2003 Lexus ES300 vehicle speed control problems

“I PURCHASED A USED 2003 LEXUS ES30FROM USED CAR DEALER. AFTER A COUPLE DAYS OF DRIVING IT I NOTICED IT WAS SHIFTING GEARS INNORMALLY. IT WOULD SURGE UP TO 4000RMP BEFORE SHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR AND AT ONE POINT WASN'T MOVING WHILE I HIT THE GAS THE ACCELERATION VERY FAST OUT OF NOWHERE. MY MOTHER ALSO HAD THIS SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE A FEW YEARS BACK AND IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY OTHER LEXUS CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I FOUND A WEB SITE THAT CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS A TSB PUT OUT FOR THIS VEHICLE AND THAT THE LEXUS/TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS WOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH AN UPGRADE. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS UPGRADE IS STILL AVAILABLE AND IF MY VEHICLE WOULD QUALIFY? AND IF SO HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT THIS PROCESS.”

“I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE SLOWLY TO PAUSE ON THE DRIVEWAY TO CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR AND WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS IN REVERSE THE CAR FLEW OUT OF THE GARAGE AND I COULDN'T STOP IT WITH THE BRAKES. THERE WAS A SMALL ROOFING ACROSS THE STREET WHICH STOPPED THE CAR. NO ONE WAS NEARBY SO NO ONE WAS HURT. THE ACCELERATOR SEEMED STUCK FOR THIS INCIDENT TO HAPPEN. HOWEVER, LEXUS HAD AN INSPECTOR CHECK THE CAR AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG THAT SHOWED ON THE COMPUTER SO THEY WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS OCCURRENCE AND THEY CLOSED THE CASE. I TRIED TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE TO SEND THIS TO ARBITRATION BUT NO ONE WOULD SPEAK TO ME. CASE CLOSED. THIS WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE WITH NO CONTROL IN THE CAR. *TR”

“DRIVING OUT OF MY GARAGE USUALLY SLOWLY AND WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS WHILE IN REVERSE TO PULL OUT THE CAR JUST FLEW OUT INTO THE STREET. THE IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO BRAKE AND COULDN'T WORK. WHEN I HIT A TRUCK IN THE STREET BEHIND ME THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. I HAD NO CONTROL. THIS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, A FIRST TIME AND A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. THE CAR IS AT THE LEXUS AUTHORIZED BODY SHOP WAITING FOR THE LEXUS INSPECTOR TO GO OVER THE CAR. I WOULD BE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN THE FUTURE THINKING THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN ANYTIME. I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND FELT THIS IS THE BEST CAR I EVER OWNED UNTIL NOW. *TR”

“MY CAR OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS STARTED EXPERIENCING ABNORMAL ACCELERATION . THERE WERE TIMES IT USES TO SURGE OR SOUND LIKE IT WAS RAMPING UP TO GO FAST, EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK, YOU COULD HEAR THE ACCELERATION TRYING TO RAMP UP LIKE IF MY FOOT WASN'T ON THE BREAK IT WOULD JUST TAKE OFF. THEN THE OPPOSITE STARTED TO HAPPEN. MY CAR IDLE WOULD JUST DROP AND BASICALLY WHEN I WOULD GO TO TAKE OFF FROM A STOP, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. IT WAS INCONSISTENT SO SOMETIMES IT WOULD OVER ACCELERATE AND SOMETIMES UNDER. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, BUT I'VE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS AND SOME PEOPLE TO GET AGGRAVATED AT MY CAR.I TOOK IT TO THE PEP BOYS THEY THOUGHT IT NEEDED FLUSHED MAYBE INJECTION CLEANING LIKE ALL OTHER SCENARIOS I AM JUST NOW READING ABOUT. AFTER THAT, IT SEEMED TO WORK FOR A SHORT WHILE, BUT THEN THE ISSUE START OCCURRING AGAIN. I HAD MY SPARK PLUGS CHANGED AND NEW COILS , NEW AIR FLOW HOSE TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THE ISSUES. THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST SO I TOOK IT TO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHERE THEIR SUGGESTION IS THE PROBLEM IS IN THE THROTTLE BOTTLE. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON LINK WITH THE ACCELERATION ISSUE AND THE SAME…”

“I WAS REVERSING AND TRYING TO TURN WHEN MY CAR LEXUS ES 300 SUDDENLY PICKED UP HIGH SPEED ACCELERATION BY IT SELF AND WENT FORWARD AND HIT A FENCE IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE PICKED UP UNINTENTIONAL HIGH SPEED (FULL THROTTLE). IT WAS BEYOND MY CONTROL. MY BODY WENT FORWARD AND BACKWARD VIOLENTLY. FOR FEW DAYS I HAVE EXPERIENCED MUSCLE STIFFNESS, PAIN AND POOR NIGHT SLEEP. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE INCREASED ACCELERATION UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REDUCE SPEED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A FENCE. THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM A FRACTURED RIGHT ARM AND SUSTAINED BRUISES TO THE BODY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”