NHTSA Complaint #10230739 — 2002 LEXUS LS430

DEAR SIR: I BOUGHT MY LEXUS LS 430 BRAND NEW IN 2002, AND I LOVE IT VERY MUCH EXCEPT FOR ONE THING: THE BRAKING SYSTEM. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE, MY LS430 SKIDS (FORWARD), AND DO NOT STOP IN A SAFE DISTANCE. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY DRIVING SKILLS. BUT I DECIDED TO VISIT THE LEXUS DEALER. THE LEXUS DEALER, AFTER DRIVING THE CAR, TOLD ME IT IS NORMAL FOR THE ABS SYSTEM TO DO THAT, AND I SHOULD NOT PRESS THE BRAKE HARD. WELL, I LEFT THE DEALER, AND A FEW METERS AWAY I WAS DRIVING AROUND 20-25 ML/H WHEN THE CAR AHEAD OF ME STOPPED, I PRESSED THE BRAKE, BUT MY CAR - AS USUAL- SKIDDED FORWARD AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING VERY SERIOUS DAMAGE TO MY CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO LEXUS WORKSHOP, WHICH CHARGED THE INSURANCE COMPANY $ 9000. I CONTACTED THE SAUDI ARABIAN STANDARDS ORGANIZATION (WWW.SASO.ORG.SA) AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE BARKING SYSTEM FAILURE IN THIS ACCIDENT. THEY SENT TECHNICIANS AND TESTED THE CAR AT LEXUS WORKSHOP, AND FOUND AN ABNORMAL FORWARD SKIDDING WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE AT LOW SPEED, AND WROTE ME A REPORT OF THEIR FINDINGS. FOR YOUR INFORMATION THIS IS THE SAME ORGANIZATION WHO DISCOVERED THE TECHNICAL FAILURE IN THE FIRESTONE TIRES FITTED ON THE FORD EXPLORER FEW YEARS AGO, WHICH RESULTED IN A VERY COSTLY RECALL TO FORD CORP. I WROTE THE SAUDI LEXUS AUTHORIZED LEXUS DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO ANSWER RECEIVED. I CANNOT TAKE ON THIS POWERFUL LEXUS DEALER ALONE. I DO NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN FIND TO EXPOSE THIS DANGEROUS BRAKING FAILURE IN THE LEXUS LS430. I HAVE MANY FRIENDS WHO OWN THE SAME LEXUS MODEL AND HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. PLEASE ADVICE ME HOW CAN I STAND UP TO THIS POWERFUL DEALER AND THE MIGHTY TOYOTA/LEXUS COMPANY. I AM WORRIED AND SCARED TO DEATH THAT I MIGHT BE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN I NEED THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF MY LS 430 THAT WILL FAIL ME AS IT DID TODAY AND MANY TIMES BEFORE. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU: I WILL DEFINITELY SELL MY LEXUS L 430 IF THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT FIXED. *TR