2002 Lexus ES Complaint Log

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *TC *JB

WE HAVE AN ESCALATING SHUDDER WHEN DOWN SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOFTWARE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE POWERTRAIN/TRANSMISSION. THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX AND ARE ASKING CUSTOMERS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER POSSIBLE 45 TO 60 DAYS UNTIL THE FIX IS ISSUED. WE HAVE REQUESTED ANOTHER CAR SINCE THIS IS OUR 4TH ES400 IN THE PAST TEN YEARS AND THE 97 LEXUS WE TRADED WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION. WE ARE NOT WILLING TO WAIT FOR A REPAIR AND HAVE NOTIFIED THE COMPANY THAT THEY NEED TO RESOLVE OUR PROBLEM CAUSED BY THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT WITH A NEW VEHICLE.*AK

2002 LEXUS ES300 EXHIBITS MOST OF THE PECULARITIES MENTIONED IN PE 04021 AND DP 04003 IN ADDITION TO INCONSISTENT 1/2 AND 2/3 SHIFTS AND MAJOR LAG TIME IN DOWNSHIFTS AT SPEED. A MAJOR DEFECT THAT HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS NEAR MISSES.

INDICATOR NEEDLE ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ARE NOT VISIBLE DURING DAY LIGHT HOURS. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE.*JB

POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AR HESITATES ON ACCELERATION, LUNGES AT TIMES, SEARCHES FOR PROPER GEAR AND SHIFTS HARD. THE HEISTATION CAN BE QUITE DRAMATIC; ENOUGH TO LOSE CONFIDENCE IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS. THE CAR HAS BEEN "RE-PROGRAMMED" BY LEXUS, BUT PROBLEMS CONTINUE. LEXUS DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM AND SAYS THE CAR FUNCTIONS AS DESIGNED. PROBLEMS SURFACED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE AND CONTINUE.*AK

INSTRUMENT GAUGE INDICATORS ARE UNABLE TO READ WHILE DRIVING DURING DAY LIGHT HOURS. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

GAS CAP IS VERY HARD TO TWIST OFF. CONSUMER DEVELOPED A SPRANG WRIST TRYING TO TWIST IS OFF. SPRING CLIP CAUSES IT TO LOCK UP.*AK

1) STUMBLE - THIS OCCURS WHEN YOU QUICKLY ACCELERATE AND THE CAR HESITATES FOR 1-2 SECONDS BEFORE IT KICKS IN. 2) SHUDDER - WITH NO PATTERN, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SHUDDER. THIS OCCURS WITH NO/LITTLE ACCELERATION. 3) SURGING - THE CAR SURGES APPROX. 1/2 FOOT WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS INTENSIFIED WHEN THE CAR IS SLOWLY (E.G., IN TRAFFIC) MOVING DOWN HILL. *JB

LIGHTS TO READ SPEED ODOMETER AND GAS, ARE HARD TO READ, CAUSING CONSUMER TO ONLY SEE IN DARK AREAS, AND NOT DURING DAY TIME.*AK

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2002 LEXUS ES 300 AND NOT MUCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE INSIDE ETC. THE ACCELERATION AND THROTTLE THOUGH ARE A MAJOR PROBLEM. I ALMOST GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT GETTING ONTO 95 TRYING TO PASS A SEMI BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR " PAUSES" WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL. AFTER THE PAUSE IT STARTS TO ACCELERATE SO I BARELY MADE IT WITHOUT HITTING THE SEMI. THIS REALLY CONCERNS ME AND WANT LEXUS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. ITS JUST PLAIN UNSAFE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING WHEN SUN IS SHINING CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO READ SPEED ODOMETER DUE TO POOR DESIGN, BLACK BACK ROUND WITH WHITE NUMBERS AND A BLACK NEEDLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CAR WON'T GO INTO GEAR PROPERLY DURING STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC OR PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC WHILE TURNING A CORNER, RESULTING IN UNSAFE SITUATIONS AS NOTED BY OTHER CARS' HORNS HONKING AND BRAKES BEING APPLIED . DEALER SAYS IT PERFORMS AS DESIGNED BY FACTORY, AND THERE IS NO WAY TO FIX IT. *AK

UPON PURCHASING VEHICLE THERE WAS A DESIGN DEFECT IN FUEL TANK. CANNOT GET GAS CAP OFF VEHICLE TO PUT GASOLINE IN IT. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE FILLER CAP WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW VERSION BUT IT REQUIRED A TOOL TO REMOVE IT AND DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *YH

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES HAVE RED NEEDLES AGAINST A BLACK BACKGROUND WHICH ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE IN DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY IN FULL SUNLIGHT AND ARE IMPOSSIBE TO SEE WEARING SUN GLASSES. THIS, IN MY OPINION, CONSTITUTES A SAFETY HAZARD, BEING UNABLE TO READ THE GAGES, ESPECIALLY THE SPEED.*AK

THE CAR STALLS AND PAUSES IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR HAS ROUGH VIBRATION WHEN THE GEARS SHIFT. THE DEALER SAID THE COMPUTER WAS DESIGNED TO OPERATE IN THAT MANNER AND THAT THERE IS PRESENTLY NO CORRECTION FOR THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO REPLACE THE CAR OR TO BUY ME OUT BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT RESULTED IN ANY FATALITIES.

