NHTSA Complaint #10875908 — 2016 LEXUS RX HYBRID

COLLISION DETAILS: ' UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL STARTED ON I-5 SOUTH IN SANTA ANA. MANAGED TO EXIT ON 17TH STREET TO AVOID ANY ACCIDENT ON I-5. JUST AHEAD OF FAIRMONT WAS TRYING TO PARK THE CAR BUT THE VEHICLE UNINTENDEDLY ACCELERATED AGAIN. COULD NOT SLOW DOWN, SWERVED ON TO PAVEMENT/WALKWAY. COLLIDED ONTO IRON WROUGHT FENCE OF A SENIOR LIVING COMPLEX HEAD ON. ' COMPLETE DAMAGE AND LOSS OF FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS CAME ON. NO INJURY TO THE DRIVER OR NOT TO ANY PEDESTRIANS. ' SANTA ANA POLICE ARRIVED AT SITE AND CHECKED DRIVER AND THE CAR. DUI NOT REPORTED BY SANTA ANA POLICE. LEXUS CORRESPONDENCE: ' SEVERAL TELEPHONE CALLS MADE WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE EXCEPT FOR CASE NO. 1604192441 ASSIGNED ABOVE. ' LEXUS ASSIGNED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS ASSOCIATES (EAA) FOR INVESTIGATION. ' LETTER WRITTEN AND MAILED (REGISTERED) TO LEXUS ON MAY 5, 2016. RESPONSE RECEIVED ONLY AFTER ONE MONTH ON JUNE 2, 2016. ' RESPONSE CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND WITHOUT ISSUE. NO INVESTIGATIVE REPORT PROVIDED. ' INSPECTION AND READ OUT OF EVENT DATA RECORDER COMPLETED ON APRIL 28, 2016. ' REQUESTED LEXUS BY PHONE TO FORWARD THE EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) REPORT. LEXUS FORWARDED EDR BUT NO CONCLUSIONS ARRIVED AT EXCEPT FOR ELABORATE FINDINGS TOWARDS AIR BAGS DEPLOYMENT. NO MENTION OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION DUE TO FAULTY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (ETC) ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. PROBABLE CAUSES: (1)SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING OF ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM (ETCS) AND ASSOCIATED SENSORS WHICH HAS NO 'FAIL SAFE' MECHANICAL LINK BETWEEN GAS PEDAL AND ENGINE. (2) MALFUNCTIONING OF ABS ACTUATOR RESULTING IN IMPROPER TRACTION CONTROL, STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATION AND REDUCING THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ASSISTANCE.