Lexus instrument lights problem
numbersman
Member Posts: 14
I am going to file a class action lawsuit against
Lexus for their failure to recognize a critical
design engineering flaw with their instrument panel
lights and gauge pointers. The pointers will
eventually burn out and create a serious safety
hazard during night driving (you can't tell what
speed you are traveling even if the background
lights are placed on maximum). I have been
disgusted by the Lexus dealers who say this is a
"typical" problem with "older, high mileage" Lexus
models. This is a major flaw that Lexus needs to
address openly and honestly with vehicle owners.
The quoted prices to fix a burned out speedometer
LED pointer is $400 to $500 and that is just for
the speedometer portion of the instrument panel. If
the tach or other illuminated pointers burn out,
the price to repair will be even greater and
require numerous repair services as the various
pointers burn out over time.
Please post any comments regarding similar
problems with Lexus models to help me prepare for
the lawsuit. Thanks
Lexus for their failure to recognize a critical
design engineering flaw with their instrument panel
lights and gauge pointers. The pointers will
eventually burn out and create a serious safety
hazard during night driving (you can't tell what
speed you are traveling even if the background
lights are placed on maximum). I have been
disgusted by the Lexus dealers who say this is a
"typical" problem with "older, high mileage" Lexus
models. This is a major flaw that Lexus needs to
address openly and honestly with vehicle owners.
The quoted prices to fix a burned out speedometer
LED pointer is $400 to $500 and that is just for
the speedometer portion of the instrument panel. If
the tach or other illuminated pointers burn out,
the price to repair will be even greater and
require numerous repair services as the various
pointers burn out over time.
Please post any comments regarding similar
problems with Lexus models to help me prepare for
the lawsuit. Thanks
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Comments
Mr. Tucker,
Per your request, we reviewed your concern with your dealership and our factory
management. Based on factors including service history, age of the vehicle and
expiration of any warranties. Lexus respectfully declines any assistance on
this request. We are sorry this was not the resolution you had hoped for, but
Lexus does review each request fairly. Thank you for the opportunity to assist
you.
Mario Nunez
out of warranty. Something breaks, you fix it.
Why do you think Lexus needs to do it?
My friend did that with his 300 ZX, only cost him $150. He also dropped 56,000 miles off his car by installing the complete module (odometer included), but that's a whole other story...
anything about this problem. They state that Lexus has one of the best
warranties in the industry but that a 1993 model out of warranty is tough. I believe that this is a safety issue and not just a warranty issue
and I have notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the problem. Who knows if they will take any action at all. I guess someone has to die in an accident related to the lack of being able to tell ones speed due to
the speedometer indicator failure before anything will be done. I am absolutely astounded by Lexus (Toyota) lack of concern for this matter.
Please check back occationally to see the status of my class action suit on
this issue.
But, when or if a high-quality moniker like Lexus
has a design fault, THEN the game has changed. I
would support the original author on two counts:
1. IF he can substantiate a number of similar failures then he has a case for specific performance failure on Lexus. The originator should not have to prove systemic failures - only
that the problems are not unique to a few cars.
2. A safety-related design fault, as this may be,
that costs something approaching 5%-10% of the value of the car to repair is not going to GET
repaired by many owners. They will live with the
problem even though it clearly compromises safe
operation of the car.
Here, it could be that Lexus engineers made a cool
looking display without regard to future failures
and the cost to correct those failures. Now, in my opinion, and if the problem is not a onesee-twosee failure, Lexus ought to step up to the plate and fix it.
Me, I like my Lexus and everything about it. My
car does not have the same type dashboard as the originator so I am not supporting him on the off
chance that I might benefit. It just seems to me
that people at Lexus took a chance on their design
and THEY, not the customer, should pay to fix it.
Anyway... numbersman... It is like any burned out bulb on any car, except that it is expensive and really cool. You might as well sue all the car companies who have such lighting systems. They
will all fail eventually.
Bruce
Al Tucker
Al Tucker
indicated that he needs the following information. I am helping him collect
as much information as possible to aid in him in deciding whether or to take
this case. It is my understanding that the primary focus of the suit will
be the failure of the Optitron needle pointers on the Lexus instrument panel
(especially the speedometer gauge). I have had numerous responses from
people who have had to replace background light bulbs. Although the repair
of the background lights might be expensive, it is not the intent of this
suit to pursue this issue. Our focus here is only the Optitron illuminated
pointer needles on the various Lexus models. In my opinion, it is the
needle pointer burn-out that constitutes the engineering design flaw and
subsequent vehicle safety issue.
Specifically, we need to know the following:
1. Model and year of your Lexus that has the needle pointers burned out
(includes any of the instrument gauges, but especially the speedometer).
2. In what State in the USA is your vehicle registered? If outside the US,
in what country is the Lexus located?
2. The approximate mileage on the vehicle when the needle pointer burned
out.
3. Did you get it fixed and if so, how much did it cost you to get it
repaired?
4. Did Lexus participate in the cost of repairing the instrument panel. If
so, what was your total out of pocket expense?
5. Do you know of any other people who have had the needle pointer
burn-out? If so, try to report their experience also with attention to the
same questions.
It is not necessary for you to identify yourself or give your address, but
if you like, you can provide this info if you desire.
The theory of a class action suit is as follows:
Where numerous people have a common claim, one or more of those people
(frequently called "class members") can file a suit on behalf of everyone in
the same situation. Other Lexus owners whose vehicles are affected by the
problem do not have to volunteer to be included in the suit, but would be
given the ability to "opt out" if they so choose.
Because it "may be" a safety issue? Nothing else which goes wrong with a car, if not fixed, is not a safety issue?! I recommend researching the maintence histories of car makers Toyota and others to gain some perspective on "bulbs burn out" after seven years. Resultant in a safety issue or not that seems like an incredible thing about which to complain. Finally, look at some real class action litigation about safety issues like cars or trucks
failing on road causing injury or death or cars or trucks actually exploding in flames because of design flaws.
that you can not put laser beams in cars or digital gauges where the numbers change change change change every 1 mph and expect much better
than a light show.
The electroluminescent gauges are modern and elegant and go with with car I guess but I never drive any Lexus without first turning the "brightness" setting down.
I disagreed with you. Since your address in
the mail is "altucker@altucker.com", I have
no option but to reply in here. If you have
shown to Lexus the attitude you have shown in
the email, it comes as no surprise that you
are getting nowhere with Lexus.
Al Tucker
I DO NOT rely on the speedometer to tell me if I am driving too fast or too slow. My eyes, my brain, the other traffic and the seat of my pants tell me if I am going too slow, just right or too fast.
Imagine this, My Porsche 911 has the tachometer positioned straight ahead of the driver. It is the largest gauge. The speedometer is off to the right side and the oil pressure (and temp) gauge is off to the left side. Oh, and did I mention it only has markings for every 20 MPH, you have to estimate whether you are going 45, 50 or 55.
Do I feel that Porsche compromised SAFETY because the speedometer is hard to see? NO
Bruce
tonight, and can't believe what I've just been
reading! This is one for
your attorney-
I had a beautiful 93 ES300 with 129,634 miles on it until
a guy plowed into me a
week ago and totaled it
for me. That's how I
discovered this website-
I've been looking for
another Lexus, but after
reading about their
customer-no-service, now
I'm wondering if I
shouldn't seriously
consider looking
elsewhere- maybe American!
Anyway, I don't think this manufacturer defect had
anything to do with
causing my accident,
although I can't be too
sure- after all, I
couldn't tell what my
speed was- just going by
the "seat of my pants" I
guess. My pointer lights
started going out at about 80 to 90K, over a year
ago. In fact, I got my
first speeding ticket
because of it (on Hwy 400)
almost exactly 1 year ago! Lucky for me, the officer
failed to show up for
court, so my charge was
dismissed, but the Fulton
county judge warned me to
get it fixed "immediately" as it was in his opinion,
a serious safety hazard!
I'd been procrastinating
because I just thought it
was a simple bulb that
would need replacing & had no idea it was something
so costly! Although I took this seriously, and felt
the judge's warning was
some kind of an omen, I'd
grown so used to it, I
still kept forgetting to
mention it when I took my car in for service.
(I'm not usually this
forgetful, but I've
had a lot going on in my
life for the last 2 years, dealing with a tornado
disaster for one.)
Anyway, as you've
probably summized, I never got mine repaired. In
fact, each of my pointers
had gone out, one after the other. That's right! I'd been judging my fuel level,etc., all by the seat of my pants! My idiot lights had kept me from
running out of gas at
least twice, and once my
car overheated on an
interstate because I
couldn't read the gages! My husband had checked the fuses and they weren't the problem.
Al, this is 100% true, and can be substantiated by
witnesses and maintenance
records. You see, my
Lexus was black on black,
and without those needle
lights, you couldn't read
the gages sometimes even
in daylight! I'd said they (Lexus) could have AT LEAST made the needles red or some different color, so that they could be legible in the event the lights failed to
come on. I find it hard to believe that they didn't realize this! Please let me know if there is anything more I can do. I not only have a vested interest in this as a Lexus-lover, in the market for another, but you know I believe things happen for a reason, and someone's life may be saved if we can get something done before that kind of sacrifice has to be made!
Al Tucker
Al Tucker
Thanks
In the case of the judge who TOLD YOU- an officer of the court told you to fix your car (I'm sorry for the trouble with natural disaster) and you did not. Well:
1. If it was a safety issue, were you not endagering other people's safety, not just yours?
2. A judge told you to do it, you did not, now you think you might participate in litigation? Get real.
Lexus owners live in a rareified world in terms of "car trouble." Should we feel sympathy for luxury car owners who chose luxury cars and assumed ANY repair prospects after warranty? Do you have any idea how many BMW 7 Series cars have problems or how serious they are?
Should we sue BMW when we don't "feel like" we should have to spend money on our seven year old BMW? Case dismissed.
i'm just kidding....
had a headlight failure at 140,000 miles and 4 years out of warrantee you'd pay to change it out, right? Sure! UNLESS the cost of the new headlight was $2500. BECAUSE Toyota took a chance
on some unproven technology, wouldn't you want them to fix it for you? Buyers simply don't expect to pay incredible sums to repair simple
things. Chances were taken. Buyers were not told. Lexus ought to pay.