NHTSA Complaint #10304766 — 2007 LEXUS RX350

WE LEASED A 2007 LEXUS RX350 IN JANUARY 2007. SINCE MAY OF 2009, MY WIFE HAS BEEN FEELING SICK EACH TIME SHE WAS IN THIS CAR. SHE HAS DEVELOPED PROGRESSIVE WORSENING SYMPTOMS OF DIFFICULTY OF BREATHING AND SWALLOWING WITH DRYNESS SENSATION IN HER THROAT AND CHEST, THROAT PAIN AND PAIN IN HER CHEST IN THE TRACHEAL AND BOTH BRONCHUS DISTRIBUTION. WE NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE DUST CAME OUT OF THE AC/HEAT VENT IN OCTOBER. MY WIFE WAS SEEN BY A PULMONOLOGIST IN DECEMBER, 2009. HER SYMPTOMS WAS RELATED TO THE REPEATED INHALING OF THE WHITE DUST EMITTED FROM THE AC/HEAT VENT OF THE RX350 EACH TIME SHE WAS IN THIS CAR. SHE DEVELOPED SEVERE PERMANENT INJURY TO HER LUNG FROM REPEATED INHALING THE WHITE DUST. WE TOLD THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER IN DECEMBER, 11, 2009. DEALER REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR SYSTEM IN DECEMBER 18, 2009. BUT, IT WAS TOO LATE. MY WIFE HAS ALREADY SUFFERED PERMANENT INJURY TO HER LUNG. EVEN THE EVAPORATOR WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS STILL SOME WHITE DUST COMING OUT OF THE VENT, JUST NOT AS MUCH AS BEFORE THE REPAIR. I INFORMED THE LEXUS DEALER IN ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY. THE DEALER ADVISOR TOLD ME JUST TO BLOW IT OFF. WE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT. LOTS OF PEOPLE HAS/HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE WHITE DUST. SOME OF THEM (EVEN A THREE YEAR OLD CHILD) ALSO DEVELOPED HEALTH PROBLEMS. LEXUS ADMITTED THE WHITE DUST WAS FROM THE CORROSION OF THE COATING MATERIAL INSIDE THE AC/HEAT VENT SYSTEM. THIS IS A HEALTH SAFETY ISSUE. AS A PHYSICIAN OF MYSELF, I BELIEVE LEXUS HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THE PUBLIC. LEXUS KNEW THIS PROBLEM AS EARLY AS JUNE OF 2007. LEXUS HAS ALREADY REPLACED EVAPORATORS IN MANY CARS IN 2007-2008. WHY LEXUS DID NOT WARN OR INFORM THE PUBLIC AT THAT TIME? LEXUS SHOULD WARN ITS CUSTOMERS OR DO A RECALL FOR THE DEFECTIVE AC/HEAT VENT SYSTEM. *TR UPDATED IVOQ 06/08/10