2002LS430. Brake pedal has excessive travel before brakes will engage. Probably 2-3 inches. Pedal is soft and mushy. Stopping power decreased. Any thoughts greatly appreciated. I had it in to the Toyota dealer recently and they replaced the master cylinder but that didn't help. Is a soft, mushy pedal normal? Any ideas greatly appreciated before I take it back in.

Thanks,
Harry

 

No, it is not normal. Since you already replaced the MC take a look at the brake piston seals and your hoses. They can deteriorate from the inside and cause excessive travel and mushy feel. Even if it is not leaking. Did you have the whole system flushed? Should be done every 90k. Also, did they bleed the air out properly?

 

I did have the system flushed about 6 months prior to the new master. Not sure if they bled it.

 

look for my posts on this topic (in my profile - find posts from user).
Lavrishevo - i am amazed, that you didn't advise to disconnect battery in this case. =)

 

It is most definitely NOT normal, but it IS dangerous.
Was it mushy when you got it back, or did it start some time later?
These are typical symptoms of air in the brake system. If you trust the last shop who serviced it, take it back to them and complain loudly. There is no excuse for them leaving the system in that condition.

 

It improved just slightly after I got it back but has gotten worse since.

 

here we go again... sticky caliper. need new seals. and new hoses. read my posts please. thanks

 

Oh yeah, and do a soft reset on the ECU by disconnecting the negative for 30 seconds... This makes lynzoid really happy.

 

This makes you happy and makes me sad...

 

Still having the same trouble with brakes as I reported before. Soft mushy pedal, excessive pedal travel before brake engages, sometimes 2-3 inches of travel. So I took it back to the Toyota dealer today. They "took the brakes apart" and thoroughly checked all components including the booster and master cylinder. Found no trouble. I'm beginning to think its just me . Drove my wife's Honda over the holidays and that pedal is hard as a rock and engages immediately with light pressure. Same on my old Ford Ranger , pedal is hard and engages immediately. I looked at Lynzoids posts and asked them to check seals and hoses which they did but still say everything is OK. They did not bleed the system . Could it be air? Or is it just me that I want a hard pedal?

Thanks for ANY input as I am almost ready to give up but really can't because it may be a safety issue.

 

i would go and test drive another 430 and see how the brakes feel.

 

Agree - LS430 brakes even with all new pads is not rock hard. Go drive another LS and see if yours is different. In the end you need to be able to lock up the brakes to the point where ABS takes over and also be able to make quick stops just short of ABS kicking on.

And now for some wild guessing - use stock OEM pads? Assuming no leaks, as previously suggested old brake hoses might be a factor. OEM rotors? are they within spec for thickness? Proper brake fluid type used?

 

Great Idea. I have a neighbor that has an 05. i'LL check with him and report back. ANd thanks for all the replies!

 

For what it's worth, I've experienced the same braking characteristics on my 01 LS430 with 112,000 miles since the day I purchased it almost 3 years ago. I have a G35 and XK Jag that have super sensitive brake feel while the LS430 is somewhat mushy with some brake travel. I have had a few emergency stops where by the antilock braking system did kick in, so I know that is in working order. My independent shop after driving my car said it was normal for a lexus and he owns one. I agree, the best way to tell is to drive another LS430 for comparison. Everyone decribes symptoms differently. I have never had a problem, I have not done anything other than changing my front and rear brakes. I guess, it couldn't hurt to bleed the brakes as to me that should be the only culprit that might help. Regardless, I know this is not a sports car and I have learned to live with it. Keep us posted in case you find any positive results.

 

I have heard changing the brake hoses out for braided stainless steel can provide a much sharper brake feel with less mushiness. Of course no one should need this to have good brakes.