2009 Lexus LS460

The contact owns a 2009 LEXUS LS460. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, an abnormal ticking noise would emit from the vehicle as the indicator light would flash on the instrument panel. Over time, the ABS warning light and a message to pull over and drive to the nearest dealer were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic where repairs to the brakes were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact then took the vehicle to the dealer and diagnosed the vehicle with a defective ABS actuator and junction box assembly. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

AT APPROXIMATELY 97K MILES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ALL BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND A MESSAGE DISPLAYED 'IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER SAFELY AND CONTACT YOUR LEXUS DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE' I TOOK THE CAR TO LEXUS DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND AFTER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THE BRAKE ACTUATOR MODULE FAILED WHICH AUTOMATICALLY MAKES THE ABS SYSTEM INOPERABLE AND MANY OTHER SAFETY FEATURES. AS ABS IS REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND MUST BE REPAIRED. I LEARNED THE COMPANY HAD AN 'EXTENDED SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THESE CARS AND HAVE SENSE REDESIGNED THIS PART, HOWEVER I WAS NOTIFIED I WAS ONE MONTH AND TEN DAYS PAST THE TEN YEAR 'GRACE' PERIOD OF 'VEHICLE IN-SERVICE' AND I WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR ASSISTANCE WITH REPLACEMENT. THIS ITEM FAILING IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND CAN LEAD TO TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE A RECALL MUST BE ISSUED TO ENSURE SAFE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A RECALL WAS NOT ISSUED IN THE FIRST PLACE IT SEEMES AS THOUGH THE 'WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT' OR 'EXTENDED SERVICE BULLETIN'. WAS JUST A WAY TO POST PONE THE PROBLEMS BEING ADDRESSED PROPERLY AND THE BAD PR THAT COMES WITH A RECALL.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I HAD FIVE WARNING LIGHTS TO COME ON A RED MASTER WARNING LIGHT RED BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ELECTRONIC CONTROL BRAKE WARNINGS YELLOW ABS LIGHT AND A SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT THE NEXT DAY THE LIGHTS WENT OUT THEY STAYED OFF APPROXIMATELY 3 DAYS THEN THEY CAME ON AGAIN THAT'S WHEN I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER UPON TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE BREAKS NOW ARE REAL VERY SENSITIVE JUST TOUCH THEM AND THEY WERE STOP JOHNSON LEXUS OF RALEIGH DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND SAID I NEEDED A BREAK ACTUATOR$4, 300 I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SECONDARY WARRANTY ADDED BECAUSE THEY HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ACTUATOR BUT FOR SOME REASON THEY WILL NOT HONOR MY WARRANTY I MEET ALL THE CRITERIA I HAVE A 128000 MILES ON MY CAR AND IS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD THE SECONDARY WARRANTY GOES UP TO 250, 000 MILES IT'S OBVIOUS THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ACTUATOR BUT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD IN A EXTENDED WARRANTY IF THERE IS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD FIX MY CAR BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT YOU CANNOT REPLACE A LIFE

DASHBOARD RECENTLY HAD 5 WARNING LIGHT LIT UP WARNING OF CHECK ABS, CHECK VSC SYSTEM, CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, CHECK BRAKE HOLD SYSTEM, AND BRAKE MALFUNCTION, WITH THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL WARNING BELOW THE ABOVE FIVE ITEMS "STOP THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY. CONTACT DEALER". I WAS A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM WHERE MY CAR IS SERVICED (NOT A DEALER) AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE FOLLOWING FAULT CODES: C1241 ABS MAIN RELAY POWER SOURCE OPEN, AND C1391 ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ACTUATOR & ELECTRICAL CONTROL UNIT. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS IS $2,300! MY CAR HAS A PAMPERED 72,262 MILES AND IS GARAGE KEPT. MY REPAIR SHOP, JC AUTOMOTIVE HERE IN ST PETERSBURG FL WHEN CALLING AROUND TO LOCATE THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS QUITE SURPRISED TO FIND A JACKSONVILLE FL DEALER HAS 35 IN STOCK. JOHN CELONA, OWNER OF JC AUTO TOLD ME THIS MEANS THEY MUST BE REPLACING MANY OF THIS ITEM BECAUSE IN NO WAY WOULD A DEALER STOCK THIS MANY OF THIS PART. IF LEXUS IS REPLACING SO MANY OF THIS PART THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. READING THE LEXUS FORUM AND OTHER ONLINE LEXUS SITES, THIS PROBLEM OCCURS AS EARLY AS 12,000 MILES AND IS A COVERED WARRANTY ITEM. I WILL CONTACT LEXUS ABOUT HIS ISSUE ALSO. I HOPE YOU WILL INVESTIGATE AND CONSIDER MAKING THIS A RECALL ITEM. I HAVE ATTACHED FIVE PHOTOS. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND THE LIGHTS APPEARED IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE.