rx400h Rx400h fuel tank straps sheared

[Anthonyshybrid]

Has anyone had their fuel tank straps shear and the fuel tank hit the road with a bang?

I was luckily only doing 30mph and managed to find a lay-by in 50 yards. I had the car towed back to the Lexus dealership where I bought the car new in 2005 and who look after it for me. It has a full service history. Had I been on a Motorway doing 70 the tank would have scraped along for some distance before I could have reached the hard shoulder. There is a possibility the tank could have ruptured amidst a shower of sparks and a disaster could have occurred.

It happens I was lucky. I was told by the Lexus dealership that the straps were £370. I said surely this was a Lexus UK thing as no fuel tank should hit the road no matter the age of the car. Lexus UK did not agree and I paid the bill. But the money is not really the issue. The reality is that Lexus is not willing to acknowledge that this could have been a really big problem for them had I been unlucky enough to have been in a fireball on the motorway. 

Surely the corroded straps should have been spotted at my last service in December 2015 but the vehicle health check form does not list the fuel tank straps. Surely a good idea for something so critical?

Anyway those of you with older Lexus Rx400s please look at the tank straps.

Sorry, the 3 close ups of the tank have loaded upside down!

[bobmc]

I agree, that sounds really scary and I'm also surprised that Lexus haven't taken it more seriously. Granted it's over 10 years old and no manufacturer will unconditionally warrant any part of the car for that long but I might have expected some kind of acknowledgment of the potential seriousness of the issue

  

[The-Acre]

That's unbelievable, it's the last thing you would expect to happen, even on a 1970's Alpha!  That surely could have put your life at risk if as you say, you were going at speed.  I'm not sure I would let that go.

[ChrisKaye]

Time to hit up the Twitter and Facebook feeds for Lexus UK.

Unfortunately the bottom's of our RX are prone to rust, there's very little rust proofing underneath :(

[chesterman]

I find this truly frightening.   On a vehicle with a full service history with the same dealer it is even more shocking.   I shall be underneath mine tomorrow and with a thank you to Anthony for the "heads up". 

[DanD]

I totally agree that this must have been a shock and should not happen, etc. but unleaded petrol will not ignite from sparks or from a naked flame. Only in films.

Edit: actually, I have been thinking since posting the above and I may be wrong. Pretty sure diesel will not ignite, but no longer sure about unleaded... After all, combustion engine... Spark plugs... 

Edited April 25, 2016 by DanD
To correct erroneous message

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, DanD said:

I totally agree that this must have been a shock and should not happen, etc. but unleaded petrol will not ignite from sparks or from a naked flame. Only in films.

Edit: actually, I have been thinking since posting the above and I may be wrong. Pretty sure diesel will not ignite, but no longer sure about unleaded... After all, combustion engine... Spark plugs... 

Unleaded will certainly ignite, diesel won't, not just from sparks anyway.

[polish]

unleaded petrol will go with a bang diesel won't you are a very lucky boy, in your shoe's I would not let it go this is surely a safety issue that lexus should attend to. have you ever herd of MB BMW JAGS ect  dropping there tanks no matter what age ,.

[rayaans]

2 hours ago, polish said:

unleaded petrol will go with a bang diesel won't you are a very lucky boy, in your shoe's I would not let it go this is surely a safety issue that lexus should attend to. have you ever herd of MB BMW JAGS ect  dropping there tanks no matter what age ,.

Urm yes actually, quite common on cars over 10 years old if you search the forums.

Fact of the matter is that straps do break and it can happen on any car.

Its not any more of a safety issue than a puncture. It only becomes problematic if a fuel line breaks or you end up leaking fuel everywhere. They usually only brake one side at a time but that generally means they both need replacing.

Has the car regularly been rust proofed though?

I'm not sure whether they check tank straps on servicing and I wonder if they missed it or its just happened very quickly.  You'd be amazed at how quick corrosion sets in. Just look at kerbed diamond cut wheels on MK6 Golf GTI for example,  in 2 months they end up with white worm all over them.

[polish]

Quote

hi guy's  update on heater, took car  to hull, lexus and asked could they run it on there diagnostics. very friend'ly lot took me and wife into hull town to shops. when we got back car had bean done and valeted nothing found wrong with car,aircon ect bean checked, it was warm as toast in car. explained that my side setting was just over cold while the wifes was on 22deg my side trying to over rule hers .moved heater my side to 18.5 car now perfect lovely warm feet now artic blasts from heater all way home. quick trip to Beverley in blizzard to see cycling lovely and warm .thank you hull .cost nothing coffee free ,hope the above helps everyone with dicky heaters//. polish

 

[ColinBarber]

On 25 April 2016 at 11:58 PM, rayaans said:

I'm not sure whether they check tank straps on servicing and I wonder if they missed it or its just happened very quickly.  You'd be amazed at how quick corrosion sets in. Just look at kerbed diamond cut wheels on MK6 Golf GTI for example,  in 2 months they end up with white worm all over them.

I'd imagine the metal fatigued from the inside of the strap out so it would be difficult to spot, otherwise it should have been picked up on the MOT inspection.

It isn't a specific checkpoint on the service schedule but normally the mechanic would have a good look around the vehicle to try and find additional work.