NHTSA Complaint #10193788 — 1995 LEXUS GS

1995 LEXUS GS300 4-DOOR SEDAN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE GEAR,IGNITION COULD BE TURNED OFF AND KEY REMOVED , RESULTING IN UNSAFE MOVEMENT OF VEHICLE. NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT, CLASHES, INJURIES: DRIVER TURNED IGNITION OFF, REMOVED KEY, LOCKED ALL THE DOORS AND WENT INSIDE A STORE. UPON RETURN THE DRIVER DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE PROTRUDING INTO THE INTERSECTION OF A 4-LANE INTERSECTION. GEAR SHIFT HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE DRIVE POSITION AND THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND KEY REMOVED. OF COURSE, WITNESSES REPORTED THEY COULD NOT STOP THE CAR AS IT ROLLED ON DOWN INTO THE STREET. PROBLEM REPORTED TO STERLING MCCALL LEXUS OF HOUSTON, TEXAS IN 2005 WHILE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE SERVICE. DEALERSHIP TOLD THE OWNER THE COST WOULD BE ALMOST $1,000.00 TO REPAIR. OWNER OPTED OUT DUE TO ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR. NUMBER OF FAILURES: FAILURE IS RECURRING AND COULD BE REPRODUCED 100% OF TIMES ATTEMPTED. REMEMBERING TO PUT THE GEAR IN PARK WAS THE KEY. IT WAS GETTING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT AS THE DRIVER GOT OLDER AND OLDER. ALL MEMORY RELATED JOKING ASIDE. THIS SERIES OF EVENTS COULD HAVE HAD A VERY SERIOUSLY GRIM OUTCOME. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES, DEATHS, FIRES, CRASHES, NOR PROPERTY DAMAGE. *AK