What 78 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Lexus Rx350l

I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS ON THIS VEHICLE STARTED TO FAIL - FIRST IT STARTED WITH FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AND NOW IN ADDITION TO FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, THE DRIVER DOOR AND THE REAR RIGHT DOOR AUTOMATIC LOCKS TO NOT ENGAGE WHEN I TRY TO LOCK/UNLOCK. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THESE AT A COST OF ~$1,000 FOR EACH DOOR AND THINK THIS IS UNFAIR SINCE THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS ON THIS MODEL FAILING ONLINE AND IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE DOOR ACTUATOR FAILING (BUT NOT RECALLED) (SEE LEXUS OWNER SITE AND YOUTUBE - SEARCH "2013 LEXUS RX350 DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING" ON GOOGLE FOR DETAILS). I AM CURRENTLY MANUALLY LOCKING/UNLOCKING THESE DOORS AND FEEL UNSAFE AND FEEL MY PERSONAL PROPERTY INSIDE THE CAR IS EXPOSED TO THEFT SINCE SOMETIMES I FORGET TO LOCK THESE 3 DOORS MANUALLY WHEN DRIVING ALONE IN VEHICLE. NOTE THE ABOVE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, IN MOTION, ON A CITY STREET/HIGHWAY, AND TURNING.

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MY LEXUS VEHICLE HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH ITS LOCKS AND TRUNK. SOMETIMES THE TRUNK CANNOT BE OPENED AT ALL EVEN IF I ATTEMPT TO OPEN IT MANUALLY. ALSO, MY DOORS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY LOCKED MOST OF THE TIME. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL LOCK/UNLOCK USING THE REMOTE. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK AND UNLOCK ALL OF THE DOORS. THERE ARE TONS OF VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHICH HAS TO DO WITH THE LOCK ACTUATORS. THERE ARE ALSO A PLETHORA OF FORUMS ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL. MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE CHOSEN TO NOT REPLACE THE LOCK ACTUATORS THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL DOOR HAS BECAUSE IT IS VERY COSTLY. I HAVE ALSO READ THAT SOMETIMES THE LOCK ACTUATORS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE, THIS IS A COMMON DESIGN FLAW FOR MY CAR AS WELL AS OTHER LEXUS VEHICLES. EVEN NEWER MODEL LEXUS VEHICLES ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. OBVIOUSLY THIS ISSUE IS A DESIGN FLAW AND DEFECT AND SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS A RECALL THAT LEXUS SHOULD BE MANDATED TO FIX. I ALWAYS HAVE TO CHECK WITH MY SON TO ENSURE THAT HE HAS MANUALLY LOCKED HIS DOOR. WE LIVE IN HOUSTON AND IMAGINE HOW NERVOUS I GET WHEN I APPROACH A RED LIGHT WHERE HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE OFTEN BEGGING FOR MONEY. I HAVE TO MAKE SURE MY DOORS ARE LOCKED BECAUSE SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE BOLD ENOUGH TO PULL ON YOUR DOOR HANDLE AND ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. THIS HOLD TRUE FOR WHEN I AM EXITING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK ALL THE DOORS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE KNOWN FOR PULLING ON YOUR HANDLES AT NIGHT TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET LUCKY. THE RELIABILITY OF THE LEXUS LOCK ACTUATORS IS A TRUE DESIGN FLAW THAT IS LONG OVERDUE FOR LEXUS TO FIX, I AM ASKING THAT YOU HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING THIS DESIGN FLAW RIGHT WITH ALL LEXUS CAR OWNERS. *TR

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MY 2013 LEXUS AWD RX 350 HAS A FAULTY WIRE HARNESS WHICH HAS SHORTED OUT ITS GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, RADIO, AND MEDIA CENTER. I REPLACED THE HEADLAMP ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE AND THE BLAST, BUT THE 15 AMP FUSE CONTINUES TO BLOW OUT. THEREFORE, THE FAULTY WIRE HARNESS HAS CAUSED MY HEADLIGHTS, GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, AND RADIO TO NO LONGER WORK.

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MY 2013 LEXUS AWD RX 350 HAS A FAULTY WIRE HARNESS WHICH HAS SHORTED OUT ITS GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, RADIO, AND MEDIA CENTER. I REPLACED THE HEADLAMP ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE AND THE BLAST, BUT THE 15 AMP FUSE CONTINUES TO BLOW OUT. THEREFORE, THE FAULTY WIRE HARNESS HAS CAUSED MY HEADLIGHTS, GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, AND RADIO TO NO LONGER WORK.

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USE HANDBRAKE EVERY TIME. THERE WILL BE AN EXPLOSION SOUND FROM THE BACK WHEN I RELEASE MY FOOT. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS PROBLEM. I THINK IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. I TRY TO CHANGE THE BRAKE PADS. IT HAS NO EFFECT. *TR

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THE SOFTWARE LOCATOR IS DEFECTIVE & WILL SEND YOU TO THE WRONG PLACE. LEXUS HAS A CAMPAIGN TO FIX IT THRU 2022 WHERE THEY UPDATE THE SOFTWARE. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DO NOT UPDATE THE NAVIGATION SOFTWARE AT THE SAME TIME AND THAT SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT BECAUSE THE LOCATION SOFTWARE AND THE NAVIGATION SOFTWARE WORK CONJUNCTIVELY. INSTEAD THEY WANT TO CHARGE YOU $400 FOR NAVIGATION UPDATE. NOT SATISFACTORY. I ESCALATED THIS AT LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE & IT WAS NOT ADDRESSED PROPERLY. SO LEXUS WANTS TO DO THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE LOCATION SERVICES BUT THEY WANT YOU TO PAY $400 FOR THE NAVIGATION UPDATE THAT WORKS ALONGSIDE IT? SOUNDS LIKE A BAIT AND SWITCH TO ME.

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MY VEHICLE STALLS FREQUENTLY ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE SPEED IS INTERRUPTED BY A SUDDEN STOP. IT WILL STALL WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START BACK IN TRAFFIC. I'VE COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A REAR END COLLISION.

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DRIVING IN SNOW STORM ON SIDE ROAD. GOING APPROX 20 MPH ROAD SLIGHT INCLINE AND CURVES TO LEFT. TRIED TO TURN LEFT AND CAR CONTINUED GOING STRAIGHT. ANTI LOCK BRAKES WERE PUMPING CAR SEEMED TO ACCELERATE CAR HEADED TO TELEPHONE POLE AND HIT VERY DIRECTLY. CAR WAS TOTALED TELEPHONE POLE CRACKED IN HALF I WAS THROWN INTO STEERING WHEEL WINDSHIELD AND CENTER CONSOLE. AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I BROKE MY RIBS AND WAS SEVERLY BRUISED AND HAD PAINFUL IMPACT INJURIES. WHAT DID THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOY?

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS RX 350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED, RATTLED, LOOSENED, AND WAS COMING OUT OF PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEXUS OF PALM BEACH (5700 OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33427, (561)-291-6004) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE SAME DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT STALLED SINCE THE REPLACEMENT. THE STEEERING SHAFT WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. *LN *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS RX 350 EQUIPPED WITH COOPER MASTERCRAFT TIRES, SIZE: 235/16R18 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NEW COUNTRY LEXUS OF WESTPORT (1317 POST RD E, WESTPORT, CT 06880, (203) 255-1531) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE THREAD WAS SEPARATING AND ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 LEXUS RX-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE MAKING A RIGHT HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO THE CONTACTS DRIVER FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE WAS PRESENT, BUT NO REPORT FILED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT AND THEN TO THE INSURANCE LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

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LEXUS RX350 HAD A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE AT AROUND 43,000. IT WAS NOT VERY CLEAR INITIALLY ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AC WAS ON. NOW AT 76,000 MILES, THE NOISE IS VERY LOUD AND LEXUS SAID IT IS THE WATER PUMP SLOWLY GOING BAD. NOW THE CAR, AFTER 70,000 MILES IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE SEEN REPORTS ONLINE WITH COMMON BEARINGS FAILURE ON TOYOTA/LEXUS WATER PUMPS. I WOUNDER IF THIS IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE GIVEN THE WELL KNOW RELIABILITY OF THE LEXUS BRAND.

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WATER PUMP NOISE

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SEVERAL ECUS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. CAR WOULD NOT START, STEERING LOCKED. LUCKILY, MY CAR WAS PARKED SO I DID NOT LOOSE STEERING WHILE MOVING.

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BROKEN COOLING PUMP

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2018 I STARTED MY DAY BY FIRST GOING TO THE BANK. I ENTERED THE PARKING LOT OF SUNTRUST BANK ON RACE TRACK ROAD, IN BOWIE MD. UPON ENTERING INTO THE PARKING LOT A CAR EXITING THE BANK OF AMERICA DRIVE THRU SHOULD HAVE STOP FOR ME TO HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY, BUT DID NOT, SO I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO ALLOW THAT CAR GO PASS. I THEN PROCEEDED TO A PARKING SPACE. AS I WAS ENTERING THE PARKING SPACE, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, MY LEXUS RX 350 ' 2013 ACCELERATED. I IMMEDIATELY CONTINUED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES WHICH DID NOT ENGAGE AND WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. THE SUV JUMPED ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND PROCEEDED TO THE STEPS, IT THEN CROSSED THE MEDIA AND WHEN STRAIGHT INTO THE BRICK POLE OF THE BANK OF AMERICA DRIVE-THRU. I WAS CONFUSED AND NERVOUS AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THE DAY BEFORE THE BATTERY ON THIS SUV STOPPED WORKING AND I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA WHERE I PURCHASED A BATTERY AND THE TOYOTA MECHANIC DID A COMPLETE DIAGNOSIS TEST ON THE SUV. NEVER DID I THINK THAT THE VERY NEXT DAY THAT THE CAR WOULD REACT THIS WAY. I PURCHASED THIS SUV APRIL 2017, TAKING THIS CAR INTO ALL OIL CHANGES, WHATEVER WAS REQUIRED TO BE FIX, I FIXED IT. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND SAW THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RX 350, THE LAST COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN OCTOBER 2018 AND STILL NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I WENT TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT HEADACHES, WHICH HAS NOT STOPPED. THEY RECOMMENDED PHYSICAL THERAPY. I ALSO HAD TO GO TO MY EYE CARE CENTER DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAD CATARACT SURGERY JUST ONE MONTH PRIOR AND AM HAVING VISION ISSUES. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL ON THIS SUV AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT OPEN UP.

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VEHICICLE SHOT FORWARD GAINING SPEED WITH BRAKES FULLY APPLIED WHCH DID NOT ENGAGE THE BRAKE OVERRIDE OF ACCELERATION. RAN THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR GAINING SPEED THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GARAGE BACK WALL. THERE WAS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE ADJACENT KITCHEN WALL COLLAPSED WHICH MOVED THE REFRIGERATOR FORWARD TRAPPING OUR TWO FRIENDS BETWEEN IT AND THE KITCHEN CABINETS ON THE PARALLEL WALL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THE BLACK BOX INDICATED THE CAR HIT THE GARAGE WALL AT ABOUT 17 MPH. BLACK BOX SHOWED FULL THROTTLE AND TOTAL APPLICATION OF BRAKES. CAR WAS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL AND PRODUCED HORRIFYING RESULTS. ONE OF OUR FRIENDS LAPSED INTO A COMA THAT NIGHT AND WAS TAKEN OFF LIFE SUPPORT A WEEK LATER. THE OTHER FRIEND IS IN REHAB AFTER SUFFERING A BROKEN FEMUR, A BROKEN PELVIS, AND SEVERAL BROKEN RIBS. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN OUR MINDS THAT THE CAR WAS AT FAULT AND HAVE NOTED THAT MANY LEXUS VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE FACT THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND AT A SPEED EXCEEDING THE NHTSA STANDARDS IS ANOTHER SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE LEXUS. WE ARE HORRIFIED ABOUT THIS EVENT THAT HAS HAD SUCH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. PLEASE NOTE THIS OCCURED IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

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DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY WENT BAD IN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. DOOR CANNOT BE LOCKED USING DOOR LOCK BUTTON AND HAS TO BE LOCKED MANUALLY. DOOR ALSO DOES NOT LOCK USING REMOTE OR KEYLESS ENTRY. MECHANIC STATED THAT HE'S SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE PROBLEMS.

