Help - Major Issue With Rx450H F Sport

rayaans · January 6, 2015

Long story short, I went on holiday for 3 weeks and just got back today. I was worried about the Battery but the car starts and runs. It is parked in a garage with the front facing the back of the garage.

Problems -

1) Car doesn't reverse even though parking brake is off and the back of the car rises like its about to pounce

2) Car doesnt go forward and the front rises like its going to pounce but doesnt go anywhere

3 - Called Lexus roadside assistance who sent the AA bloke who was there for a good 2 hours. He thought it was the rear brakes stuck. He jacked up the car and hit the drum with a mallet and eventually concluded its not the brakes as there's about 0.5-1 inch turn in both rear wheels.

So here I am, stuck with my beloved Lexus that can't move out of the garage - any suggestions or ideas please? Would really appreciate it. Car is still under warranty until June 2015.

The AA bloke reckons the rear wheels are locked but no idea on why as he came to the conclusion that the brakes are not stuck because the wheels move slightly

Another issue is that the AA bloke said it'd be difficult to get a big truck into my drive so no idea on how to take it out :(

RgrWynne · January 6, 2015

Hi rayan , if the vehicle is still under Lexus Warranty, I would have thought it was Lexus Assistance responsibility to sort your problem out. If the AA man does not know what to do he should refer to Lexus. Hope you get sorted, but give them the problem .

rayaans · January 6, 2015

Hi rayan , if the vehicle is still under Lexus Warranty, I would have thought it was Lexus Assistance responsibility to sort your problem out. If the AA man does not know what to do he should refer to Lexus. Hope you get sorted, but give them the problem .

Well yes, my dealer, Lexus Stockport says itd be easier if Lexus Bradford did the job as they're only 6 miles from me and theyre sending a truck to pick the RX up tomorrow morning at 9. Hopefully it can get into my drive and drag the RX out of the garage as it wont move forwards or backwards!

RXJasonRX · January 6, 2015

hello.

have you checked the autobox? is the gear selector moving out of Park or reverse? Whatabout pressing the shift lock? does that move the selector?

jason

is200 Newbie · January 6, 2015

It sounds like a brake issue - did the AA try both sides?

stevet · January 6, 2015

Sounds like the rear diff to me. It's connected directly to motor/generator which I bet has somehow locked. It will need the back jacking up and the wheels put on some kind of trolley to drag in onto the truck.

Let us know the outcome.

ColinBarber · January 6, 2015

it certainly does sound like a frozen/stuck parking brake but if both wheels definitely had play then it points more towards the rear diff, although it shouldn't lock up even if the electric motor had a problem.

rayaans · January 6, 2015

Gear shifter moves from park into all positions. No problems with gear selection. When disengaging the parking brake by foot, the symbol also goes on the dash so that's working right?

Both sides were checked - rear wheels rotate by 0.5-1 inch only but front wheels are free to rotate.

How do you unlock the rear differential?

rayaans · January 6, 2015

it certainly does sound like a frozen/stuck parking brake but if both wheels definitely had play then it points more towards the rear diff, although it shouldn't lock up even if the electric motor had a problem.

Would a problem with the motor show up on the dash? Because there are no warnings on the dash whatsoever

ColinBarber · January 6, 2015

Gear shifter moves from park into all positions. No problems with gear selection. When disengaging the parking brake by foot, the symbol also goes on the dash so that's working right?

The sensor is on the pedal, the light going off doesn't guarantee the brake shoes have actually moved away from the drum.

ColinBarber · January 6, 2015

it certainly does sound like a frozen/stuck parking brake but if both wheels definitely had play then it points more towards the rear diff, although it shouldn't lock up even if the electric motor had a problem.

Would a problem with the motor show up on the dash? Because there are no warnings on the dash whatsoever

Yes almost certainly. I very much doubt it is a problem with the motor. Have you tried to pull away using snow mode - I think that would make the rear motor engage and would apply more force on the rear brakes if it is just a stuck brake.

rayaans · January 6, 2015

Yeah I doubted the electric motor theory too. I can definitely feel the power going to the wheels and the whole car lifts up but it just doesn't move at all.

AA has arranged for a large tow truck for tomorrow morning. He had a doubt that it'd fit into my driveway in which case theres another problem! If they do get the ccar away, it'd be dropped at Lexus Bradford who will check it out. Will keep you guys updated!

rayaans · January 7, 2015

it certainly does sound like a frozen/stuck parking brake but if both wheels definitely had play then it points more towards the rear diff, although it shouldn't lock up even if the electric motor had a problem.

Would a problem with the motor show up on the dash? Because there are no warnings on the dash whatsoever

Yes almost certainly. I very much doubt it is a problem with the motor. Have you tried to pull away using snow mode - I think that would make the rear motor engage and would apply more force on the rear brakes if it is just a stuck brake.

Update - tow truck arrived. It was huge - like a long lorry. Needless to say, it didnt fit up my drive so they have called a smaller one which will arrive in approximately 15 minutes.

I managed to give the car some welly and half of it came out of the garage shredding up the paint on the concrete floor on the rears. Fronts are moving fine. The plan is to put a piece of plastic on both rears and winch it onto the smaller truck with the front rolling freely until all 4 wheels are on the truck. Then to Lexus bradford it will go!

Hopefully the smaller truck fits in my drive! will keep you updated.

Matt Middleton · January 7, 2015

Good luck

Sent from my Iphone using Lexus OC

stevet · January 7, 2015

Similar thread here http://www.clublexus.com/forums/hybrid-technology/707268-rear-brakes-locked-up-after-sitting-2010rx450h.html

rayaans · January 7, 2015

Checked that thread. Anyway the car has just gone. It fit on the small truck and is going to Lexus Bradford as I'm posting this. They'll probably give me a call when they get the car

te0xdsm · January 7, 2015

Interested to hear what the outcome of this is - I have a Lexus NX parked on a tight garage, so even when a tow truck can come up my drive way, not sure how it would move the car in first place - there is little space around it to hack it up.

rayaans · January 7, 2015

All sorted now. Brakes were locked apparently probably due to being wet before parking in the garage.

I will be picking up the car tomorrow afternoon but Lexus Bradford had the cheek to ask for £129 + vat for the work. I refused to pay explaining that it's a technical fault, a warranty issue and shouldn't really be happening anyway. It's not a wear and tear brake problem now is it?

They said they'd let me know tomorrow and I explained I'd be putting a complaint into Lexus UK if I was asked to pay for something which shouldn't have happened especially as the car is garaged anyway!

First time its happened on any car I've owned!

stevet · January 7, 2015

Glad its sorted but your right about not paying. I've never seen in the owners manual that you can't leave the car stood after it gets wet. It does sound the same as happened in the states and they just seemed to use brute force to free them. If that's all Bolton did that's a bit cheeky to charge.

RgrWynne · January 7, 2015

Glad you got sorted,hopefully without cost. Pity you had to be the UK guinea pig for this problem, which I am sure will be of great interest to RX 450 owners

ColinBarber · January 7, 2015

Great news that it is sorted out and wasn't actually a fault as such. I don't understand how the AA person believed there was movement in the wheels it the brakes were engaged though.

is200 Newbie · January 7, 2015

Nice car in White - good its sorted ..... the issue with the brakes seems to be an underlying issue with the Lexus brand, you would think that such an important part of the car would work properly

rayaans · January 8, 2015

Nice car in White - good its sorted ..... the issue with the brakes seems to be an underlying issue with the Lexus brand, you would think that such an important part of the car would work properly

Never had this issue before and ive owned a Lexus RX300 for 8 years before the current RX450h which ive had for 2.5 years. It only has 25k miles on it too so its not wear and tear. 7 months ago, the brake pad wear was only 10% on all 4 brakes so they cant claim its wear and tear!

Ill let you know what happens tomorrow!

rayaans · January 8, 2015

Interested to hear what the outcome of this is - I have a Lexus NX parked on a tight garage, so even when a tow truck can come up my drive way, not sure how it would move the car in first place - there is little space around it to hack it up.

They wont hack it up as such. They put plastic sliders using a mallet under the locked tyres allowing the others to roll. Using a winch, theyll slide the car onto the bed and then secure it. After its secured they'll raise the bed up to a flat level and off she goes :)

Glad its sorted but your right about not paying. I've never seen in the owners manual that you can't leave the car stood after it gets wet. It does sound the same as happened in the states and they just seemed to use brute force to free them. If that's all Bolton did that's a bit cheeky to charge.

Lexus Bradford phoned today and said I can pick my car up. They did the work free of charge under warranty after speaking to customer relations and they've never experienced a locked parking brake on any Lexus vehicle before apparently! Anyways, a good thing always comes out of a bad, I took my wife and finally she has decided on a white/red IS300h F Sport after looking at sonic titanium, ultrasonic blue, F Sport white and Mesa red altogether, albeit on different cars! :). She only uses the car for school runs and in town so 45+ mpg should be possible and it'd make a great addition to the family. Will do some digging on the Lexus website for some nice, nearly new examples as she doesn't drive much so I cant justify paying for a new one.

Glad you got sorted,hopefully without cost. Pity you had to be the UK guinea pig for this problem, which I am sure will be of great interest to RX 450 owners

Great news that it is sorted out and wasn't actually a fault as such. I don't understand how the AA person believed there was movement in the wheels it the brakes were engaged though.

Lexus Bradford told me that there is always slight play in the parking brake system. 0.5-1 inch is (and should) always be there so he should have known.

Nice car in White - good its sorted ..... the issue with the brakes seems to be an underlying issue with the Lexus brand, you would think that such an important part of the car would work properly

Lexus Bradford say theyve never come across this problem before on any other Lexus vehicle. Maybe they're fibbing or maybe it just doesn't happen this soon!

steve2006 · January 8, 2015

Great news that it is sorted out and wasn't actually a fault as such. I don't understand how the AA person believed there was movement in the wheels it the brakes were engaged though.

Perhaps Alcoholics Anomynous are not the right choice for sticking brakes :)