NHTSA Complaint #10970278 — 2012 LEXUS ES

TAKATA RECALL. ON FEBRUARY 25, 2017 I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL AN INTERIM NOTICE (IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL) FROM LEXUS REGARDING MY 2012 LEXUS ES 350, VIN [XXX]. FIRST, I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHEN IT WOULD BE FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER 2017,WHICH I ASSUME MEANS I WOULD THEN BE IN LINE FOR THE REPAIR SOME TIME AFTER SEPTEMBER. I THEN CONTACTED THE LEXUS DIVISION, CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 800-255-3987 ONLY TO BE TOLD THE SAME THING. THE SOLUTION UNTIL THE FIX IS DONE IS HAVE MY WIFE SIT IN THE BACK SEAT. LEXUS WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THERE WAS A TAKATA AIRBAG ISSUE FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY EXCESSIVE WAIT TIME FOR A FIX, ONE THAT LIMITS MY ABILITY TO USE THE CAR FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE. THERE ARE NO ASSURANCES THAT IF I AM THE ONLY ONE IN THE FRONT SEAT DRIVING THE CAR THAT IF THE AIRBAG EXPLODES THAT THE SHRAPNEL WOULD NOT HIT MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE IN THE BACK SEAT. I CANNOT SELL OR TRADE THE CAR IN AS THE VALUE HAS BEEN REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY. LEXUS IS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT HIS IS MORE OF AN INCONVENIENCE THAN A THREAT TO ITS OCCUPANTS. MY VEHICLE WAS PAID OFF THE YEAR I PURCHASED IT. LEXUS ACTS LIKE THIS IS JUST TOO BAD AND IT WASN'T THERE FAULT. I WOULD ASSUME THAT ANY PARTS THEY SUBCONTRACT OUT FOR TO INSTALL IN MY LEXUS WOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED, BUILT AND TESTED WITH LEXUS APPROVAL, SO THEY DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS. IS LEXUS GOING TO PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE, DO I HAVE TO RENT A CAR, WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR