LRX400hBF

Given our experience, and the experience of thousands of owners in the US, of the attitude of Lexus Toyota to potentially lethal Brake Failure problems on their vehicles, it does not surprise me that you are having arguments with your Lexus Dealer over this Brake Failure problem. It is clear from the experience of others that the corporate (Toyota Motor Corporation) response to Brake Failures is to immediately claim that there are no Brake Failures - on any vehicle at any time! This is exactly what the Toyota Motor Corporation did to owners in the United States - and is exactly the reason that the Toyota Motor Corporation is being sued by thousands of owners in the US. I reported a Brake Failure to the Lexus Dealer - who immediately told me there were no problems with Brakes - via email !!! without having even inspected the vehicle first !!! Regarding the statement (fobbing off) you received from Lexus GB ("it was not there problem as I had bought the car from a dealer") - is your car under a finance agreement? If it is, then the vehicle - and its faulty brakes and/or hybrid system - is the responsibility of the Finance Company (e.g. Lexus Financial Services, Toyota Financial Services (UK) plc) Your conclusion is absolutely correct - Toyota Lexus are simply - and cynically - ignoring serious faults on their vehicles - including potentially lethal Brake Failures - and doing so for financial reasons - and ignoring driver/passenger/other road user/pedestrian safety. As with you, we shall NEVER buy another Lexus - or Toyota - and are absolutely disgusted at the response from Lexus - Lexus Financial Services - Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC - Toyota Motor Corporation. We have a Lexus Purchase Plan on the RX400h - and Lexus Financial Services have been absolutely negligent in dealing with our case and simply ignore their legal obligation with respect to the faulty Lexus RX400h with a Brake Failure. Lexus Financial Services have attempted to impose on us a condition not included in the original contract - obviously a condition to our detriment - and have attempted to make us liable for any shortfall in the resale of the vehicle! Lexus Financial Services - Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC - have refused to provide a remedy to the Brake Failure - and along with the Dealers - have merely insisted that we drive a vehicle with a potentially lethal Brake Failure on the highway. Naturally, we have refused to do so......but Lexus Toyota simply ignore the potential hazard of a Brake Failure in order that they do not lose money!!! Lexus Financial Services - Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC - have even stated that even if they admit there is a Brake Failure problem even then they claim they are not liable - because the problem did not exist when the vehicle was driven out of the showroom!!!! This is the level of dishonest - and unlawful - business practices that Lexus Financial Services - Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC - are engaging in!

Yes indeed thanks for your reply.....the 'default denial' of Lexus dealers is wide-spread, and is clearly an official policy of the Toyota Motor Corporation. inconsistent brake feel is what the Toyota spin doctor calls it - damn frightening Brake Failure is what the drivers say! When the brakes automatically release, this is not a change in feel but rather a release of braking force - which can be felt directly by the driver. There is clearly no difference between UK and US vehicles - as both UK and US vehicle have the same problem. This was the situation with the Prius - and is obviously the situation with the RX400h. Here's what Toyota stated about the 8500 UK vehicle Prius recall: "Owners have reported problems with the Prius's brakes, claiming that they appear to 'momentarily fail' on bumpy or slippery surfaces." This is exactly what RX400h are reporting (both in the UK and US). But in typical 'default denial' mode, Toyota claim that BRAKE FAILURES do not represent a danger!!! Evident from your experience - and that of any right-minded owner/driver for whom the BRAKES FAIL - one would have to say something very rude in response to Toyota's 'default denial' that safety is compromised by BRAKE FAILURE!!!!

Interstingly, not all RX400h owners have experienced the BRAKE FAILURE from new - and many report that this fault appeared later in the vehicles mileage. So, whilst one hopes you do not experience such a problem, the fact that you have not experienced it in 6000 miles driving is no guarantee that your vehicle is immune from this Brake Failure. Good luck!

I too had a problem with the RX400h battery going flat after just a few days - and called out the Lexus/RAC service a few times.......each time having to wait several hours for someone to turn up! The RAC chap said that Flat Batteries on Lexus Hybrids was his biggest call out (which made him happy at least!) - and that it was indeed due to Toyota/Lexus fitting a silly little battery instead of a suitably sized one. Your driver's door should have unlocked manually with the key - even with a flat battery - to enable access to the bonnet release. I got sick of the battery going flat - so obtained a replacement (new) battery under warranty. As with all other Lexus/Toyota faults - Lexus/Toyota claimed that they'd never heard of the problems before!!!!

I would be most grateful if other RX400h owners would indicate whether they have experienced a BRAKE FAILURE problem with this vehicle. When applying normal constant pressure to the brake pedal, the brakes automatically release and then automatically reapply. As this operation is automatic - without any change in input from the driver - it is distressing to be uncertain each time whether the brakes will actually reapply themselves after automatically releasing brake pressure! Obviously this presents a potentially lethal hazard to oneself and to other road users and to pedestrians. This brake failure occurs when braking and turning into a corner and when the vehicle is travelling over a rough surface (which is most places!). The sensation to the driver is that of skidding on ice (as braking force is lost) and gives the impression of a relative acceleration due the loss of expected deceleration. Naturally, this is accompanied by a distressing sickening feeling in one's stomach due to the unexpected release of braking force when pressing the brake pedal - especially when approaching roundabouts and when travelling downhill !!! PM me if you wish.