEST DROVE. THE CAR WAS RETURNED AND ANOTHER FIX BY COMPUTER WAS DONE WITH NO CHANGE TO THE QUERKY, UNSAFE CONDITION OF THIS TRANSMISSION. MY WIFE WAS NEARLY BROADSIDED IN CROSS TRAFFIC PATTERN AS THE CAR HESITATED AS SHE ATTEMPED TO TURN ONTO A SIDE STREET. I HAVE HAD 4 SIMILAR SITUATIONS. THESE PROBLEMS ARE AT SPEEDS UP TO 40 MPH. THESE PROBLEMS DO NOT SEEM TO OCCUR IF YOU STOMP ON THE ACCELERATOR FROM A STOPED POSITION. THE GENEARAL MANAGER AT THE AGENCY HAS DRIVEN THE CAR "AROUND THE BLOCK" AND EXPERIANCED NONE OF THESE PROBLEMS. YET THE SERVIVE DEPT. ADMITS ITS NOT THE WAY THIS CAR SHOULD OPERATE AND NO FURTHER MANUFACTURER UPDATE/CORRECTION IS AVAILABLE. THEY SAY THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. THE MANAGER SAYS PER TOYOTA THIS IS THE NORMAL WAY THIS CAR DRIVES AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING TO SATISFY MY COMPLAINT. THESE TWO STATEMENTS ARE A CONTRADICTION. I'VE BEEN ADVISED BY ONE OF THE TECHNICIANS TO USE PREMIUM FUEL BECAUSE IT WOULD HELP THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WORK BETTER. I'VE DONE THIS SINCE THAT CONVERSATION AND THE PERFORMANCE IS STILL SUB STANDARD AND IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC STILL UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS. *LA