NHTSA Complaint #10545168 — 2007 LEXUS ES350

BELOW ARE EXCERPTS OF A LETTER SENT ON JULY 16TH, 2013, TO WHICH I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLY. I AM WRITING TO YOU ON BEHALF OF MY CLIENT, _____________, CONCERNING A PROBLEM IN THE STEERING OF HER 2007 LEXUS ES350. THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP, FREEMAN LEXUS IN SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA, HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE MY CLIENT FOR REPAIRS THAT WERE MADE TO DEAL WITH THE SHUDDER AND CLICKING PROBLEMS IN MY CLIENT?S CAR. NOW, MY CLIENT IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $420.46 PLUS REPAIR AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO HER OF THE RECURRING PROBLEM IN THE STEERING ?INTERMEDIATE SHAFT? IN HER CAR. FREEMAN SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BEFORE SELLING THE CAR TO MY CLIENT, AS I EXPLAIN BELOW. AT THE TIME MY CLIENT PURCHASED THE CAR ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2007, CERTIFIED PREVIOUSLY OWNED, THE CAR WAS SUBJECT TO TECHNICAL SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN ST001-07, STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NOISE? ON LEXUS MODEL ES 350. THAT BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED ON APRIL 25, 2007. THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED OR DISCLOSED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. FURTHERMORE, FREEMAN LEXUS SERVICED THE CAR ON JANUARY 9, 2008, AT WHICH TIME THE PROBLEM WAS NOT DISCLOSED. ON AUGUST 31, 2012, WHEN THE PROBLEMS APPEARED AND WERE REPORTED TO MY CLIENT?S MECHANIC, __________________________________________, [MECHANIC] FOUND BULLETIN ST001-07 AND DULY REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY, PART NO. 45220-06114 ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN. [EXCLUDED FROM THIS EMAIL IS A RECOUNTING OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS] AS THE ABOVE POSTS INDICATE, THE STEERING SHAFT IS DEFECTIVE. HAD THE DEFECT BEEN DISCLOSED, MY CLIENT WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR. INSTEAD, MY CLIENT RELIED ON THE CERTIFIED PREVIOUSLY OWNED? BELIEVING SUCH CERTIFICATION TO BE RELIABLE. EVIDENTLY, IT IS NOT. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER. *JS