NHTSA Complaint #10339735 — 2007 LEXUS ES350

IN 2007, I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 MODEL LEXUS ES 350 4 DOOR SEDAN. SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS LIFTED AND THE CAR WAS DOWNSHIFTING AND BRAKING BY THE ENGINE (THE BRAKE NOT BEING DEPRESSED), AT ONE POINT THE CAR CONTINUED FORWARD FOR A TIME RATHER THAN CONTINUE TO BEING BRAKED BY THE ENGINE. THIS CONDITION HAS CONTINUED IN SPITE MY CALLING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LEXUS DEALER IN NEW ORLEANS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE FIRST BEING SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR, AND THE LATEST BEING ON JUNE 16TH OF THIS YEAR. IN EACH INSTANCE, I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE CAR HAD NO PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM IS NOT A RAPID SURGE, BUT RATHER A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED MOVING FORWARD IN GEAR INSTEAD OF A CONTINUOUS DOWNSHIFTING AND RESULTING BRAKING WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN AT ABOUT 30 TO 40 MPH AND THE ACCELERATOR IS LIFTED. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR IN EVERY INSTANCE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS LIFTED, BUT IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE DRIVER EXPECTS THE CAR TO SLOW ITSELF THE SUDDEN FORWARD MOVEMENT, INSTEAD OF A CONTINUOUS SLOWING, IS DANGEROUS. THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A FAULT OF THE CAR'S ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEM. I ALSO CALLED TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER THE FACT THAT WHEN THE CAR IS BRAKED, THE CAR DOES STOP BUT IF PRESSURE IS CONTINUED TO BE PLACED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT TO DATE, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE THE DRIVER TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE CAR WILL STOP. EACH TIME THIS IS DONE, THE BRAKE PEDAL CATCHES MIDWAY TO THE FLOOR. AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM. I REGISTER THESE TWO ISSUES AS POTENTIAL CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS AND AS COMPLAINTS ON MY PART. *TR