2017 Lexus RX Brakes Problems

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX450H. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with brake actuator assembly, bleeder plug cap, brake actuator cover, and brake fluid reservoir assembly failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 59,380.

Please see attached regarding LEXUS RX450h brake actuator failure concern. Thank you for your support.

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that upon a cold start, an abnormal knocking sound was coming from the right side of the engine without warning. The contact stated that the knocking noise became louder upon shifting gear but would cease once the engine was warmed up. The contact also noted that the brake pedal was firm while depressing the brake pedal. There was an unknown brake warning message displayed. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V211000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) which he linked to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed him that the vehicle was not under recall. The dealer provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 25,800.

Brakes make a squeaking sound when brakes applied. They are loud, this sound is not coming from brake pads or rotors. They are alarming and cause anyone to become startled and could cause crashes.

I purchased a 2017 Lexus Rx 450h Fsport last year at Carmax. About 6 months ago, I noticed that every time I pressed the brakes, there was a chirping sound. I figured it could be dust in the calipers. As the months went by, the chirping sound has gotten louder and now it affected the parking brakes. I researched this problem and many people online have also complained that they are hearing this Chirping sound or what the Dealer calls a "Brake Squawking" sound. I received a letter from Lexus saying to bring my vehicle in for a possible Brake Booster and Fuel pump failure. So I brought my car to the dealership. Since it's there I complained about the chirping sounds that it's making every time I step on the brakes and when the parking brake is applied. I told the Advisor at Lexus that a lot of people online have also complained about this problem and it should be a "Recall". He said that it's not a Recall. To make the story short, the Dealership didn't find anything wrong with the Brake Booster and the Fuel pump. What's causing the Chirping or Squawking sounds was the "Brake Actuator". I was quoted $4,327 to have these parts replaced because my Rx was already past the 50,000 miles warranty. I brought my Rx to the Dealership at 55,483 miles. It was a great thing that we purchased the extended warranty at Carmax called the Max Care which I only had to pay a $100 co-pay. Amazing! It took about 2 days to have this completed. Now, the chirping sound has disappeared when I press the brakes and when the parking brake is applied. I truly believe that this should be a Recall by Lexus and be covered. It shouldn't matter how many miles the customer has. This is a safety issue. The brake actuator shouldn't fail this soon. I have a 2007 Lexus GS350 with 225,000 plus miles and I never replaced the Brake Actuator. I don't know if even has one. The bottom line is when I press the brakes on that car, there were never any chirping sounds.

It was found during inspection of front break calipers that rubber dust boots on 3 out of 4 pistons (2 pistons per caliper) were torn apart. Chunks of cut out rubber boots were found inside the pistons. The car never had break work done since the time it was manufactured. The brake pads on both front wheels are still factory original. The only way for dust boots to get damaged is to have improper installation during car assembly process where rubber boot is not tacked fully inside caliper. The issue would result in premature wear of piston seals dust boot supposed to protect. Wearing off seals would result in leak of break fluid and potential sudden loss of break functionality. The workmanship issue is likely to be impacting other vehicles assembled on the same factory floor by the same employee.

I was driving up a hill, turning on to a dirt road. I had my foot on the brake as I was going down hill, I bounce from the crevice on the dirt road. My car started going faster, I kept my foot on the brake trying to stop, but it did not STOP. I avoided hitting a parked car and slammed in to a K-rail. My car would not STOP.

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal, without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the vacuum pump was defective and needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V211000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was given a case manager. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000. The contact stated that the vacuum pump was replaced at their expense and is requesting a reimbursement. The vehicle always had issues with the vacuum pump ever since the contact purchased it in 2021. The contact claims that they were told that the vacuum pump issue was normal. The 65k warranty of the vehicle had expired before the problem was dealt with.

My vehicle is experiencing a mechanical failure of the brake actuator/booster assembly, manifested by a "squawk/bark" noise and abnormal pedal feel during braking. This is a known defect recognized by Lexus under Customer Support Program 23LE04. The dealership technician confirmed the noise is present and recommended a full replacement of the ABS actuator. However, Lexus is denying coverage because the onboard computer has not yet triggered a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). By denying the repair, Lexus is requiring me to operate a vehicle with a confirmed mechanical brake malfunction, which increases the risk of a crash, increased stopping distance, or total brake power assist failure. March 2021 (60k miles): Actuator was replaced under warranty for this exact failure. December 2021 (74k miles): The failure recurred. Lexus and the dealer refused to cover the diagnosis/bleed, forcing me to drive a defective vehicle. February 2026 (110k miles): A Lexus dealer confirmed the part is failing again and quoted $3,000 for replacement. Despite a manufacturer program (CSP 23LE04) existing for this exact part, Lexus refuses to honor it without an electronic code, even though the mechanical failure has been physically confirmed by their own technicians. The component is available for inspection.

there has always been a sound when braking. took it to the dealer on 6/27/2019. service adviser told me to brake harder to break in the brakes.

SOMETIMES WHEN I TRY TO START THE CAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL NOT DEPRESS, I GET A MESSAGE THAT SAYS “BRAKE POWER LOW”, AND THE CAR WON’T START. THERE IS A RECALL ON 2017 RXS FOR AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED BRAKE BOOSTER, BUT IT DOESN’T COVER THIS VIN. FROM READING ABOUT SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER RX OWNERS THAT ARE ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE BRAKE BOOSTER, I THINK THAT IS THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE OF THAT, I THINK THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED AND SHOULD BE EXPANDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 LEXUS RX350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM BECAME INOPERATIVE AND THE CONTACT REAR ENDED A TRUCK. THE CONTACT APPLIED SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IMPOUND LOT IN CONYERS, GEORGIA. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH AND REQUESTED THE CONTACT'S APPROVAL FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE ASSESSED FOR DAMAGES BY A LEXUS DEALER. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1811210065. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED AND IT REDUCED SPEED WHEN VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AHEAD OF ME BUT WOULD NOT RESPOND TO MY BRAKING. MY VEHICLE SLID INTO OTHER VEHICLE AT 6.8 MPH (SEE ATTACHED REPORT). I TRIED TO APPLY MORE PRESSURE TO BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND TO MY BRAKE PRESSUREI WAS PROCEEDING STRAIGHT ON CITY ROAD

I PURCHASED THE NEW CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2017. ON NOVEMBER 17, 2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 1,500 MILES, AFTER THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR 2 DAYS, IT WOULD NOT START--THE MESSAGE ON THE CONSOLE STATED "BRAKE POWER LOW STOP IN A SAFE PLACE." THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE BRAKE POWER BOOSTER WAS REPLACED. ON FEBRUARY 3, 2018, AT APPROXIMATELY, 2,893 MILES THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED AFTER THE CAR SAT IN THE GARAGE FOR TWO DAYS AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AGAIN. THE SERVICE CONSULTANT STATED "THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH PRESSURE IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM". THE SERVICE CONSULTANT STATED LEXUS IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT A FIX HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. THE CONSULTANT STATED THE WORKAROUND IS TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS YOU CAN, WAIT FOR THE IGNITION KEY SYMBOL TO SHOW ON THE CONSOLE AND THEN PRESS THE IGNITION KEY. ON FEBRUARY 16, 2018, I RECEIVED A TEXT FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS A SOFTWARE UPGRADE OUT FOR THE LOW BRAKE PRESSURE. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. ON 2/21/2018, I RECEIVED A TEXT FROM THE DEALER STATING THE CAR IS READY FOR PICKUP. THE WORKORDER SIMPLY STATED "TECHNICIAN PERFORMED TSB# L-SB-0004-18". THE SERVICE CONSULTANT WOULD NOT EXPLAIN WHAT THE TSB WAS FIXING OR HOW IT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THE TSB UPGRADED THE METER CONTROL LOGIC UNIT. ONGOING PROBLEM: IF THE CAR SITS FOR MORE THAN 1 DAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE DEPRESSED WITH MUCH FORCE BEFORE THE CAR IS ABLE TO START. THIS INDICATES THE BRAKE BOOSTER IS STILL LOSING PRESSURE. CONCERN: IF THE BRAKE BOOSTER LOSES PRESSURE WHILE SITTING IN THE GARAGE FOR MORE THAN A DAY, WILL IT FAIL ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING. LOSING BRAKE PRESSURE IS NOT A GOOD THING UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND IS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED ON A "LUXURY" SUV. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS LEXUS BRAKE POWER ISSUE. THANK YOU.

IN ORDER TO START THE CAR, THE BRAKE MUST BE PRESSED. HOWEVER, IF THE CAR SITS WITHOUT USE FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THE BRAKE PEDAL CANNOT BE PRESSED DOWN AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. A WARNING LIGHT INDICATES THAT "BRAKE POWER IS LOW, STOP IN A SAFE PLACE". ATTACHED IS A PICTURE OF THE WARNING LIGHT. THE CAR CAN GENERALLY BE SUBSEQUENTLY STARTED BY EITHER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES OR EXERTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THE WARNING LIGHT DISAPPEARS. I'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH LEXUS SERVICE AND LEXUS CORPORATE OFFICE. THEY'VE SAID THAT THIS CONDITION EXISTS WITH "EVERY 2016-2018 RX 350" AND IS NOT UNIQUE TO MY CAR. THEY'VE ALSO SAID THIS CONDITION CANNOT BE REPAIRED, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATES IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR. LEXUS CONFIRMED THAT DESPITE THE FACT THE CONDITION OCCURS AFTER THE CAR HAS SAT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, IT IS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE AND LIKELY OCCURS BECAUSE OF PRESSURE LOST IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH I QUESTION LEXUS' STATEMENTS THAT THIS CONDITION EXISTS WITH EVERY CAR, IT IS DISCONCERTING THAT THEY CANNOT OR WILL NOT FIX A CONDITION THAT MAY BE DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING, AS INDICATED BY THE CAR'S WARNING LIGHT. THIS CONDITION OCCURS REGULARLY.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE AN ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYS THAT BRAKING POWER IS LOW. IT STATES STOP IN A SAFE PLACE. DEALER HAS ADVISED THIS CONDITION IS "NORMAL" AND NO REPAIRS RECOMMENDED. THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND CAN NOT BE STARTED.