NHTSA Complaint #11302231 — 2009 LEXUS IS

THE VEHICLE HAS LUNGED FORWARD WHILE SLOWING DOWN OR AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS, AND THE BRAKES DO NOT OPERATE EFFECTIVELY. THE BRAKE IS ALWAYS PRESSED DOWN AS FAR AS IT GOES WITHOUT AVAIL. THERE IS NO PRECURSOR AS TO WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. IN TOTAL, THE ENGINE LUNGED FORWARD ABOUT 6 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME I NEARLY HIT A VEHICLE WITH MY MINOR DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. THE NEXT FEW TIMES WERE NOT AS SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF EMINENT DAMAGE. THE NEXT INCIDENT WAS WORSE. IT HAPPENED IN JULY OF 2019 IN A DRUG STORE PARKING LOT. I WAS PARKING IN A STALL AND THE VEHICLE SPED UP, SQUEALED THE TIRES, JUMPED THE CEMENT PARKING BLOCK, HIT SOME BUSHES, AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT. ON THIS OCCASION THERE WAS DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. THERE ARE DENTS AND SCRATCHES FROM THE BUSHES, A TIRE SENSOR OR TWO IS NOT FUNCTIONAL ANYMORE, AND THE UNDERBODY WAS DAMAGED. I WAS THOROUGHLY SCARED AND AFRAID WAS CAR WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THIS AND I COULD HURT SOMEONE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE ONLY BY PUTTING IT IN PARK. THE BRAKE WAS RENDERED USELESS. IT HAPPENED TWICE ON THE SAME DAY IN JANUARY OF 2020. I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY AND IT LUNGED. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW IT DOWN. I PROCEEDED TO PARK THE VEHICLE. ONCE AGAIN IT LUNGED FORWARD AT A CONCRETE PARKING STOP. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. I HAD TO PUT IT IN PARK AS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. ALL INCIDENTS WERE IN A CITY DRIVING SHOWILY. THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES ON IT WHENI FIRST NOTICED THE SAFETY CONCERN. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES.