26 of the
938 complaints filed about the Lexus IS 250
are about the braking system —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
The contact owns a 2012 Lexus IS250. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake inadvertently activated without the brake pedal being depressed. The vehicle also experienced unintended acceleration without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The contact indicated that the failure occurred after the cell phone was hacked and was concern the vehicle security was also compromised and hacked. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 137,000.
NHTSA complaint #11478126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE INCHING INTO PARKING SPACE AT VERY SLOW RATE OF SPEED. ENGINE RACED UNEXPECTEDLY AND CAR JUMPED CURB WITH ALL 4 TIRES, ACROSS A SMALL MEDIAN, AND DOWN ANOTHER CURB WITH 3 TIRES, STRIKING A PARKED CAR, WHICH STOPPED FORWARD MOTION.
NHTSA complaint #11122773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BRAKE PRESSURE HAS BEEN LOST OVER TIME. CAR IS HARDER TO GET TO A STOP DURING MOTION BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN EVEN BEFORE STARTING UP. BRAKE PADS STILL HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF CERAMIC LEFT. CAR HAS ALREADY BEEN SERVICE AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSIST. I NOTICED THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL BACK IN 2010 BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE.
NHTSA complaint #10981751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE BRAKES SEEMED TO NEED MORE AND MORE PEDDLE PRESSURE TO STOP THE CAR. IT GOT SO BAD I COULDN'T DRIVE THE CAR CAR SAFELY. I WENT TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED AND THE REAR CALIPERS WERE FROZEN. THE SLIDER PIN ON THE BOTTOM OF BOTH CALIPERS IS LOCKED SOLID.
NHTSA complaint #10943791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THERE IS AN ELECTRONIC COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE ABS BRAKES ON TOYOTA/LEXUS AND IF IT GOES BAD IT CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE YOUR BRAKES! MY WIFE AND I ALMOST CRASHED! WHEN THE BRAKES WENT OUT, THEY FELT SQUISHY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC, LIGHTS WENT ON. THEN THE BRAKES GOT REAL SENSITIVE, I EITHER GOT IT TO COME TO SCREECHING STOP IN TRAFFIC OR BARELY COME INCHES FROM REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF US.
NHTSA complaint #10763349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LEXUS IS 250. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO START THE VEHICLE AND PUT THE GEAR IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARDS AS SHE LIFTED HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. SHE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKE. SHE THREW THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY KEPT IT OVERNIGHT AND RAN PERFORMANCE CHECKS. THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND SAID IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE WEATHER MAT THAT WAS ON TOP OF THE LEXUS CARPET MAT. THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS, BUT DID NOT STATE WHAT THEY WERE. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS THE SECOND TIME, SHE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. UPDATED 09/17/15
NHTSA complaint #10681130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON DEC. 2, 2014, I WAS ENTERING A WALGREEN'S PARKING LOT IN MY LEASED 2014 LEXUS IS 250, WHICH I HAD OWNED FOR ONLY 4 MONTHS WITH 1740 MILES. MOVING AT 5MPH OR LESS, I TURNED THE WHEEL TO ENTER A PARKING SPACE, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND TOOK OFF. I PRESSED THE BRAKES TO THE FLOOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR JUMPED UP OVER A PLANTED MEDIAN FILLED WITH BUSHES, TREES AND A PHONE POLE. THE FRONT TIRES BECAME LODGED IN MUD AND THAT STOPPED THE CAR. I MISSED THE TELEPHONE POLE BY LESS THAN 1 FOOT. LUCKILY, I HAD AN INDIVIDUAL WITNESS THE ENTIRE EPISODE. I TELEPHONED LEXUS EMERGENCY SERVICES AND LEXUS CUSTOMER RELATIONS IMMEDIATELY. THE CAR HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE MEDIAN BY A TOW COMPANY AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. AFTER EXAMINING THE CAR FROM DEC. 3-DEC. 10, THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THERE IS BODY DAMAGE BUT NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE DEALER CALLED ON DEC. 10 SAYING THE CAR WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. I NOTED INACCURATE DATA IN THE SERVICE REPORT FROM WHAT I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER ORIGINALLY, AND I WAS GIVEN NO INFORMATION AS TO FOLLOW-UP ON THIS MATTER. I WAS SIMPLY TOLD THAT LEXUS CORPORATE HAD BEEN OUT TO SEE THE UNDERSIDE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE.(FRONT BUMPER, PAINT, CRACKS ON BASE OF BUMPER), AND THAT I WOULD HEAR FROM THEM IN 10 DAYS. I CALLED LEXUS CORPORATE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MATTER IS NOW IN THE LEGAL DEPT. AND THAT IT WOULD BE FAR MORE THAN 10 DAYS FOR A RESPONSE. RATHER, I COULD EXPECT A CALL IN 4/6 WEEKS OR LONGER. I AM NOW DRIVING A LEASED VEHICLE THAT I AM VERY SCARED TO OPERATE, NOT KNOWING WHEN A SIMILAR INCIDENT COULD OCCUR WHERE I COULD BE KILLED OR INJURE OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE. LEXUS, PARTICULARLY THE DEALERSHIP, APPEARS TO BE WANTING TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES AS FAR FROM POSSIBLE FROM FINDING A SUITABLE RESOLUTION.
NHTSA complaint #10664153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
2008 LEXUS IS250. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BRAKE PAD PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE PICKED HER VEHICLE UP FROM THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THEY INFORMED HER SHE NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS AND A REAR CALIPER. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE COULD UNDERSTAND THE BRAKES, BUT SHE WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT, SHE NEEDED A CALIPER, WITH ONLY 49,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS INFORMED THE CALIPER HAD SEIZED. THE CONSUMER LODGED A COMPLAINT. HOWEVER, LEXUS STATED THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CALIPER, BECAUSE IT WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL MAINTENANCE. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS ALWAYS TAKEN HER VEHICLE TO A THE DEALER FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, SUCH AS OIL CHANGES, AND RECALLS, AND AT NO TIME DURING THOSE VISITS, DID ANYONE MENTIONED THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, HENCE THE REASON WHY THE CALIPER SEIZED, BECAUSE WATER BROKE THE SEAL. ALSO, THE VEHICLE NEVER MADE ANY SQUEALING SOUNDS TO GIVE ANY INDICATION THERE WAS A PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10557785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS IS250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LUNGED AND THEN ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER START-UP AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO A NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000. UPDATED 7/29/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN, THEN LUNGED FORWARD ABOUT 10-12 FEET. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK, EVEN THOUGH SHE PUSHED THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. FINALLY, THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE ON THE INTERSECTION.
NHTSA complaint #10514052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD (WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN) AND STRUCK THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME ON JANUARY 6, 2012. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2012 AND JANUARY 2013, I.E., CAR LURCHED FORWARD WHILE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT/SIGN. THE LATTER INCIDENTS DID NOT RESULT IN ANY ACCIDENT OR INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #10502998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVENT WHILE DRIVING UP A STEEP HILL, VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY ON IT'S OWN ACCORD. WHILE BRAKING, THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND ONLY SERVED TO DESTABILIZE THE VEHICLE AND SLOW IT SLIGHTLY. TACHOMETER WAS PEGGED AT 6,000 RPM AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. AFTER PUSHING THE "START" BUTTON SEVERAL TIMES THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. THIS TOOK ALMOST TWO MINUTES AND WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. LEXUS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED IT OPERATING AS DESIGNED, WITH NO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS FOUND. WE SOLD THIS VEHICLE TO THE LEXUS DEALER FOR $26,000 WELL BELOW THE LOW BLUE BOOK.
NHTSA complaint #10496533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERMITTENT PROBLEM - CAR OCCASIONALLY PULLS TO EITHER SIDE, RIGHT OR LEFT, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE LATEST INCIDENT, WHICH OCCURRED ON 7/29/11, SHOWING THE STEERING WHEEL SPINNING 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHILE DRIVING ON THE GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAY IN QUEENS, NEW YORK IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO LEXUS CORPORATE AND BROUGHT TO LEXUS OF QUEENS (NEW YORK CITY) FOR CORRECTION ON 7/19/11. SINCE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT, "VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED." I CAN NOT, WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY, STATE THAT THE BRAKES ARE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AN ASE-CERTIFIED MASTER TECHNICIAN, WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS DESCRIBED TO HIM OFFERED HIS OPINION. HE WROTE, "WHEN A VEHICLE PULLS EITHER WAY THE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS ARE NO FLUID PRESSURE GETTING TO OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PULLING, A FROZEN OR STICKING CALIPER OR PARTLY COLLAPSED FLEX HOSE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PULLING. THE ABS AND/OR TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM MIGHT NOT BE ALLOWING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE CALIPER. THERE ALSO COULD BE AIR TRAPPED IN THE SYSTEM." ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION WILL BE MAILED TO NHTSA. UPDATED 08-29-11 *BF UPDATED 10/17/11 UPDATED 02/07/12 THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PULLING HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY 195 MILES. UPDATED 05/12/2012
NHTSA complaint #10418821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
8/31/10 LEXUS 2008 IS 250 WITH 14K MILES, TRYING TO STOP, BRAKES (ABS) PULSED VERY HARD THUMP-THUMP-THUMP, DRY PAVEMENT 30MPH STRAIGHT ROAD. NEXT INTERSECTION APPLIED BRAKES AT 20MPH STEERING PULLED RIGHT THEN LEFT AS BRAKES WERE APPLIED. VERY SCARY-CALLED DEALER - GOT #ROADSIDE TOW TRUCK - IN TO SERVICE DEPT. DEALER RAN COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS & TEST DROVE, NO PROBLEMS, DID A NYS SAFETY INSPECTION SINCE IT WOULD EXPIRE SOON. NO PROBLEMS DETECTED , SENT VEHICLE HOME. DRIVING HOME 10 MILES FROM DEALER - SAME PULLING RIGHT/LEFT WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. NOT A GENTLE PULL - LIKE WHEEL BEING RIPPED OUT OF YOUR HANDS. NO CONTROL AT ALL. RETURNED CAR TO DEALER. NEXT DAY 9/1/10 THREE (3) MECHANICS TEST DROVE, ONLY SLIGHTLY FEELING BRAKE PULL. REPLACED BRAKES AS A WARRANTY, SENT CAR HOME. AGAIN, 20 MILES OUT GENTLY APPLIED BRAKES WHILE APPROACHING RR TRACK - CAR STEERED COMPLETELY INTO LEFT ONCOMING TRAFFIC - ALMOST A HEAD-ON COLLISION..TURNED AROUND AND TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER DEMANDED A LOANER VEHICLE TILL THEY FIX. I AM FRIGHTENED FOR MY LIFE AS WELL AS OTHERS AROUND ME. THIS IS A LEASE VEHICLE - WHICH I STILL HAVE FOR ANOTHER 12 MONTHS. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN CANCEL THIS LEASE? I'M AFRAID TO TAKE THIS CAR BACK AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10353451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS IS 250. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES WERE MAKING UNUSUAL NOISES AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE LOW AND THE CALIPER HAD SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND A LOANER WAS PROVIDED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED PREVIOUS NOTIFICATION OF AN UNKNOWN RECALL BUT WHEN CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER, HIS CLAIM WAS DENIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 106,000. UPDATED 08/03/10. *LJ ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE RIGHT REAR CALIPER HAD SEIZED. UPDATED 09/22/10
NHTSA complaint #10336627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON FEB.6,2010 @10:00AM DRIVING ON MY RESIDENTIAL STREET, AT A SPEED BETWEEN 25 TO 35 MPH. I WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN ON MY STREET . AS I BEGAN TO BRAKE TO STOP AT THE SIGN, WHICH WAS A THREE WAY STOP. MY CAR AT FIRST SEEM TO SLIDE DUE TO THE SNOWY ROAD A SLIPPERY CONDITION. AS I FURTHER HIT THE BRAKES, THE CAR ACCELERATED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN ACROSS THE STREET OVER THE CURB ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND INTO MY NEIGHBORS YARD. I WAS WITHIN 25 TO 50 FEET OF HITTING MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED SO FAST AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. SINCE THIS HAPPENED I TOOK MY CAR TO CLASSIC LEXUS AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT GAVE MY LEXUS A FULL INSPECTION AND NO INCIDENT OF THIS NATURE HAS HAPPENED SINCE 2-6-10. THE INCIDENT LEFT ME COMPLETELY SHAKEN AND NERVOUS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. I HAVE JUST THIS DAY BEEN ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND PUT MY WORDS OF THE INCIDENT ON THIS PAPER.
NHTSA complaint #10319081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2008 LEXUS IS 250. CAR LOSES TRACTION AND CONTROL WHEN BRAKING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES. HAVE COMPLAINED TO LEXUS SINCE 1ST WEEK I OWNED THE CAR, WITH NO AVAIL. SEEMS TO BE IDENTICAL TO PROBLEMS REPORTED FOR 2010 PRIUS. WRITING THIS TO ASK IF COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN PLACED FOR THIS VEHICLE, OR IF IT MIGHT BE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE PRIUS BRAKING SYSTEM?
NHTSA complaint #10305501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PURCHASED CAR IN FEB 2008 FROM LEXUS OF PEMBROKE PINES FL, AND IMMEDIATELY HAD BRAKE CONCERNS. RETURNED TO DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. BRAKES BEGAN TO SCREECH CONSISTENTLY EVERYTIME THE VEHICLE WOULD BRAKE. AROUND 13K MILES, RETURNED TO DEALER. THIS TIME THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED.THIS TIME THEY FEEL SPONGY AND NOT CONSISTENT WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED BRAKES CONTINUED TO SCREECH AS I BACKUP AND BRAKE AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS I FIGURED THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE BRAKES BEING BRAND NEW. I NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF HEAT COMING FROM THE PASSENGER FRONT BRAKE AREA, WHEN I LOOKED DOWN MY ENTIRE ROTOR WAS BRIGHT RED LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN THAT I TRANSPORT TO AND FROM SCHOOL EVERYDAY AND THIS DEFECT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS UNACCEPTABLE AND COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10263292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.