NHTSA Complaint #11342600 — 2016 LEXUS RX HYBRID

TRANSMISSION COOLER AND LINES ARE ABOVE A SKID PLATE/SHIELD THAT RETAINS ROAD GRAVEL. THE RETAINED ROAD GRAVEL RUBBED ON THE TRANSMISSION COOLER AND RUBBER HOSES LEADING TO A SIGNIFICANT LEAK OF TRANSMISSION FLUID RIGHT ABOVE THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, EXHAUST SYSTEM AND WHOLE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE SUV WAS COVERED IN TRANSMISSION FLUID. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT START ON FIRE. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE, WHEEL AND BRAKES WERE ALSO COVERED IN TRANSMISSION FLUID. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT EXPERIENCE A BRAKE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED A FEW DAYS PRIOR AND OUR INITIAL THOUGHTS WERE THAT THE OIL WE WERE SEEING WAS RESIDUAL FROM THE OIL CHANGE. WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR 2-3 DAYS UNTIL IT WAS CLEAR THAT SOMETHING MAJOR WAS WRONG. WE TOOK IT TO ESKRIDGE LEXUS IN OKLAHOMA CITY WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE BUT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY OUR VEHICLE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, RECALL OR LEXUS SERVICE BULLETIN. THE CHARGED $1386 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER AND THE TWO RUBBER LINES. I ASKED WHAT THEY DID TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT LEXUS HAD RE-ENGINEERED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO BE METAL WHERE THEY MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH RETAINED ROAD GRAVEL. THE AGREED THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW BUT THAT IT STILL WASN'T COVERED. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS BEGAN LEAKING IN LESS THAN 7 DAYS FOLLOWING THE REPAIR. THE CAR IS A PAMPERED 2016 LEXUS RX450H MIDSIZE SUV WITH LESS THAN 56,0000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN BY MIDDLE AGED PROFESSIONAL FEMALES AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN ON NON BLACK TOP ROADS. I CAN GET ACCESS TO THE REPAIR RECORDS AND PICTURES FROM LEXUS IF NEEDED. WHERE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER IS LOCATED MAKES THIS A SIGNIFICANT FIRE AND BRAKING SAFETY HAZARD.