10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
196,800 miles

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problem #2

May 282013

ES 300 6-cyl

  • 235,600 miles
I smelled what I thought was transmission fluid or anti-freeze. The next day my wife smelled gas and some friends called my cell to tell me gas was running out from under the car. I could not find a leak under the car. I lifted the hood and found gas running down the side of the engine. After taking the Lexus cover off the engine, I found gas shooting straight up into the air. It was coming from a vacuum line that had popped off. I re-attached the line and started the engine. The line popped off and gas again shot straight into the air. I replaced the vacuum line. It stayed on but the gas ran through a nearby switch and onto the engine. It took me a while to figure out the gas should not be going through the vacuum line. The fuel pressure regulator had mal functioned and allowed the gas to go through the vacuum side of the regulator. While driving the regulator had allowed over 10 gallons of gas to pour directly over my engine. It bothers me how easy it would have been for the car, my wife and me to go up in flames. I would hate to have someone die because I failed to warn people of this defect. I do have the defective part.

- Richardson, TX, USA

problem #1

Aug 172011

ES 300

  • 158,000 miles
Car exploded and started fire in the garage after the car had been parked for approximately 20 minutes. Got home from work and stop at grocery store. Parked car in garage and brought in some groceries. About 10 - 15 minutes later went out to get paper products (tp and paper towels) out of trunk. There was nothing out of the ordinary, no smoke, no fire, no noise. Went in side put away everything and started to cook. Heard loud explosion noise. Went to the garage and opened the door. Hot, heavy black smoke and chemical odor came pouring into the house. I could see flames to the left. It was very hot and there was some liquid mixed in, and the garage was pitch black yet it was a very sunny day with the sun pointing at the garage. Because it was so dark, it looked like the garage doors were closed, but actually, one side was open, but I didn't know because it was so black. Couldn't see anything, and my arm was so hot trying to open garage door at wall switch, burned all the hair off my arm. I then left house, 911 was on the way. Garage caught on fire, everything in garage burned or melted, including my car. Interior hall, all fixtures in hall and bath burnt or melted, extensive smoke damage to entire home. Thousands of dollars and almost 10 months in a hotel. Cars are not supposed to explode or start fire when they are off, parked for 20 minutes in your garage.

- Mckinney, TX, USA