2002 Lexus ES300 power train problems

“WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS AT A SLOW STEADY SPEED(APPROX 20MPH) THE CAR WILL FREQUENTLY VIOLENTLY JERK. MY CAR HAS 75000 MILES AND HAS DONE IT SINCE DAY ONE. *TR”

“MY WIFE, WHO DRIVES THE LEXUS ALL THE TIME, WAS PREPARING TO DRIVE THE CAR FROM THE GARAGE TO DRIVE DOWNTOWN. SHE HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL (AS IS NECESSARY TO MOVE THE TRANSMISSION TO REVERSE). THE MOMENT IT WAS ENGAGED THE CAR LEAPED BACKWARD, LEAVING TIRE MARKS ON THE CEMENT OF THE GARAGE AND ALSO THE DRIVEWAY ITSELF. HER EFFORTS TO STOP THE CAR BY STOMPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD NO EFFECT. SHE GRAZED THE HOUSE, MOVED THROUGH A FLOWER BED, LEAVING A TIRE MARK THE WHOLE DISTANCE, STRUCK THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE AND CONTINUED UP A SMALL INCLINE IN THE NEIGHBOR'S YARD, LUCKILY MISSING A LARGE TREE THERE AND CAME TO A STOP. THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE REMOVED WAS ABOUT 3-4 FEET ON EACH SIDE OF THE CORNER JUNCTURE ITSELF. THERE WERE TWO WITNESSES ACROSS THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, BOTH OF WHOM IMMEDIATELY CAME TO HER AID AND VOICED THE OPINION THAT THE CAR WAS TRULY MOVING AT A HIGH SPEED. MY WIFE HAD NO INJURIES OTHER THAN BEING VERY SHOOK-UP AND THANKFUL THAT NEITHER SHE OR OTHERS WERE INJURED. OF COURSE, THE CAR IS A MESS: BRICKS FROM THE HOUSE IMPACT FELL ON THE HOOD, TOP, AND TRUNK LID. A THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR IS SCRAPED, ONE REAR WINDOW IS…”

“MY 2002 LEXUS ES300 HAS BEEN JERKING AND SHIFTING VERY HARD ON ACCELERATION. IT SEEMS TO HAVE MORE OF A PROBLEM WHEN I ACCELERATE SLOWLY IN THE LOWER GEARS. IT JERKS VERY NOTICEABLY. I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE NATURE OF THE CAR, BUT IT HAS BEEN GETTING MUCH WORSE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR. IT ALSO HESITATES WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS AFTER DECELERATION. *TR”

“MY 2002 LEXUS ES 200 WAS DYING OR NOT STARTING AT ALL. SUDDENLY, IT WAS WORKING FINE. 2 DAYS LATER, WHILE IDLING OR WHEN MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, IT WOULD LURCH FORWARD AND START ACCELERATING AT SOMETIMES 40MPH. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES, THEN EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP, THEN AFTER I TURNED IT OFF, IT WOULD SHAKE FORWARD. *KB”

“2002 LEXUS ES300, CAR LUNGES AND JERKS DURING ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. CAR DROVE FINE UNTIL LEXUS UPGRADED SOFTWARE, AND THEN 100% NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO JM LEXUS APPROX 4-5 TIMES FOR PROBLEM, AND ONCE TO PALM BEACH LEXUS. CAR JERKED DURING TEST DRIVE WITH MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A "CHARACTERISTIC" OF THE CAR, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT. MECHANIC STATED HE HAS SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER CARS. PROBLEM HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE. *TR”

“I HAVE A 2002 LEXUS ES300. MY CAR AT SLOWER SPEEDS HAS BEEN JERKING/SURGING AT LOWER SPEEDS AND LURCHES FORWARD WITHOUT NOTICE. IT IS A NIGHTMARE TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN TRAFFIC. I KEEP BEING TOLD ITS NORMAL, IT SEEMS HUNDREDS OF OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED, BUT I'M NOT GETTING ANYWHERE. THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP DID A SOFTWARE UPGRADE RECENTLY, IT ONLY MADE THE MATTER WORSE. I HATE DRIVING THIS CAR, EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY AVOIDS DRIVING IT, AS WE JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE WAY IT ACCELERATES AND SHIFTS GEARS. ITS A 2002 MODEL, WITH 49K MILES. I AVG 25K MILES A YEAR DRIVING, DO THE MATH, THIS CAR SUCKS, AND I AVOID USING IT OUT OF FEAR/ANNOYANCE. *TR”