NHTSA Complaint #10116507 — 2005 LEXUS ES330

I BOUGHT A NEW 2005 LEXUS ES330 IN DECEMBER 2004. I CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 3,900 MILES ON IT. BEGINNING AT AROUND 1,000 MILES AND CONTINUING TO TODAY, I REGULARLY EXPERIENCE A SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN I AM IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC AND PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DOWN SMOOTHLY TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR DOES NOTHING FOR ABOUT 1-2 SECONDS. THEN THE CAR SURGES FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. I HAVE NEARLY REAR-ENDED OTHER CARS BECAUSE I CANNOT PREDICT OR CONTROL THIS TRANSMISSION HESITATION/SURGE PROBLEM. I EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN I AM MERGING ONTO A FREEWAY AND NEED TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. IF I PRESS DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL, NOTHING HAPPENS FOR 1-2 SECONDS, THEN THE CAR LEAPS FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. I HAVE COME CLOSE TO CRASHING INTO OTHER CARS BECAUSE MY CAR JERKS FORWARD SO UNPREDICTABLY. TWO MONTHS AGO, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT (LEXUS KEARNY MESA IN SAN DIEGO) AND WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT SERVICE STAFF THAT "THE CAR IS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED" AND "YOU'LL GET USED TO IT SOON". THIS PROBLEM IS NEITHER NORMAL NOR SAFE. EVERY SECOND COUNTS WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC SAFETY. TWO WEEKS AGO, I CALLED THE LEXUS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DEPT. AT 1-800-255-3987 AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION HESITATION/SURGE "DAILY". I ALSO WENT BACK TO LEXUS KEARNY MESA AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE DEPT. MANAGER. HE ADMITTED THAT SOME ES OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM AND THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THAT IT CAN BE A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK