NHTSA Complaint #10296641 — 1998 LEXUS ES300

THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO UNINTENDED-ACCELERATION AS THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD FIGHTING THE BRAKE. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR HAD A LIFE OF ITS OWN OVERRIDING THE BRAKING ACTIONS I TRIED TO IMPLEMENT. I WAS PROCEEDING SLOWLY UP THE LONG NARROW DRIVEWAY. I MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING PLACE THAT WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE WALK-WAY. I SLOWLY TAPPED THE GAS ON MY LEXUS ES 300 AND THEN THE BRAKES. AS I MOVED MY FOOT OVER TO THE HIGHER LEVEL BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN--THE IGNITION/ACCELERATOR SYSTEM TOOK OVER THE CAR. I PRESSED THE BRAKE AS FIRMLY AS I COULD BUT IT DID NOT OVERRIDE THE ACCELERATION. THE BRAKES HAD ROUTINE MAINTENANCE SIX WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND I WAS TOLD THEY WERE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.THE CAR JUMPED THE SIDEWALK AND CRASHED INTO A BLOCK WALL. IT WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE ACCELERATOR WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HIGH AND THERE WAS NO MISTAKING ONE PEDAL FOR ANOTHER. *TR