NHTSA Complaint #10897016 — 2010 LEXUS RX350

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH STEADY ON HIGHWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO A STOP. THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL SOUND ASSOCIATED. WHILE STATIONARY I TRIED SHIFTING INTO REVERSE OR LOW GEAR WITH NO RESPONSE. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT, THE CAR WOULD SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION FOR A SHORT PERIOD AND THEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AGAIN. AFTER MULTIPLE START/STOPS I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST LEXUS DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY FOR EVALUATION. IN THE WRONG TRAFFIC CONDITIONS (CONGESTED HIGHWAY OR UNSTEADY TERRAIN) THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY IF MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT HAPPENED. AFTER 2 DAYS OF NO RESPONSE I WAS TOLD THAT THE FAULT CODES INDICATED THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION (AT A COST OF $6900), THERE WAS NO WAY IT COULD BE REPAIRED. NO OTHER DETAILS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION WERE PROVIDED. THIS IS A 2010 LEXUS RX 350 WITH 89,500 MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY. FOR THIS VEHICLE, BASED ON THE MILEAGE AND CARE PUT INTO IT, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE PART IN THE TRANSMISSION BUT CANNOT VERIFY IT. I WAS NOT OFFERED ANY COMPENSATION (BECAUSE IT WAS OFFICIALLY OUT OF WARRANTY) AND HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED (TRANSMISSION REPLACED) BY AN INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE SHOP. THE SECOND SHOP CONFIRMED A MECHANICAL FAILURE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT.