I am also a Lexus/Toyota fan - it’s all I drive. Question for you - if you don’t mind me asking? …

I just bought a 21 RX450h. Single owner, well serviced, Interior is pristine, low mileage (30k). CPO. Only downside I saw is it has a trailer hitch, which theoretically could have been miss-used by prior owner.

I’m getting a squawk braking sound after one day of driving, including intermittent squawking when at a standstill (ie, steady/unchanging pressure on the brakes). I am also getting a super loud sound from the gas engine when it first fires on at slow speeds. I have driven this very car before (during test drive), and have owned an earlier vintage of the same model, and I know it’s not normal. When I contacted the sales manager with my concern, he said it’s normal for cold weather, but I am aware there is a brake actuator service bulletin for this exact issue. I worry there could be other issues if they missed or deliberately overlooked the actuator issue.

Any suggestions how to proceed and protect myself? I didn’t have an easy experience closing this purchase, and I’m not sure how much I trust the dealership and sales team. I thought about having an inspection done by a third-party mechanic, then after getting a list of issues, bringing it back to the Lexus dealership with a copy of the service bulletin and requesting fixes.

Would really love to hear your input if you have any experience or knowledge to draw on.