NHTSA Complaint #10231023 — 2006 LEXUS RX HYBRID

VEHICLE WAS NORMALLY MAINTAINED AND LIGHTLY DRIVEN. ONE YEAR OF AGE OF THE VEHICLE, WHEN DRIVEN ON LEVEL DRY SURFACES, THE BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE BECAME ERRATIC AND REMAINS ERRATIC. IN EVERYDAY USE THE VEHICLE WILL TEND TO OVERBRAKE OR UNDERBRAKE DEPENDING UPON THE MECHANICAL LOADING OF THE HYBRID DRIVE. THE ONBOARD FIRMWARE IS NOT PROPERLY ACCOUNTING FOR INTEGRATING THE STOPPING POWER OF THE BRAKES AND THE HYBRID DRIVE. THIS CAUSES DRIVER CONFUSION AND IN SOME CASES HAZARDOUS FAILURE TO BRAKE CONDITIONS WHEN THE HYBRID DRIVE UNEXPECTEDLY AND ERRATICALLY CEASES IT'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE BRAKING FORCE OF THE VEHICLE. I.E. IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY COMPENSATE, THE VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FORWARD AT LOW SPEED AND WITHIN A FEW FEET OF PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER STOPPED VEHICLES IN TRAFFIC. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE AND THAT ERRATIC/LOSS OF BRAKING IS NORMAL FOR THIS MODEL. THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR SBS POSTED TO UPGRADE THE FIRMWARE, BRAKING/HYBRID DRIVE SYSTEMS. LEXUS RX400H, 2006 MODEL. *TR