What 44 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Lexus RX 350h

THE CFEI (CERTIFIED FIRE & EXPLOSION INVESTIGATOR) FIRE LIEUTENANT/INVESTIGATOR WITH THE CITY OF FT. LAUDERDALE'S FIRE DEPT, WHO ALSO RESPONDED TO MY 911 CALL, HAD POINTED OUT AND EXPLAINED TO ME THE INTENSITY OF FLAME, HEAT AND BURN PATTERN IN THE ENGINE AND STATED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL ENGINE MALFUNCTION. WHAT HAPPENED: I HAD JUST DRIVEN MY 2012 LEXUS RX350 A SHORT DISTANCE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I PULLED INTO A 7-11 PARKING LOT NOT FAR FROM THE GAS PUMPS AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING, I OPENED MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW TO TALK TO A FRIEND WHEN I IMMEDIATELY SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. I FILED A REPORT WITH LEXUS THE VERY NEXT DAY AND RECEIVED A LETTER 3 WEEKS LATER. THEIR LAST PARAGRAPH SAYS "WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU REPORTED THIS TO GEICO AS WELL. IF THEIR INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED ANY EVIDENCE OF PRODUCT LIABILITY, WE WILL GLADLY REVIEW THAT INFORMATION." I CALLED OUT TO HIM AS HE WAS WALKING FROM HIS VEHICLE TOWARDS MY CAR AND YELLED OUT TO HIM THAT SOMETHING SMELLED LIKE IT WAS BURNING. HE THEN TOLD ME TO RELEASE THE HOOD BECAUSE HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE SLIGHTLY RAISED THE HOOD, SAW A FLAME, SLAMMED THE HOOD SHUT, THEN HE YELLED OUT TO ME "GET OUT OF THE CAR NOW YOUR ENGINE IS ON FIRE". I JUMPED OUT, CALLED 911, THEN STARTED TAKING PHOTOS WITH MY PHONE WHILE WATCHING AS MY VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND SMOKE. FIRST I HEARD THE TIRES BLOW OUT THEN I HEARD THE WINDSHIELD BLOW OUT. MY FRIEND SAW THE FLAMES WHEN HE LIFTED THE HOOD AND SAID HE OBSERVED THAT THE FIRE WAS BURNING IN THE CENTER OF THE MOTOR AT THE FUEL MANIFOLD. THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED ABOUT 5-7 MINUTES LATER AND PROCEEDED TO TRY TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS!

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I WAS BROADSIDED ON MY DRIVERS DOOR AND NOT 1 AIRBAG WENT OFF. THE OFFICER SAID SHE WAS DRIVING AT LEAST 40MPH. I HAD LEFT THE STOP SIGN TO MAKE MY LEFT HAND TURN WHEN IT OCCURED. MY CAR WAS TOTALED

NHTSA ODI 11297031

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2013 LEXUS RX350. ON AUGUST 14, 2019 AS I WAS PARKING MY CAR AND ROLLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, WITH MY FOOT ONLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE CAR HIT A CURB AND GAVE ME THE TIME TO REACT AND APPLIED ENOUGH BRAKE PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WENT INTO THE STREET INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE NEXT DAY I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO MY LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP. THEY HAD THE CAR FOR THE ENTIRE DAY AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ON AUGUST 17, 2019, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AS I WAS AGAIN ROLLING INTO A PARKING SPOT. AGAIN WITH MY FOOT ONLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD. THIS TIME I WAS NOT ABLE TO REACT QUICK ENOUGH AS THE CAR HIT A CONCRETE POLE AT THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPOT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. OVER THE NEXT 30-45 DAYS AN INDEPENDENT ENGINEER REMOVED THE EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR)FROM THE CAR AND SENT IT TO TOYOTA FOR ANALYSIS. ON OCT 3, 2019 TOYOTA RESPONDED THAT BASED ON THEIR FINDINGS OF THE EDR THE VEHICLE IS NOT DEFECTIVE. IN MY OWN SEARCH OF THE INTERNET, I FOUND NUMEROUS INCIDENTS ON UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FOR THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL AS MY CAR. I HAVE SENT LETTERS TO THE CEO OF TOYOTA AND LEXUS BUT AS OF THIS DATE, OCT 15, 2019 NEITHER TOYOTA NOR LEXUS HAS ACKNOWLEDGED OR ADMITTED THAT ANYTHING IS DEFECTIVE WITH THE VEHICLE. *JS *JS *JS

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BOTH WHEELS ARE NOT STOPPING AT THE SAME TIME. THE CAR HAS A SLIGHT JUMP FORWARD WHEN YOU EXPECT TO BE TOTALLY STOPPED. THE CAR HAS NEW FRONT AND BACK BRAKES.

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JULY 11TH 2017 AT AROUND 220PM PST, THE LEXUS RX350 2012, EXPERIENCE A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE. EARLIER THAT WEEK I NOTICED ISSUE WITH THE BATTERY, WHERE IT WOULD TAKE ONE OR MORE PUSHES TO THE START BUTTON FOR THE CAR TO TURN ON. BUT ON THIS DATE, I HAD JUST PARKED THE CAR ON A ROAD WITH AN SLIGHT INCLINE, I DID NOT ENABLE THE EMERGENCY BREAK THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND THE KEYS WITH ME. I HAD DROPPED OFF A FRIEND AND HELPED HER TAKE A FEW THINGS INSIDE THE HOUSE. AFTER RETURNING TO THE CAR, I TRIED MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO TURN ON THE CAR (3 OR 4) AND ON THE LAST ATTEMPT THE CAR ROLL DOWN THE HILL INSTEAD OF TURNING ON . I WAS UN-ABLE TO APPLY THE BREAKS AND IN A STATE OF SHOCK DID NOT APPLY THE EMERGENCY BREAK. THE CAR ROLL ACROSS A ROAD, DOWN A BANK AND CAME INCHES TO HITTING A HOME. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED UP THE BANK IT WAS FOUND THE CAR WAS IN GOOD SHAPE BUT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. I WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND MY ENTIRE BODY TENSED AND I WAS SUFFERING FROM A SEVERE HEADACHE. WE CALLED IN THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL 1722 EAST MAIN STREET EL CAL JON 92021 DATE: 7/11/17 - 14:40 NCIC NUMBER: 9680 OFFICER ID NUMBER 21588 THERE AFTER WE CALLED CONTACTED LEXUS TO DETERMINE IF ALL RECALL SERVICE HAD BEEN APPLIED, WHICH THEY ANSWERED YOUR CAR DOES NOT APPLY TO AN EARLIER RECALL . WAS REFERRING TO THE FOLLOWING RECALL. BASED ON THE NAME SEEM QUITE APPLICABLE FEBRUARY 12, 2014 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V054000 BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY MAY DISABLE ESC AND ABS I REQUESTED FOR A INDEPENDENT EVALUATION, BUT THEY TOLD ME (LEXUS)WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT IF THEIR WERE ISSUES AND I MUST TAKE IT TO A LEXUS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I COMPLIED AND WE TOOK THE CAR (IT WAS TOWED OVER). THEY HELD THE CAR FOR FIVE DAYS AND CONCLUDED THE CAR HAD A BAD BATTERY. THEY STATE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL WHEN IT WAS PARKED. WE ARE FEARFUL OF ANOTHER ACCIDENT RESULT IN GREATER DAMAGE AND HARM

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I WAS STOPPED TURNING RIGHT FORM ONE CITY STREET ONTO ANOTHER CITY STREET WHEN I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT STOP ME FROM CAREENING FORWARD IN THE SEAT CAUSING MY HEAD TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. I RECEIVED A CUT OVER MY RIGHT EYE FROM THE IMPACT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK AND POWERING OFF THE VEHICLE, SHE ATTEMPTED TO EXIT WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ROLLED AWAY. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE ROLLED OVER HER BUTTOCKS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,450.

