2004 Lexus RX330 vehicle speed control problems

“MY 2004 LEXUS RX330 WAS STOPPED IN A PARKING LOT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE ABOUT TO GET READY TO LET A PASSENGER LEAVE THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND NOT MOVING. WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE. WITHIN SECONDS THE CAR TOOK OFF AND JUMPED A CURB AND DROVE AT FULL THROTTLE. AS SOON AS I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING, I THEN PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AFTER IT DROVE ABOUT 50 FT. I WAS IN SHOCK THAT THIS OCCURRED. MY HEAD HAD FLUNG BACK ALONG WITH MY PASSENGER WITH TERRIFIC FORCE. ONCE STOPPED AND I WAS COMPOSED, I DROVE THE CAR OFF THE GRASSY AREA IT WAS NOW ON AND RELUCTANTLY DROVE IT HOME. SOME DEGREE OF NECK PAIN LATER WAS NOTICED. THERE WAS NO FLOOR MAT ISSUE OR ANY NOTICEABLE OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. LATER UPON INSPECTION OF THE CAR THERE APPEARED TO BE SOME BODY DAMAGE TO THE CAR. NOT SURE WHERE IT CAME FROM OR IF WE HIT ANYTHING OTHER THEN THE CURB THOUGH. THE CAR ACTED AS THOUGH IT WAS POSSESSED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WILL BE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER CAR WITHOUT DRIVE BY WIRE IF THEY STILL EXIST.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V112000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND 10V499000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE COMPLETED WITHIN 4 TO 6 WEEKS. THE CONTACT CALLED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND RECEIVED NO FOLLOW UP RESPONSE FROM THE DEALER. MONTHS LATER, THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS RX330. WHILE BACKING UP THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE AND HOUSE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO IMMEDIATELY STOP WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS RX330. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND A CURB. THE TWO PASSENGERS IN THE OTHER VEHICLES SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR BODY REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.”

“I GOT IN THE CAR AT 2 P.M. AFTER DRIVING 1/4 MILE IT WOULD NOT TAKE OFF FROM THE STOP SIGN IT STALLED AND LUNGED FORWARD DUE TO LOSS OF CONNECTION WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE AND SHIFTED FROM D TO 4 AND IT BEGAN TO SHAKE IN THE FRONT OF THE BUMPER. I PULLED OVER, PUT IT IN NEUTRAL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ON AND MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON, AND OPENED THE HOOD. IT STOPPED SHAKING AND I REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT, WHICH IS ATTACHED WITH CLIPS AND WITH MY HAND, I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL. IT HAD NO REV IN THE ENGINE, AS I WOULD EXPECT. I GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND SHIFTED TO R AND THEN WITH THE BRAKE OFF, I SHIFTED TO 4. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND VSC LIGHT AS WELL. I CAN TELL YOU FOR CERTAIN MY CAR WAS NOT OVERHEATING WHEN I TOOK IT TO SEARS AUTO CENTER WITH WARNING LIGHTS VSC AND CHECK ENGINE COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. IF THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING WAS THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ON THE DASH WOULD HAVE INDICATED THAT WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO SEARS. MIKE, SERVICE ADVISOR AT LEXUS OF ROSEVILLE STATED IN AN E-MAIL TO ME THAT HIS TECHNICIAN 'FOUND # 5 CYLINDER INTAKE VALVES BENT AND STUCK. #1 CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE STICKING (WILL STAY…”

“I WAS ON THE FEEDER OF THE FREEWAY AND WAS GETTING READY TO ENTER THE FREEWAY ENTRANCE RAMP. I PUSHED ON THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, AT THIS TIME THE CAR SPED UP ON ITS OWN BEYOND THE SPEED THAT I WAS ATTEMPTING TO GO. I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE PEDAL; HOWEVER THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I PUSHED ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE FLOOR MAT CAUSING THIS PROBLEM; SO I CHECKED THE GAS PEDAL AND THERE WAS NOTHING NEAR PEDAL. THE FLOOR MAT HAD NOT MOVED EVERYTHING WAS IN PLACE. I PUT MY FOOT UNDER THE GAS PEDAL AND ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE PEDAL; THIS HAD NO EFFECT ON THE SPEED. I STOMPED ON THE GAS PEDAL A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THE PEDAL THEN STARTED RESPONDING NORMALLY. I TRIED TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO RESPONSE. *TR”