What 49 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Lexus IS 250

CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD (WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN) AND STRUCK THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME ON JANUARY 6, 2012. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2012 AND JANUARY 2013, I.E., CAR LURCHED FORWARD WHILE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT/SIGN. THE LATTER INCIDENTS DID NOT RESULT IN ANY ACCIDENT OR INJURY.

NHTSA ODI 10502998

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVENT WHILE DRIVING UP A STEEP HILL, VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY ON IT'S OWN ACCORD. WHILE BRAKING, THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND ONLY SERVED TO DESTABILIZE THE VEHICLE AND SLOW IT SLIGHTLY. TACHOMETER WAS PEGGED AT 6,000 RPM AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. AFTER PUSHING THE "START" BUTTON SEVERAL TIMES THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. THIS TOOK ALMOST TWO MINUTES AND WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. LEXUS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED IT OPERATING AS DESIGNED, WITH NO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS FOUND. WE SOLD THIS VEHICLE TO THE LEXUS DEALER FOR $26,000 WELL BELOW THE LOW BLUE BOOK. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10496533

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM - CAR OCCASIONALLY PULLS TO EITHER SIDE, RIGHT OR LEFT, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE LATEST INCIDENT, WHICH OCCURRED ON 7/29/11, SHOWING THE STEERING WHEEL SPINNING 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHILE DRIVING ON THE GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAY IN QUEENS, NEW YORK IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO LEXUS CORPORATE AND BROUGHT TO LEXUS OF QUEENS (NEW YORK CITY) FOR CORRECTION ON 7/19/11. SINCE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT, "VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED." I CAN NOT, WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY, STATE THAT THE BRAKES ARE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AN ASE-CERTIFIED MASTER TECHNICIAN, WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS DESCRIBED TO HIM OFFERED HIS OPINION. HE WROTE, "WHEN A VEHICLE PULLS EITHER WAY THE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS ARE NO FLUID PRESSURE GETTING TO OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PULLING, A FROZEN OR STICKING CALIPER OR PARTLY COLLAPSED FLEX HOSE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PULLING. THE ABS AND/OR TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM MIGHT NOT BE ALLOWING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE CALIPER. THERE ALSO COULD BE AIR TRAPPED IN THE SYSTEM." ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION WILL BE MAILED TO NHTSA. UPDATED 08-29-11 *BF UPDATED 10/17/11 UPDATED 02/07/12 THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PULLING HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY 195 MILES. UPDATED 05/12/2012 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10418821