2002 ES300 Unintended Acceleration--Help!
06-07-06, 11:55 PM
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2002 ES300 Unintended Acceleration--Help!
Hey guys! first time posting here!! I need some help for a freak accident I was involved on June 1st. This unfortunate event took place in a parking lot. Here is how whole accident starts that day: As I back out my ES from my parking space, I bump into a DHL van. I immediately step on the brake and shift the gear from "R" to "D" (at this point, my vehicle is about 5 ft from the curbside). My foot gently taps on gas pedal so to pull my car forward a bit. My ES suddenly/immediately surges forward as if it is in full throttle. My whole car jumps the curb and continues on to impact a brick wall (from curbside to brick wall is 14 ft in distance). I suffer a bloody nose and a cut in my hand. The DHL van did not sustain any damage. I was lucky to have the DHL driver as the witness and suffer only minor injuries. Now I have contacted many attorneys and they suggested that this is strictly a Lexus customer service issue (because I suffer only minor injuries and in order to sue, many expert testimonies are needed=$$$$). My insurance agents are not helpful at all. Their goal is to pin the fault on me and increase the premium. (I admit it is my fault to run into the DHL van). Yesterday I contacted the Lexus and they will tow my vehicle to the nearest dealership for close inspection. (I will not be surprised that they say there is nothing wrong when there is!!) Am I doing everything I could if you are in my position?? I'd appreciate your opinions. (photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/551176420ctWSxY )
06-08-06, 04:52 AM
#2
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This is going to be a tough case to prove from a customer-insurance standpoint, but I understand the position you are in and the grounds of your argument, which you state is the fault of the transmission hesitation behavior of your ES, which led as the cause of the accident. I believe that you are doing everything right as far as contacting your attorneys and obtaining their advice. In order to prove the fault in the mechanics of your car, you can go ahead and try to get in touch with a Lexus certified mechanic and have him run a diagnostic of the ES transmission to make sure there does exist the hesitation behavior which caused your ES to lurch forward unintentionally into the brickwall. Also later on down the road, you may want to consider contacting national Lexus customer service (1-800-25-LEXUS) for input with this case. Good luck with everything, and hope you are recovering well from the accident.
06-08-06, 08:36 AM
#3
I don't think you'll get anywhere, because most freak things are not repeateable. 
Check the transmission & electronics, and check the electronics that control the throttlebody.
Check the transmission & electronics, and check the electronics that control the throttlebody.
06-08-06, 03:38 PM
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Originally Posted by lexusk8
This is going to be a tough case to prove from a customer-insurance standpoint, but I understand the position you are in and the grounds of your argument, which you state is the fault of the transmission hesitation behavior of your ES, which led as the cause of the accident. I believe that you are doing everything right as far as contacting your attorneys and obtaining their advice. In order to prove the fault in the mechanics of your car, you can go ahead and try to get in touch with a Lexus certified mechanic and have him run a diagnostic of the ES transmission to make sure there does exist the hesitation behavior which caused your ES to lurch forward unintentionally into the brickwall. Also later on down the road, you may want to consider contacting national Lexus customer service (1-800-25-LEXUS) for input with this case. Good luck with everything, and hope you are recovering well from the accident.
06-08-06, 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Pheonix
I don't think you'll get anywhere, because most freak things are not repeateable.
Check the transmission & electronics, and check the electronics that control the throttlebody.
Check the transmission & electronics, and check the electronics that control the throttlebody.
Lexus will do a close inspection on my ES (probably pulling off some computer codes) in 4-6 weeks. I will keep you guys informed. Thanks for your reply!
06-08-06, 07:37 PM
#6
this scenario has already been presented to Lexus/Toyota. It was the subject of a major NHTSA investigation. It was found that no mechanical errors were involved and that the sudden surges were most likely the fault of the driver not having there foot on the brake hard enough or something like that.
Several members posted threads about it here and on LexusOwnersClub about 2 or 3 years ago. I remember one thread specifically where the member actually went foward fast enough in his driveway to take out the brick stairs and landing to his side door.
I will do some searches to see if I can't pull up the old threads.
here you go. ES surging thread on LOC
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's largest auto manufacturer, Toyota Motor Corp., said Tuesday that the U.S. government has launched an investigation into three of its vehicle models, including the Camry -- its best-selling model in the United States -- over an alleged defect that causes sudden acceleration.
The U.S. highway safety authority announced Monday that it had received reports of 30 crashes that injured at least five people when some Toyota Camry, Camry Solara and Lexus ES300 vehicles suddenly and unexpectedly surged forward.
"One of the noted injuries was serious: it occurred when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle which allegedly surged forward unexpectedly," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a statement released on the Internet.
An estimated 1 million vehicles from the 2002 and 2003 model years could be affected, according to the NHTSA.
A spokeswoman for Toyota confirmed the NHTSA's investigation into the three models, but she said she could not give further details.
Shares in Toyota (TM: Research, Estimates) earlier ended Tokyo trade up 0.51 percent at ¥3,950, against a 0.25 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei average.
Lastly, there was this link, but it is no longer active.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/09/news...reut/index.htm
steviej
Several members posted threads about it here and on LexusOwnersClub about 2 or 3 years ago. I remember one thread specifically where the member actually went foward fast enough in his driveway to take out the brick stairs and landing to his side door.
I will do some searches to see if I can't pull up the old threads.
here you go. ES surging thread on LOC
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's largest auto manufacturer, Toyota Motor Corp., said Tuesday that the U.S. government has launched an investigation into three of its vehicle models, including the Camry -- its best-selling model in the United States -- over an alleged defect that causes sudden acceleration.
The U.S. highway safety authority announced Monday that it had received reports of 30 crashes that injured at least five people when some Toyota Camry, Camry Solara and Lexus ES300 vehicles suddenly and unexpectedly surged forward.
"One of the noted injuries was serious: it occurred when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle which allegedly surged forward unexpectedly," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a statement released on the Internet.
An estimated 1 million vehicles from the 2002 and 2003 model years could be affected, according to the NHTSA.
A spokeswoman for Toyota confirmed the NHTSA's investigation into the three models, but she said she could not give further details.
Shares in Toyota (TM: Research, Estimates) earlier ended Tokyo trade up 0.51 percent at ¥3,950, against a 0.25 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei average.
Lastly, there was this link, but it is no longer active.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/09/news...reut/index.htm
steviej
Last edited by steviej; 06-08-06 at 08:01 PM.
06-09-06, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by steviej
this scenario has already been presented to Lexus/Toyota. It was the subject of a major NHTSA investigation. It was found that no mechanical errors were involved and that the sudden surges were most likely the fault of the driver not having there foot on the brake hard enough or something like that.
Several members posted threads about it here and on LexusOwnersClub about 2 or 3 years ago. I remember one thread specifically where the member actually went foward fast enough in his driveway to take out the brick stairs and landing to his side door.
I will do some searches to see if I can't pull up the old threads.
here you go. ES surging thread on LOC
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's largest auto manufacturer, Toyota Motor Corp., said Tuesday that the U.S. government has launched an investigation into three of its vehicle models, including the Camry -- its best-selling model in the United States -- over an alleged defect that causes sudden acceleration.
The U.S. highway safety authority announced Monday that it had received reports of 30 crashes that injured at least five people when some Toyota Camry, Camry Solara and Lexus ES300 vehicles suddenly and unexpectedly surged forward.
"One of the noted injuries was serious: it occurred when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle which allegedly surged forward unexpectedly," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a statement released on the Internet.
An estimated 1 million vehicles from the 2002 and 2003 model years could be affected, according to the NHTSA.
A spokeswoman for Toyota confirmed the NHTSA's investigation into the three models, but she said she could not give further details.
Shares in Toyota (TM: Research, Estimates) earlier ended Tokyo trade up 0.51 percent at ¥3,950, against a 0.25 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei average.
Lastly, there was this link, but it is no longer active.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/09/news...reut/index.htm
steviej
Several members posted threads about it here and on LexusOwnersClub about 2 or 3 years ago. I remember one thread specifically where the member actually went foward fast enough in his driveway to take out the brick stairs and landing to his side door.
I will do some searches to see if I can't pull up the old threads.
here you go. ES surging thread on LOC
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's largest auto manufacturer, Toyota Motor Corp., said Tuesday that the U.S. government has launched an investigation into three of its vehicle models, including the Camry -- its best-selling model in the United States -- over an alleged defect that causes sudden acceleration.
The U.S. highway safety authority announced Monday that it had received reports of 30 crashes that injured at least five people when some Toyota Camry, Camry Solara and Lexus ES300 vehicles suddenly and unexpectedly surged forward.
"One of the noted injuries was serious: it occurred when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle which allegedly surged forward unexpectedly," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a statement released on the Internet.
An estimated 1 million vehicles from the 2002 and 2003 model years could be affected, according to the NHTSA.
A spokeswoman for Toyota confirmed the NHTSA's investigation into the three models, but she said she could not give further details.
Shares in Toyota (TM: Research, Estimates) earlier ended Tokyo trade up 0.51 percent at ¥3,950, against a 0.25 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei average.
Lastly, there was this link, but it is no longer active.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/09/news...reut/index.htm
steviej
Thomas
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06-11-06, 09:00 PM
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Originally Posted by e-man
Wow. Keep us posted. Let us know what, if anything, comes of the inspection.
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03-10-04 06:05 AM
2002, 300, 330, accelartion, acceleration, es, es300, faes, forum, kit, lexus, lurches, sudden, transmission, unintended, unintented
