59 of the
192 complaints filed about the Lexus CT
are about the braking system —
31% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2013.
While driving normally one day, all the brake lights on the dash came on and my stopping power was diminished. I pulled the trouble codes and the only code was C1391 which indicates an "Abnormal Leakage in the Accumulator". This is a major safety concern and a costly repair if left to the customer.
NHTSA complaint #11728547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake booster stopped working. Brake efficiency declined, ABS and stability control stopped working. Brake master cylinder and brake booster had to be replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11720696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This is a known defect covered under Customer Support Program 21-LE-01. Lexus failed to notify me despite regular service at their dealership. I was forced to pay $3,000 for a safety defect that should have been covered
NHTSA complaint #11713182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle's Brake Booster Pump Assembly and Brake Accumulator are exhibiting signs of imminent failure. While the vehicle is in "READY" mode and stationary (in Park), the brake booster pump cycles on and off at an abnormally high frequency (every 15-30 seconds). Additionally, an audible hissing or "squawking" noise can be heard from the brake actuator assembly after the pump cycles, indicating an internal pressure leak within the accumulator. This condition creates a significant safety hazard. If the brake booster pump fails due to this excessive cycling caused by the internal leak, the vehicle will experience a sudden loss of power braking assist. This would result in an unexpectedly hard brake pedal and significantly increased stopping distances, drastically increasing the risk of a crash. Lexus/Toyota has acknowledged this specific defect in Customer Support Program 24LE01 (DTCs C1391, C1252, C1256), identifying it as an "internal malfunction." However, the manufacturer has limited the coverage to 10 years from the date of first use. My vehicle, with only approximately 62,000 miles, is exhibiting these known failure symptoms just outside this arbitrary time window. A safety-critical component like the braking system should not fail at such low mileage, and the manufacturer should address this design defect via a Safety Recall rather than a time-limited warranty extension that leaves owners of low-mileage vehicles with a dangerous defect.
NHTSA complaint #11710830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am submitting a formal complaint regarding Lexus’ refusal to correct a known safety-related defect under Customer Support Program (CSP) 21LE01. My vehicle meets all criteria outlined in the program, yet Lexus denied coverage. Details: 1.Program Coverage: CSP 21LE01 covers Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump assemblies for internal malfunctions verified by Diagnostic Trouble Codes C1391, C1252, C1256, or C1253. Coverage extends 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. 2.Vehicle Qualification: •Mileage: under 150,000 miles •Model year/production range: covered under CSP 21LE01 •Symptoms: brake-system warning lights, reduced braking performance, and internal malfunctions •DTCs: C1391, C1252, C1256, C1253 confirmed 3.Lack of Notification: Lexus indicates that owners were notified of this program starting May 2021. I never received any notice, despite my contact information being current with the DMV. 4.Denial of Repair: Despite the vehicle qualifying under all CSP 21LE01 criteria, Lexus informed me I am “not eligible” for the repair. This refusal directly contradicts the program’s published requirements. Safety Concern: This defect affects the brake system, a critical safety component. Denying the repair for a qualifying vehicle exposes the driver and others on the road to potential brake failure and increased risk of accident. If the brake booster/pump fails while driving, braking can become hard, delayed, or fail completely, greatly increasing the risk of accidents, collisions, injury, or death. Request: I am requesting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate Lexus’ denial of a safety-related repair and compel the manufacturer to honor the repair coverage under CSP 21LE01 for my vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11703287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There is an issue with the brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies that causes this vehicle to brake poorly. These parts are known to malfunction in Lexus CT 200h models and recognized by Lexus/Toyota. This issue needs to be extended into a recall for the vehicle due to the danger it poses while braking. Lexus/Toyota have acknowledged the issue via their letter: Customer Support Program 21LE01. The original publication of this program was issued on May 20, 2021. Within the letter they recognize that these parts will commonly break down. They issued a brief coverage on vehicles affected. A primary coverage on vehicles prior to November 30, 2022, and a secondary coverage on vehicles within 10 years of operation and 150,000 miles. With the secondary coverage applying to whichever came first. As a secondary owner of this vehicle, I had no idea this letter had been sent out. I had purchased this car late 2022. Had there been a recall notice on these vehicles, I would have been able to speak to a service representative about getting this issue remedied. Seeing as my vehicle is at 143,273 miles and 14 years in use, I am no longer covered through the Customer Support Program 21LE01. During my years of operating this vehicle I have experienced issues when braking. While driving and braking over bumpy roads the vehicle's braking would feel less effective. A week before my vehicle's Brake, Brake System, ABS, and Traction Control lights came on, I nearly experienced a collision with another vehicle while turning at a street light. The brakes should have been more than enough to have stopped the vehicle in the moment, and the ABS should have kicked in when it sensed me attempting to come to a harsh stop. Once I had diagnosed the dashboard lights I received OBD2 code C1391. Indicating an issue with the Power Brake Booster. Seeing as the issue is recognized by Lexus/Toyota, and this issue posing danger while operating the vehicle, there should be a recall imposed.
