Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | |||
| 07/22/2012 | 49246 | 1 | |
| I recently purchased (07/17/12) a 2008 used rx400h, i quickly noticed that while braking if the road has any bumps or unevenness the vehicle surges forward during the braking process and then resumes braking after the surge. this happens consistently when there are any bumps in the pavement. this is very frightening as it could easily cause an accident since the braking is interrupted and the car actually accelerates when it should be slowing down! i haven't driven it in the winter yet but i am already concerned and upset that this car that i purchased because of the high safety ratings on the nhtsa site now turns out to be potentially very unsafe. *tr | |||
| 07/22/2012 | 49246 | ||
| I recently purchased (07/17/12) a 2008 used rx400h, i quickly noticed that while braking if the road has any bumps or uneveness the vehicle surges forward during the braking process and then resumes braking after the surge. this happens consistantly when there are any bumps in the pavement. this is very frightening as it could easily cause an accident since the braking is interupted and the car actually accelerates when it should be slowing down! i haven't driven it in the winter yet but i am already concerned and upset that this car that i purchased because of the high safety ratings on the nhtsa site now turns out to be potentially very unsafe. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | |||
| 01/06/2010 | 23000 | 1 | |
| Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *year: 2008 * make: lexus * model: rx400h * component: the hybrid braking systems * vin: [xxx] * component -- the 2008 lexus rx400h hybrid braking systems does not work properly. when the vehicle goes over a small road depression or a small pot hole on one side of the wheel, it temporarily lost control of the brake while the driver's foot is on the brake pedal. it also behaves the same way when the vehicles slips on the snowy road. it is very similar to toyota prius braking problems. i reported to the toyota dealer. the toyota dealer told me that it intended that way. if the vehicle is driving in a traffic bumper to bumper, it is very likely to hit the car in the front rear end when the brake systems let go the brake while the operator is pressing on the brake pedal. it is a safety issue. it happens every time and it can be duplicated under the above conditions. they should fix this like they do with the prius. *tr | |||
| 03/03/2010 | 1 | ||
| 2008 lexus 400h. when approaching a stop, at an approximate 25-35 mph, on typically city streets with somewhat uneven surface, while applying the brakes, the car will lurch forward momentarily shortly into the stop. it produces the sudden anxiety feeling that the car will not stop and can be felt by driver and passengers. it does not happen at every stop, just now and then. this has occurred since the car was purchased. we had the car serviced some time back to address the b gear not slowing the car on hills. the b gear issue was resolved during this service. inadvertently the breaking issue seemed to occur less frequently. since it has been some time since the service, the breaking issues has slowly resurfaced and with a greater frequency. *tr | |||
| 02/06/2010 | 7200 | 1 | |
| My lexus r400h brakes are not braking as other cars. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 12/26/2008 | 16900 | ||
| The road was snowy and slippery, but not icy. when the vehicle about 50 feet ahead of me stopped for the traffic light, i applied the brakes, but to no effect. my vehicle did not slow, and i didn't hear the noise of the anti-lock brake system. i chose to go off the road and hit a pipe railing rather than the tanker truck that was stopped in front of me. other vehicles at the same location had no problem stopping. copies of my correspondence with toyota are available. toyota only road tested the vehicle on dry pavement. | |||
| 01/07/2010 | 1 | ||
| Ongoing since 2008 - problem with brakes on rough or bumpy surface. the car speeds up when applying break. they do not catch immediately and hard pressure is required. reported and checked by to the dealer x3 on 11/25/08, 5/13/09, 2/9/10 - each time was told the car is behaving normally and nothing was wrong. most serious incident - during light snow beginning of jan 2010, i was applying slow even pressure as i was coming to stop sign - familiar road so going slow - car hit bump, gained speed and abs failed. skidded up a slight incline through stop sign almost hit a pole. brought to dealership again 2/9 and called lexus 2/8 to report problem. told nothing wrong car not on the recall list. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2009 | 18000 | 1 | |
| Brakes. loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface. *tr | |||
| 09/09/2009 | 3000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2008 lexus 400h hybrid purchased as new last year. almost immediately we noticed a problem with the brakes when stopping over bumpy surfaces -- it was almost as if the brake disengaged while trying to stop. we brought it back to the dealer, who assured us everything was working properly. they even brought in a national expert to evaluate and we again were told the car was working as it should. the problem has not gone away -- if anything it is worse -- and it appears to be precisely the same problem now being reported with the prius braking system. toyota/lexus basically ignored us when we complained and the problem is not fixed. it is of major concern and has been since we bought the car. it is a replacement for a previous 400h that was totaled in an accident, and the previous car did not have this problem. *tr | |||
| 12/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| When braking, any small bump, particularly on wet surfaces, causes braking to cut out for a second or two, and the car does not decelerate as fast. added pressure is required to engage the regular brakes to resume the same stopping level. this non-linear stopping characteristic causes increased stopping distances and loss of control in braking (at least for a second or two). this seems to be caused by the regenerative braking cutting out when the anti-lock system engages momentarily. *jb *tr | |||
| 02/03/2010 | 29000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2008 lexus rx400h. the vehicle continuously began to accelerate on it's on and lunge forward whenever the contact drove over uneven pavement at approximately 20 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the malfunction should occur when the vehicle was switching from an electrical engine to a gasoline engine. the failure mileage was 28,000. | |||
| 10/21/2009 | 22000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2008 lexus rx400h. while driving 25 mph and applying the brakes the lack of electricity in the battery caused the contact to apply excessive pressure to the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle. within minutes the brakes began to function normally since the battery recharged by pumping the brakes. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer twice for a diagnostic test and both times the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. the contact is concerned that the failure could in the braking system could cause a crash to occur. the failure mileage was 22,000. | |||
| 03/13/2008 | 16000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2008 lexus rx 400h. whenever the contact applies the brakes while traveling over a rough surface the brakes will disengage allowing the vehicle to still move forward. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the vehicle was operating as designed. the contact has noticed the failure since the day she purchased the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 16000. | |||
| 12/31/2009 | 27120 | 1 | |
| I was coming back from my first oil change from crown lexus dealer. i was pulling into a parking space and the car would not stop even when my foot is on the brake. i tried to steer away from the concrete wall in front but the front left side still hit the wall. the car was damaged and the wall is damaged. the cost of the damaged is 9,000-10,000. right now is being fixed by my insurance company. the model of the car is lexus rx400h year 2008. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||
| 12/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| When braking, any small bump, particularly on wet surfaces, causes braking to cut out for a second or two, and the car does not decelerate as fast. added pressure is required to engage the regular brakes to resume the same stopping level. this non-linear stopping characteristic causes increased stopping distances and loss of control in braking (at least for a second or two). this seems to be caused by the regenerative braking cutting out when the anti-lock system engages momentarily. *jb *tr | |||