28 of the
334 complaints filed about the Lexus NX
are about the braking system —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2019.
The contact owns a 2016 Lexus NX 300H. The contact stated that the brake pedal was soft and had low performance. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle was slow to respond. The message “Braking Power Low - Visit the Dealer” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that there was a fee for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact contacted another local dealer, Lexus Service of Glendale (1221 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91204). The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under Manufacturer Recall: 21L302; for the brake booster assembly and brake booster pump assembly. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
NHTSA complaint #11749559 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Possible malfunction involves vehicle speed control and braking during a low-speed parking maneuver in my 2024 Lexus NX350h. While slowly pulling into a parking space, I was actively applying the brake and creeping forward. While my foot was on the brake, the vehicle suddenly surged/accelerated forward instead of continuing to decelerate. The vehicle ran over a sign and jumped a curb before I could stop it. The vehicle is available for inspection and is currently with the Lexus dealer. My safety and the safety of others were put at serious risk because this occurred unexpectedly while parking. If a pedestrian, fixed structure, or another vehicle had been in front of me, this could have caused severe injury or worse. Thankfully, I was not physically injured, but this was a traumatic event, and I was terrified. The problem has not been reproduced by me after the incident. At the time of this report, it has not yet been confirmed by the dealer or an independent repair facility. I have requested a full diagnostic inspection and review of all available stored data before any codes are cleared. The vehicle has been delivered to the Lexus dealer for inspection. The incident was also immediately reported to my insurance company. I do not know if Lexus manufacturer representatives or other parties will inspect it. I did not observe any warning lamps, messages, or unusual symptoms before the event, and this had never happened before.
NHTSA complaint #11727751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Lexus NX 200t. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was spongy and made an abnormal clicking sound while depressed. Additionally, the vehicle shuddered while coming to a stop. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the ABS actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
NHTSA complaint #11726712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The incident happened on August 27, 2025, at about 8:30 in the morning when I was trying to park the car in a parking lot. As I came to the parking space to park the car with my foot on the brake pedal, the car accelerated all of a sudden after it had stopped before I could shift the gear lever to “Park”. The car went over the curb. I reversed and tried to park the car again in the same spot. The car accelerated again and went over the curb, and this time ended up going all the way to the two-way traffic road located ahead of the curb. Fortunately, there was no traffic on the road at that time and no pedestrian on the sidewalk, and no one got hurt. The car stopped in the middle of the road. I drove back to the parking lot and tried to park the car again in the same spot. This time the car stopped without any incident. The dashboard said, “System Malfunction” and said to take the car to the dealership. I drove to the Lexus dealership without any incident. There was significant damage in the front and both sides of the car. I told Lexus what had happened. A case manager was assigned. An inspector was sent to inspect the car. After the inspection, he sent me a report. The report was technical in nature and had graphs and data points without any explanation. I could not understand the report. He told me that the report was sent to Toyota and Toyota would get back to me after they had analyzed the data downloaded by him. Toyota sent me the report, and the report said that my foot was on the accelerator at that time and the car functioned properly. I am pretty sure that my foot was on the brake pedal at that time and not on the accelerator. Toyota was not willing to answer any questions I had and told me to get a second opinion. Currently, my car is in the auto body shop being repaired via my insurance. Even though, no further incident has happened to date, I am afraid that this could happen again in the future, possibly badly hurting or even killing people.
