10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
118,392 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Lexus RX 400h brakes problems

brakes problem

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2006 Lexus RX 400h Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #22

Aug 022016

RX 400h

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2006 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated that the vehicle would emit abnormal sounds long after the vehicle was parked. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact stood on the brake and the vehicle finally responded. The brake warning light and the ABS warning light were illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving at slower speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ABS actuator had failed. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Lexus Technical Service Bulletin Number: POL16-01 because the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Massapequa Park, NY, USA

problem #21

Nov 162021

RX 400h

  • 190,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal would depress to the floorboard without proper braking functionality. The contact stated that the ABS, traction control, service brakes, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the skid control unit needed to be replaced however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact then spoke to a local dealer but did not take the vehicle to be inspected due to the cost of the diagnostic fee. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

- Daly City, CA, USA

problem #20

May 012020

RX 400h 4-cyl

  • 160,000 miles
Found out the brake actuator is failing and told from Toyota they have recalls on the actuator for highlander hybrid and prius hybrid. Lexus stated they do not recall for same issue. Feels unsafe when braking as it makes loud noise and grinds a bit. I've read forums on other same year and makes causing them to crash. Loud chirping on idle braking and when braking harder and sometimes skipping.

- Cerritos, CA, USA

problem #19

Oct 012019

RX 400h

  • 180,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought a Lexus rx400H back in 2013-2014 and recently my car experience some serious issues. While driving on the highway to take my son to his football game my ABS system completely went out on me almost causing me to crash. I recently went to Lexus to find out the problem and was told it was my actuator. I ask Lexus about a recall I was informed of back in 2016-2017 for actuator and they stated it never was a recalled. Since I never was notified and only heard about it from another Lexus mechanic I ask him for documents and he tried to throw away the paper that showed my car was recalled for the actuator, melting dash board and economic loss class action lawsuit. I need help figuring out what I can do to get Lexus to honor the safety recalls on my car.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #18

Jun 012019

RX 400h

  • 110,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Lexus Rx400H. While driving, the brake pedal became very difficult to depress and vibrated while being depressed to the floorboard. Also, the brake warning indicator was illuminated. The contact stated that she was able to drive 30 mph to Lexus of glendale (1221 S brand blvd, glendale, ca 91204, (818) 507-1300) where it was diagnosed that the brake actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided case number: 1911142372. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

- Tujunga, CA, USA

problem #17

Dec 302012

RX 400h

  • 99,000 miles
Takata recall ABS, vsc, and brake lights are on. Found brake actuator failing needs to replace. I was on the highway and the brake pedal was down.

- Bradenton, FL, USA

problem #16

Jun 122018

RX 400h

  • 135,741 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

As I was driving, when I pressed the brakes I could hear a grinding noise and did not feel enough pressure on the brake pedal, I got scared and slowed down my speed. It turned out that according to the Agency service shop, the brake actuator needs to be replaced since it does not provide enough air/pressure when I brake at a low speeds (it's worn out), plus the cv axle on driver's side is leaking. My point is, it costs me over $3,000 dlls to repair with only 1 year labor/parts warranty; I read that brake actuators for 2006, 2007. & 2008 Rx400H Lexus and Toyota highlander models came out defective, that once they get replaced, they will fail again most likely within a year and Lexus has not done anything about it, pretending that there is nothing wrong with it, allowing us to drive our vehicles like that while having our lives at risk. I al so read that mechanics working for Lexus companies have stated that Lexus spends millions of dollars on brake actuators alone because they get replaced too often. Please investigate this issue and if possible force Toyota/Lexus to do a massive recall. I do not have the money nor can't afford to pay this much money to repair it. I am still making payments towards the cost of the vehicle, over $15,000 about 3 years ago and I do not think this is fair. I am the only driver, live in a small city, and do not drive it much.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #15

