NHTSA Complaint #11397677 — 2009 LEXUS IS

DEFECTIVE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR: MY SRS / AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF, INDICATING THAT THE SRS SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED. I HAD MY CAR DIAGNOSED BY A LEXUS DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 12/4/2020. JOHNSON LEXUS ADVISED ME THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT PRESSURE SENSOR FAILED AND THAT THE REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE THE SEAT FOR $2769.31. THE SEAT HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO ANY UNUSUAL OR HARSH USE. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT AMONG LEXUS IS MODELS AND SOME OTHER LEXUS AND TOYOTA MODELS OF THIS GENERATION. MANY LEXUS DRIVERS REPORT GREAT DIFFICULTY REGARDING THIS DEFECT AND THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS THAT DEALERSHIPS ARE DEMANDING TO FIX THE DEFECT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE ON THE NHTSA DATABASE. I AM VERY SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A MANDATORY RECALL OR A LEXUS PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THIS COMMON SENSOR FAILURE AFFECTING A CRITICAL, NONOPTIONAL SAFETY FEATURE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA OF NORTH AMERICA AND RECEIVED A POLITE CALL FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE STATING THAT THE COMPANY WAS SORRY BUT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. LEXUS IS USUALLY EXCELLENT WITH ITS CUSTOMER SERVICE, SO I AM VERY SURPRISED AT THE LACK OF CONCERN HERE. I HOPE IT DOES NOT REQUIRE DEATHS FROM AIR BAGS FAILING TO DEPLOY FOR LEXUS TO ADDRESS THIS DEFECT.