NHTSA complaint #11699601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hello, I own a 2015 Lexus NX200T. On 9/13/2025 I was pulling into a spot to park, going slow at maybe 4-5 mph, my vehicle suddenly violently accelerates on its own. I had to slam multiple times on the brakes to avoid killing two pedestrians right in front of my vehicle. I was in seconds of killing them and pinning them between the vehicle that was in front of me. I did everything in my power to keep hitting the breaks as hard as I could until it stopped within inches of the two pedestrians. This was extremely dangerous and could have killed a mother and daughter in that split second. This appears to be a case of unintended acceleration, which I understand is a serious safety issue. I've been told by both the dealership and Lexus that because no damage occurred, it's not their problem. But this is clearly a safety defect, not just a maintenance issue. I would like Lexus to take this very seriously. I was shaken and very scared. I have NEVER had this happen before. Lexus suggested that the floor mats may have got caught - NO absolutely not. I have the mats locked in place with clips. I did not hit the accelerator instead of the breaks as that is what is assumed. No external damage occurred, but the unintended acceleration was violent. This incident took control away from me. Even though no accident occurred this time, the potential for injury or death is very high. I contacted Lexus and the dealership, but both declined to inspect the vehicle, stating it was not their issue because no damage occurred. I believe this a very serious safety defect that should be investigated. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate this potential defect in the Lexus NX200T model. If other owners experience the same, this could indicate a widespread safety problem. I was very lucky I did not kill anyone; it would have changed the day's events forever for the lives of two innocent people and myself. I don't feel safe to drive the vehicle after this incident in fear that it could happen again.
NHTSA complaint #11687397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brakes locked up while driving on the freeway, causing collision with another car and freeway guard rail. CHP report taken. AAA auto insurance does not seem interested in investigating manufacturing defect problems/issues. No dashboard warning/maintenance lights illuminated
NHTSA complaint #11678276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The ABS actuator failed. It is available for inspection upon request. The brakes frequently failed, often requiring the brake pedal to be pressed fully to the floor to stop the vehicle, causing severe jolting and near collisions. This created a life-threatening risk to me, my child, and other drivers on the road. A certified Lexus dealership replicated the brake failure issue multiple times during a test drive and confirmed the defective ABS actuator. A trusted local mechanic also identified faulty components, including the master cylinder and spray-painted calipers. The vehicle has been inspected by the certified Lexus dealer and an independent mechanic. There has been no involvement from police or insurance representatives to date. Recently purchased used at 107k. From the initial test drive before purchase, the brakes felt unsafe. Dealer replaced front brake pads. After purchase, the brake pedal often required full depression to stop the vehicle especially during drives longer than 30 minutes.
NHTSA complaint #11675669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coming down a steep, narrow, long driveway leading from a private home on a hill, and moving forward in low gear, I allege that the brakes failed. After 3-5 attempts at braking, we came off the cement driveway as we accelerated and slid off the side of the hill, turning over onto the driver's side of the car and coming to rest near a dropoff, held by the branches of an oak tree. Fire engines came, and the Jaws of Life were applied, basically demolishing the car (which did hold together as we slid along). The seat belts also did their job. The car was removed from the towing yard in Grover Beach, CA, to Fresno, CA, whereupon the car's computer was inspected by an engineer hired by Lexus. He reported no failures. Besides me, the driver, there were two other occupants. My sister has sustained whiplash, and her boyfriend is having some pain in his hip. I seem to be fine. The other occupants were held in place by the seat belts. I was held by my belt and was also resting against the side air bag on the driver's door. The passenger's front side air bag also deployed. There is no confirmation of a problem by the dealer or an independent service center, unless the engineer counts as independent. Other than the engineer, I don't know of any inspection of the vehicle. The Highway Patrol was on the scene but did not write a report as we were on private property. No warning lamps came on that I observed.
NHTSA complaint #11653067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Truck in front had hit brakes so I had tapped mine. Went back to cruise control to maintain distance. I hit the brakes at 0:00:15 when I realized the car was not slowing down. The brakes were palpitating and fighting me the car was not stopping. I could not go right as a car was to my right and if I went left the impact would have been on my daughter’s side and another car was coming on that side as well. Air bags did not deploy, my chest hit the steering wheel (chest impact injury soft tissue), car gave air bag deployment error. The other two cars were able to drive away. My car was undriveable. The cruise control stopped due to me pressing the brakes which did not engage. Based on my research after the accident of the brakes fighting me (pulsating as I had pressed to stop the last time) I had suspected an ABS issues. I had asked both Caliber and Lexus to check. (car only had 3598 miles) The vehicle did have an airbag error upon impact and continued to display error, which was not addressed. I am still awaiting the electronic data- (EDR Event Data Recorder) from the car to see if it aligns with video and what occurred. I was informed that the impact of 26 MPG impact was not sufficient to deploy the airbag but that does not explain why the vehicle had an SRS Airbag System malfunction immediately after the accident. There was no review of the dashcam footage showing where brakes were hit. I have attempted to contact Engineering Analysis Associates (EAA) at [XXX] . Website does not exist. Listed phone numbers 1 586 582 5821 rings busy every day M-Sun at all hours. Not found on BBB website. None of the employees have emails listed on LinkedIn. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11644860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
[XXX] I was Braking while pulling into my Carport almost at the Rear curb, when Suddenly and without Any Warning, my 2022 NX 450h Accelerated Rapidly and sent Me up a short Hill and Crashed into a Large Tree While I still had my foot on the Brake. Then it kept Accelerating and the Front tires Dug a 4in Deep Hole while they were Spinning still with My foot on the brake! I was able to get the car into Reverse and backed it down the hill and turned it off. It wasn't Drivable due to the Extensive Front Damage, so I had it Towed it to my Local Roseville CA Lexus Dealership service and they Told Me to "Get The [XXX] out of Here". Then I had it Towed to a Repair Shop recommended by Lexus. Contacted Lexus to have an Investigation Started and it Took Almost 1 Month to Have an Investigator come out to Look at and had it Towed to Roseville Lexus To obtain the Crash Data from the Black Box. Lexus "Reviewed the Data and Found there was an Unexplained Sudden Acceleration 20 seconds before the Car jumped the curb and Crashed into the Tree." They Did Nothing. I Had My Farmer's Insurance Pay over $19,000 to Have My Car Fixed- it Took 4 mos due to Backordered Parts. Needless to Say, My Car Insurance has Skyrocketed as this is Labeled "At Fault". I Noted the Same Scenario on a NHTSA Complaint #11527971 dated 6/20/23. 2nd Complaint is for the Electrical System and a Complete Lockout on [XXX]. Went to Unlock my car and it wouldn't Unlock. Tried Multiple times, then popped off Key Cover on Handle and used the Valet key to unlock the Door. Once inside, The Car I left the Door open and when I pressed Power, it Wouldn't Start, Nor Shift, but the Steering wheel Would Turn Still. Had to have the Car Towed to Lexus. They Found that the 12v Battery had been Drained and They Claim it was "due to the Security System malfunctioning". I am due to pickup the Car after a Supposed "Fix" but They Refused to Replace the Battery at My Request. I am Very Concerned with These Issues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (F
NHTSA complaint #11643545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have attempted informing Lexus of this situation. To my knowledge, they have not pursued the case. On October 31, 2023, we brought our NX300 [XXX] ) in at 44,806 miles. The left parking brake actuator was inoperative (also rendering the cruise control inoperative). To get to the dealership from Ormond Beach, I removed the appropriate fuses to avoid any undesired operation from the unit. I was hoping any problems would be covered by warranty—it had under 50,000 miles. The Basic Warranty had expired. The Powertrain Warranty was still in effect. Strangely, brakes are not listed in either warranty. This was definitely NOT a wear and tear item. After inspection by Lexus mechanic, the failed actuator would not and could not be covered by warranty. The ‘out-the-door’ cost was $1371.43 (RO# [XXX]). I asked for the old part, which I still have. There is an extreme manufacturing defect I found. Lexus charged $997.63 for the part. The same EXACT part is available online for $37.70---OEM is $189.00. I understand price markup is required for any business, but over 500% may be a bit excessive. I was truly shocked by what I had found within the sealed actuator. The why and how the actuator actually failed is blatantly obvious and could be a serious safety hazard for anyone driving a car with this type actuator that was manufactured in and around the same time as this one. The motor within the unit is held in place by 3 torx head screws which (all three) were completely unscrewed and were rattling above their appropriate threaded hole. Each screw has little or no threadlocker (Loctite) on the threads. The compression ring on top of each threaded hole is not compressed. This indicates the screws were never torqued to the proper specifications during manufacture. I believe there is a possibility of a brake malfunction due to manufacturer's defect in the brake actuator part. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11629251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am writing to express my deep disappointment with the service I have received regarding my 2021 Lexus NX 300, which I purchased pre-owned in October 2022 with approximately 8,000 miles. I trusted in Lexus's renowned reputation for luxury, dependability, and premium comfort. However, my experience with your service department has significantly diminished that trust. Since my initial report of a recurring issue with the braking system on [XXX], 2023, where I heard a cracking sound in the tire and brake area as if the brakes and wheels were about to fail, I have made multiple visits to the dealership. These visits include: [XXX], 2023: Initial concern reported. No findings were made. [XXX], 2023: Returned to the dealership, noise was noticed, and advised that the braking pins required replacing. Left the dealership with a louder noise issue. [XXX], 2023: Christopher Villacreses acknowledged a few complaints regarding the braking system but stated there was no solution and no recall on the vehicle. When questioned about persistent issues, he advised to bring the car back but was unsure if it would be covered under warranty. [XXX], 2024: After filing a complaint with Corporate, Tim, the Master Technician, was assigned to check the vehicle. I was provided with a loaner car for a week. Upon returning, no explanation of the problem was given, despite my deep concerns for my family's safety. [XXX], 2024: Following a complaint with NCDS, Lexus replaced all brakes on the vehicle. However, the problem persisted and seemingly worsened. Despite five subsequent visits and repeated attempts to address the issue, including replacing the brake kits, pins, and all four brake pads, the problem remains unresolved. I am in fear that my brakes may fail while driving, potentially causing injury to my family or others due to this defect. I feel manipulated by the corporation's lack of transparency regarding the issue, and I no feel safe. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11594768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was in a car accident on the freeway . I had just got onto the freeway so I couldn’t have been going that fast . The brakes on this Lexus Nx [XXX] to say the least . Also the collision sensor and warning also are useless. The warning light and sound didn’t go off until I was basically rear ending the other vehicle . I had a different , 10 year old car . A 2014 that would start to pump air and brake itself even when the car sensor believed it was close to a car and I wasn’t braking . This 2024 Lexus didn’t brake nor warn me in time . When I did notice the car in front of me had come to a complete stop I immediately hit the brakes but the car was still sliding forward ! This sliding motion happened once before when I made a u- turn and had to stop because of the line going into a shopping center . Luckily that time I had more space and lower speed and more time to react. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11577161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My concern is regarding the auto start-stop feature. It is a concern since the feature is tied to both the brakes and engine, and it could lead to other/bigger issues. When stepping on the brakes to come to a stop, sometimes the auto start-stop feature turns on. Upon releasing the brakes, there is a loud grinding noise. I brought it to the dealer twice for this issue. The first time a master technician got in the car with me, he drove it and he was able to reproduce the sound continuously, at least 10 times. I left my car with them for a week and was told they were never able to reproduce the noise again. I brought my car home and drove it for 5 days and then it started making the noise again. I took it back to the dealership and they kept it for another 5 days. I was told again they were not able to reproduce the noise. There have been no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem. As background, I purchased my car in April of 2023. The noise started in January of 2024, with less than 6800 miles on it. It happened off and on and it took a few weeks for me to realize the noise was tied to the start-stop feature. Once it became more prevalent, that is when I finally called the dealership to explain the issue and got an appointment to take my car in on 2/19/2024. I currently don't have videos to attach but can follow up with videos in the future if needed.
NHTSA complaint #11575807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While traveling at freeway speeds the vehicle's emergency braking system activated without the operator initiating the system resulting in rear wheels locking up, causing the vehicle to go into a rear wheel skid.
NHTSA complaint #11533175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A 3 cars collision involves this vehicle accelerating while my mom was holding on to the brake pedal. She was pulling into our home driveway, when suddenly it accelerate and hit my sister Prius and my dad's Rav4. See photos. No one pull into the driveway with their foot on the gas pedal. I strongly believe the agency should investigate this vehicle to capture a potential recall with this model. Available is a video of the door ring showing the car engine ramp up after forcefully stopped by two park cars.
NHTSA complaint #11527971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My brakes have stopped working twice. Each time I'll stop driving for a day and it's normal again. When it happens my brakes feel very loose and I can't control the direction of my car. I have to pump multiple times and/or press all the way to the floor to even begin to feel it begin to brake. I've had my car checked out and nothing was physically wrong with it.
NHTSA complaint #11527700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.