Can't Believe I'm The Only One With This Problem

[AWD Lady]

2007 IS250 AWD. Purchased new. 28 miles. From Lexus of Orlando in FL. From time I drove off the lot I had a hard pull to the left when I brake. Specifically, when I hit the brakes the steering wheel literally turns as much as a 1/4 turn, and the car tries to go left. It is always left.

Took to dealer, included the description on every survey, wrote letters. With approx. 7200 miles, still isn't fixed. Problem is that the problem is intermittent. Have taken to dealer twice. They rotated the tires and cleaned the brakes. Unfortunately for me, I am an older woman, and therefore not a reliable witness. But I will not be ignored. I have not let up on my agitation. The dealer's next step is for me to see a factory tech when he comes in few weeks.

Meanwhile, the problem has changed a bit. During the first 5000 miles or so it was a moderate left pull when I hit the brakes. Recently, however, I have had 3 distinct incidences when I was either slowing or stopping from a high rate of speed (say 50 or so), and the car literally fought with me to try to turn into the left lane. It happened today with my kids in the car. They are old enough to use bad language and DID.

Anyone have a similar problem or possible suggestions of things for Lexus to check. I believe that it may be tied to the system that tries to stablize the car when stopping at high speeds because sometimes I can feel the wheel turning back and forth while I try to stop.

[bartkat]

You've probably done this but when you call Lexus roadside assistance stress that you have a safety problem.

[twitte]

2007 IS250 AWD. Purchased new. 28 miles. From Lexus of Orlando in FL. From time I drove off the lot I had a hard pull to the left when I brake. Specifically, when I hit the brakes the steering wheel literally turns as much as a 1/4 turn, and the car tries to go left. It is always left.

Took to dealer, included the description on every survey, wrote letters. With approx. 7200 miles, still isn't fixed. Problem is that the problem is intermittent. Have taken to dealer twice. They rotated the tires and cleaned the brakes. Unfortunately for me, I am an older woman, and therefore not a reliable witness. But I will not be ignored. I have not let up on my agitation. The dealer's next step is for me to see a factory tech when he comes in few weeks.

Meanwhile, the problem has changed a bit. During the first 5000 miles or so it was a moderate left pull when I hit the brakes. Recently, however, I have had 3 distinct incidences when I was either slowing or stopping from a high rate of speed (say 50 or so), and the car literally fought with me to try to turn into the left lane. It happened today with my kids in the car. They are old enough to use bad language and DID.

Anyone have a similar problem or possible suggestions of things for Lexus to check. I believe that it may be tied to the system that tries to stablize the car when stopping at high speeds because sometimes I can feel the wheel turning back and forth while I try to stop.

I would check the following items:

1. Tire pressure (both front tires should be the same)

2. Front end wheel alignment (dealer can check this)

3. Brake Pads/Rotors (maybe there is oil on the right rotor or something else wrong)

Obviously something is wrong with the car. Does your car drive in a straight line on the freeway when you take your hand off the steering wheel? If so, then is probably isn't the tire pressure. It seems like I've had this problem before in various cars and it was related to wheel alignment. Maybe someone else can jump in and add their 2 cents. Good luck.

[tex2670]

Have you tried switching dealers so someone else is looking at it?

[Scott M]

I would check the following items:

1. Tire pressure (both front tires should be the same)

2. Front end wheel alignment (dealer can check this)

3. Brake Pads/Rotors (maybe there is oil on the right rotor or something else wrong)

Obviously something is wrong with the car. Does your car drive in a straight line on the freeway when you take your hand off the steering wheel? If so, then is probably isn't the tire pressure. It seems like I've had this problem before in various cars and it was related to wheel alignment. Maybe someone else can jump in and add their 2 cents. Good luck.

If it was an alignment issue or a problem with the pads/rotors, the problem would not be intermittent.

This sounds like a problem with a caliper or something within the hydraulic system.

The issue here is that it only happens on some occasions and it sounds like more pressure is being applied to the left side caliper than to the right.

My guess it a sticking caliper on the right side, a bent brake line or an issue within the hydraulic system which sends braking power to some wheels more so than others depending on the signal sent from the VDIM system.

This is a safety concern on a brand new car, and you have been reporting it since taking the car home.

Bring it back, demand a loaner, and tell them not to call you until it's corrected.

[EnginePassion]

I would check the following items:

1. Tire pressure (both front tires should be the same)

2. Front end wheel alignment (dealer can check this)

3. Brake Pads/Rotors (maybe there is oil on the right rotor or something else wrong)

Obviously something is wrong with the car. Does your car drive in a straight line on the freeway when you take your hand off the steering wheel? If so, then is probably isn't the tire pressure. It seems like I've had this problem before in various cars and it was related to wheel alignment. Maybe someone else can jump in and add their 2 cents. Good luck.

If it was an alignment issue or a problem with the pads/rotors, the problem would not be intermittent.

This sounds like a problem with a caliper or something within the hydraulic system.

The issue here is that it only happens on some occasions and it sounds like more pressure is being applied to the left side caliper than to the right.

My guess it a sticking caliper on the right side, a bent brake line or an issue within the hydraulic system which sends braking power to some wheels more so than others depending on the signal sent from the VDIM system.

This is a safety concern on a brand new car, and you have been reporting it since taking the car home.

Bring it back, demand a loaner, and tell them not to call you until it's corrected.

=====================

Scott M:

The problem is the dealers always call back and claim it's been fixed. I don't have this particular problem but have other ones. My dealer says something "off the record" but does not write it and instead they write they fixed the problem... One time the service manager mocked me when I told him about certain problem which was later on proved to be existing. Other service tech said I'm reading off the internet and what I read is not always applicable on my IS250. Lexus US are not always helpful because they seemingly side with the dealer.

[AWD Lady]

Thanks to all of you for your comments, ideas, suggestions.

The dealer did an alignment at 3500--no changes were necessary. At 5000 they supposedly rotated tires, cleaned brakes and calipers, and ran an ABS diagnostic.

One other thing did occur to me--would it make any sense that it could be the RIGHT brake that is not working properly and therefore making it appear that the left brake is grabbing?

[lenore]

I wonder if one of the ABS speed sensors is going bad, or loose? Seems though it would generate a code in the computer....

Maybe there is a pinched brake line as someone else mentioned. That could make the caliper act weird...

[bartkat]

Thanks to all of you for your comments, ideas, suggestions.

The dealer did an alignment at 3500--no changes were necessary. At 5000 they supposedly rotated tires, cleaned brakes and calipers, and ran an ABS diagnostic.

One other thing did occur to me--would it make any sense that it could be the RIGHT brake that is not working properly and therefore making it appear that the left brake is grabbing?

Yes it could be if one brake isn't working at all it would seem like the opposite brake is grabbing.

The safety issue is why I suggested to call Lexus Roadside Assistance. If they deem it a safety issue, they can write an order for the car to be picked up and properly repaired. I say this because I had the seat belt problem well before a TSB was issued. They offered to have the car picked up on a flatbed and taken to the dealer with an order for repair. It was deemed that the car was unsafe to drive with the driver's seatbelt inoperable.

[isboy]

My money is on a stuck right front caliper.

[warhummer1]

One possibility might be the physical road surface where you're doing the braking. I'm not entirely familiar with your situation, but I have had instances of the steering wheel kicking slightly while braking on uneven asphalt. Basically, "tire tracks" formed at some intersections where heavy truck and auto traffic have literally worn shallow grooves into the road surface. If I start to brake with the wheels not in these grooves, the steering wheel tends to turn a bit until all four tires are tracking along in the ruts.

If you can track locations where this is happening, it might help the diagnosis.

[CrunchySkippy]

One possibility might be the physical road surface where you're doing the braking. I'm not entirely familiar with your situation, but I have had instances of the steering wheel kicking slightly while braking on uneven asphalt. Basically, "tire tracks" formed at some intersections where heavy truck and auto traffic have literally worn shallow grooves into the road surface. If I start to brake with the wheels not in these grooves, the steering wheel tends to turn a bit until all four tires are tracking along in the ruts.

If you can track locations where this is happening, it might help the diagnosis.

Warhummer1 - That's exactly what I was thinking...only I couldn't figure out how to verbalize it.

AWD Lady - See if you can note that it only happens in certain locations. Large crowns in the road will also have this effect (except you did say it was pulling left instead of right).

[AWD Lady]

You guys are GREAT!! You've given me an enormous amount of ammo for my meeting with the national tech representative. We don't have a date yet, but I will let you all know how all of this turns out.

PS--on the road tracking being the cause--I have kind of considered this because I did notice a couple times I was on a slight slope when it happened. My question, though is why is it ALWAYS a LEFT pull? I have never had it make a pull right. And the last time was really scary--I had to fight the wheel to stay straight. I had applied the brakes, it started to pull; I let off, reapplied, and it pulled left REAL hard, turning the steering wheel a full quarter turn. It just seems weird to me.

[EnginePassion]

I have same problem BUT I did not try to discuss it with the dealership since I've been struggling with them to solve the very obvious thing "rattling issue"--they're not successful so far. I'm not if this is a design flaw related to this vehicle stability. I thought about the issue that Lexus designers have never attempted to drive this care over a rough road, that's why these rattles and drifting problems were not taken care of in the design.

[bartkat]

It's not a design flaw.

[IS350 Owner]

I can confirm this very problem. I just bought the car, pulled off the lot and pulled up to the traffic light and when I hit the brakes it pulled...well, sort of hard, to the left. I thought oh man this car needs an aligment. But during later driving (bought it last night 11/5) I haven't experienced it. Since I just bought the car, I will keep you in the loop if it happens again. I am going to ask the dealer to align and check the braking system anyway, but now that I've read this I cam convinced this is a problem with the IS. I have an IS350 btw.

Mark

[CrunchySkippy]

I can confirm this very problem. I just bought the car, pulled off the lot and pulled up to the traffic light and when I hit the brakes it pulled...well, sort of hard, to the left. I thought oh man this car needs an aligment. But during later driving (bought it last night 11/5) I haven't experienced it. Since I just bought the car, I will keep you in the loop if it happens again. I am going to ask the dealer to align and check the braking system anyway, but now that I've read this I cam convinced this is a problem with the IS. I have an IS350 btw.

Mark

Mark - I would keep an eye on it, but wouldn't bother taking it back to the dealer for just this issue. You're describing what sounds like a situation where tractor trailor's (semi's) have crushed the ashpalt while waiting at a stoplight. Any car (make/model/etc) will naturally try to run with the ruts in that situation. However different axle widths affect each model differently so you may or may not have noticed it as dramatically with your old vehicle.

I'm not saying that a few people aren't having real issues with brake induced pulling, but I certainly wouldn't claim its a design flaw. A design flaw would mean that everyone would be experiencing a pull when braking. A sample population of the this board would indicate otherwise.

Enjoy your new car.