Brake complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My 17 year old daughter was driving my 2003 Lexus in town. We have never had any previous similar incidents, and have not experienced the same thing since. She had stopped at a stop light, but was too far back, so she wanted to pull up a little. She took her foot off the brake, and the car moved forward. She repeatedly pushed the brake, but they did not work. The car stopped when she hit the car in front of her. I had the car checked after the accident, but they couldn't find anything obvious. However, she, and the other passengers, have verified that she repeatedly pushed the brake to no avail.
While parking consumer depressed the brake pedal and vehicle lurched forward, hitting a building. The front of the vehicle was damaged. Vehicle was taken to the dealer, who could not determine the cause of the problem.
Lexus es 300 year 2002, I was pulling into a parking space, traveling at slow speed, 5-8 miles an hour, when the car would not stop, despite applying the brake. The car engine appeared to have a low hum and appeared to be in overdrive. The car jumped over a concrete divider, over a sidewalk, through a brick wall and plate glass window. The car was in a furniture store. The front of the car was extensively damaged. I ( the driver) hit my head ( left side) and the left side of my body hit the side of the car. The accident was reported to Lexus. They had access to evaluate the car and said that the brakes were fine. This type of accident has happened to other drivers of this make and year of car. I hope it will be evaluated carefully. I have suffered as a result of this accident. Just because Lexus could not find a problem , does not mean that it does not exist. …
I had just left my doctor's office and gone to a parking structure where I had parked my car for the visit. I paid the parking charge, got back my validated ticket, and inserted the ticket in the gate-arm machine. The gate lifted, and I put my foot lightly on the accelerator to exit from the parking structure into the street. The car then picked up speed, well past what it should have picked up based on the light pressure I had put on the accelerator, and the brakes had no effect. The car went faster and faster, crossed a street, and crashed into a concrete wall. On impact, the airbags were deployed. I suffered serious back pain, and my wife was in the hospital for three nights with two broken ribs. The car was totaled.
2001 Lexus es 300 brake problems causing so far 4 accidents- failure to stop. Spongy-like brakes. Dealer serviced and made aware. These have been collisions while trying to stop and other vehicles have been rear ended. The latest accident on October 1o, 2003 hit a group of public supermarket shopping carts damaging the hood of the car and emblem front plastic cover. The car just does not stop well when asked to. The service dealership just completed the 30000 mile check up and specifically was told about the brake problem. They stated that a full search was done and the vehicle received new front brake pads as a recommended item to improve the problem without success. I tested the vehicle upon delivery after the service and found that the car spongy feeling continued. The dealership service department stated that there is nothing they can do about it. …
Consumer complained of grinding brake noise when stopping. Dealer replaced front rotors and pads with "updated" versions and replaced brake fluid. When first driven after "update" brake peddle went to floor and car became difficult to stop. Pedal soon became less spongy, but required more pressure and more pedal travel to stop car than in the past. Dealer service writer said pedal felt normal. After two or three close calls consumer fin rear ended another stopping car, causing over $12,000 in damage to subject car and car that it hit. No injuries. After complete repairs owner traded in the car because it was still too hard to stop. Salesman noticed the same thing when he drove car to back lot after trade in.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Lexus ES300. While the contact was pulling out of a parking spot the contact noticed that the brakes suddenly stopped functioning causing the vehicle to crash into a wall. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership and there were no prior warnings. The contact sufferd minor injuries to the chest and a police report was not filed for the crash. The current and failure mileages were 40000. Updated 3/16/10 updated 09/30/10
Car surged out of control-stopped by a fire hydrant and lawn bushes =car was totaled- bags did not open-problem with sensors replaced 2 and the\immediately before crash- run away check engine light plus another light came on.
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The left front brake tube May have been deformed prior to vehicle delivery due to improper installation of a coil spring spacer that was installed to prevent damage to the vehicle during transportation.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front brake line and, if necessary, replace the line. Owner notification began January 1, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, idaho, illinois, iowa, kansas, maine, michigan,minnesota, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new york, noth dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new design brake vacuum hose.
Frequently asked questions
Which Lexus ES300 years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (14), 2000 (8), 1995 (7), 2003 (7) and 2001 (6) model years. Brake complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Lexus ES300 brake problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 01V-371 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Dec 11, 2001); 97V-156 (power assist, Sep 17, 1997). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Lexus ES300 brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles; 52% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (13 mentions), followed by the foundation components › disc › rotor (7).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.