NHTSA Complaint #10323172 — 2010 LEXUS ES350

2010 LEXUS ES350. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT DUE TO SPEED RESTRICTIONS WHERE HE WAS DRIVING, HE APPLIED THE BRAKE AND DROVE TO THE TOP. ONCE ON LEVEL GROUND AND WITH A CLEAR LANE AHEAD, HE ENGAGED RESUME. TO HIS SURPRISE THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITH SUCH FORCE THAT HE FELT HE HAD BEEN PUSHED BACK INTO THE SEAT VERY HARD. HE APPLIED THE BRAKE AND DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE DEALERS EXPLANATION WAS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS POWERFUL. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS POOR VISIBILITY IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. HE STATED HE IS 5" 10' TALL, BUT SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, HE COULD NOT SEE THE BACK OF THE CAR; THE END OF THE TRUNK LID, OR THE TAIL LIGHTS. THE REAR HEAD RESTS COVERED MUCH OF THE CORNERS OF THE REAR WINDOW AND THE MIDDLE WAS ALSO BLOCKED BY THE BRAKE LIGHT. ALSO, JUST AFTER THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT, THE COVER OVER THE TRUNK WAS SLANTED AT AN ANGLE UPWARD, AND HE COULD NOT SEE WHERE THE TRUNK ENDED. AN OBJECT OR A CHILD WHO IS 4" 5' TALL COULD NOT BE SEEN UNTIL HE DROVE AWAY. THE DOOR MIRROR SHOWED THE HANDLE OF THE REAR PASSENGER'S DOOR, AFTER WHICH SINCE THE BODY WAS SLANTED INWARDLY, THERE WAS NO WAY TO SEE THE TAIL LIGHTS AND THUS GAUGE WHERE THE CAR ENDED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS FORCED TO BACK AWAY VERY SLOWLY IN PARKING LOTS. ON ROADS AFTER A SNOWFALL, THE VEHICLE SKIDDED AND FISH-TAILED UN-LIKE AN ORDINARY REAR-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. IT KEPT GOING, AND DRIVING BECAME UNEASY. DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF DRIVING, ANYTIME THE HEAT WAS ON, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC COMING FROM THE VENTS. THE PASSENGER'S DOOR DID NOT FIT THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THEY WERE SNUG AT THE TOP, BUT WHEN THEY REACH THE DOOR HANDLE, THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE/THREE OF AN INCH GAP BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE BODY.