2013 Lexus CT problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
43 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
50,976 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 22 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 43 complaints (39.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 17 | 39.5% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 4.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 4.7% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 4.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 2.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 17 |
| Engine | 13 |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 |
| Structure:Body | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 2 |
Service Brakes: 17; Engine: 13; Exterior Lighting: 3; Structure:Body: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Air Bags: 2; Electrical System: 2; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 8 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (8). 21 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2013: 3; 2014: 1; 2015: 6; 2016: 1; 2017: 4; 2019: 3; 2020: 6; 2021: 3; 2022: 5; 2024: 5; 2025: 5; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10535518 · 2013-08-15 (August 15, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS CT HYBRID (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED THE BRAKES DISENGAGED WHEN DRIVING OVER ANY UNEVEN SURFACE ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10535518 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10683861 · 2015-02-17 (February 17, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS CT. WHILE COASTING INTO AN ELEVATED DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,847. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 6/24/2015*JS
Owner-reported narrative. 2,847 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683861 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10734980 · 2015-07-19 (July 19, 2015)
STARTING COLD. FOOT ON BRAKE. PUSH START BUTTON. DASH STUFF LIGHTS UP BUT CAR DOES NOT START. TAKE FOOT OFF BRAKE AND DEPRESS GAS PEDAL. CAR STARTS. IT WILL STALL IF LEFT TO RUN WITH FOOT OFF GAS PEDAL.EASY TO RESTART BY DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL AND NO FOOT ON BRAKE. DOES THIS CONSISTENTLY. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE OIL BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 7,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10734980 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11255463 · 2019-09-14 (September 14, 2019)
ON 9/13/2019 I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WHILE APPLYING BRAKES ON AN UNEVEN/POTHOLED CITY ROAD SURFACE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. THIS LOSS OF BRAKING POWER NEARLY RESULTED IN COLLISION. THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT UNTIL NOW HAS NOT RESULTED IN A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. I DISCOVERED THAT DRIVERS OF BOTH THE CT200H AND PRIUS INDICATE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON UNEVEN SURFACES SUCH AS POTHOLES, SPEED BUMPS, OR MANHOLES THAT ARE NOT LEVEL WITH THE SURR…
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11255463 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11269455 · 2019-10-18 (October 18, 2019)
THE ENGINE CONSTANTLY RATTLED/SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY UPON INITIAL START AND RANDOMLY SHAKES VIOLENTLY ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO VEER OFF THE ROAD EVERY TIME IT VIOLENTLY SHAKES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. LEXUS DEALERSHIP REPORTED RANDOM ENGINE CYLINDER MISFIRES; AND A THREE-DAY PHYSICAL OBSERVATION AFTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REMOVAL SHOWS: UNEXPLAINED INTERNAL COOLANT LEAK. COLLANT LEAKING INTO CYLINDER 4. CYLINDER 1 ALSO WET AND MUDDY LOOKING. AND DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF FORECASTED REPAIRS AND PARTS REPLACEMENT WHICH COULD EIT…
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11269455 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11684014 · 2025-08-29 (August 29, 2025)
Driving down the 99Freeway at speeds approx. Up to 72mph, my abs,traction, and brake lights illuminated at the same time on my dash. I pushed on my brake pedal in order to slow down and pull over, my brake pedal was extremely hard to push in and no matter how hard I pushed it didn't appear to be slowing the vehicle down. I pushed on the emergency brake slowly to help slow down safely and was able to get pulled over. I turned the car off and proceeded to call a friend for help. My friend suggested that I start the vehicle back up and see if I wa…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11684014 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10509313 · 2013-04-23 (April 23, 2013)
DESIGN DEFECT: TURN SIGNAL FAILS TO CANCEL AFTER A SWEEPING TURN (E.G., RIGHT OR LEFT TURN FROM 2ND LANE, OR A "CORNER CUT" YIELD-TYPE TURN). SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT A NON-CANCELLED TURN SIGNAL CAN THEN CAUSE OTHER DRIVERS TP BELIEVE YOU WILL BE TURNING, WHEN NO SUCH TURN IS CONTEMPLATED. THIS VEHICLE EMPLOYS "PROGRESSIVE STEERING", WHICH MEANS THAT STEERING WHEEL ROTATION IS PROGRESSIVELY MAGNIFIED IN THE TURN OF THE FRONT WHEELS. IT APPEARS THIS MINIMAL STEERING WHEEL MOVEMENT REQUIRED FOR A SWEEPING TURN WAS NOT CONTEMPLATED IN THE PL…
Owner-reported narrative. 22 miles reported. Look up ODI 10509313 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11047198 · 2017-11-18 (November 18, 2017)
HORN STOPPED WORKING WHEN STEERING WHEEL IN STRAIGHT POSITION. WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED TO THE RIGHT THE HORN WORKS. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED TO THE LEFT , THE HORN WORKS IN CERTAIN POSITIONS BUT IS NOT CONSISTENT. THIS CREATES A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT YOU CANNOT USE THE HORN TO WARN OTHER CARS OR PEDESTRIANS. NOTICED THE HORN ISSUES IN THE BEGGING OF NOVEMBER 2017. NOT SURE HOW LONG THE HORN WAS BROKEN BEFORE THAT.
Owner-reported narrative. 46,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11047198 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11689139 · 2025-09-23 (September 23, 2025)
The contact owns a 2013 Lexus CT 200H. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the brake pedal was depressed and the ABS, traction control, and master warning lights illuminated. The message "Check ABS System" was displayed. The cruise control feature then became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC: C1391, indicating an abnormal leak in the brake actuator accumulator; however, the contact was unaware of which parts needed to be replaced. The con…
Owner-reported narrative. 200,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11689139 at NHTSA ↗