NHTSA Complaint #10332758 — 2007 LEXUS ES350

2007 LEXUS ES350. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER DID RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL REGARDING ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS, BUT WAS NOT CONCERNED, BECAUSE HE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS PRIOR. HOWEVER, ON APRIL 6, 2010, AS THE CONSUMER WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A TURN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD AND A RED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS WELL AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE CONSUMER ABORTED THE TURN AND WENT STRAIGHT AHEAD AND TURNED INTO A GAS STATION. THE CONSUMER THEN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO HE RE-STARTED IT; BOTH THE WARNING LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AS WELL AS A LIGHT INDICATING LOSS OF TRACTION WERE ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY RESET THE COMPUTER AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. HOWEVER, 4 MILES INTO HIS TRIP, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AGAIN WHEN IT WAS MOVING AT ABOUT 20 MPH AFTER A STOP SIGN. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND UPON INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE SECOND GEAR AND THAT THE LURCHING OF THE VEHICLE WAS RELATED TO THE COMPUTER BYPASSING THAT GEAR. *JB