NHTSA Complaint #10596551 — 2006 LEXUS RX HYBRID

WHILE SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING STRUCTURE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE CEMENT BLOCK WALL IN FRONT OF ME. SINCE THE DISTANCE FROM HALF-WAY INTO THE PARKING SPACE TO THE WALL WAS SMALL (PROBABLY THREE TO FOUR FEET), I HAD NO TIME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES BEFORE IMPACT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LEXUS DEALER. I WAS IMMEDIATELY REFERRED TO THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHO HANDLED ALL TRANSACTIONS AFTER THAT. AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR INSPECTED THE CAR, RETRIEVED THE CRASH DATA RETRIEVAL RECORDER AND ISSUED A REPORT. THE CDR INDICATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT PUSHED UNTIL AFTER THE CRASH, AND THAT THE SPEED IN THE FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE CRASH WENT FROM 3.7 TO 60.9 MPH. LEXUS REFUSED TO ADMIT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, STATING ONLY THAT THE BRAKES, ACCELERATOR AND FLOOR MATS SEEMED TO BE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. I REFUSED TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN OR HAVE ONLY THE BODY FIXED AND SOLD TO AN UNSUSPECTING THIRD PARTY. IT WAS EVENTUALLY DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. THERE WAS NO HELP OR ADMISSION OF A PROBLEM FROM LEXUS, EXCEPT TO TRY TO CHARGE US FOR CAR STORAGE AT THE DEALERSHIP DURING THE PROCESS. *TR