NHTSA Complaint #10184499 — 2006 LEXUS IS 250

ON JUNE 20, 2006, I BOUGHT A 2006 LEXUS IS250 AWD. MY PURCHASE WAS BASED ON THE EXCELLENT REPUTATION OF LEXUS AND THE OUTSTANDING REVIEWS OF THIS MODEL IN PARTICULAR. I HAVE BEEN GREATLY DISAPPOINTED ON BOTH COUNTS. I DISCOVERED THAT WHEN THE MOON ROOF IS OPEN, THE REARVIEW MIRROR VIBRATES SO DRAMATICALLY THAT IT IS USELESS AND AS A RESULT CREATES AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. I IMMEDIATELY REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR (RAMSEY) AND WAS ASKED TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR THEIR INSPECTION. ON 9/21/06, I DID AND WHEN I RETURNED TO PICK UP THE CAR, I WAS TOLD IT WAS FIXED. WHEN I DROVE OUT, THE SAME CONDITION EXISTED. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK ON 10/9 AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AGAIN HIS RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GIVE HIM TIME TO RESEARCH THE PROBLEM WITH LEXUS HEADQUARTERS ENGINEERING AND SINCE I NEEDED TO BRING THE CAR FOR ROUTINE SERVICE IN THREE MONTHS, I COULD BRING IT BACK AND HE WOULD HAVE THE RESOLUTION THEN. ON 1/19/07, I DID RETURN THE CAR FOR ROUTINE SERVICE AND TO HAVE THE MIRROR VIBRATION REMEDIED. ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ATTEMPTED SOME OTHER "FIX", THE MIRROR REMAINS THE SAME. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THERE ISN'T A WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND THAT I WASN'T THE ONLY OWNER EXPERIENCING THIS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINEERS WERE WORKING ON IT. WHEN I ASKED HOW LONG THIS WOULD TAKE, I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE TWO MONTHS OR A YEAR. HE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING. I THEN CALLED LEXUS HEADQUARTERS CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 2/11 TO VOICE MY COMPLAINT. THE COMPANY RESPONSE WAS THAT THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM AND THAT THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NO TIME FRAME FOR A SOLUTION. I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE 2006 LEXUS IS 250 AWD. *JB