NHTSA Complaint #10313510 — 2006 LEXUS GS300

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I AM AN OWNER OF A 2006 LEXUS 300 GS [XXX]. I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU MY NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE. ON JANUARY 17TH I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON VACATION IN PENSACOLA FL. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL I FELT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK FOR A BRIEF MOMENT THREE TIMES WHILE I WAS TURNING. I HAD TO APPLY ADDITIONAL PRESSURE IN ORDER FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TO COMPLETE THE TURN. ONCE ADDITIONAL PRESSURE WAS APPLIED THE TURN COMPLETED. ON THE FOURTH ATTEMPT NO AMOUNT OF PRESSURE WOULD COMPLETE THE TURN. I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND ONCE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL ONE HALF-WAY THROUGH THE TURN AND NO FURTHER. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY APPLY THE BRAKES SO I WOULD NOT CRASH INTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER THAT SEPARATED THE LANES OF TRAFFIC. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURN OFF THE CAR, TURN IT BACK ON, AND THEN THE WHEEL BECAME FREE. THE NEXT DAY, 1/18/10 I DROVE BACK FROM PENSACOLA STRAIGHT TO NALLEY LEXUS IN ROSWELL, GA WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. NALLEY LEXUS KEPT THE CAR UNTIL 1/21/10 AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE STEERING PROBLEM. I EXPLAINED TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR, [XXX] THAT I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE AS I DON'T KNOW IF / WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL REOCCUR. I AM VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS TRAFFIC WAS VERY LIGHT DURING THE WHEEL LOCKUP. [XXX] TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, [XXX] AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO OPEN A CASE WITH LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987. I TALKED TO[XXX] (?) ON 1/25/10 AND HE TOOK THE INFORMATION DOWN AND SAID A LEXUS REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CALL ME BACK IN 2 BUSINESS DAYS. I NEVER RECEIVED THE PROMISED CALL BACK. ON 2/1/10 I TALKED TO [XXX] (?) AND I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AGAIN. [XXX] SAID THAT[XXX] WAS WORKING THE CASE AND HE WOULD BE IN TOUCH IN A FEW DAYS. TO DATE THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *TR