2008 LEXUS GS450H — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I AM THE OWNER OF A LEXUS 2008 GS450H AND TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MY VEHICLE. ON JUNE 10, 2017, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LEXUS OF ROSEVILLE DEALERSHIP IN ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA FOR THE 80K MILE SERVICING.. NO OTHER WORK WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE BETWEEN JUNE 10 - AUGUST 29, 2017 AND NO ONE WAS EVEN UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. LEXUS OF ROSEVILLE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE, SUBSEQUENT EXPENSES TO REPAIR AND RELATED EXPENSES. AS I AM SURE YOU ARE AWARE, PART OF THE LEXUS MULTIPOINT INSPECTIONS REQUIRES SERVICE PERSONNEL TO PERIODICALLY INSPECT AND ADJUST THE ENGINE COOLANT (RADIATOR) AND RADIATOR CAP TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT NEEDS REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR. THE ATTACHED SERVICE HISTORY REFLECTS THAT THIS SIMPLE INSPECTION WAS NEVER COMPLETED DURING THIS JUNE 10, 2017 SERVICING. ON AUGUST 29, 2017, WHILE DRIVING TO ARIZONA FROM CALIFORNIA, THE RADIATOR CAP FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. I WAS STRANDED 90 MILES NORTH OF THE NEAREST TOWN IN 110-DEGREE HEAT WITH SUBSTANDARD CELL PHONE SERVICE. THIS OVERHEATING CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL ENGINE DAMAGE WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. IT WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO BELL LEXUS NORTH SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA. IT WAS DAYS BEFORE THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO ME IN AN OPERABLE CONDITION. THE NEGLIGENCE OF LEXUS OF ROSEVILLE IN SERVICING MY LEXUS CAUSED THE DAMAGE BY FAILING TO CONDUCT THE SIMPLE INSPECTION WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS DAMAGE FROM OCCURRING. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY BELL LEXUS NORTH SCOTTSDALE. I WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AND TO STAY IN A HOTEL DURING THE REPAIR. THESE WERE EXPENSES I WOULD NOT HAVE INCURRED IF THIS INCIDENT HAD NOT HAPPENED. DEMAND IS MADE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE ABOVE EXPENSES IN THE AMOUNT OF $9,685.38. I AM VERY HOPEFUL TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER IN A RESPECTABLE AND AMICABLE FASHION.

I OWN A 2008 LEXUS GS 450H. I RECENTLY (MARCH 2018) HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR THAT I NEED TO SHARE WITH THE NHTSA. WHEN STARTING MY CAR, I NOTICED THE SMELL OF GASOLINE WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS OBVIOUSLY WRONG. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE NEAREST AUTO SHOP WHERE THEY TROUBLESHOT THE GASOLINE LEAK TO A FUEL PRESSURE PULSATION DAMPER ON THE FUEL RAIL OF THE ENGINE. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE DISCOVERED THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE RECALLS FOR GASOLINE LEAKS IN THE ENGINE BAYS OF LEXUS VEHICLES. I DID BRING MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THE "ELF" RECALL IN 2015 WHICH COVERS THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR. WHEN READING ABOUT THE "9LA" AND THE "BLA" RECALLS, IT SEEMS THAT MY CAR DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE AFFECTED VEHICLES OF THESE RESPECTIVE RECALLS. SO WE HAVE A PROBLEM. I DID HAVE THE "LEAKY FUEL" RECALL FOR MY CAR PERFORMED BY THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP (3 YEARS AGO) BUT I STILL ENDED UP WITH AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL CONDITION WITH GASOLINE LEAKING ON THE TOP OF MY ENGINE. AN ENGINE'S FUEL RAIL (AND THE FUEL RAIL COMPONENTS) IS AN ITEM THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO LAST THE LIFE OF AN ENGINE WITHOUT LEAKS. I HAVE ATTACHED 2 PICTURES OF MY DEFECTIVE PART AS WELL AS THE INVOICE FOR THE REPAIR. I CURRENTLY HAVE POSSESSION OF THE DEFECTIVE PART AND WOULD LIKE TO HELP IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE WITH A NHTSA INVESTIGATION SO THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION CAN BE ADDRESSED WITH A SOLUTION.

AS I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT, I HEARD A POP AND LOST ALL POWER TO CAR. I ROLLED OVER TO SIDE OF STREET, WHILE NOTICING SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON PASSENGER SIDE. OPENED HOOD AND SAW A FIRE BY ENGINE WALL. I HAD A COUPLE OF BOTTLES OF WATER WITH ME. I PORED WATER ON FIRE AND AFTER ONE MINUTE DISTINGUESTED THE FIRE.

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY ABS ACTUATOR. THIS HAS MADE BRAKING HARD, SOMETIMES UNRESPONSIVE, AND DISABLES THE ABS. I TOOK IT TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHERE THIS WAS CONFIRMED AND I WAS QUOTED OVER $4,000 TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE. I CALLED LEXUS CORPORATE TO WORK OUT A DEAL, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNWILLING TO COOPERATE. LOOKING THIS ISSUE UP ON THE INTERNET IT IS ALL OVER. MANY OWNERS OF THE GS450H HAS EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE AND AS A RESULT HAVE HAD TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE ABS ACTUATOR AND LEXUS THEMSELVES HAVE ADMITTED IT HOWEVER THEY FAIL TO REPLACE THEM. THE PART ON MOST CARS IS 44050-30260 WHICH LEXUS HAS DISCONTINUED SELLING. THE NEW PART IS LABELED AS 44050-30670. HYBRID TOYOTA CAMRYS HAVE BEEN GRANTED A WARRANTY EXTENSION TO ENSURE DRIVERS ARE SAFE ON THE ROAD, HOWEVER LEXUS GS450H OWNERS DO NOT EVEN THOUGH BOTH CARS ARE BUILT ON THE SAME PLATFORM. (HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG/CRO/NEWS/2014/07/WHY-TOYOTA-SHOULD-RECALL-THE-CAMRY-HYBRID/INDEX.HTM) I CAN PROVIDE PROOF OF OTHER GS450H OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM AS WELL AS THOUSANDS OF TOYOTA/LEXUS OWNERS THROUGHOUT THE BRAND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED RAPIDLY FROM VERY SLOW SPEED IN HYBRID MODE WHEN IN PROCESS OF STOPPING TO PARK BEHIND ANOTHER CAR ON FRIENDS PROPERTY, RESULTING RAMMING CAR AHEAD.