NHTSA Complaint #11452024 — 2015 LEXUS NX

12-VOLT BATTERY IN TRUNK AREA SHORTED/FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING DANGEROUS CONDITIONS: 1. INABILITY TO OPEN THE TRUNK FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE (THERE IS NO EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE IN THIS VEHICLE, POWER ASSISTED TRUNK RELEASE DISABLES MECHANICAL DOOR OPENING AFTER BATTERY FAILURE). 2. ENGAGED CHILD LOCKS DID NOT RELEASE WITH BATTERY FAILURE, SO PASSENGER DOORS WERE ALSO NONFUNCTIONAL FOR EXITING THE VEHICLE. 3. HORN WAS DISABLED, WITH NO WAY TO SIGNAL FOR HELP. THESE SAFETY DEFECTS WERE FORTUNATELY DISCOVERED IN MY GARAGE AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONNECT A CHARGER TO THE 12-VOLT BATTERY LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. WHILE CLIMBING INTO THE BACK SEAT, I INADVERTENTLY SLID THE CHILD LOCK LEVER ON THE SIDE OF THE DOOR PANEL INTO THE LOCKED POSITION. I REMOVED THE HEADRESTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE TRUNK BECAUSE THE TRUNK DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. I THEN NOTED THAT THERE IS NOT EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE LEVER IN THE TRUNK AREA. ONCE THE PASSENGER DOOR CLOSED, THE ONLY EXIT FROM CAR WAS THE FRONT DOORS. WORSE STILL, THE CAR HORN IS DISABLED WITH BATTERY FAILURE, ELIMINATING THE POSSIBILITY OF SIGNALING FOR HELP. SHORTING OF THE 12-VOLT BATTERY IN THE LEXUS NX 300H, TURNS THIS VEHICLE INTO A SAFETY HAZARD.