1998 Lexus LX470

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS LX470. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN AUDIBLE BRAKE ALARM BEGUN TO SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSED THE ALARM TO SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP UNTIL CRASHING INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, A THIRD VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN THE CRASH. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE DRIVERS OF THE TWO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. AN ENGINEER, SENT BY THE MANUFACTURER, EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE NO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 200,000.

THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDS TO BE "PUMPED" TO OBTAIN SATISFACTORY PEDAL HEIGHT. UPON FIRST APPLICATION AT A STOP THE PEDAL TRAVELS FURTHER THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT, IF A SECOND APPLICATION IS GIVEN THE PEDAL HEIGHT WILL BE MUCH HIGHER FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF BRAKING FORCE. THIS CAN CAUSE ABRUPT STOPS FOR ONE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CAR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER SAYS " THEY ALL DO THAT". AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER TO ME. YOUR HELP IS REQUESTED. *AK