NHTSA ODI 10839443

INITIALLY FELT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCH FOWARD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE AT WORK AND SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. HAD TO HIT BRAKES, BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND THEN SLOWLY START FORWARD AGAIN. ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND FULLY STOPPED.. DRIVER WAS ABOUT TO TURN OFF ENGINE AND, WITH PASSENGER, EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FOR NO REASON, PLOWING STRAIGHT INTO THE GARAGE DOOR OF RESIDENCE. GARAGE DOOR WAS COMPLETELY TORN OFF AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AFTER SMASHING AN INTERIOR WALL AND DOORFRAME. THANKFULLY, NO INJURIES BUT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IF THE WINDSHIELD HAD BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED ON 3 SIDES AND THE PROPERTY SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE GARAGE DOOR, INTERIOR DRYWALL, DOOR AND DOORFRAME. AGAIN, THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED AND IN PARK WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LEXUS RX350. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A GARAGE DOOR AND INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE HAD EXTENSIVE DAMAGES TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED WHIP LASH THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THE DAMAGES WERE REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,878.

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CONTINUATION OF MY REPORT. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE SAME SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED BUT IN REVERSE AS THE DRIVER WAS LEAVING HER HOME AND THIS TIME SHE COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, GOING THRU THE CONCRETE FENCE OF HER FRONT NEIGHBOR TAKING A SIDE OF THE NEIGHBOR HOUSE, DOWN A HILL AND HITTING TWO AIR CONDITIONER UNITS AND AN ELECTRICAL GENERATOR, DAMAGING THE WHOLE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE REAR, BRAKING THE REAR DRIVE TRAIN AND GETTING STUCK IN A CONCRETE WALL WHICH SAVE THEIR LIFE. IF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE GONE 10 MORE FEET IT WOULD HAVE DROP IN AN APPROXIMATELY 800 TO 900 FEET CLIFF AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. ACCORDING TO THE DRIVER SHE PUT ON HER BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT WORK. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES THERE WAS ONLY ONE TIRE BRAKE TRACK ON THE ROAD WHICH IT WAS GONE BY THE TIME I WENT TO INVESTIGATE. MY THEORY IS THAT ELECTRIC SURGES FROM THIS HIGH INTENSITY CABLES INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE CONTROL AND ACCELERATE THIS VEHICLES. IT IS THE ONLY LOGICAL EXPLANATION. IF THERE IS A WAY TO TEST THIS THEORY I SURE WOULD APPRECIATE IT. PLEASE ANSWER ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR UPDATED 3/13/15 *JS

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FIRST PART OF COMPLAINT JUST IN CASE IT DID NOT GO THRU THE FIRST TIME. DEAR SIRS, I'M WRITING TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THEY HAVE CONTRACTED ME AS A VEHICLE ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONIST IN PUERTO RICO. I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE MADE ANY INQUIRIES IN THE FUEL DELIVERY AND PROPULSION SYSTEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS TOYOTA, LEXUS AND HONDA VEHICLES THAT I KNOW OF SO FAR, ARE HAVING SOME KIND OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION ISSUES AND THE COMPUTER DOES NOT CATCH THE PROBLEM. THIS ACCELERATION SURGES THAT I HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT, ALL HAVE OCCURRED AROUND HIGH ELECTRICITY AREAS. SO FAR THAT I KNOW OFF, THREE OF THESE SURGES HAVE OCCURRED NEXT TO THE ELECTRICAL PLANT CENTER IN PALO SECO PUERTO RICO AND ONE CAUSED TWO DEATHS. THE OTHER ONE IS THE ONE I'M REPRESENTING WHICH OCCURRED IN THEIR HOME TWICE. THE FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT BUT THE DRIVER HAD THE CHANCE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A CHECKUP AND NOTHING STRANGE SHOWED ON THEIR SYSTEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR UPDATED 3/13/15 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10609024

