There are 2 stored owner reports matching the brakes leading-label group for the 2020 Lexus ES in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 2 of 2 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)I was driving on a freeway. I had my adaptive cruise control turned on. The car in front of me slowed down. My adaptive cruise control did not slow me down so I applied the breaks. The breaks did not work. The breaks did not slow me down or stop me. My pre-collision system did not activate. I collided with the rear end of the car that was in front of me. I got displays on my car screen stating "Pre-Collision System Malfunction", "Breaking Power Low", and "Cruise Control Malfunction". The safety of ourselves and others definitely put the safety of ourselves and others at risk. We did not report this to the dealer. Our car was totaled. The vehicle components involved were not inspected to the best of our knowledge. The warning messages are described above. We do not know exactly when they appeared.
The contact owns a 2020 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while his father was driving at 35-37 MPH down a hill, he applied the brake pedal, but the brakes failed to respond. The contact continued to pump the brake pedal. The driver moved the gear shifter, attempting to slow down the vehicle. The driver crashed into a 2016 Mazda 3, which crashed into a 2017 Honda Civic. There was an unknown brake indicator light displayed. The passenger occupant sustained extreme chest and neck pain. The driver and passenger were provided medical attention. Additionally, the two occupants of the Mazda sustained leg and neck pain but no medical attention was provided. The unknown occupant (s) of the Honda sustained back, feet, neck, and head injuries, and medical attention was provided. The passenger occupant confirmed that the driver had pumped the brake pedal. The vehicle was towed to a lot. The air bags deployed. There was no reported fire. The contact tested the brakes and showed resistance. The contact had an independent mechanic test the vehicle, and the OBD reading showed no results. There was an indication of a low battery. A police report was filed. The police tested the vehicle and noted the brakes were functioning. The contact stated that a witness traveling behind the driver did not see any brake lights illuminate. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Aug 30, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.