Brake Failure

[bames]

Recently I posted this message on is300.net:

Folks:

I have been having a problem with my brakes for about a year now. My 2k2 eShift w/ Navigation is currently in shop as I type this. It started out subtley, I would pull up to a stop sign and I would over-shoot it by about half a car length. I brought the car in immediately (Nalley Lexus, Atlanta GA), and they seemed interested in helping me. A tech test drove my car with me even though I did not have an appt.

The tech then decided after one test drive that my car was fine. I took his word for it. They didnt even write up a ticket for it.

The problem continued to occur about once every 3 weeks or so. Always in the same place, the stop sign as I exit my neighborhood. Then it happened to my husband, and he had me take it back in immediately. I still got the feeling they think we are fabricating the symptoms. They examined it and said basically "This sort of thing is to be expected within the first 30 seconds you drive the car."

This past weekend while my husband was driving us back from dinner, we rolled through an intersection to the other side before the car actually stopped. Luckily, we were not side-swiped as it was light traffic. My husband had been braking for a while, and he says he could have rolled through 5 intersections for as long as he was frantically trying to stop the car. He is an aggressive driver, and of course my car brings that out even more in him. His BMW X5 doesnt corner or accelerate nearly as nicely .

I searched the forums, but was unable to find anyone else with a problem like this. Please email me if you know of anyone who has had factory brakes fail. It feels like the brakes have air in them, and need to be bled, but it is not consistent enough for that to be the problem. Also the ABS does not kick in, it is a smooth, heart-stopping, gradual stop.

Any advice welcome,

Brenda

Atlanta, GA

[AWJ]

Did the tech's look at the reservoir? Check to make sure there is fluid in there up to the full line. Has there been a brake job or work of any type done to the brakes, wheels, or suspension? This is very serious and the car should not be driven until the problem is discovered. How do the pads look? Are the rotors ok? Is the brake fluid dirty? Take it to a brake shop and have them bleed the brake system replace the fluid, replace the pads and check the rotors. Then make sure the wheels are installed to the correct torque rating on the lugs. Have them inspect all brake lines. Again, the car is unsafe to drive. Do not drive it unless it is to a well reputed mechanic. Be extremely careful. Is there an brake fault light on the dash board? ABS light or anything?

[bames]

There are a bunch of replies on www.is300.net that you can read. It describes everything that has been going on to get you up to speed if you are interested. The category is "stop, drop, and roll". The title of the discussion is "brake failure ***legal advice needed***. Thanks for the reply.

My husband contacted the 800 number customer service line today and has gotten someone from the Lexus company to help us. Maybe we will get the problem fixed.

[AWJ]

At any rate some electrical items to consider are the ABS control unit, speed sensor, and associated relays. This is a strange issue and not typical of Lexus. I'm sure it will be resolved. Be careful.

[bames]

Hello:

This is Brenda's husband. According to the dealership, the ECU (brake computer?) did not log any errors or brake failures. They cannot conceive of the possibility that the system lost pressure then regained it, but that is exactly what it *felt* like. We will keep y'all updated.

Chris Ames

[AWJ]

Have the brakes been bled?

[Zephyr]

hi

might be a dumb question but what does it mean when you say "bleed the brakes"?

[bartkat]

If you work on the brakes with any fluid lines open, you have to bleed any air out of the lines so the entire system is full of fluid with no air inside. Otherwise, the aire can be compressed and the brakes won't function properly.

[jzz30]

you said this happens at the same place right by your house right? have your brakes been changed? was it at a dealer if it was changed? if it wasnt its possible that they put a hot pad on meaning that the breaks dont work well when its cold but once it heats up a little its fine. in anycase if your brakes were worked on then theres a chance that there is air in the system so get it checked as awj says

[SKperformance]

my one question is

is the stops after a good bit of straight driving meaning no stop and go traffic

like after a highway ?

if so then it might be the torque convertor staying locked up

which causes the car to keep moving forward without realesing the wheels from the engine

does it ever seem to almost cut out also?