2008 Lexus LS460

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS LS460. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS AND GAUGES ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND DISPLAY PANEL. THE DEALER (LEXUS OF PALM BEACH, 5700 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33417, (561) 291-6004) INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, CLEARED THE CODES, AND INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN A TEN YEAR WARRANTY; HOWEVER, DUE TO A STATUTE TIMEFRAME, THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY EXCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED REPLACING THE PART. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS LS460. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 TO 60 MPH. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, INDICATING TO "STOP THE VEHICLE AND CONTACT THE DEALER". THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NALLEY LEXUS SMYRNA IN SMYRNA, GA (PHONE: 404 994-4322) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR FAILED. THE BRAKE ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HEARD A CLACKING NOISE WHILE BRAKING AND REVERSING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE BRAKE ENHANCEMENT WARRANTY PROGRAM ENDED IN DECEMBER OF 2017. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000. *TT *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS LS460. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE PARKING BRAKE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEXUS OF CLEAR LAKE (18160 GULF FWY IN HOUSTON, TX) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

WHILE BRAKING GRADUALLY, WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL IN A STEADY POSITION, THE CAR LURCHES/PULSES, THE TIRES MAKES LOUD SKIDDING SOUND THEN THE CAR COMES TO A HARD STOP AS THOUGH IT HAS SLAMMED INTO SOMETHING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT LOW SPEEDS, WHERE IT FEELS LIKE IM PRESSING THE BRAKE AND LETTING GO, AND PRESSING AGAIN, BUT IN REALITY, THE BRAKES ARE BEING PRESSED AT A CONSTANT PRESSURE. THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ABS FEELING, AS THE BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT TRAVEL BENEATH MY FOOT, AND THE RELEASE AND GRABBING OF THE BRAKES SEEM VERY SLOW. IT HAPPEN THE FIRST TIME WITH ABOUT 50,000 MILES, GOING ABOUT 25-30 MPH. THEN WITH 86,000, GOING ABOUT 5-7 MPH.

THE BRAKES HAVE A CHATTERING NOISE AND FEEL THROUGH THE PEDAL WHILE STOPPED, WHEN YOU RELEASE THEM. THE CAR CAN BE IN PARK, AND IT STILL DOES IT. IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT TOYOTA IS DOING THEIR BEST TO AVOID REPAIRING IT UNDER THE NEWLY EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE "BRAKE ACTUATOR". IT'S 100% REPEATABLE, AS MANY TIMES AS YOU LIKE, IF THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PUSHED AND RELEASED.

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70 MPH) I ENCOUNTERED ILLUMINATION OF BRAKE/ABS WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH ADVISING ME THAT THE SAFETY BRAKE/ABS/TRACTION FEATURES ON MY CAR ARE NON OPERATIONAL. UPON PULLING OVER, I READ A MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE DASH ALERTING ME TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE NEAREST LEXUS DEALER. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP, I WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL AND MORE LIKELY THEN NOT THE FAULTY BRAKE ACTUATOR WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS CONFIRMED THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS DAY WHEN I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE ADVISOR CONFIRMING THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR HAS FAILED. UPON QUESTIONING THE ADVISOR OF THE CAUSE, HE ONCE AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT LEXUS HAS ISSUED AN UPDATED PART AS A REPLACEMENT. IT CONCERNS ME THAT LEXUS HAS NOT PERFORMED A VOLUNTARY RECALL ON SAID BRAKE ACTUATOR SINCE THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY DEVICE AND THEY (LEXUS) ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS DEFECT TO THE ORIGINAL PART BY PROVIDING AN "IMPROVED" BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. FURTHERMORE, BY PERFORMING A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH I ENCOUNTERED NUMEROUS TOPICS ABOUT IDENTICAL ISSUES AS MINE ON THE MODEL/YEAR (2007-2010 LEXUS LS460). I WOULD LIKE TO DULY REQUEST THAT NTSB PERFORMS AN INQUIRY WITH LEXUS REGARDING BRAKE ACTUATOR ISSUES STATED ABOVE.

EVERY TIME YOU'RE PRESSING THE BRAKE YOU GET A CLICKING AND A KNOCKING NOISE THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT IS NORMAL ARE THERE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS BUT WE NEED TO GET ONLINE AND READ ABOUT IT EVERYBODY IS COMPLAINING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY SAY SOMETIMES YOU CAN REPLACE THE ACTUATOR BUT THAT'S ABOUT $4,000 LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE WRITING ABOUT THIS, I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR A WEEK AGO

WHEN DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, WARNING LIGHTS "CHECK ABS" "CHECK VSC SYSTEM" "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM" "BRAKE MALFUNCTION" "STOP THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY. CONTACT A DEALER" SUDDENLY CAME ON AND A 5 OTHER LIGHTS ALSO CAME UP. IT WAS SCARY ME SO MUCH. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND STOP. AFTER CHECKING TO SURE THE BRAKE STILL FUNCTION, I SLOWLY DRIVE HOME WITH THE EMERGENCY LIGHT ON. CAME HOME, I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, AND IT TURNED OUT THIS IS A KNOWN AND VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR, AND LEXUS CONTINUE TO DENY THE PROBLEM, AND FAILED TO RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT'S BRAKE ACTUATOR THAT FAILED AROUND 114,830 MILES. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW OTHER THAN TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER THIS SATURDAY.