NHTSA complaint #11694414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My daughter was driving home at night and the vehicle brakes did not respond normally after coming to a gated entry, she was able to stop with limited braking power and luckily she did not get into an accident. The vehicle gave no warning prior to the incident, and started to show all 4 lights on the dash after the fact;BRAKE, CAUTION, ABS, Stability Control with a beeping sound. She had to stop the vehicle immediately because we felt if was unsafe to do so. The car was stored in the garage for a few days waiting for the codes to get scanned but after starting it the errors were gone, I was able to take a long drive without a problem. Then once again while driving (not when starting the vehicle) the codes reappeared and have been scanned and shows multiple errors; C1252, C1253, C1256, and C1391. This corresponds to the errors in the Brake Booster Pump. Now the car is beeping all the time and probably needs expensive repairs. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11693122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Lexus CT 200H. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the brake pedal was depressed and the ABS, traction control, and master warning lights illuminated. The message "Check ABS System" was displayed. The cruise control feature then became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC: C1391, indicating an abnormal leak in the brake actuator accumulator; however, the contact was unaware of which parts needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the transmission later failed to shift into drive(D) or reverse(R). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
NHTSA complaint #11689139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The brake booster assembly has developed a leak in the pressure accumulator resulting in constant actuation to keep the pressure sufficient. Complete failure is impending with a C1391 code and loss of power brakes. Toyota has offered a CSP to address this issue but only for a very limited time and at the time of creation of said TSP only covered model years up to 10 years old. 2011-2013 CT200h models are not covered by this CSP. Furthermore due to the limited time period in which the CSP was active, many cars were not covered due to not developing fault codes at that time. Part prices alone to resolve this issue from the dealership are above $2000.
NHTSA complaint #11685591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At ~101,000 miles, my 2012 Lexus CT200h triggered error code C1307, indicating a failure of the brake pressure accumulator / brake booster system. Prior warnings appeared via dashboard alerts. This caused reduced braking performance, creating a serious safety risk. The issue was confirmed by a Lexus dealer and independently by a certified mechanic, who repaired it. I contacted Lexus Customer Support for coverage under CSP 21LE01, but they denied it due to the 10-year time limit, even though my vehicle was within the 150,000-mile limit. Dealer estimated ~$4,600; I had it repaired independently for $2,000, sourcing parts online at ~50% of dealer pricing. This is a safety-critical defect acknowledged by Lexus under CSP 21LE01. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this defect to ensure Lexus extends proper coverage and prevents future safety risks for other owners.
NHTSA complaint #11685335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving down the 99Freeway at speeds approx. Up to 72mph, my abs,traction, and brake lights illuminated at the same time on my dash. I pushed on my brake pedal in order to slow down and pull over, my brake pedal was extremely hard to push in and no matter how hard I pushed it didn't appear to be slowing the vehicle down. I pushed on the emergency brake slowly to help slow down safely and was able to get pulled over. I turned the car off and proceeded to call a friend for help. My friend suggested that I start the vehicle back up and see if I was comfortable enough to continuing to drive it to get myself off of the freeway, which I did. Then when I got off the freeway, I noticed all the lights had gone off and the car felt like it was driving normal again. I proceeded home. The following day my check engine light came on saying to check hybrid system. After being informed to clear the check engine to reset everything my car seemed fine. Then approximately 3 weeks later the abs, traction and brake light came back on and I had difficulty braking. This time and alarm started beeping inside my car as well, the check engine light saying traction battery is not charging and my vehicle does not want to stop. I've been researching different forums online and I'm seeing a numerous amount of other Toyota and Lexus owners with very similar complaints with their cars as well. I've replaced my brake pads, replaced my 12v battery and key fob battery as well. So far I still have no brakes and this is my only vehicle so I'm really hoping this turns out to be a recall or something cause I can't afford to do the repairs .
NHTSA complaint #11684014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
common problem with these Lexus ct200h, as well as Toyota Prius V models, are that the brake accumulators begin to leak internally, as they share the same part numbers. Therefore, the actuator will buzz every few seconds trying to keep pressure in the braking system to a safe operating level of gas pressure to no avail due to this leak in the actuator. After it quits buzzing from shutting the car off, you can hear the air leak hissing the pressure away. There are tons and tons of articles on this issue online as this is a major safety concern. Many have had Toyota replace the part free of charge as well due to the extended 10 year, or 150k miles, in whichever comes first. warranty. This may be perhaps because there are several more prius on the road than this rare Lexus CT200H. Just look up “c1391 danger” and see what comes up. In my opinion, as well as many, it is pathetic that an issue in which endangers the lives of others due this brake failure is not further addressed. There is Not much stopping distances when and after this suddenly occurs. In the process, the abs, traction control, brake, a yellow exclamation mark, lights suddenly all come on the dash at once and the brake feels like a sponge very suddenly, as it did me as I was driving today. There were no engine lights as I started my drive. There are no external brake fluid leaks involved for this actuator. Toyota covers it under extended warranty, although it appears as though Lexus does not, this is a major safety hazard and concern. The trouble code is.: C1391. Also, I went to Sewell Lexus of Dallas today and was told there are no recalls, after looking my vin #. The service program had expired and there is nothing they can do for me. Please extend the program or issue a recall for this dangerous failure. The repair cost is substantial and should be covered for a known flaw.
