NHTSA Complaint #10150632 — 2004 LEXUS ES 330

I WAS DRIVING OUR 2004 LEXUS ES330 ON A CLEAR SUNNY DAY AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM. I STOPPED IN THE LEFT TURN LANE AT A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION IN TUCSON, ARIZONA. THERE WERE THREE CARS IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE AND I HAD THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. WHEN THE LEFT-HAND TURN-LIGHT SIGNAL CHANGED TO GREEN, I PULLED THE GEAR SHIFT FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE. INSTANTLY, THE MOTOR MADE A LOUD REVVING SOUND AND THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKE BUT MY CAR CONTINUED TO PUSH ON THE CAR THAT I HAD HIT. I THEN TRIED TO BACK AWAY FROM THE CAR I HAD HIT BY PUTTING THE GEAR SHIFT INTO REVERSE. WHEN I SHIFTED MY CAR INTO REVERSE IT HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME AND I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOT WORK. THIS OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED. THIS WAS A HARROWING EXPERIENCE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED. EVEN THOUGH I WAS STOPPED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS $4,500 DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND $7,500 OF DAMAGE TO THE OTHER CAR. SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR IT WAS SERVICED REGULARLY AT THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. UNTIL THIS ACCIDENT I HAD NEVER BEEN THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. NHTSA WEBSITE HAS COMPLAINTS OF VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS POSTED BY OWNERS OF THE 2004 LEXUS ES330 MODEL. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO LEXUS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CENTER. *NM