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THE DOOR LOCK ACCUATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS INOPERABLE.I HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THEN OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR AND LEAN INTO THE CAR AND REACH OVER TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR EACH TIME I NEED TO OPEN THE DOOR. COST TO REPAIR IS $600.00 (PARTS & LABOR) I FEEL THIS IS EXCESSIVE AS THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY 55,500 MILES! PARTS DEALER NOTED HE KEEPS THE PART STOCKED ON HIS SHELF AS IT IS FREQUENTLY REQUESTED.

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DRIVING DOWN I-85S IN BETWEEN MORELAND AND GRANTVILLE, GA MY CAR MADE A THUMP SOUND AND THEN CUTOFF. I PULL THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE TO SEE WHY IT CUT OFF. I EXITED THE CAR WITH MY PASSENGERS AND WE NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE NEXT THING WE NOTICE IS THAT THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND WENT UP IN FLAMES.

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WAS PULLING INTO PARKING SPOT AT THE REAR OF MCDONALDS', STEPPED ON THE BRAKES WHEN I SUDDENLY FELT A THUD. THE CAR ROLLED BACK, AND THE SEAT BELT LOCKED. AFTER A WHILE I MANAGED TO DO THAT, WALKED TO THE GAS STATION ACROSS THE STREET.

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LUG NUTS ON VEHICLE ARE 2 PIECE DESIGN WITH A DECORATIVE CAP THAT EXTENDS OVER THE PHYSICAL LUG NUT. OVER TIME, CORROSION BUILDS BETWEEN THE LUG NUT AND DECORATIVE CAP CAUSING LUG NUT CAP TO SWELL. EVENTUALLY, THE SWELLING IS SO SEVERE THAT THE FACTORY LUG WRENCH WILL NO LONGER FIT OVER THE LUG NUT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO REMOVE LUG NUTS IN THE EVENT OF A FLAT TIRE. VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH 21MM LUG NUTS THAT SWELL TO 21.65-21.89 OR GREATER. THIS ONLY OCCURS ON NORTH AMERICAN-PRODUCED RX 350 VEHICLES. JAPANESE-PRODUCTION VEHICLES HAVE A ONE-PIECE STYLE LUG NUT THAT DOES NOT CORRODE LIKE THE TWO-PIECE STYLE.

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I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN IN A VERY QUIET RESIDENTIAL AREA SHORTLY AFTER LUNCH TIME. MY CAR HAD BEEN IN MY GARAGE AND THE STOP SIGN WAS A BLOCK AND A HALF FROM MY HOUSE. I TURNED LEFT ONTO A STREET WITH NO TRAFFIC AND I DID NOT SEE ANYONE OUTSIDE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. JUST A FEW SECONDS AFTER I TURNED I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 15 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. MY RIGHT SIDE VIEW MIRROR HAD EXPLODED! THE MIRROR ITSELF HAD BEEN BLOWN OUT OF THE MIRROR CASING AND IT WAS DANGLING BY A WIRE. THE HARD CLEAR PLASTIC COVERING OVER THE LIGHTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE MIRROR CASING WAS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THERE WAS NO OTHER VISIBLE DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE MIRROR CASING. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. I TAPED THE MIRROR BACK INSIDE THE MIRROR CASING AND TOOK MY CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THEY HAVE ORDERED A NEW MIRROR FOR ME BUT IT HASN'T BEEN RECEIVED YET. I CHECKED AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM YET. IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN STANDING BESIDE MY CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ALSO, IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING FASTER I MIGHT HAVE LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR WHEN I WAS STARTLED BY THE VERY LOUD EXPLOSION THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT.

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MY 2013 LEXUS AWD RX 350 HAS A FAULTY WIRE HARNESS WHICH HAS SHORTED OUT ITS GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, RADIO, AND MEDIA CENTER. I REPLACED THE HEADLAMP ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE AND THE BLAST, BUT THE 15 AMP FUSE CONTINUES TO BLOW OUT. THEREFORE, THE FAULTY WIRE HARNESS HAS CAUSED MY HEADLIGHTS, GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM, AND RADIO TO NO LONGER WORK.

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2013 LEXUS R-350. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE ACCIDENT. *SMD *TR

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