NHTSA complaint #11679184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I’m reporting a serious safety issue with my 2014 Lexus CT200h involving the brake booster and ABS pump/accumulator system. This issue is well-documented across Lexus CT200h and Toyota Prius V models, which use the same components. Lexus quietly issued a Customer Support Program (CSP) for the affected part but never notified me. I contacted Lexus and was told they “didn’t have to” notify all owners. After escalating, they claimed a letter was sent, but I confirmed my address and never received anything. Several months before the CSP expired, I noticed inconsistent brake response, a soft/spongy pedal, and warning lights: ABS, traction control, brake, and TPMS. I took the car to an independent mechanic who misdiagnosed it as a TPMS issue. Six months later, a loud chime began sounding repeatedly, unrelated to seatbelt use. I brought the car to Lexus of North Miami, where they diagnosed a failing ABS pump and accumulator — the exact components covered by the CSP. This is a critical safety failure. Loss of braking pressure compromises stopping distance and puts my safety and others at risk. Lexus refused assistance because the CSP expired, even though the problem began earlier and I sought help. Corporate and their Resolution Team were dismissive and unprofessional. The issue is reproducible and confirmed by a certified Lexus dealer. Thousands of drivers online report the same pattern: trouble code C1391, buzzing brake actuator, unexplained chimes, hissing noises after shutdown, and external fluid leaks. Some dealers reportedly told customers to disable the chime rather than investigate. Toyota Prius owners with the same part received repairs under warranty or recall — Lexus drivers did not. I urge NHTSA to investigate this defect before it leads to serious injury or death. This is not normal wear. It’s a known mechanical failure affecting a critical safety system. What makes this even more dangerous is that most owners won’t do the deep digging I did to connect it.
NHTSA complaint #11677841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2011 Lexus CT200H. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ABS and brake warning light and check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the brake booster and brake booster pump were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11655185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake failure while driving. The brake pedal went soft when pressed and all the associated warning lights illuminated. ABS, traction, control, etc. This is a known issue for Toyota and Lexus, and even after servicing my vehicle at the dealer for the last two years I was never notified that this was a concern.
NHTSA complaint #11654277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2011-2013 Lexus CT200h exhibits malfunction indicator lamp illumination for the brake, ABS, and traction control systems, accompanied by diagnostic trouble code C1391. Research indicates this is a known manufacturing defect, and I possess documentation from the customer support program confirming coverage for this issue in vehicles of this model year. However, the Lexus dealership and service advisors refuse to acknowledge this coverage and saying that it is expired. Therefore, I require guidance on how to proceed with resolving this matter.
NHTSA complaint #11645312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving my Lexus ct200h and the traction control, brake light, and two other lights came on the dash. I took it in to Toyota and they indicated that this was a common problem with both Prius models and ct200h models. Their exact verbage in the service ticket was: TECH FOUND CODE C1391 ACCUMULATOR ABNORMAL SLOW LEAK REC ACTUATOR AND PUMP ASSEMBLY
NHTSA complaint #11634471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hello, I am writing to bring attention to a vital public safety issue regarding the Lexus recall policy eligibility of 21LE01, concerning brake system issues. The current policy deems vehicles eligible for recall based on a set criterion: the vehicle must be under 10 years of age or under 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. The term “whichever comes first” disregards the importance of “mileage” as the main indicator of wear and tear, especially for brake system issues which are largely and directly related to it. My vehicle, a Lexus CT200h, 11 years old with 100,000 miles (upon receipt of the recall notice) was confirmed to have the exact brake issues as described in 21LE01. However when I sought remedy and support, I was told that despite being well under the mileage limitation, my vehicle was ineligible for the recall due to its age. For recalls that pertain directly to the safety of the vehicle's occupants and the general public – such as brake system malfunctions – more lenient eligibility criteria should be adopted to ensure no vehicle with potential defects is left untreated. A more flexible approach that considers both age and mileage individually would be much more suitable for the break issues that 21LE01was set to address. A brake system malfunction is a grave risk to the safety of the vehicle's occupants and others on the road. Such recalls should prioritize safety over arbitrary constraints. The safety of drivers, passengers, and the broader public should always be the top priority. No vehicle owner should be left at risk due to arbitrary limitations. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I hope you can help push Lexus to make necessary amendments to the recall policy terms. Thank you!
NHTSA complaint #11632987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
accumulators begin to leak internally, as they share the same part numbers. Therefore, the actuator will buzz every few seconds trying to keep pressure in the braking system to a safe operating level of gas pressure to no avail due to this leak in the actuator. After it quits buzzing from shutting the car off, you can hear the air leak hissing the pressure away. There are tons and tons of articles on this issue online as this is a major safety concern
NHTSA complaint #11632832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.