Interior Creaks & Rattles

EvilRacer329 · September 28, 2020

Ever since I purchased my ex-demo UX250h in July it's been back to the dealer half a dozen times to try and track down and eliminate what can be some very irritating distractions. I know I'm being perfectionist about this, but you expect the interior of an old Peugeot to creak and rattle - not a nearly-new luxury car. The rattles were most prevalent on rougher roads, where the vibration would seem to resonate with whatever it is that's rattling in the car.

I was able to trace the worst of the two down to the cowling that covers the dashboard, possibly where it was rubbing against the blanking plate where the HUD would be installed on higher-trim models. Dealer told me they kept installing more and more insulating foam and tape, and I think it's mostly gone now. The other source was the driver's side door card, starting out as what sounded like a ticking or tapping noise in response to rough or broken road surfaces. After a few rounds of investigation and repair the noise is much less frequent and quieter, but it's still there. I'm hoping to pick the car up again later this week, but the dealer has admitted that they're struggling to identify the source or even replicate the issue driving around their local roads.

Thing is, I've noticed a similar door-card rattle on the loan car they gave me, and the service manager expressed that he'd driven a couple other UX250hs and actually found them to creak or rattle more than mine. I know the UX is Lexus' entry-level offering, but it's still a £30k-40k car! Are my expectations simply too high? Is Lexus' build quality actually far worse than I was LED to believe? Do any other owners have similar issues with their cars?

Nick

Tel · October 2, 2020

Ask your Dealer to test on your roads where you can guarantee repetition .

Your expectations are perfectly reasonable after all your near-side door card is perfect !

Tel

EvilRacer329 · October 2, 2020

I think part of the problem is that they only seem to show up after the car has been driven for a while and the internal plastics have warmed up with the climate control. The demonstrator/courtesy UX250h I've been driving has now developed far worse rattles from both doors than mine has, and you can even replicate it by grabbing the arm rest/door handle and pushing/twisting slightly. It was driving me crazy on my commute.

I'm hopefully swapping back to my own car today, so I'll let the dealer know and we'll see how mine behaves. I'd be curious to know if any other owners have experienced similar issues...

Nick

Richard1200 · October 3, 2020

I bet all your rattles are better now it’s colder, mine has virtually gone.

My worst buzzy noise was to the left of the instrument panel. Tried pushing bits of card in gaps. Biggest success was around the power button and the starter button, both sides of the outer ring. There were days when it was there, stopped parked up restarted and it had gone. The only thing touched was the starter button.

EvilRacer329 · October 4, 2020

Not done too much driving in my car since getting it back, but on the last couple of commutes the courtesy UX developed some horrendous rattling/buzzing from first the passenger and then the driver’s door. You could make the door card plastics creak by flexing it using the arm rest/door handle, and once the car interior warmed up after half an hour or so of driving the noise became almost constant.

I think that might be why my dealer struggled to replicate my issues - temperature is a component, and while it doesn’t take long for the climate control to warm up/cool down the air in the cabin, it takes longer for the physical materials to do the same. Mechanic test drives probably aren’t long enough...

Nick

jumbojake · October 4, 2020

I had the same with my IS200d when nearly new..... the dealer wasn't interested, apparently outside the warranty. But I spent some time with some felt tape and things improved dramatically... still creaks as the seasons change, lean on the middle console, knee of the door card etc .. but I agree, really frustrating, especially in an otherwise very quiet car.

My wifes' 2015 Rx450h is solid, but a demo 2018 Rx450h was terrible

Tel · October 4, 2020

Lexus have the skills to erase all buzzes, creaks,& rattles.

When the IS 250 was launched in 2005 the dash mounting clips were ever so slightly undersized causing a cacophony of noises that were ambient/cabin temperature dependant.

It was quite common for the offending Dash to be taken out which could lead to other issues & took Lexus 6 months to fully resolve.

My 2005 IS 250 SEL had relatively minor issues of the above & my dash was eased away from the windscreen & liberally coated with silicon & foam.Perfect resolution.

My 2011 ISF had a Fuse Box zizz that only came to my attention on a particular section of road repair in Lincoln as I journeyed to the Coast

Return journey same so returned early one Sunday morning, confirmed possible source & my Dealer did the rest.

Your Dealers are aware of the Issues so it should be easy to resolve.

Terry

Dealkent · November 22, 2020

On 9/28/2020 at 10:50 AM, EvilRacer329 said:

Ever since I purchased my ex-demo UX250h in July it's been back to the dealer half a dozen times to try and track down and eliminate what can be some very irritating distractions. I know I'm being perfectionist about this, but you expect the interior of an old Peugeot to creak and rattle - not a nearly-new luxury car. The rattles were most prevalent on rougher roads, where the vibration would seem to resonate with whatever it is that's rattling in the car.

I was able to trace the worst of the two down to the cowling that covers the dashboard, possibly where it was rubbing against the blanking plate where the HUD would be installed on higher-trim models. Dealer told me they kept installing more and more insulating foam and tape, and I think it's mostly gone now. The other source was the driver's side door card, starting out as what sounded like a ticking or tapping noise in response to rough or broken road surfaces. After a few rounds of investigation and repair the noise is much less frequent and quieter, but it's still there. I'm hoping to pick the car up again later this week, but the dealer has admitted that they're struggling to identify the source or even replicate the issue driving around their local roads.

Thing is, I've noticed a similar door-card rattle on the loan car they gave me, and the service manager expressed that he'd driven a couple other UX250hs and actually found them to creak or rattle more than mine. I know the UX is Lexus' entry-level offering, but it's still a £30k-40k car! Are my expectations simply too high? Is Lexus' build quality actually far worse than I was led to believe? Do any other owners have similar issues with their cars?

Nick

I agree with you , rattled and creaks would really annoy , especially on a new car . My IS 300 H has virtually no noises , after 5 years I’m well pleased

EvilRacer329 · November 23, 2020

The latest round of rattles is back with a vengeance, trying to get it booked back in with my dealer, but if they still can't find it I may have to try another dealer. I appreciate that they're trying their best, but perhaps a new set of eyes (and ears!) is needed...

Nick

royoftherovers · November 23, 2020

26 minutes ago, EvilRacer329 said:

The latest round of rattles is back with a vengeance, trying to get it booked back in with my dealer, but if they still can't find it I may have to try another dealer. I appreciate that they're trying their best, but perhaps a new set of eyes (and ears!) is needed...

Nick

I think that rattles etc will increase during Autumn and Winter months as materials get cooler and firmer and therefore less malleable.

NemesisUK · November 23, 2020

Both my RCs totally rattle and creak free. They are the first cars I've owned that don't protest with cracking and creaking ventilation ducts even in summer when the interiors get cooled by the a/c :thumbsup:

royoftherovers · November 23, 2020

32 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Both my RCs totally rattle and creak free. They are the first cars I've owned that don't protest with cracking and creaking ventilation ducts even in summer when the interiors get cooled by the a/c

The you simply must pass on your secrets to the other Members Peter ?

Tel · November 23, 2020

Can you use your phone to record your current issues that they had allegedly fixed &/or get them to test on a surface where you can repeat your fault.

I have had Lexus for 20 years & they have never let me down ( eventually). You have to lead them sometimes.

The USA Lexus Forums are Quiet about this issue & all the Tests on the 300e are saying the UX Build is excellent.

Give them Polite Grief.

Tel

EvilRacer329 · November 23, 2020

I've booked it in again for after lockdown and asked them to use a stethoscope or similar to try and pinpoint it. I've advised them that the issue crops up after the interior has warmed up, so they need to drive it for at least 20 minutes, which they often don't do. I've also given them a nearby road that always triggers the issue. I might see if I can get my partner to sit behind me with the voice recorder on her phone and do as you suggest - watch this space!

It's honestly the only thing spoiling my enjoyment of what is otherwise a fantastic car!

Nick

royoftherovers · November 23, 2020

1 hour ago, EvilRacer329 said:

I've booked it in again for after lockdown and asked them to use a stethoscope or similar to try and pinpoint it. I've advised them that the issue crops up after the interior has warmed up, so they need to drive it for at least 20 minutes, which they often don't do. I've also given them a nearby road that always triggers the issue. I might see if I can get my partner to sit behind me with the voice recorder on her phone and do as you suggest - watch this space!

It's honestly the only thing spoiling my enjoyment of what is otherwise a fantastic car!

Nick

Nick, it is a well known fix that the final movement of the 1812 overture played by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antol Duarte is the cure! :):)

Tel · November 23, 2020

If you have a second car follow them !

Tel

EvilRacer329 · November 26, 2020

Alright, playing the 1812 overture didn't help, although it did remind me how fantastic that piece of music is. 😄

I've found a stretch of road nearby that I can replicate the issue on, and confirmed that you need at least 20 minutes of driving to get the interior up to a warm enough temperature that it begins to rattle. With instructions like that they cannot fail to replicate the problem, so fingers crossed this is the last time I need to leave it with them!

Nick

The-Acre · November 26, 2020

It really is disappointing that a luxury car brand has rattles. I remember my GS, a great car but sounded like driving an old wooden ship! With online info and various bits and pieces it was almost ok, still disappointing though to find YouTube tutorials on how to stop your Lexus creaks and rattles.

paulrnx · December 1, 2020

If they’re all doing this it sounds like a design issue or use of poor quality materials / fixings / separation? Or both? Not great for a brand new model from a premium marque. I’d want to try to get mine fixed too but I might be more inclined to move to another model or marque if it cannot be fixed after a couple of tries. Is this the point where Lexus reliability and build quality have reduced to an unacceptable level in the pursuit of a fast time to market and low costs / max profits I wonder?

rich1068 · December 2, 2020

These issues used to drive me nuts when I bought or leased expensive brand new (usually German) cars. Forever chasing squeaks, buzzing and rattles. Now I achieve a Zen like state by driving either an entirely silent LS 400 or a ridiculously cheap car that's a bit of a shed like the V70

First_Lexus · December 2, 2020

13 hours ago, paulrnx said:

If they’re all doing this it sounds like a design issue or use of poor quality materials / fixings / separation? Or both? Not great for a brand new model from a premium marque. I’d want to try to get mine fixed too but I might be more inclined to move to another model or marque if it cannot be fixed after a couple of tries. Is this the point where Lexus reliability and build quality have reduced to an unacceptable level in the pursuit of a fast time to market and low costs / max profits I wonder?

It is indeed a bit of a worry, although the UX I had as a courtesy car a few months ago didn’t rattle, albeit that was in warmer Summer temperatures. My NX doesn’t rattle at all. The one I thought I had when new was traced (with the help of a member here) to the rubber boot mat against the tailgate plastic and was easily solved.

As a related aside, this may not just be a Lexus issue. My 2004 MINI Cooper is definitely made from better quality interior plastics than the new models. It doesn’t rattle after 16 years - accepting it has only done 13k dry miles - but new courtesy cars I’ve had do creak a bit. Everybody is building down to a price now it seems...

paulrnx · December 2, 2020

When I had a poke around the UX forum I was struck by how many issues people are seeing with their UX. Nothing worse than creaks and rattles inside a car as far as I’m concerned. More so in a new car. Even more so in a Lexus.

paulrnx · December 2, 2020

12 minutes ago, First_Lexus said:

It is indeed a bit of a worry, although the UX I had as a courtesy car a few months ago didn’t rattle, albeit that was in warmer Summer temperatures. My NX doesn’t rattle at all. The one I thought I had when new was traced (with the help of a member here) to the rubber boot mat against the tailgate plastic and was easily solved.

As a related aside, this may not just be a Lexus issue. My 2004 MINI Cooper is definitely made from better quality interior plastics than the new models. It doesn’t rattle after 16 years - accepting it has only done 13k dry miles - but new courtesy cars I’ve had do creak a bit. Everybody is building down to a price now it seems...

It’ll be interesting to see how this goes. There seems to be a lot of issues with the ES model too, at least from what I’ve seen from a quick dip into that part of the forum.

Far too many people are into gadgets and tech in their cars nowadays it seems. That’s possibly why Tesla do well.

I’d much prefer a solidly built car that is largely free from faults and doesn’t constantly squeak, rattle and creak. Also one that I don’t have to keep taking back to the dealership.

I’ve owned four Jaguars, each of them were absolutely sublime to drive and put a smile on my face every time I drove them but they all spent too much time being fixed or having nightly little issues put right. It’s why I’m back in a Lexus.

If future Lexus models are no longer as good in this regard I could perhaps drive something else that would be a little more exciting to drive.

The jury is out then. Will the latest UX & ES and future Lexus models be as bulletproof as previous models?