1998 LEXUS GS300 Vehicle Speed Control Problems

I WAS GOING TO GO TO WORK, AN WHEN I STARTED TO PUSH ON THE THOTTHLE/ GAS PEDAL . NOTHING ENGAGED AN THEN ALL OF SUDDEN IT WORKED LIKE IT WAS BACK TO RUNNING NORMAL FOR LIKE 10 SECONDS THEN LOST ALMOST ALL THE POWER AN YOU CAN PUSH THE PADEL TO THE FLOOR ALMOST BEFOR IT WILL EVEN ENGAGE. IT'S MY EVERYDAY DRIVING CAR IT NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVING, WHEN IT'S MALFUNCTIONING IN THE ECU, VSC , CRUISE CONTROL QUIT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED. THERE A RECALL ON THE VSC FOR THE LEXUS GS 300 FOR HAVING MALFUNCTION PROBLEMS. BUT IT ONLY LET'S THE YOU USE ONLY THE LAST 25 PERCENT OF THE GAS PADEL, IT DON'T DO ANYTHING IN TILL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAPPENED IN BROOKVILLE PENNSYLVANIA, WHEN I WAS TURING LEFT ON TO ROUTE 36 SOUTH. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE MY THOTTLE BODY BECAUSE WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED, MY THOTTLE IT WAS STUCK IN WIDE OPEN THOTTLE. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS IT COULD HAVE EASILY PUT OTHERS CITIZENS AN MY LIFE IN DANGER, WITCH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES, OR IN A WORSE CASE DEATH. I'M FILLING OUT THIS FOAM IN REGARDS OF A RECALL, TO FIX OR REPLACE THE ECU, VSC , CRUSE CONTROL .

Mileage: 270,038

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS300. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED. THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ISSUE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES IN ONE DAY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

Mileage: 112,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS300. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK AND ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,400.

Mileage: 97,400

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GS300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE RPMS RAPIDLY INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SHOULDER TO BE SHUT DOWN THEN RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 240,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 240,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE VSC WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC STATED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT AND REAR THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V080000 (SUSPENSION:AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC)). THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. ...UPDATED 08-15-12 *BF UPDATED 08/21/12

Mileage: 112,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE SPEED FAILED TO INCREASE. THE FAILURE MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CONTACT TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR HAD IT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

Mileage: 160,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGIN TO LOOSE POWER AND STALL SPORADICALLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 192,380. UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ THE DEALER FOUND THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WAS OUT OF SPECIFICATION AND THERE WAS AN OPEN CIRCUIT. UPDATED 02/27/12

Mileage: 190,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS300. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 167,000.

Mileage: 167,000

REFERRING TO A 1998 LEXUS GS300, REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR WITH 84,000 MILES. ON SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2010, I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION WITH A 2 WAY STOP SIGN, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. MY CAR AFTER SLOWING DOWN A BIT, SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT AS I 'CRUISED' ACROSS THE INTERSECTION INSTEAD OF STOPPING. I CALLED LEXUS AND THEY ADVISED THAT I BRING THE CAR IN. I DROVE THERE ABOUT 15 MILES, AND ON THE WAY THERE I STOPPED ABOUT 100 FEET BEHIND ANOTHER CAR WHICH WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I WAS AT A TOTAL STOP, MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT BECAUSE I WAS SO FAR BEHIND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I DROVE TO LEXUS. THEY EXAMINED THE CAR AND TOLD ME THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, INCLUDING WITH THE COMPUTER. THEY THEN TOOK ME FOR A DRIVE, PERHAPS 20 OR 30 MINUTES, STOPPING AND STARTING, AND THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. I WAS TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AWAY AS THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAPPENED TWICE THAT MORNING, SO I BOUGHT A NEW CAR ON THE SPOT. I WAS OF THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROBLEM OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION DID NOT INVOLVE THE GS SERIES. LEXUS DID ALLOW MY GS300 AS A TRADE-IN. BOTH TIMES WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED, I HAD NO DISTRACTIONS AND AM CERTAIN THAT THIS DESCRIPTION IS ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE. ALSO, I HAD ONLY THE ORIGINAL MATS IN THE CAR AND THEY WERE SET PROPERLY WITH THE HOOKS THROUGH THEM AS THEY SHOULD BE. *TR

