Lexus faces lawsuit over ES350 airbags

[TheMattMan]

Lexus cars are regarded as some of the safest on the road, however a new lawsuit against the company could tarnish this reputation. A class action brought about by a Florida law firm alleges that the Lexus ES350 is fitted with a faulty front passenger airbag sensor that could prevent the airbag from triggering in the event of a collision.

The suit goes on to explain that the defective vehicles are fitted with a weight sensor that gauges the weight of the person in the front passenger seat, but that these sensors have been found to be faulty.

One representative claims that he tested multiple ES350 vehicles and found them to be defective, as did other customers from across the country. Worse, it claims Toyota was warned about these issues and failed to correct them. The owners want Toyota to recall and repurchase all ES350s, refunds for those that leased the cars, each car to be refitted with a working airbag system, and compensation for any loss of value and costs owners incurred during this process. We'll be watching this one closely.

[source: Business Wire via The Truth About Cars]

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/lexus-f...rbags/#comments

[balthazar]

>>"...it claims Toyota was warned about these issues and failed to correct them."<<

Shocking; not like toyota at all !!

How would this not also effect it's camry twin?

[mustang84]

The snowball is getting larger.

[ocnblu]

One can only hope.

[Paolino]

Oh c'mon, when is something going to reallllly nail them?

This is good though!

[mustang84]

From the comments section

My Lexus ES350 is in the shop (about 1 year old and 11K miles). A few months ago they replaced the tranny due to 'flare'. Now the AC stopped and it works but they don't know the cause. The 'flare' was verified on the new tranny and they have reprogrammed the TCM (transmission control module). I should be able to pick it up today. If the flare shows up again they are then supposed to replace the tranny again. I was told that I am going to receive the top end extended warranty at no charge as a result of a service consultant who offered me 3 months payments, extended warranty or a new car along with the first tranny replacement and then called back within the hour and recinded the offer. AND NOW THIS! I was rear ended last year and no airbags went off so I cannot verify the information above but based on my track history with this, my first Lexus, I'm not a satisfied customer as it relates to the product. Lenny the Lexus Lemon (yes I've named the car) has been much more problematic than its worth. And I thought I was buying a troublefree high-quality vehicle.

I've had multiple transmission problems with my 2004 Toyota Camry (even one that was addressed by a TSB) and the dealer won't admit there is something wrong or replace the transmission; they will only put a band-aid on the problems by trying to mask the symptoms. I am never buying another Toyota-brand vehicle again. Add that to poor assembly and less-than-stellar safety performance and you have a recipe for a sub-par car that shouldn't be the number one selling car in America anymore.

Edited August 3, 2007 by mustang84

[Intrepidation]

Stupid question, but are airbags supposed to deploy when you are rear-ended? Cuz mine never did...

[2QuickZ's]

Stupid question, but are airbags supposed to deploy when you are rear-ended? Cuz mine never did...

No, they aren't. There are no sensors back there. Think about how fast an airbag deploys. Inflate and deflate all happen in fractions of a second unless they are rollover protection airbags that are designed to stay inflated longer. The physics of a rear end collision would have the occupants moving rearward, away from a front airbag upon impact. Deploying them would serve no purpose. You could maybe argue side impact bags should deploy if the rear end collision was from certain angles but they don't.

The best was the Geo Prism (read Toyota Corolla - it was a company car) I was driving when I got into an accident on the interstate. The first impact I took was an offset frontal similar to how IIHS tests (a van spun out right in front of me with no time to react). Because the impact was above the bumper, my frontal airbags never deployed!

Edited August 3, 2007 by 2QuickZ's

[Intrepidation]

No, they aren't. There are no sensors back there. Think about how fast an airbag deploys. Inflate and deflate all happen in fractions of a second unless they are rollover protection airbags that are designed to stay inflated longer. The physics of a rear end collision would have the occupants moving rearward, away from a front airbag upon impact. Deploying them would serve no purpose. You could maybe argue side impact bags should deploy if the rear end collision was from certain angles but they don't.

The best was the Geo Prism (read Toyota Corolla - it was a company car) I was driving when I got into an accident on the interstate. The first impact I took was an offset frontal similar to how IIHS tests (a van spun out right in front of me with no time to react). Because the impact was above the bumper, my frontal airbags never deployed!