May 012018

RX 400h

  • 120,000 miles
This was our first hybrid vehicle. We were not familiar with the weird noises and the particularsbin the way the vehicle operates. This particular issue was with the ABS breaking system. I had taken my car to Lexus a few times for oil changes, a problem with the power converter and another issue over the last 6 plus years I always complained about the pulsing of the brakes and the barking and other noises coming from the car. This last month or so a warning light for ABS and another warning had come up. I had recently had the rear brakes done and called the local brake shop. They ran diagnostics and said the ABS actuator needed replaced. Error code C1256 and C1391. I decided to look up these codes and my Lexus model and found many. Many many people with this same issue over the last 3 years or so. Most received a letter from Lexus advising of a"warranty enhancement. I have never received this or any recall letter for my Lexus. The people on these lexusclub boards all had this issue. Many of them did not have the "warning light" come on and were denied a repair. I have always had the issue and the warning light came on a month or so ago and I find that this is a hugh safety issue since it's with the breaking system. Lexus is aware of it and extended the warranty to 12/31/2017. Well even though I purchased an extended warranty they say it's not covered and ithe repair is about $2500-$3000. Today we called Lexus customer service and they state it's our fault for not bringing it in on time they said they did their due diligence and sent them. Well I have never once received any recall it warranty enhancement notice. I have lived here 23 years and owned the car for more than 6 years. Lexus calls this a warranty enhancement"dealers call this a safety issue. Should have been a recall.but to avoid the recall stigma they issue an enhancement

- Simi Valley, CA, USA

problem #14

May 102018

RX 400h

  • 109,000 miles
While driving 50 mph on a busy road in MA the car abruptly stalled and lost power and ability to control it other than with a glide and manual steering to pull off the roadway and out of busy traffic, which could have been deadly for both our son and the people driving around him. Upon having it towed to the Lexus dealership, they informed us that the dashboard sensors were indicating a faulty oil pump and possibly a failed inverter. "they had no way of determining if the inverter was faulty without first repairing the oil pump for $1200." Upon repairing the oil pump, we learned the inverter ($8000 repair) was damaged and needed repair. The dealer could not explain this and had "never seen or heard of such a thing." Further investigation on our part, showed that over 235,000 2006 and beyond Toyota hybrid vehicles had been recalled for a faulty inverter in 2013. While our vehicle VIN does not show up on the recall list, we believe we are experiencing the exact same problem. Lexus corporate is denying any part in this and refused to stand behind the vehicle with only 109,000 miles and quickly closed the case. Our concern is there are more vehicles out there with this issue, and that it could be deadly for operators and drivers. If the inverter was identified as faulty already on over 235,000 vehicles, an expanded search on additional vins needs to take place. Lexus was very comfortable in confirming that they did not and would not stand behind their vehicles beyond 100,000 miles, and essentially, it was good that our son did not get injured, and sorry our car was essentially totalled (value of vehicle is approx $9000 based on kelly blue book) for the faulty inverter which was not identified on the recall.

- Shrewsbury, MA, USA

problem #13

Mar 122018

RX 400h

  • 142,000 miles
May 1, 2018 Lexus headquarters us 19001 S western ave torrance, ca 90501 attn: Customer service I am the owner of a 2006 Rx400H I have recently discovered has an abnormal leak in the brake actuator designated C1391 on computer diagnostic equipment. I have been advised by the service department of a local dealership that this has rendered the ABS brake system inoperable. Further, I am disappointed to learn Lexus is unwilling to repair the car under a warranty extension program established by the company. My vehicle is beyond the 10 year window established by Lexus for this program, yet under the 150,000 mileage limit. Through on-line research I learned Lexus has been aware of vehicles with defective brake actuators for over a decade. Yet, the company failed to provide notification that would have allowed me to take corrective action within the warranty extension time period. I am disheartened to learn Lexus would allow an owner to drive a vehicle with a latent safety defect. And, I do not understand why Lexus would jeopardize the quality brand it has worked so diligently to establish. Under similar circumstances, Honda honored an extended vehicle warranty on my car, totally unrelated to safety. The company replaced a faulty air conditioning compressor, warranted for 80,000 miles, on a car with 85,000 miles without charge. Honda supports customers with action, not just words. In my opinion, they delivered on a commitment to customer satisfaction. I would have expected no less from Lexus. I urge Lexus to reconsider the company's decision to not repair a defective component on my vehicle that compromises my safety and the safety of others. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

- Cocoa Beach, FL, USA

problem #12

Apr 022018

RX 400h

  • 220,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2006 Lexus Rx400H. While driving 70 mph, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to immediately respond and was difficult to stop. There were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the failure. The contact researched the VIN online and stated that there were no recalls concerning the failure. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the brake failure had been occurring randomly for over two years. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 220,000.

- Chagrin Falls, OH, USA

problem #11

Apr 022018

RX 400h

  • 220,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Lexus Rx400H. While the contact's wife was driving various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to engage. The brake pedal traveled to the floorboard before coming to a stop. There were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the failure. The contact researched the VIN online at NHTSA.gov, but found no open recalls. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring for the past two years. The failure mileage was 220,000. The VIN was not available.

- Chagrin Falls, OH, USA

problem #10

Apr 072018

RX 400h 6-cyl

  • 135,828 miles
The hybrid system light turned on. Next were the brake and ABS lights turned on, then the was stalled in the middle of the road. The car was in motion and I was able to steered it to the side of the road. It was on the street road. I checked for the recalls related to the VIN, but no recalls for this vehicle although there were 6 recalls total. One of the recall related to the inverter coolant. It happened to me twice once at around 120K and now 135,828 miles.my VIN is [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #9

Feb 172018

RX 400h

  • 1 miles
After the vehicle been working perfectly, after overnight the various warning lamps, including the mal function indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, master warning light, and check vsc system message showed up on the instrument panel. When the vehicle were in motion, the breaks went in blank, continuing running even with the break pedal pressed. The vehicle only stoped with the emergency breaks. After get the vehicle checked at my nearest Lexus dealer, the service advisor indicate than the issue has been caused by the actuator and the break master cylinder, which would cost $4,595 plus tax.

- Carolina, PR, USA

problem #8

Aug 242017

RX 400h

  • miles
Brake actuator overworking, brakes chirp when pedal compresses, all dash warning light on. "check vsc system" - ABS, brake, traction control, red caution light. Regenerative braking not working.

- Salt Lake City, UT, USA

problem #7

Nov 272016

RX 400h

  • 151,000 miles
The brakes make a strange chirp-type noise when I apply pressure, usually it happens when I am stopped and my foot on the brake. Holding my foot steady on the brake and it happens randomly and often. I had my brakes checked and the pads and rotors are fine; they told me it was the actuator and was a known Lexus problem. This has been happening for several months and I have never gotten a notice from Lexus stating it is a problem.

- Fuquay Varina, NC, USA

problem #6

Nov 192015

RX 400h

  • 130,000 miles
I have ABS vsc and several other lights on on the dash. The response from Lexus is I need a new ABS accumulator assembly. Costs is in the thousands. The similar model design pump was used in the 2007-2011 Camry. Toyota has issued a warranty extension on that pump. Why has the Rx400H and the highlander not received this extension!

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #5

Apr 012013

RX 400h 6-cyl

  • 138,000 miles
ABS system intermittent failure and master brake cylinder failure.

- Lufkin, TX, USA

problem #4

Feb 232014

RX 400h 6-cyl

  • 118,000 miles
Slowing the vehicle at a stop sign from about 20mph. Constantly applied brake pressure. At about 15mph the brake pressure involuntarily released and the car accelerated forward. My foot was never on the accelerator and continued to apply pressure to the brake throughout the acceleration. Approx. 1/4 second after the acceleration, the brake came back on and continued to apply at the same constant pressure. The entire sequence of events lasted about 1/2 a second but caused the vehicle to lurch forward while braking. This happens about once a week.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #3

Jan 132014

RX 400h 6-cyl

  • 101,048 miles
As I was approaching a red light I started to brake. My brakes did not engage even when I pumped. I swung my care to the left so I would not rear end the car in front. I hit the car on the passenger rear corner (on my left) and totaled my Lexus. My brakes were fine up to that moment and although I could not drive the car away from the scene they seemed to be working again when I pressed on them (although I cannot be sure as the car was still). It was horrible.

- Houston, TX, USA

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