NHTSA Complaint #10216154 — 2004 LEXUS LX 470

2004 LX470 AHC (AUTOMATIC HEIGHT CONTROL FAILURE)! AS OF JANUARY 22, 2008, THE AHC FAILED. THE CAR NOW RIDES LIKE A BUCKBOARD; EVEN THOUGH ONE IS ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR WILL EVEN TILT TO ONE SIDE WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THE CAR SITS VERY LOW AND THE HEIGHT WILL NOT COME UP TO THE "N" LEVEL AND STAYS IN THE LOW POSITION. THE "ACH OFF LIGHT" KEEPS FLASHING. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL COME UP A BIT, BUT THEN GOES BACK DOWN. IF THE LIGHT SAYS THE CAR IS IN THE "N" POSITION, IT IS NOT. IT IS NOW IN THE LOW POSITION. THE CAR DOES NOT COME UP EVEN WHEN ONE IS AT SPEED. ON OCCASION THE CAR'S REAR END WILL BE ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE FRONT END IS IN THE NORMAL POSITION, WHICH PUTS THE HEADLIGHTS VERY HIGH. WHEN THE CAR IS IN THE LOW POSITION, AS IT IS PRESENTLY, THERE IS VERY LITTLE SUSPENSION TRAVEL AND VIRTUALLY NO WAY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE IN A SUDDEN MANEUVER. IN ADDITION, THE CAR WILL OSCILLATE FROM FRONT TO BACK AS IF IT WERE A BOAT GONG INTO WAVES. I CALLED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE. I GOT A VERY POLITE PERSON, BUT NO REAL EXPLANATION OR HELP. I NOW HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL LEXUS DEALER TO GET THE CAR REPAIRED. HOWEVER, I FEEL THIS TYPE OF SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILURE IS AN "EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD". THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR KILLED. SHOULD A SUSPENSION FAILURE OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CAR COULD EASILY GO OUT OF CONTROL. *TR