2013 Lexus LS 450 with Pre-Collision System

Lexus has historically always had a very high level of reliability and luxury, from day one. It remains one of the very, very few manufacturers where we can say we just hardly ever see a lemon. That may change as they break new ground with high tech add-on's to their models that add a new layer of engineering complexity.

The next model year LS 450, while not a major remake of the outside design lines for the model, has a few new techno-improvements under the hood (and elsewhere).

For starters, there is an Advanced Pre-Collision System that they are saying is the most advanced system in the entire motor vehicle industry - capable of bringing a vehicle to a full stop with no driver assist whenever it detects a pedestrian or vehicle in its path. The current version of the systrem only slows it down.

Using an advanced radar sysstem in the front of the car, and a "stereo" camera behind the rear view mirror, it can spot an obstruction in the vehicle's path, front or back. As long as the car is going less than 25 mph, the system will automatically stop the car. It sounds great, frankly, but then again so did the first airbag designs and we saw exploding airbag systems that went off with nothing actually triggering them, causing serious injury to car occupants.

We'll wait and see, but given the Lexus track record, it is likely that the system will experience fewer bugs than we saw when air bags first started being installed in new cars.

But one techie aspect is being pulled on the 2013 Lexus LS model - the parallel-parking system that was such an eye-catcher in the Lexus television commercials. The system could steer a car into an empty parking spot but apparently Lexus owners don't like turning the wheel over to a computer, according to Lexus. In with the new and out with the old.

If your new Advanced Pre-Collision System becomes a problem, return it to the dealer quickly and often. Read our Avvo Legal Guide "Ten Steps to Get Your Lemon Motor Vehicle Repaired Right" by clicking here.

And remember, if you get a lemon and they won't help you, call our Toll Free Lemon Law Hotline, 1.888.331.6422. We know what to do. Not in Ohio or Kentucky or Hawaii? Check the Free Online National List of Lemon Law Lawyers by clicking here.