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB

CANNOT SEE SPEED READING ON DASHBOARD IN SUNLIGHT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE CHANGE OF INSTRUMENTS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THIS MODEL HAS THE SAME LIGHTING. RIGHT FRONT DOOR HARD TO CLOSE DUE TO BEING MISALIGNED, DEALER ADJUSTED DOOR STRIKER, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLES DIFFICULT TO SEE. *SCC

VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE SPEEDOMOTER - DARK BACKGROUND WITH DARK NEEDLE REQUIRES TOO MUCH TIME TO SEE SPEED. *AK

WE HAVE A SURGE OR SKIP ON DEACCELERATION.THIS WILL HAPPEN FROM 40 TO 60 MPH. THE DEALER WILL ONLY TELL US THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NO CURE. I FEEL THAT AFTER 7 MONTHS THEY SHOULD HAVE A FIX.*AK

CAR HAS VERY POOR SHIFTING CHARACTERISTICS. IT IS ALWAYS ANNOYING AND SOMETIMES UNSAFE. TWICE I HAVE STARTED TO QUICKLY ACCELERATE FROM A STOP TO TURN LEFT AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION START TO DOWNSHIFT THEN WAIT THROUGH A DELAY AS IF THE SOFTWARE WAS CONFUSED. THE RESULT WAS THE CAR SITTING IN THE INTERSECTION WITH THE ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED BUT NO POWER TO THE WHEELS FOR AROUND 1 OR 2 SECONDS. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES "SHIFTING COMFORT" ISSUES ARE THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT FOR THE CAR BUT SAYS NO FIX IS AVAILABLE. I HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER ON THIS ISSUE FOR OVER 8 MONTHS AND HAVE HAD NO HELP.*AK

CAN'T READ SPEEDOMETER IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT WITH HEADLIGHTS ON AND DRIVER WEARING SUN GLASSES.*AK

WHEN DRIVING DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS WE CANNOT SEE THE RED DIAL ON THE SPEEDOMETER EVEN THOUGH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT CONTROL IS TURNED FULLY UP. WE NEVER KNOW HOW FAST WE ARE GOING. WE JUST TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE TRAFFIC. WE SPOKE TO YVONNE CHILDS AT LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE (800 255 3987) WHO WOULD LOOK INTO IT, BUT NEVER GOT BACK TO US. I SPOKE TO ANOTHER SERVICE PERSON, AND HE SAID HE HAS HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS DEFINITELY A MAJOR SAFETY FACTOR THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED. NLM

I CANNOT READ THE RED DIAL ON THE SPEEDOMETER. DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, IT FADES AWAY EVEN THOUGH THE PANEL LIGHTS ARE TURNED ALL THE WAY UP. I KEEP UP WITH THE TRAFFIC, NOT KNOWING HOW FAST (OR SLOW) I AM GOING. THIS ONLY HAPPENS DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, NOT NIGHTTIME. I SPOKE TO LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE (MS. YVONNE CHILDS, 800 255 3987) AND TO RAY CATENA LEXUS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. NOBODY CALLED ME BACK. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE CORRECTED. TS

DASHBOARD HAS BEEN REDESIGNED, AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE VARIOUS NEEDLE GAUGES WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAY. AT NIGHT WITH LIGHTS ON, EVERYTHING IS FINE, BUT DURING THE DAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS SUNNY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE GAUGES. *SC...*AK

SHIFT COMFORT ISSUE EXISTS AT SOMEWHAT PREDICTABLE DRIVING CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE DRIVER TO HANDLE THE CAR IN A CAUTIOUS MANNER TO AVOID VEHICLE MALFUNCTION. DT

THE SPEEDOMETER IS NOT VISIBLE IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. CONSUMER HAS NO IDEA HOW FAST THE VEHICLE IS GOING. *JG *JB *NLM

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE FROM FRONT RIGHT SIDE DUE TO AN ENGINEERING FLAW. *AK *JB

THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY EXPERIENCED A HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING, THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

BRAKE ROTORS WERE REPLACED, ENTIRE NEW BRAKE KIT INSTALLED AND ALL FOUR TIRE WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO REACHING 20K MILES. *PH THE CONSUMER HAS NOT BEEN PLEASED WITH THE SHIFTING PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DEMONSTRATE ERRATIC, ROUGH AND INCONSISTENT SHIFTING. THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE BUT IT ONLY SLIGHTLY IMPROVED THE PERFORMANCE. THE CONSUMER ALSO HAD A 2000 LEXUS GS 300 WHICH HAD A MORE DRAMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE LOCAL DEALER INSISTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *NM

2002 LEXUS ES300 HAS A LAG IN TIME BETWEEN STEPPING ON THE GAS AND THE TRANSMISSION RESPONDING TO PUT THE CAR IN MOTION. *MR THE HESITATION IS MOST PRONOUNCED WHEN BRAKING AND THEN NEEDING TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE INABILITY OF THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER IS HAZARDOUS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *NM