NHTSA Complaint #10418821 — 2011 LEXUS IS 250

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM - CAR OCCASIONALLY PULLS TO EITHER SIDE, RIGHT OR LEFT, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE LATEST INCIDENT, WHICH OCCURRED ON 7/29/11, SHOWING THE STEERING WHEEL SPINNING 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHILE DRIVING ON THE GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAY IN QUEENS, NEW YORK IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO LEXUS CORPORATE AND BROUGHT TO LEXUS OF QUEENS (NEW YORK CITY) FOR CORRECTION ON 7/19/11. SINCE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT, "VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED." I CAN NOT, WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY, STATE THAT THE BRAKES ARE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AN ASE-CERTIFIED MASTER TECHNICIAN, WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS DESCRIBED TO HIM OFFERED HIS OPINION. HE WROTE, "WHEN A VEHICLE PULLS EITHER WAY THE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS ARE NO FLUID PRESSURE GETTING TO OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PULLING, A FROZEN OR STICKING CALIPER OR PARTLY COLLAPSED FLEX HOSE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PULLING. THE ABS AND/OR TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM MIGHT NOT BE ALLOWING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE CALIPER. THERE ALSO COULD BE AIR TRAPPED IN THE SYSTEM." ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION WILL BE MAILED TO NHTSA. UPDATED 08-29-11 *BF UPDATED 10/17/11 UPDATED 02/07/12 THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PULLING HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY 195 MILES. UPDATED 05/12/2012 *JS