AFTER EXITING A PARKING LOT BY BACKING OUT, LEXUS RX 350 DRIVER PRECEDED TO THE PARKING LOT EXIT. UPON MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN TOWARDS THE EXIT, THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LURCHED FORWARD AND DESPITE THE DRIVERS ATTEMPT TO STOP THE CAR BY APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CAR HIT ANOTHER PARKED CAR. THE RX 350 CAME TO A STOP ONLY AFTER HITTING THE CURBING OF THE PARKING LOT. THE CAR THAT WAS HIT WAS UNOCCUPIED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE DRIVER OF THE RX 350. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10547211

I HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 2012 LEXUS ON 5/1/13. I PULLED OUT OF A GAS STATION UNTO THE ROAD AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT BEHIND A CAR CARRIER WHICH WAS STOPPED ALREADY. WHEN I STOPPED, MY CAR ACCELERATED AND HIT THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. WHEN THE POLICE CAME, THEY CITED ME BECAUSE I HIT THE TRUCK. WHEN WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, HE SAID HE HAD A SIMILAR CASE A MONTH BEFORE. WITH THAT, I SEARCHED GOOGLE AND REALIZED THAT I WASN'T LOOSING MY MIND AND THAT MY CAR ACCELERATED UNINTENTIONALLY. I CALLED LEXUS AND THEY SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND AFTER EXAMINING THE CAR, HIS FINDINGS WERE THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I CALLED TWO ATTORNEYS AND THEY HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BUT BECAUSE I WASN'T HURT, THEY WOULDN'T TAKE MY CASE. I CALLED "8 ON YOUR SIDE" AND THEY SAID TO EMAIL YOU AND THAT A GENTLEMAN FROM THERE "MIGHT" GET IN TOUCH WITH ME. I AM OUT $4,500 FOR THE REPAIRS AND NOW MY CAR DEPRECIATED $5,000 BECAUSE IT WAS HIT. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN BUT I WORRY EVERY TIME I COME TO A STOP. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO SO I COULD GET REIMBURSED FROM LEXUS OR TRADE MY CAR IN AND NOT LOSE THIS SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT. I HAVE HAD LEXUS SINCE 1996 AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR REPLY! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10536785

ON 6/25/2012- AT 7:10 AM, I WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING SPOT FOR MY VEHICLE IN MY HOSPITAL PARKING LOT FOR A SCHEDULED SURGICAL CASE, WHERE I WORK AS AN OB/GYN PHYSICIAN/SURGEON . AS I TURNED TO THE PARKING SPOT AT THE USUAL, APPROXIMATELY 2-4 MILES /HR SPEED ( THE SPEED AT WHICH NORMALLY ONE PARKS THE CAR), I NOTICED THAT MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL DID NOT BOUNCE BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION AS IT NORMALLY SHOULD OR WOULD. THEN MY RT FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES TO JUST STOP THE VEHICLE IN MY PARKING SPOT. THEN JUST INSTANTLY THE VEHICLE HAD INCREASED SPEED AND BEFORE I COULD STOP THE VEHICLE, IT RAN FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY AND CLIMBED UP THE CEMENT PATHWAY AND HIT THE TREE JUST IN FRONT OF THAT PARKING SPOT. I WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKES AND IT DID NOT STOP THE ENGINE RAVING AND I STOPPED THE ENGINE BY TURNING IT OFF. THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS SEVERELY DAMAGED INCLUDING BENT FRAME AND THE ENGINE IS PUSHED INSIDE ACCORDING TO THE BODY SHOP. I FELT I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT RAN ON ITS OWN. IT WAS THE SCARIEST FEELING. IMAGINE THE DAMAGE AND CASUALTY IT COULD HAVE CAUSED IF IT HAPPENED AT THE SIGNAL CROSSING. *TR

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I WAS TOLD THAT A CIRCUT BREAKER FAILED UNDER THE DASH ,AS TO THE CAUSE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW AND HAD SOME STRANGE ELECTRIAL ISSUES. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

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