Yes, this is highly unusual especially since all modern cars have dual diagonal braking systems. Not sure how this could have happened unless there was a catastrophic brake fluid leak.

 

I was wondering about this on the LS..specifically the electronic e-brake. If the brakes fail, can you hit the Parking brake button? Will it lock up the rears?

 

I'm going to put myself in the skeptical camp on this one as well. No offense to the OP or his wife but it's a lot easier to blame some sort of mechanical issue rather than say I screwed up....foot slipped off pedal, ice on the road, floor mat wedged under the pedal, pushed gas pedal instead..... It's human nature in fact to defend yourself in these situations from admitting fault. If the brakes actually didn't function at all there would be a very obvious mechanical problem the shop could point to as evidence. It seems like the shop is throwing parts at the car to appease the owner. I'd like to see what the outcome is.

 

Nope. Parking brake will slow the car, but lock the rear brakes...not even close.

It's been a while since I was in there, but IIRC, there is a drum in the disc's 'hat', with a miniature drum brake system behind the discs.

 

LOL. I remember seeing it when I was servicing my brakes, and thought "looks so low tech for a high tech car". It works though!!

 

Total brake failure in modern vehicles is almost impossible. The cause MUST be found. Looks like the dealer is just shot gunning to repair the the thing.
Also in an emergency like that, there is some other means of stopping the vehicle.

 

Not knowing all the facts its hard to make a conclusion. Again, I haven't heard where all 4 fails at the same time.

Based on OPs post ( Towed car to Pembroke Pines Lexus Fla (worst dealer ever, service dude is rude and not very smart). First they replaced the actuator (which they said was 2K but later I found out was under warranty) then replaced 2 pumps and some other parts, car is still is shop 2 weeks later. I have no clue when I will get it back. ) dealer did replace few stuff and Lexus was willing to cover 25% cost. Lexus wouldn't have agreed to cough up 25% if was due to neglected maintenance or fault outside of service provided by Lexus technicians.

Hope OP provides an update.........

 

The original post, to me, suggests it really does have zero brakes, otherwise why would the dealer still have it?

Regardless, something is fishy.

 

In my opinion there is ZERO possibility of a modern US spec car having total brake failure.

The dealer is working with corporate and house lawyers to put this down.
The US in general needs stricter DRIVING test for licenses . . and over a certain age, retesting annually or more often

Want to guess at the age of the OP? 65+, 85+ Not implying you can't be safe and a senior but time has a way of slowing things down.
How likely is it that the OP's foot was nowhere near the brake but flat on the floor?
It's a bitter pill to swallow - but there are plenty of sob stories of people claiming they had the brake pressed to the floor as they plow through their garage - and try to blame the manufacturer.

Audi was at the brunt of this in the 80's.
60's Minutes (that paragon of Yellow Journalism) fanned the flames.
Pictures of people in hospitals, smashed cars....oh the humanity!
And all because of those faulty brakes.
It was all perpetuated by slip and fall attorneys and a media craving for ratings.
Unintended Acceleration.

The producers of 60 Minutes should have gone to jail for what they did.
Here is Bobby Unser's view of things:

 

Well modern cars have black box in a way similar to airplane black box. That'll tell what really happened I hope.
But unbelievable things are known to happen to convince people. I have been driving over 60 years accidient
free. I am extra careful nowadays. I worry about so many crazy drivers on the road more than myself.. BTW
I am 78 YO.

 

"Wife was driving home, traffic light turns red, push on the brakes and "NOTHING" no brakes at all, wife had to swerve abruptly to avoid hitting car in front of her, ended up in a ditch, damaged rim, wife is scared half to death"

Edit:
Wife was driving home looking down to read text messages. She looked up and traffic light was unexpectedly red already. Wife had to swerve abruptly to avoid hitting car in front of her, ended up in a ditch, damaged rim, wife is scared half to death.

Blame the car so the husband doesn't get mad,

 

Htony beat me to it - I was about to post about 'black box'. All modern cars do have last x events registered in the 'black box'. First thing dealer (or at the request of Corp) would've done to downloaded content as they do get overwritten after x number of event.

It's hard to 'manipulate' chain of events as black box will have those registered and can be used in courts. If OP chose to go with legal route, he may not post here until legal settlements are done. Even in such cases, some may end up with non disclosure settlement.

 

All joking aside, I cannot deny the fact I laughed out loud.

 

Lets just see if the OP checks back in with a conclusion. I do doubt that we will get a definitive answer to what caused the malfunction.

 

We know already - Wife.