Speed Control Cable Problems of Lexus RX300

I went into my garage and got in my car (Lexus Rx300,2000). It started normally, but it would not shift until I pressed the override button and put it into reverse. As soon as the shifter hit (r) the throttle seemed to go wide open and the car bolted out of the garage. Luckily, since my foot was on the brake almost instantly I was able to stop the car before it got out of control. The car traveled about 30 ft before I could stop it. I think I put it into park and just sat there and tried to calm down. I was terrified because of the horrible consequences of blasting out into the street etc. After, calming down I was able to continue on with a great deal of trepidation. As I drove I was constantly trying to plan what to do if it happened again. This was extremely dangerous, if the car had gone into drive it would have blasted into the garage wall, or worse. Addendum: [xxx], I inspected the car after the incident and could nothing wrong. However, I am a controls system engineer and it certainly sounded like a classic bounding/ boundary problem in the control software. By this I mean that the inputs to the control loop exceed the allowed values. Or due to some unusual set of inputs there is an overflow problem , where the loop does a calculation that causes the value to crossover from all ones to all zeros, this overflow issue can have very unexpected results, like railing the controlled parameter. It turns out that this model Lexus engine seems to have a mechanical throttle linkage, so the only software controlled throttle commands have to come from the cruise control box, since it also has an independent cable linkage to the throttle plate. I disconnected the cruise control cable to be certain this could not recur. This implies that any Toyota with cruise control is at risk, but it should allow a quick safety fix, just disconnect the cruise cable. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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I experienced sudden unintended acceleration in my 2002 Lexus, Rx300 on 4 Aug, 2010. I was in a parking lot making a left turn into the parking area when the vehicle revved full throttle and surged forward. I applied the brakes fully and when the vehicle did not fully stop I put the vehicle in neutral while still applying the brakes and stopped the vehicle. It was still idling full throttle. I shut it off and let it sit a few minutes and started it again. It went to full throttle and would not throttle down. I then went under the hood and tried to jiggle the accelerator linkage but to no avail. I called the local Toyota service department and they told me to get the vehicle there. I had it towed to the service center. They would not do any work on it or even look at it because it was a Lexus and they had been instructed not to do anything with unintended acceleration problems on any type of vehicle that was not a Toyota even though Lexus is manufactured by Toyota. I had to get it to a Lexus dealer in tucson, az (~80 miles away) for diagnosis. The Lexus dealer service center diagnosed the problem as a bent throttle cable. Some how a cover had come loose and the cable was exposed from its sheath and bent. I am sure the Lexus of tucson service manager, mr. Paul minor could explain it exactly but that is my interpretation of what he explained to me. I asked him how this could have happened and he said he did not know. The repair was accomplished for ~$365. 00 parts and labor. I will have the car back on Friday 20 Aug, 2010. I will have the old/bad parts on hand. I feel this is a problem in design that Lexus should take responsibility to reimburse me and to issue a safety release and recall. There should be a fail safe if the throttle cable should bend. In my case the bent cable caused a full throttle condition and sudden unintended acceleration. I was fortunate that I was aware of what to do in that situation and that a pedestrian or another vehicle.

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The contact owns a 2001 Lexus Rx300. While driving 80 mph with the cruise control engaged, then the vehicle accelerate on its own. She attempted to turn the cruise control off; however, after engaging the brakes the vehicle failed to stop and accelerated up to 100 mph. The contact was forced to exit at an off ramp, down shift into park in order to stop the vehicle. The dealer stated that the throttle cable was stuck and frayed; however, he also stated that the cable exhibited normal wear and tear. The failure mileage was 80,000.

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