What 35 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Lexus IS 250

When parking the car at a shopping mall, the car suddenly accelerated and jumped the curb. It finally stopped when it hit a stopped bus. Two teenage passengers were in the vehicle. The driver does not believe the accelerator was pressed enough to cause the vehicle to accelerate in the manner it did.

NHTSA ODI 11421859

ON DEC. 2, 2014, I WAS ENTERING A WALGREEN'S PARKING LOT IN MY LEASED 2014 LEXUS IS 250, WHICH I HAD OWNED FOR ONLY 4 MONTHS WITH 1740 MILES. MOVING AT 5MPH OR LESS, I TURNED THE WHEEL TO ENTER A PARKING SPACE, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND TOOK OFF. I PRESSED THE BRAKES TO THE FLOOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR JUMPED UP OVER A PLANTED MEDIAN FILLED WITH BUSHES, TREES AND A PHONE POLE. THE FRONT TIRES BECAME LODGED IN MUD AND THAT STOPPED THE CAR. I MISSED THE TELEPHONE POLE BY LESS THAN 1 FOOT. LUCKILY, I HAD AN INDIVIDUAL WITNESS THE ENTIRE EPISODE. I TELEPHONED LEXUS EMERGENCY SERVICES AND LEXUS CUSTOMER RELATIONS IMMEDIATELY. THE CAR HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE MEDIAN BY A TOW COMPANY AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. AFTER EXAMINING THE CAR FROM DEC. 3-DEC. 10, THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THERE IS BODY DAMAGE BUT NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE DEALER CALLED ON DEC. 10 SAYING THE CAR WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. I NOTED INACCURATE DATA IN THE SERVICE REPORT FROM WHAT I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER ORIGINALLY, AND I WAS GIVEN NO INFORMATION AS TO FOLLOW-UP ON THIS MATTER. I WAS SIMPLY TOLD THAT LEXUS CORPORATE HAD BEEN OUT TO SEE THE UNDERSIDE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.(FRONT BUMPER, PAINT, CRACKS ON BASE OF BUMPER), AND THAT I WOULD HEAR FROM THEM IN 10 DAYS. I CALLED LEXUS CORPORATE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MATTER IS NOW IN THE LEGAL DEPT. AND THAT IT WOULD BE FAR MORE THAN 10 DAYS FOR A RESPONSE. RATHER, I COULD EXPECT A CALL IN 4/6 WEEKS OR LONGER. I AM NOW DRIVING A LEASED VEHICLE THAT I AM VERY SCARED TO OPERATE, NOT KNOWING WHEN A SIMILAR INCIDENT COULD OCCUR WHERE I COULD BE KILLED OR INJURE OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE. LEXUS, PARTICULARLY THE DEALERSHIP, APPEARS TO BE WANTING TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES AS FAR FROM POSSIBLE FROM FINDING A SUITABLE RESOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10664153

WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING AS I WAS DRIVING SO I PULLED OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE SHOULDER. ONCE THE CAR STOPPED, SMOKE BEGAN TO COME THROUGH THE VENTS SO I EXITED THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER I COULD SEE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD MAKE IT TO THE SCENE, THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR BURNED COMPLETELY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY WERE GOING TO CLASSIFY IT AS A "MECHANICAL FAILURE". *TR

NHTSA ODI 10640227