2014 Lexus ES350

The defect

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment. In these vehicles, the PCS may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.

The risk

A vehicle that unexpectedly brakes increases the risk of a crash.

The remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain PCS components, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 30,812 vehicles across all model years covered

crash · towed · 45,000 miles

SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WITH BRAKING PROBLEMS. THREE EPISODES. THE FIRST EPISODE WAS A COMPLAINT TO THE DEALER WITH DOCUMENTATION IN THE CAR'S SERVICE RECORD. THE SECOND OF WHICH WAS WORKED-UP FOR ONE WEEK BY THE DEALER WITH NO ANSWERS. THE THIRD EPISODE OCCURRED GOING DOWN A PARKING RAMP AND RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR AND INJURIES TO BOTH FENDERS. THE CAR'S "BLACK BOX" WAS NOT ACTIVATED DURING THE LAST EPISODE. THE CAR ACCELERATED RIGHT AFTER IT HAD BEGUN MOVING FORWARD. DURING THE OTHER EPISODES, THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED RIGHT AFTER BEING STARTED. DURING THE THIRD AND MOST SERIOUS EPISODE, THE CAR WAS MOVING DOWN THE CAR RAMP IN A PARKING GARAGE, FROM THE EIGHTH FLOOR …

NHTSA complaint 11404485, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

crash · 3,500 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 LEXUS ES350. WHILE MAKING A U TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A FENCE AND A TREE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 9/22/2017*CN

NHTSA complaint 10683863. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

crash · 11,214 miles

I EXPERIENCED A LOW SPEED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF MY 2014 LEXUS ES350 FOR THE FIRST TIME ON DECEMBER 22, 2015. I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING PLACE WHERE I LIVE AS I HAVE DONE HUNDREDS OF TIMES. AS I WAS TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATION PEDAL TO STARTING HITTING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I HEARD THE ENGINE REVVING AND I WAS TAKEN TOTALLY BY SURPRISE. MY REACTION WAS TO TURN TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING THE WALL IN FRONT OF ME WHILE HITTING THE BRAKE WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE FROM THE CAR. I HIT THE WALL WITH THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF THE CAR AND KEPT GOING FOR A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL I SOMEHOW SHIFTED GEARS. THE CAR STOPPED AND I PUT IT ON REVERSE. I AGAIN EXPERIENCED …

NHTSA complaint 10851024, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Car was vandalized on 12/7/21 and alarms did not go off. Car alarm doesn’t work, hasn’t worked.

NHTSA complaint 11443815. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

GM is unable to provide an ETA on a replacement airbag that is under an open safety recall. It has been months since I started contacting my nearest GMC dealer and GM customer support. It is unacceptable they can immediately repair let alone being un able to even provide a time frame for the replacement airbags.

NHTSA complaint 11443826. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Brakes, tires, transmission went out, suspension craked licking oil Car steering wheel vibration, car pulling, brakes didn’t respond, i pulled to side before hitting a car Yes 2 different shops currently at express transmission Currently under inspection because of transmission going out while driving on freeway No warning lights, air bags are off I don’t know why bought car 4 months ago Dealership said they maintenance the vehicle that was a lie i had it maintenance not to long ago car needed it car went out in matter of hrs not days it was hrs it never alerted me something was wrong vehicle was in previous accident in 2016 dealership never informed us about it we recently found out about …

NHTSA complaint 11440179, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

38,336 miles

FORWARD COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM HAS FAILED AND IS INOPERABLE. THERE IS A RECALL OUT THERE, HOWEVER MY VIN# ISN'T ON THE LIST. LEXUS WILL NOT FIX IT.

NHTSA complaint 11353328. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

39,000 miles

BOTH FRONT DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.THE CAR ONLY HAS 40225 MILES AND IS GARAGE KEPT.WHAT THE POSSIBILITY OF BOTH GOING BAD AND IS THIS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE A WARRANTED PART?

NHTSA complaint 11352479. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.