NHTSA Complaint #10200366 — 2007 LEXUS ES350

DRIVING ON A PRIMARY SURFACE STREET, I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I WAS THE FIRST CAR IN THE LANE. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I ACCELERATED TO CHANGE LANES, THE CAR PICKED UP SPEED AND THE BRAKES COULD NOT STOP IT. THE CAR GROWLED AND JERKED FOR A COUPLE OF BLOCKS UNTIL I FORCED THE GEAR OUT OF "DRIVE". IT FINALLY STOPPED BEFORE THE NEXT INTERSECTION. I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND DID NOT HIT ANYONE. THE CAR WAS AT THE LEXUS REPAIRS DEPT. FOR 5 DAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD NOT KEEP THE TWO FLOOR MATS. THEY REMOVED THE FACTORY INSTALLED CARPETED MAT, PLACED IT IN THE TRUNK AND LEFT THE THIN, CLEAR, PROTECTIVE PLASTIC FLOOR MAT FROM LEXUS. I NEVER HAD ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MATS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS ANY DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION, ENGINE OR BRAKES. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT AND SINCE I HAVE OCCASIONALLY FOUND IT ACCELERATING BUT IT STOPS BY BRAKING. I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED A HIGH ACCELERATING TEST. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE REPAIRS DEPT. I ASK IF THEY KNEW OF OTHER SIMILAR INSTANCES AND WAS TOLD "NO". I ONLY HAD 1,582 MILES AT THE TIME AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM. ON AUGUST 16, 2007 THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPER REFERRING TO YOUR INVESTIGATION AND NOW REQUEST THAT MY INCIDENT BE INCLUDED. *TR THE CONSUMER PROVIDED PICTURES OF THE FLOOR MATS, ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND A REPAIR INVOICE. UPDATED 09/10/07 *TR