NHTSA Complaint #10906959 — 2003 LEXUS LX470

I TOOK THE CAR TO LEXUS OF GLENDALE FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, WHICH WAS COMPLETED, AND THREE DAYS LATER, AS I WAS DRIVING ON 5 FREEWAY FROM COALINGA TO LOS ANGELES, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE CAR STALLED, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO A NEARBY SERVICE STATION (CHEVRON) IN VALENCIA. I NOTED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND THE VEHICLE BECAME UNDRIVEABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LEXUS OF GLENDALE, WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS HAD COME LOOSE AND LODGED IN THE ENGINE SHAFT, THUS BREAKING ONE OF THE PISTON RODS, WITH A RESULTANT ENGINE KNOCK. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, AND THAT COST ME OVER $8,500. LEXUS OF GLENDALE WAS NOT ABLE TO TELL ME WHY THE SPARK PLUG CAME LOOSE IN THE FIRST PLACE, SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR OVER 10 YEARS, WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE RECORD AND NO ACCIDENTS. I WAS HIGHLY TERRIFIED, SINCE THAT IS THE SECOND TIME WITHIN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED A NEAR FATAL EVENT AFTER A ROUTINE SERVICE WITH LEXUS OF GLENDALE. THE PREVIOUS ONE OCCURRED IN MAY 2016, AFTER A ROUTINE SERVICES, AS I WAS DRIVING IN THE STREET IN COALINGA, I NOTED A MISTY FUMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE, I HAD PULLED OVER SINCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TOWED TO FRESNO LEXUS, WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE HOST TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM HAD COME LOOSE, AND THE FUMES WERE THE COOLANT AND NOT DUE TO ENGINE FIRE. I PAID OVER $1500 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE