What are these pipes?

[-Rich-]

While refitting the exhaust heat shield back on I noticed these pipes that are very rusty. I'm wondering what they're for and if I should do anything about them?

We've had the car for nearly 4 years and it was 5 years old when we bought it. We don't live near the sea but I think the previous owner did!

 

[Inazone]

Wow that's disappointing to see after only 9 years! If that was mine I'd get a wire brush or drill with a wire wheel and give that a good clean up. Then spray it with some ACF50...

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[ColinBarber]

Certainly looks like salt corrosion. Are you getting your vehicle serviced by Lexus? I would like to think they would have told you about this before it got that bad.

 

[-Rich-]

It's been serviced every year at Lexus from new. That's not happened overnight so it's very disappointing they didn't mention it. From this year I'm self-servicing anyway. The car has only done about 1500 miles in the last year as well.

I didn't trace the pipes but I've a feeling they might be for fuel, but would they really leave them so exposed to the elements?

[-Rich-]

Looks like they're the fuel filler pipes! 😞

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114070523097

[royoftherovers]

55 minutes ago, -Rich- said:

It's been serviced every year at Lexus from new. That's not happened overnight so it's very disappointing they didn't mention it. From this year I'm self-servicing anyway. The car has only done about 1500 miles in the last year as well.

I didn't trace the pipes but I've a feeling they might be for fuel, but would they really leave them so exposed to the elements?

Rich, if it has been serviced by Lexus every year and there are stamps to prove it, then why do you not demand that Lexus explain its lack of care towards both you and your vehicle ?

[Inazone]

This is why I do my own servicing, you can't trust any dealerships to do a proper job. I would be having a very serious conversation with the service manager!

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[colin79666]

MOT should probably have picked up on that as well. Also done by the dealer?

[-Rich-]

23 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Rich, if it has been serviced by Lexus every year and there are stamps to prove it, then why do you not demand that Lexus explain its lack of care towards both you and your vehicle ?

I'll send an email off but I won't be expecting a reply. My brother used to work for Lexus (non technician role) and even he warned me they're just as bad as other dealers despite being a premium brand. I only used them for the family discount on servicing. He no longer works for them now.

21 hours ago, Inazone said:

This is why I do my own servicing, you can't trust any dealerships to do a proper job. I would be having a very serious conversation with the service manager!

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I don't usually buy cars this new (when we got it) so do my own servicing too, this is the first time I've used a dealer. It'll probably be the last apart from when recalls are due.

1 hour ago, colin79666 said:

MOT should probably have picked up on that as well. Also done by the dealer?

Yep you guessed right! Although they were quick to fail on a blown bulb and then pass it. Then another time on worn wipers but replaced them first. I take my other cars to my MOT guy and I look under the car's at the same time. Obviously at Lexus I'm in the reception.

The MOT was due last month but with Covid it's been extended to December so gives me time to sort it out. I won't be using Lexus any more now I don't get the discount!

[royoftherovers]

6 minutes ago, -Rich- said:

I'll send an email off but I won't be expecting a reply. My brother used to work for Lexus (non technician role) and even he warned me they're just as bad as other dealers despite being a premium brand. I only used them for the family discount on servicing. He no longer works for them now.

I don't usually buy cars this new (when we got it) so do my own servicing too, this is the first time I've used a dealer. It'll probably be the last apart from when recalls are due.

Yep you guessed right! Although they were quick to fail on a blown bulb and then pass it. Then another time on worn wipers but replaced them first. I take my other cars to my MOT guy and I look under the car's at the same time. Obviously at Lexus I'm in the reception.

The MOT was due last month but with Covid it's been extended to December so gives me time to sort it out. I won't be using Lexus any more now I don't get the discount!

It would be good news if the Lexus Dealer did not afford you the courtesy of a reply as you could then escalate the matter to Lexus.U.K.Head Office.It could not stand idly by whilst its hard earned reputation for exemplary customer service was in danger of being shredded.What would the Daily Mail say ?

[-Rich-]

So today I removed the arch liner and all surrounding plastic trims. The first shock was the amount of dry mud and dirt underneath. I spent ages clearing it all out. I'll be doing the other side too!

After a wire brush the pipes feel solid still but look pretty bad. Lexus quoted me £200 for the twin pipe but not the 3rd one so I need a price for that too. Two clips are also about £20 so I might leave those and use generic jubilee clips, which is what they are anyway.

There is a small undertray that partially covers the fuel tank. I can't get any of the bolts off as they're so rusty so those will need drilling out. I think I'll be getting my garage to change the pipe, I can't be doing with laying on my back trying to pull the hoses off. Especially when they run over the subframe.

I'm still shocked at the amount of rust on the car though for 9 years old. I'll be interested to see if anyone else has this kind of rust.

 

[stormchaser]

Wow I’ve never seen one at all like that.
Mines a 2011 and still looks new underneath.


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[adamhearn]

Just purchased (picking it up this weekend) a 2011 model from a Lexus dealer up north and saw the MOT had the following advisories (as well brakes front and back):

• Fuel filler pipes corroded
• Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

I spoke to the service guy about the advisories and he said it wasn't bad enough for them to do anything more than clean it up as it was "just surface rust". Fair enough I suppose but still disappointing in that I wasn't expecting anything like the pictures above where work will certainly be required and the cost to repair being quite high for what shouldn't have been an issue [on a modern car]!

[adamhearn]

On 7/23/2020 at 10:09 PM, -Rich- said:

I'm still shocked at the amount of rust on the car though for 9 years old. I'll be interested to see if anyone else has this kind of rust.

I'll take some pictures and reply back when I've got the car!

[steve2006]

Does look excessive, was the previous owner the lighthouse keeper at Scarborough or worked in the salt mines in Cheshire.

 

[royoftherovers]

9 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

Does look excessive, was the previous owner the lighthouse keeper at Scarborough or worked in the salt mines in Cheshire.

 

If it was indeed excessive Steve, it was the Lighthouse keeper at Muckle Flugger !

[-Rich-]

We've had the car for 4 years and prior to that it lived around the Stoke area. It is a Jap motor though, you should see the underneath of my MX5, now that is rusty!!

I fitted the new pipe and had to reuse the old metal bracket as it's no longer supplied with the pipe and has to be purchased separately. I didn't know this until it was delivered! I've only filled up once since but no leaks. I also painted the pipe in Bilt Hamber UB to give more protection and did the arches too. Given the new pipe arrived with scratches on it down to the metal I wouldn't be surprised if they're fitted in the factory like that.

Scratches on new pipe.

Bilt Hamber UB, it's like a wax and quite tacky.

Old bracket was a mess! Cleaned it up with Bilt Hamber deox c and painted with hydrate 80.

New pipe fitted with new plastic clips and arches cleaned and protected.

It was a fairly straight forward job, just a bit awkward getting the pipe in and the new clips on. I haven't cleaned the old pipe up yet but it still feels solid but for how long is anyone's guess!

I also reused the breather pipe, cleaned up and painted.

 

[Jaystar77]

That looks like a proper job you have done there Rich, the Bilt Hamber range is great to work with.

The metal fuel filler pipes are a weak point on most Toyota models, I've dealt with similar issues across the home fleet in the past.  If left unchecked that sort of corrosion can progress to what I've found on the older cars here:

(This 1995 Toyota Starlet for example)

 

I get that metal rusts, in fact there's a whole industry geared towards the repair and preservation of older cars, it is still frustrating that people aren't made aware of such issues until they become a proper problem.  In this instance if someone had flagged up your corrosion a few years ago the pipework could have been treated rather than replaced.   

I also thought that plastic filler necks were a 'thing' but obviously not used everywhere!

[-Rich-]

Wow, that one was bad! This is the first filler pipe I've had to replace and considering most of my cars have been a lot older than this I really wasn't expecting it.

Yes it would've been nice if Lexus gave me the heads up about it. That's the first and last time I'll be trusting a dealer! I'll check everything myself from now on.

[adamhearn]

Took a picture of the pipes on ours... looks pretty grim.

[stormchaser]

That looks really bad.


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[-Rich-]

I've not had the chance to clean the old pipe yet but from the quick check I did it was still solid. For how much longer it would've lasted is anyone's guess. 

[adamhearn]

Picked up a CT, 2012 registered Premier, yesterday; it looks much nicer underneath 🙂