I'm glad they didn't deploy, since I would have had more injuries from then than the actual accident (none). I didn't think they were supposed to go off anyway, but I was wondering since part of this lawsuit involves airbags not being deployed when rear-ended.

[gm4life]

As Kenny Rogers would say its about damn time.

[Sixty8panther]

The Lexus Es has always been a joke to me....

I call it the Toyota Camry for people who like to get screwed

extra hard on their purchase price... it's a Camry with better

leather seats and foglights so it MUST be worth an extra $8K.

[thatguy]

I found this page after looking for safety information on a 2004 Camry. While sitting still at a constrution site, last week, a woman (in an 04 LaSabre) hit me from behind going 55 mph. I thought there were airbag sensors in the rear. Guess I was wrong. My seat actually broke. I am a big guy at 6'4", 250, but I thought the seat would take more than that.

I went to look at the new Avalon this evening. They have a knee airbag, but again it only works for frontal or side impact. They say the airbags will deploy if two wheels come off the ground. Everything sounds great, but what about rear impact protection. I was carried away from the accident on a backboard. No broken bones, but it will takes weeks to heal.

Why don't the car companies show ratings on rear end collisions?

[Intrepidation]

I found this page after looking for safety information on a 2004 Camry. While sitting still at a constrution site, last week, a woman (in an 04 LaSabre) hit me from behind going 55 mph. I thought there were airbag sensors in the rear. Guess I was wrong. My seat actually broke. I am a big guy at 6'4", 250, but I thought the seat would take more than that.

I went to look at the new Avalon this evening. They have a knee airbag, but again it only works for frontal or side impact. They say the airbags will deploy if two wheels come off the ground. Everything sounds great, but what about rear impact protection. I was carried away from the accident on a backboard. No broken bones, but it will takes weeks to heal.

Why don't the car companies show ratings on rear end collisions?

They do, it's called the Insurance Intitute for Highway Safety

Also, there are better cars out there than the Avalon.

Edited March 1, 2008 by Dodgefan

[Drew Dowdell]

I found this page after looking for safety information on a 2004 Camry. While sitting still at a constrution site, last week, a woman (in an 04 LaSabre) hit me from behind going 55 mph. I thought there were airbag sensors in the rear. Guess I was wrong. My seat actually broke. I am a big guy at 6'4", 250, but I thought the seat would take more than that.

I went to look at the new Avalon this evening. They have a knee airbag, but again it only works for frontal or side impact. They say the airbags will deploy if two wheels come off the ground. Everything sounds great, but what about rear impact protection. I was carried away from the accident on a backboard. No broken bones, but it will takes weeks to heal.

Why don't the car companies show ratings on rear end collisions?

you don't need airbags in a rear collision, you need Active Head Restraints.... and you need to adjust your head rest properly.

Please do yourself a favor and shop outside of Toyota's brands... if nothing else to be fully informed when you do make a purchase.

[thedriver]

My wife's uncle is a realtor. He replaces his vehicle every 3-5 years with something similar, always in white. A few years ago he purchased a Lexus ES330. At a family gathering I walked past him in the driveway as he was getting something out of it. I commented "Nice Camry." I was kidding but I don't think he caught it as such, as he replied "It's a Lexus." I don't know if I caused it (I like to think so) but next time I saw him a few months later, he was driving a Cadillac Deville.

[Guest [email protected]]

What has become of this suit?

 

May 10, 2016 I was stopped for a left turn and a truck rear ended my 2011 ES 350.  He was traveling  35-40 mph and there was no brake applied.  . His air bags deployed but neither my air bags, nor my seat beat kept me from a full fore head collision with the steering wheel, which left me with loss of memory, my right eye crossed for 3 weeks, my face black and blue from hairline to chin, and a deep dent across my forehead that remains. 

 

Does the Lexus airbag system not respond to rear end collisions?  Does a correctly used seat belt allow 10-12+ inches of leeway before it snaps tight?   A seat belt in a collision situation should stop your face from full contact with the steering wheel....

 

Please let me know any information that might pertain the similar situations....I feel totally let down by the safety promises of Lexu