Mileage: 84,000

WHEN AT A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR ACCELERATES. I PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND, USUALLY, THE ACCELERATION SLOWS DOWN. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN 2 DAYS AND THE THIRD TIME THE ACCELERATION DID NOT STOP, THE CAR REALLY ACCELERATED, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD AND THE REAR TIRES WERE SMOKING SO I TURNED OFF THE KEY. THE DEALER HAD THE CAR FOR A WEEK AND COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. BEFORE I GOT THE CAR BACK INTO MY GARAGE, IT HAPPENED AGAIN BUT NOT TOO BADLY. *TR

Mileage: 66,800

1998 LEXUS GS 300 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ES 300 THROTTLE CONTROL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE BEEN AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND I PRESUMED THAT I HAD SOMEHOW HIT THE PEDAL, WHEN MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANKS. *JB

AFTER STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CAR WOULD TRAVEL FORWARD VERY SLOWLY WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NORMALLY. IT WOULD SUDDENLY "CATCH" AND LURCH FORWARD IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. CAR WOULD THEN HANDLE NORMALLY FOR A FEW MOMENTS BUT UPON STOPPING WOULD REPEAT THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES IN AN EFFORT TO "REBOOT" THE CAR'S ELECTRONIC ACCELERATION SYSTEM BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL LEXUS DEALER. AFTER SITTING ON THE LOT FOR 1 DAY, VEHICLE STARTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY IN THE DEALER'S SERVICE LOT. DEALER HAS REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM CALLS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VEHICLE'S THROTTLE BODY AND GASKET. *AK

Mileage: 101,000

THIS LETTER IS TO REPORT A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION THAT EXISTS WITH MY 1998 LEXUS GS 300. ON 2/02/03 I WAS WAITING AT A CAR WASH IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY ENGINE ADVANCED TO WHAT SEEM LIKE FULL THROTTLE. THE REAR TIRES BEGAN TO SPIN ON THE WET PAVEMENT BUT MY FULL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE KEPT THE CAR FROM LUNGING FORWARD. MY WIFE LEANED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND SAW MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND NOT ON THE GAS! AT THAT TIME I STARTED TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL BUT DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO TURN OF THE IGNITION. BEFORE I GOT MY HAND ON THE KEY THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO IDLE! THIS WHOLE EVENT LASTED 5 TO 10 SECONDS. MY FOOT WAS DEFINITELY NOT ON THE GAS! AT THAT TIME MY WIFE TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED TO HER THE WEEK BEFORE THIS SCARY EVENT. SHE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY WITH OUT PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDDLE. SHE SAID SHE HAD TO APPLY A LOT OF BRAKE PRESSURE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ACCELERATING OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. THIS ALSO LASTED ABOUT 5 TO 10 SECONDS! SERVICE FROM THE LEXUS DEALER IS GREAT BUT THEY TOLD ME MY CAR COULDN'T DO THAT, AND THAT ALL COMPUTERS CHECKED OUT OK! ALSO A FACTORY SERVICE REP SAID THIS SAME THING! I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT IT DID HAPPEN AND THAT I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE A CAR THAT HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. THEIR ANSWER WAS, NO ERROR CODES IN THE CARS COMPUTER SO NOTHING IS WRONG! THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DEADLY SITUATION BOTH TIMES! SOMETHING MUST GET DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED.

Mileage: 39,900

THIS LETTER IS TO REPORT A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION THAT EXISTS WITH MY 1998 LEXUS GS 300. ON 2/02/03 I WAS WAITING AT A CAR WASH IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY ENGINE ADVANCED TO WHAT SEEM LIKE FULL THROTTLE. THE REAR TIRES BEGAN TO SPIN ON THE WET PAVEMENT BUT MY FULL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE KEPT THE CAR FROM LUNGING FORWARD. MY WIFE LEANED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND SAW MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND NOT ON THE GAS! AT THAT TIME I STARTED TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL BUT DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO TURN OF THE IGNITION. BEFORE I GOT MY HAND ON THE KEY THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO IDLE! THIS WHOLE EVENT LASTED 5 TO 10 SECONDS. MY FOOT WAS DEFINITELY NOT ON THE GAS! AT THAT TIME MY WIFE TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED TO HER THE WEEK BEFORE THIS SCARY EVENT. SHE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY WITH OUT PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDDLE. SHE SAID SHE HAD TO APPLY A LOT OF BRAKE PRESSURE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ACCELERATING OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. THIS ALSO LASTED ABOUT 5 TO 10 SECONDS! SERVICE FROM THE LEXUS DEALER IS GREAT BUT THEY TOLD ME MY CAR COULDN'T DO THAT, AND THAT ALL COMPUTERS CHECKED OUT OK! ALSO A FACTORY SERVICE REP SAID THIS SAME THING! I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT IT DID HAPPEN AND THAT I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE A CAR THAT HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. THEIR ANSWER WAS, NO ERROR CODES IN THE CARS COMPUTER SO NOTHING IS WRONG! THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DEADLY SITUATION BOTH TIMES! SOMETHING MUST GET DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED.

