I have been driving my new Rx330 for about one week now. The car is terrific, everything is great except for one problem when braking and I was wondering if anyone else is having the same problem. When city driving I am often coasting or just lightly resting my foot on the gas. The car appears to upshift into 4th or 5th and it usually coasts along pretty good. Now when I come to a stop light and apply the brakes I have to push pretty hard in order to make the car stop. I am afraid I am going to wear my brakes out.

At first I thought the brakes needed adjusting or were just underpowered for the car. After driving a little longer it seems like the engine is still pulling the car along all the time I am braking all the way to the point of a full stop. If I check the tachometer during this braking period it stays up around 900 rpm, which is usually where it is when coasting, instead of dropping down to 400 rpm which is the usual idle speed when resting at a stop light.

Today I noticed that if I throw the car in neutral when braking like this the brakes work great. The car even noses down when braking and with very little preasure on the pedal I can bring the car to a stop. Anyone else experience this? I have been throwing the car in neutral during every stop, but this is getting quite tedious, afterall, this is an automatic. The other option is to use the manual shifter and downshift, this also works good. The key is to get the thing out of 5th and into 3rd as it really pulls the car along. Perhaps this is related to the other shifting problems people have experienced, but which appear to be fixed on my car as it is a newer build.

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

nx, FWIW, I did not notice any braking difficulty on an extended drive of the RX330 at the Redefiined event. Loved it!

 

I never experienced that at all when I have had several RX330's as loaners they all breaked the same as the RX300 I have.

 

I would recommend you take it to the dealer right away. My brakes are almost too sensitive.

 

I haven't noticed any difference than any other automatic transmission car I've driven or owned. Now compared to my manual car it does feel like it pulls a bit, but the feeling is the same as other automatics.

 

I have the same problem when braking. When I first started driving the car I scared my own self a few times when trying to brake. I didn't think I was going to get stopped in time. I previously owned an RX300 and couldn't believe the difference in the braking in the 330 and still can't believe how hard it is to stop the car. It is on the list of items I am requesting the dealer to repair while in for service tomorrow.

 

I never had a problem. I'm with some here who think the brakes are too sensitive. I'm not talking about braking power though, but the hydrolic assist seems a bit senstive. I drive a 3000lb car with awsome braking power and I find the RX330 has acceptable brakes for a 3700lb vehicle. I have never had a close call. But I do hate the fact that when you just tap the brakes lightly the brakes grap too hard and the RX330 nose dives. I personally would like a little more linear feel to the brakes.

 

When coming to a stop from a high speed, I always throw the tranny in 4 & brake. I've noticed that my 330 has, sometimes too much, engine braking.