I bought a 2019 RX350 and recently the car won't start if it sits for a few days. The brake pedal is hard as a rock, the steering wheel stays locked and the Start button won't start the car. After it happened a 3rd time, I waited and the car started after a few hours. Drove the car to the dealer and they said you have to press the brake as hard as you can until you see the key display and then it would start. The shop boss said there's nothing wrong with the vehicle, it's designed this way. They wouldn't even bring it into the shop, he checked it at the check in car port area. I told my wife to let it sit for a day and if it happens again, we'll take a picture of the display and bring it back to the dealer. The car has 8K miles and it didn't do this last March when we bought it or during the summer even if we let it sit for a few days. This all happened in the last 2 weeks. Do you think the brake booster is leaking or defective? Don't have the problem if we use it every day. Any help will be appreciated.

 

Pressing hard is the solution, 'happens occasionally.

 

There is a procedure to start the engine without using the brake pedal.

Foot off the brake, push the start button one time to go into accessory mode.
Foot still off the brake, push the start button again but hold it in for 10-15 seconds until the car starts.

But I agree that the pedal shouldn't go hard just from sitting for a few days.

 

Thanks for the info. Exactly what they said at the dealer.

 

Thanks for the alternate way to start the engine.

 

I think I read something on here about owners getting the brake booster replaced to address this issue. Try a search.

 

Mine if not driven for a couple of days also has a hard brake pedal, but no problems starting it and once started the brake becomes normal.
All these newfangled systems require a paradigm shift in thinking as what was right before ain't necessarily so nowadays.

 

Mine's the same as yours.

 

The rock hard aspect reminds me of the sudden brake when slowly moving into the garage and getting near something in the front. First time it happened, when just getting the car, I thought I hit something. Brake pedal, again, becomes rock hard. Cannot push it any further. Let it go and you can move forward again with normal brake. Just saying, in case there is some sort of connection.

 

That happened to me first couple of times I pulled into the garage. Now I go in sloooooooly!

 

Never had THAT problem, only the pedal is hard if I do not drive for 2 or more days, but as soon as the engine starts it's back to normal pressure.
Do the brakes have a vacuum power booster?

 

I'm under that impression.

 

So it may be that it holds the vacuum only for a couple of days and when it's gone the motor has to re-build it, that's why it's hard.
Good thing is that it only takes a second.

 

I had that issue in another car (not Lexus) - would get hard once every few months but right back to normal after I started it. I believe I read somewhere that it was normal?

 

I think we're talking about 2 different issues here. First is this thread and the one I've got. Leave the car sit for a few days and when you go to start, the brake pedal is very hard to push but otherwise starts up ok.
The other issue is different. Same situation but you get a message on the dash that says "cannot be started, call your dealer" or something like that. And it won't start, has to be towed. I tried a quick search on here but couldn't find it. Maybe someone else remembers.