Mileage: 39,900

FOR ABOUT THE FIFTH TIME IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. AS I WAS PULLING INTO A 7-11 PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE REVVED WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELARATOR AND SURGED FORWARD AT WHICH TIME I APPLIED THE BRAKE HARD. THE CAR CONTINUED TO SURGE FORWARD, RESTRAINED, SLOWER BY THE BRAKING BUT STILL MOVING TOWARD PEDESTRIANS AND THE STORE. I MOVED THE SHIFTER INTO PARK AND THE REVVING CEASED IN ABOUT A SECOND OR TWO. THE PRIOR FOUR TIMES I WAS IN TRAFFIC MOVING AHEAD SLOWLY-- STOP AND GO. WHILE STOPPED, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AND THE CAR TRIED TO SURGE FORWARD WITH MY FOOT ALREADY ON THE BRAKE. I DEPRESSED THE PEDAL HARDER AND THE REVVING STOPPED IN ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS. REPORTED TO THE DEALER FIRST ON 01/03/2002. NPF.*AK

THE PATTERN OF THE LOW BEAM DOES NOT PROJECT WELL AND DO NOT HAVE A SHARP CUT-OFF. TOO MUCH LIGHT PROJECTS "UP" IN POOR VISIBILITY CONDITIONS, SUCH AS FOG. FOG LIGHTS ARE QUITE USELESS AS WELL. THE CAR HAS THE WORST HEAD LIGHTS OF ANY CAR I'VE HAD.*AK

THE DRIVER ENCOUNTERED DELAYED ACCELERATION. YH

THE DRIVER ENCOUNTERED DELAYED ACCELERATION. YH

SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MARCH 1998, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS. ONE PROBLEM THAT OCCURS PERIODICALLY IS THAT THE CAR WILL ACCELLERATE FROM 2MPH TO 8/10MPH WITH THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH ONTHE ACCELLERATOR (UNINTENDED ACCELLERATION). THE SECOND PROBLEM INVOLVES ABSOLUTELY NO ACCELLERATION FROM A STOPPED CONDITION FOR UP TO THREE SECONDS. THE CAR STANDS STILL AND DOES NOT MOVE AT ALL. *AK

DEFECTIVE ACCELERATION SYSTEM CAUSED UNINTENDED ACCELERATIONS. YH

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED OF60- 65MPH THERE IS VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES. CONTACTED DEALER. AND HE REPLACED TIRES, AND DID AN ALIGNMENT. IN ADDITION, ENGINE WILL SURGE AND HESITATE AT TIMES. *AK

VEHICLE IN CRUISE CONTROL AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN SURGE/ACCELERATION WITH NO BRAKES. MJS

VEHICLE IN CRUISE CONTROL AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN SURGE/ACCELERATION WITH NO BRAKES. MJS

VEHICLE IN CRUISE CONTROL AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN SURGE/ACCELERATION WITH NO BRAKES. MJS

AT ABOUT 3:45 PM, I LEFT MY OFFICE IN ROSSLYN TO GET TO A DENTIST APPOINTMENT. I WAS HEADING WEST ON ROUTE 50 IN THE RIGHT LANE, THEN MOVED TO THE CENTER LANE AND FLOORED THE ACCELERATOR TO PASS A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE THAT WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE. AS I PULLED BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE, THE CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING. I HOOKED MY TOE UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO SEE IF IT WAS STUCK IN A DOWN POSITION. IT WAS NOT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE WAS STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UNEXPECTEDLY IN WHICH THE OCCUPANT HAD TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TURNED OFF VEHICLE IN ORDER TO STOP,THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND IT WAS IDLING AT HIGH RPM. TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS AT NORMAL RPM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER, HOWEVER DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK *SB

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. YH

AT 45 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITHOUT CONTROL, HAVE TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL, AND TURN IGNITION OFF. FROM A STOP THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WITHOUT DRIVERS CONTROL. FRONT END SHAKES AT 45 MPH AND ABOVE, HAS CRUISE CONTROL.

WHILE PULLING FROM LIGHT AND UPON REACHING 40 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 60 MPH, DRIVER ALMOST LOST CONTROL. CONSUMER SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND COASTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY TO STOP. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK