One year of ownership & still loving my IS300h

Thackeray · February 15, 2022

1 hour ago, David lings said:

Let me down 5 times in the first month but recently it seems to have become more reliable.

What went wrong? Was it the same thing five times? Or five different faults? It would be interesting to know the details so other owners can watch out for the same problems.

DBIZO · February 16, 2022

Yes, it would be good to learn what things could possibly fail within a few months into years 4-5. It's a young car, but past its "burn in" phase, so you're not exactly at either side of the bathtub.

I've got a 15 plate, did over 15k in 11 months (lots of long trips), had a failed 12V Battery due to a combination of age and deep discharge, had it changed for free by the dealer.

Overall, I'm impressed by the chassis and the suspension at speed, it's a very confident car. I really like the cabin, that Japanese industrial design language that carries the ghost of the halcyon days of the 80s/90s in Japan really strikes a chord in me. Power is plentiful for UK roads, it's lacking low-end torque at high speeds on Continental motorways (when you want to pick up speed from say 75 to 90-100), needs revving up to 3500-4500 to pull. Economy is still good when it's really bad (hurrying on winter motorways yields 36-37 mpg), and excellent when I'm soft with her (low 50s mpg) and the weather is good. After all this time with a Lexus CVT, stepped gears, however good the automatic gearbox is, annoying and outdated, even in a Merc (have hired a C-class and an E-class in the past).

The mistake I made is that I did not go for a higher trim than Advanced. I thought would you pay another grand for an all in Luxury or Premier trim. Well, to really make the car overall a premium experience. I did not realise how much I'll keep adjusting the seats, and to have the desired positions programmed once I found them would be a boon. Also radar cruise control. Automatic high beam.

I'm looking at more recent (2016-) GS 450h Premiers as an upgrade (lower road and wind noise at speed, more torque) , but as you imagine, there is probably one or two on the market at any given time...sadly, none of the new Lexus model appeal, other than an LC500h. My bank account says I don't have 100k to spare on a toy. Sad.

rayaans · February 16, 2022

The new IS will be coming out in the next few years and is an EV

The concept was recently revealed a few months ago

DBIZO · February 16, 2022

11 minutes ago, rayaans said:

The new IS will be coming out in the next few years and is an EV

The concept was recently revealed a few months ago

EVs don't work for me, I remain uninterested. I use the car predominantly for long, irregular trips of several hundreds of miles that are simply not practical for an EV. A plug-in version with a small Battery pack would make sense, particularly if they could leave Li-ion chemistries behind, and use Na instead for something like 5-8 kWh - keeping the total weight of the pack around the same, 50kg, as the current NiMH. At that point you get 20-30 miles of range around town, no fire hazard, hard cycling capability (you could charge meaningfully in a few minutes with a fast charger and full in 2 hours at home) but it wouldn't be a drag on longer journeys. I can only speculate why Toyota hasn't moved more into plug-ins, I suspect it is for the same reason they are behind in EVs. They made one of the biggest mistakes any consumer company can make: assumed customers are reasonable and don't fall for something that costs more but does less.

wharfhouse · February 16, 2022

19 hours ago, Thackeray said:

What went wrong? Was it the same thing five times? Or five different faults? It would be interesting to know the details so other owners can watch out for the same problems.

David covered this on a previous post - mid-last year after getting the car his 12V Battery let him down a number of times - he finally had it changed (by the dealer I believe) and all I think was well after that. So not really five different faults just the one (that we know others have had when the car hasn't been used for some time) and resolved quite simply in the end. If there are other faults hopefully David will let us know in due course.

David lings · February 16, 2022

19 hours ago, Thackeray said:

What went wrong? Was it the same thing five times? Or five different faults? It would be interesting to know the details so other owners can watch out for the same problems.

Thackeray

Same problem every time - flat Battery.

I kept taking it back to the dealer and all I got was that the Battery passed a drop test but was not fully charged. Never looked at any other possible cause - not interested.

According to Lexus, runs of generally more than 30 miles were insufficient to charge the Battery fully - rubbish!!!!

This just demonstrates that the Lexus garage did NOT have experienced/qualified mechanics, a point as proven with other issues I ahve and stil have.

No matter how hard the service manager tried on my behalf they kept saing 'nothing wrong' and it kept failing.

Eventually I bought a digital multi-meter and did my own checks over a week.

The results I sent to Lexus showing 'charging' seemed ok and the problem pointed to a weak cell in the Battery. The Battery never had more than 12.3v and after 8 hours in the garage it had fallen to below 12v.

So every moring you were trying to start the hybrid system with less than 12v.

Park for say 4 to 5 hours whilst playing golf and you came back to a flat Battery.

Eventually the service manager took the car in saying it would stay with Lexus until something was sorted.

Ten days later I got the car back to be told all ok and nothing wrong.

For sure they had put in a new Battery and whatever else they did I am not sure but suspect nothing.

Since they did it it has become more reliable for every day use but still a bit weak if you leave it for say 10 to 14 days without using.

My experinece is do NOT take your car to a Lexus dealer for service/repair.

They tick boxes, do nothing and charge a fortune.

Unfortunately my car came with a 3 year service deal.

Experience dictates, to ensure my family are kept safe, I take it to a professional after any Lexus visist to be checked.

Lost all faith in Lexus dealer.

David

wharfhouse · February 16, 2022

7 minutes ago, David lings said:

This just demonstrates that the Lexus garage did NOT have experienced/qualified mechanics, a point as proven with other issues I ahve and stil have.

What other issues do you still have? Maybe someone on here has some experience or can shed some light. Sounds like you have had a difficult relationship with your dealer which is a shame as the Battery issue should have been resolved quickly. Personally I have no issues with my local dealer and have spoken with not only service desk but directly with the techs who seem happy to discuss issues with customers.

Thackeray · February 16, 2022

3 minutes ago, David lings said:

Same problem every time - flat battery.

Thanks for the explanation. A flat Battery is something I can cope with. The way prices are going it may soon be cheaper to buy a new Battery than the routine cost of filling up with petrol!

DBIZO · February 16, 2022

5 hours ago, David lings said:

Thackeray

Same problem every time - flat battery.

I kept taking it back to the dealer and all I got was that the battery passed a drop test but was not fully charged. Never looked at any other possible cause - not interested.

According to Lexus, runs of generally more than 30 miles were insufficient to charge the battery fully - rubbish!!!!

This just demonstrates that the Lexus garage did NOT have experienced/qualified mechanics, a point as proven with other issues I ahve and stil have.

No matter how hard the service manager tried on my behalf they kept saing 'nothing wrong' and it kept failing.

Eventually I bought a digital multi-meter and did my own checks over a week.

The results I sent to Lexus showing 'charging' seemed ok and the problem pointed to a weak cell in the battery. The battery never had more than 12.3v and after 8 hours in the garage it had fallen to below 12v.

So every moring you were trying to start the hybrid system with less than 12v.

Park for say 4 to 5 hours whilst playing golf and you came back to a flat battery.

Eventually the service manager took the car in saying it would stay with Lexus until something was sorted.

Ten days later I got the car back to be told all ok and nothing wrong.

For sure they had put in a new battery and whatever else they did I am not sure but suspect nothing.

Since they did it it has become more reliable for every day use but still a bit weak if you leave it for say 10 to 14 days without using.

My experinece is do NOT take your car to a Lexus dealer for service/repair.

They tick boxes, do nothing and charge a fortune.

Unfortunately my car came with a 3 year service deal.

Experience dictates, to ensure my family are kept safe, I take it to a professional after any Lexus visist to be checked.

Lost all faith in Lexus dealer.

David

This is a documented issue - these 12V batteries in the hybrids (and EVs) are small, and do not last long when left uncharged, which means that they get deep discharge damage some time after 2-3 weeks. I had the same issue, an unpleasant experience at an airport after I bought my 2015 plate last April, and upon my complaints the dealer (Snows) promptly replaced the Battery at no cost. I cannot begin to understand how your dealer did not replace yours immediately, it's a small cost. Because I was pleased with how they handled my complaint, I've been going back to Hedge End and have already spent ££££.

Point is, trust in God, powder dry, 12V Battery fresh and charged.

rayaans · February 16, 2022

3 hours ago, David lings said:

Thackeray

Same problem every time - flat battery.

I kept taking it back to the dealer and all I got was that the battery passed a drop test but was not fully charged. Never looked at any other possible cause - not interested.

According to Lexus, runs of generally more than 30 miles were insufficient to charge the battery fully - rubbish!!!!

This just demonstrates that the Lexus garage did NOT have experienced/qualified mechanics, a point as proven with other issues I ahve and stil have.

No matter how hard the service manager tried on my behalf they kept saing 'nothing wrong' and it kept failing.

Eventually I bought a digital multi-meter and did my own checks over a week.

The results I sent to Lexus showing 'charging' seemed ok and the problem pointed to a weak cell in the battery. The battery never had more than 12.3v and after 8 hours in the garage it had fallen to below 12v.

So every moring you were trying to start the hybrid system with less than 12v.

Park for say 4 to 5 hours whilst playing golf and you came back to a flat battery.

Eventually the service manager took the car in saying it would stay with Lexus until something was sorted.

Ten days later I got the car back to be told all ok and nothing wrong.

For sure they had put in a new battery and whatever else they did I am not sure but suspect nothing.

Since they did it it has become more reliable for every day use but still a bit weak if you leave it for say 10 to 14 days without using.

My experinece is do NOT take your car to a Lexus dealer for service/repair.

They tick boxes, do nothing and charge a fortune.

Unfortunately my car came with a 3 year service deal.

Experience dictates, to ensure my family are kept safe, I take it to a professional after any Lexus visist to be checked.

Lost all faith in Lexus dealer.

David

While I agree the service was subpar for Lexus standards, your experience just outlines main dealers in general.

Having said that if diagnostics are showing everything is good then its hard for them to do much. Bear in mind that Lexus UK are paying for anything the dealer does or replaces.

If you think the service you received was poor, you should try Mercedes or BMW.

David lings · February 18, 2022

On 2/17/2022 at 12:04 AM, wharfhouse said:

What other issues do you still have? Maybe someone on here has some experience or can shed some light. Sounds like you have had a difficult relationship with your dealer which is a shame as the battery issue should have been resolved quickly. Personally I have no issues with my local dealer and have spoken with not only service desk but directly with the techs who seem happy to discuss issues with customers.

Phil

A lot of my issues, I think, depend on how you view a 'car'.

If it is just something you use every day, fill with fuel, occassionally take to a car wash, let someone service and then after a few years change you will most likely think I am too fussy.

For anyones interest I list the things that I don't like.

It's a pity really as the IS300 is exactly the car we wanted.

A new car was outside the budget and there is always risk with a second hand car.

I though by gong for a Lexux and through a dealer I was reducing my risk but alas not so.

Saftery Check/service

In the test drive the car exibited brake problems (noisy and grabbing) so when discussing the deal on offer I mentioned this and was told they do a 150 point safety check that would cover this. Plus part of the deal was they did a major service so the service package offered covered two minor and one major service so a better deal for me.

I did the deal and collected the car but still with the brakes noisy.

My initail concerns were the reliability so did nothng about the brakes until the car went in for sorting of the relaibilty issue.

At that time I mentioned:

- brakes noisy;

- vibrations through the steering wheel and transmision;

- steering that 'banged' when turning through 90 degress.

I was told all ok nothing wrong.

So no change once returned, other than the Battery sorted. Not satisfied I again decided to look for myself.

Safety Check

The safety check is purely a sales gimmick as they had done nothing. Don't be fooled by such sales talk. Just tell them you wil take it to a proffessional for a safety check and see their reaction.

The major service possibly the same - see below.

Brakes

The front brakes had never been touched in possibly years. They were clogged up with rush from the disc which had packed itself around the pads.

Once I found this I took it to the garage that had looked after my IS200 for a though brake check and PDI (Pre-deliver inspection).

The car had never been serviced for years. In addition to the front disc issues the rear nearside parking brake mechanism was almost siezed up.

I subsequenty found that Lexus do not serives their cars hence the mess mine was in. They change oil/filters only and then supposedly inspect other safety related aspects (read your service guide).

Lexus don't maintain only repair. Without service things deteriorate and eventually require repair and, of course, Lexus then tell you it requires repair and, of course, repair at your cost. All very good for business

So firstly buying from a Lexus dealer is not necessarily your best bet. As a friend did, buy at a garage that gives you 7 to 10 day buy back option, explain you will take to your regular garage for a PDI and any thing seriously wrong you will bring back for repair or money back. If they don't accept something must be wrong so go elsewhere.

Moral

Lexus 'service packages' are not worth the money - just another con-trick.

The 150 point saftey check is a sales gimmick only.

If you want your car properly servicing to last as long as possible, then take it to an independent local garage that does a proffessional job.

You will be pounds in pocket and the car will last longer.

Vibrations

Whenever I contacted the dealer they just kept saying never heard of such a problem hence must be nothing wrong.

So again I decide to have a look myself.

I checked myself, and through my reguar type provider, the discs for true, wheel bearings, tyre pressures, steering alignment, wheel balance, etc. The car had two different tyre makes so I matched them across the front/back axles.

Underfloor body panels stopped me checking the UV joints.

I then started to see if I could 'fix' the vibrations to a set speed but no, it vibrated any speed between 20mph to 80mph.

I did discover that the transmission vibrations were when the car was not being driven hard and occurred between 1100-1500rpm.

All this I put in a report I sent to Lexus and they called the car back for a test drive and inspection.

They agreed there was I problem and booked the in again for checking.

On collection they claimed nothing wrong but had reset all the wheel/steering based parameters, e.g. alignment, balance, camber, etc. of all wheels.

This they charged me for as there was nothing wrong.

It has improved the steering wheel vibrations a little but those of the transmission no. I was told nothing wrong with the transmission so it has to be the Lexus standard and you have to live with it.

Steering Bang

This I was told is just standard Lexus steering 'skip' due to having a good turning circle.

Others

The Lexus IS300 has a number of electronic gadgets/gimmicks that again are not of the best quality so check carefully before buying.

The windscreen wash/wipe washers every time but only wipes when it feels like it. Not a major issue.

There is a system that identifies roadside speed restrictions and brings them up in the info screen between dials.

This system has a mind of its own.

You enter a speed restriction, say 20mph, and it brings up 110!

It may actually get the correct speed but then stubbornly refuses to change no matter how many differnt signs you pass.

Finally it recently decided that no matter what speed it showed, once your actual speed went above 25mpg the background turned red suggesting you were speeding.

Just a gimmick so turned off now.

In fact I have now turned off all the elctronic aids/gimmicks.

Driving

Possibly not a probem but something anyone considering buying a Lexus IS300 ought to check and be satisfied with before buying.

The car in the passenger cabin is noisy compared to the old IS200.

At 70mph on a motorway, that does not have a billiard table smooth surface, you cannot hold a conversation with rear seat pasengers due to road noise in the passenger cabin.

Also the steering/front suspension are very susceptible to road surface condition. A deaf person would know through the steering wheel every time the road surface changes.

The rear passenger ventilation system (located between the two front seats) just does not work.

These are not complaints just inherent IS300 norms you need to satisfay yourself they are not of concern to you.

Dealer

The service manager is excellent and tries very hard on my behalf but nothing ever happens. Always nothing wrong - take it or leave it.

Battery

The Battery now seems ok but one word of warning.

NEVER use the auxillary for anything for more than 10-15mins as it will reduce the Battery capacity to an extent it may not start the hybrid system.

ALWAYS have the car in 'ready' mode whenever you are doing anything. This tip I leaned from the AA man who came to rescue me.

He had many 'hybrid' call outs for flat Battery due to owners, like me initially, not undertsansing the system weaknesses.

Conclusion

For all my complaints I still have the car and drive almost 1k miles every month.

I just have to accept the inherent idiosyncrasies of a Lexus as irritants and keep going or change to something else due to poor quality car and dealer franchise.

What to change to though???

At present I will not be rushing to a dealer for my next purchase

Hope you all have safe and enjoyable motoring

David

wharfhouse · February 18, 2022

2 hours ago, David lings said:

Phil

A lot of my issues, I think, depend on how you view a 'car'.

If it is just something you use every day, fill with fuel, occassionally take to a car wash, let someone service and then after a few years change you will most likely think I am too fussy.

For anyones interest I list the things that I don't like.

It's a pity really as the IS300 is exactly the car we wanted.

A new car was outside the budget and there is always risk with a second hand car.

I though by gong for a Lexux and through a dealer I was reducing my risk but alas not so.

Saftery Check/service

In the test drive the car exibited brake problems (noisy and grabbing) so when discussing the deal on offer I mentioned this and was told they do a 150 point safety check that would cover this. Plus part of the deal was they did a major service so the service package offered covered two minor and one major service so a better deal for me.

I did the deal and collected the car but still with the brakes noisy.

My initail concerns were the reliability so did nothng about the brakes until the car went in for sorting of the relaibilty issue.

At that time I mentioned:

- brakes noisy;

- vibrations through the steering wheel and transmision;

- steering that 'banged' when turning through 90 degress.

I was told all ok nothing wrong.

So no change once returned, other than the battery sorted. Not satisfied I again decided to look for myself.

Safety Check

The safety check is purely a sales gimmick as they had done nothing. Don't be fooled by such sales talk. Just tell them you wil take it to a proffessional for a safety check and see their reaction.

The major service possibly the same - see below.

Brakes

The front brakes had never been touched in possibly years. They were clogged up with rush from the disc which had packed itself around the pads.

Once I found this I took it to the garage that had looked after my IS200 for a though brake check and PDI (Pre-deliver inspection).

The car had never been serviced for years. In addition to the front disc issues the rear nearside parking brake mechanism was almost siezed up.

I subsequenty found that Lexus do not serives their cars hence the mess mine was in. They change oil/filters only and then supposedly inspect other safety related aspects (read your service guide).

Lexus don't maintain only repair. Without service things deteriorate and eventually require repair and, of course, Lexus then tell you it requires repair and, of course, repair at your cost. All very good for business

So firstly buying from a Lexus dealer is not necessarily your best bet. As a friend did, buy at a garage that gives you 7 to 10 day buy back option, explain you will take to your regular garage for a PDI and any thing seriously wrong you will bring back for repair or money back. If they don't accept something must be wrong so go elsewhere.

Moral

Lexus 'service packages' are not worth the money - just another con-trick.

The 150 point saftey check is a sales gimmick only.

If you want your car properly servicing to last as long as possible, then take it to an independent local garage that does a proffessional job.

You will be pounds in pocket and the car will last longer.

Vibrations

Whenever I contacted the dealer they just kept saying never heard of such a problem hence must be nothing wrong.

So again I decide to have a look myself.

I checked myself, and through my reguar type provider, the discs for true, wheel bearings, tyre pressures, steering alignment, wheel balance, etc. The car had two different tyre makes so I matched them across the front/back axles.

Underfloor body panels stopped me checking the UV joints.

I then started to see if I could 'fix' the vibrations to a set speed but no, it vibrated any speed between 20mph to 80mph.

I did discover that the transmission vibrations were when the car was not being driven hard and occurred between 1100-1500rpm.

All this I put in a report I sent to Lexus and they called the car back for a test drive and inspection.

They agreed there was I problem and booked the in again for checking.

On collection they claimed nothing wrong but had reset all the wheel/steering based parameters, e.g. alignment, balance, camber, etc. of all wheels.

This they charged me for as there was nothing wrong.

It has improved the steering wheel vibrations a little but those of the transmission no. I was told nothing wrong with the transmission so it has to be the Lexus standard and you have to live with it.

Steering Bang

This I was told is just standard Lexus steering 'skip' due to having a good turning circle.

Others

The Lexus IS300 has a number of electronic gadgets/gimmicks that again are not of the best quality so check carefully before buying.

The windscreen wash/wipe washers every time but only wipes when it feels like it. Not a major issue.

There is a system that identifies roadside speed restrictions and brings them up in the info screen between dials.

This system has a mind of its own.

You enter a speed restriction, say 20mph, and it brings up 110!

It may actually get the correct speed but then stubbornly refuses to change no matter how many differnt signs you pass.

Finally it recently decided that no matter what speed it showed, once your actual speed went above 25mpg the background turned red suggesting you were speeding.

Just a gimmick so turned off now.

In fact I have now turned off all the elctronic aids/gimmicks.

Driving

Possibly not a probem but something anyone considering buying a Lexus IS300 ought to check and be satisfied with before buying.

The car in the passenger cabin is noisy compared to the old IS200.

At 70mph on a motorway, that does not have a billiard table smooth surface, you cannot hold a conversation with rear seat pasengers due to road noise in the passenger cabin.

Also the steering/front suspension are very susceptible to road surface condition. A deaf person would know through the steering wheel every time the road surface changes.

The rear passenger ventilation system (located between the two front seats) just does not work.

These are not complaints just inherent IS300 norms you need to satisfay yourself they are not of concern to you.

Dealer

The service manager is excellent and tries very hard on my behalf but nothing ever happens. Always nothing wrong - take it or leave it.

Battery

The battery now seems ok but one word of warning.

NEVER use the auxillary for anything for more than 10-15mins as it will reduce the battery capacity to an extent it may not start the hybrid system.

ALWAYS have the car in 'ready' mode whenever you are doing anything. This tip I leaned from the AA man who came to rescue me.

He had many 'hybrid' call outs for flat battery due to owners, like me initially, not undertsansing the system weaknesses.

Conclusion

For all my complaints I still have the car and drive almost 1k miles every month.

I just have to accept the inherent idiosyncrasies of a Lexus as irritants and keep going or change to something else due to poor quality car and dealer franchise.

What to change to though???

At present I will not be rushing to a dealer for my next purchase

Hope you all have safe and enjoyable motoring

David

Many thanks for your detailed write up and if I had those same issues I would certainly share your frustrations - however, my experiences are very different from your own. I purchased my 2014 IS 300h when it was 2 years old with 40K miles on the clock from my local Lexus dealer. I still have the car and it now has 114K miles on it. I am quite fussy about a lot of things on my cars although I do use the car for business and personal and so do about 15K miles per annum so it doesn't get as well looked after as I would like and I do use the Lexus dealer for all work as that for me is the most convenient for me. I have no issue with all the services that my Lexus dealer has done and I do take a service plan which is a simple way to spread the service costs over a couple of years, but there isn't any real saving (other than the prices being fixed when it's taken out).

I agree that the "150 point safety check" is probably more a sales tool than anything of great value - as Lexus used cars have a Used Car Warranty though then any faults found they should rectify promptly so the "safety check" isn't something I took much notice of but you should not have the unresolved issues you have experienced - they should have been dealt with.

On the brakes, mine have never had a problem - I had front discs and pads changed at 80K miles (as I had wheel bearings replaced under Extended Warranty) but they were still working fine just normal wear. Noisy brakes (do you mean some squealing?) is usually due to pads not being seated correctly - but should be readily resolved. If they were in such a state (with the seized parking brake) then Lexus should certainly have rectified that as part of their Used Car Warranty.

Equally the steering issue should not happen - other than in cold weather when it is true the tyres can "skip" on full lock causing a banging noise (like running over a stone), but this is normal for many cars.

I have never had any vibration that you mention, other than if the tyres had an imbalance sometimes towards the end of their life, but that is easily identified and rectified so if it's been checked I can't see it being that. There was some reports of transmission vibrations at around 50mph in a small number of cars - I have never noticed it in mine, but there was a fix for those that had it where a small damper was fitted on the transmission and I think some sort of software fix as well - if you do a search in this forum you should find the threads - they were a few years ago. It could possibly be what you are experiencing.

The rear passenger ventilation is controlled by a switch on the dashboard (top left) - known as S-Flow. If S-Flow is off (not lit) then the rear passengers will receive ventilation (the centre vents will work) but if S-Flow is on (lit) then the air flow to the rear is stopped (so no air will come through the centre vents). It's to do with economy - if you don't have any rear passengers saves heating/cooling the rear of the car so much. It is a bit confusing though - took me a few times reading that part in the manual to understand it.

I don't find noise any more intrusive at 70mph than previous cars I've owned (BMWs, Mercedes, Hondas, Fords to name a few) but tyre choice can play a big part in this - and in my experience noise increases as tyres (any tyres) start and reach end of life. New tyres always makes the car a lot quieter! Also I don't have any undue issues with the feedback through the steering - certainly no more or less than many other cars. I do wonder if you have some suspension/geometry issues there still?

Agreed on the Battery - never use Aux - just start the car in Ready mode (leave in P, never N) and let it do what it wants otherwise there is a real risk of flattening the 12V Battery as it is on the small side. This seems to be common to some other hybrid cars too. That said my car is still on it's original 12V Battery and I've had no issues to date but do carry one of the glove box Li Ion jump start packs just in case!

I don't have the speed restrictions camera on mine, but when I had a courtesy car with it I didn't find it that good and certainly don't miss not having it. My wife has it on her Toyota and it is a bit hit and miss - I'm not a big fan of too much tech as just more to go wrong.

Apologies for rambling on a bit, but you don't seem to have anything like the positive experience I have had with my own car and others have had. Yes, there may be some Lexus idiosyncrasies in there (took me a while to get to know my car) but the biggest issue does seem to lie at the door of your local dealer. Certainly some of the issues you have described should have been dealt with straight after purchase by your Lexus dealer under the Used Car Warranty and you should be able to have confidence that they will do a professional job on the servicing according to the schedules laid out.

What should you do next? Personally if you feel you want to try another Lexus I would definitely change to a different dealership (assuming that there is one within a sensible distance for you) - you may have a different (hopefully a lot better) experience. In my experience, all brands have their good and bad dealers though - when I had my first BMWs I went through about four different dealerships that were shocking until I found one that was excellent - bought a number of BMWs through that dealer and always serviced the cars there - they just did everything right. At the moment I have found the same at my local Lexus dealer. If I have any issues I can discuss it with the service desk - if that starts to become complicated or the issue is difficult to pinpoint then they offer to have a tech come out with the customer so that they can understand the issue properly face-to-face in the car which definitely helps speed up diagnosis. It doesn't sound like your dealer went down this route for you.

Hope that you are able to find a more positive experience one way or another - it's a shame that a few of the dealers seem to be damaging the brand that Lexus have built.

David lings · February 20, 2022

On 2/19/2022 at 2:46 AM, wharfhouse said:

Many thanks for your detailed write up and if I had those same issues I would certainly share your frustrations - however, my experiences are very different from your own. I purchased my 2014 IS 300h when it was 2 years old with 40K miles on the clock from my local Lexus dealer. I still have the car and it now has 114K miles on it. I am quite fussy about a lot of things on my cars although I do use the car for business and personal and so do about 15K miles per annum so it doesn't get as well looked after as I would like and I do use the Lexus dealer for all work as that for me is the most convenient for me. I have no issue with all the services that my Lexus dealer has done and I do take a service plan which is a simple way to spread the service costs over a couple of years, but there isn't any real saving (other than the prices being fixed when it's taken out).

I agree that the "150 point safety check" is probably more a sales tool than anything of great value - as Lexus used cars have a Used Car Warranty though then any faults found they should rectify promptly so the "safety check" isn't something I took much notice of but you should not have the unresolved issues you have experienced - they should have been dealt with.

On the brakes, mine have never had a problem - I had front discs and pads changed at 80K miles (as I had wheel bearings replaced under Extended Warranty) but they were still working fine just normal wear. Noisy brakes (do you mean some squealing?) is usually due to pads not being seated correctly - but should be readily resolved. If they were in such a state (with the seized parking brake) then Lexus should certainly have rectified that as part of their Used Car Warranty.

Equally the steering issue should not happen - other than in cold weather when it is true the tyres can "skip" on full lock causing a banging noise (like running over a stone), but this is normal for many cars.

I have never had any vibration that you mention, other than if the tyres had an imbalance sometimes towards the end of their life, but that is easily identified and rectified so if it's been checked I can't see it being that. There was some reports of transmission vibrations at around 50mph in a small number of cars - I have never noticed it in mine, but there was a fix for those that had it where a small damper was fitted on the transmission and I think some sort of software fix as well - if you do a search in this forum you should find the threads - they were a few years ago. It could possibly be what you are experiencing.

The rear passenger ventilation is controlled by a switch on the dashboard (top left) - known as S-Flow. If S-Flow is off (not lit) then the rear passengers will receive ventilation (the centre vents will work) but if S-Flow is on (lit) then the air flow to the rear is stopped (so no air will come through the centre vents). It's to do with economy - if you don't have any rear passengers saves heating/cooling the rear of the car so much. It is a bit confusing though - took me a few times reading that part in the manual to understand it.

I don't find noise any more intrusive at 70mph than previous cars I've owned (BMWs, Mercedes, Hondas, Fords to name a few) but tyre choice can play a big part in this - and in my experience noise increases as tyres (any tyres) start and reach end of life. New tyres always makes the car a lot quieter! Also I don't have any undue issues with the feedback through the steering - certainly no more or less than many other cars. I do wonder if you have some suspension/geometry issues there still?

Agreed on the battery - never use Aux - just start the car in Ready mode (leave in P, never N) and let it do what it wants otherwise there is a real risk of flattening the 12V battery as it is on the small side. This seems to be common to some other hybrid cars too. That said my car is still on it's original 12V battery and I've had no issues to date but do carry one of the glove box Li Ion jump start packs just in case!

I don't have the speed restrictions camera on mine, but when I had a courtesy car with it I didn't find it that good and certainly don't miss not having it. My wife has it on her Toyota and it is a bit hit and miss - I'm not a big fan of too much tech as just more to go wrong.

Apologies for rambling on a bit, but you don't seem to have anything like the positive experience I have had with my own car and others have had. Yes, there may be some Lexus idiosyncrasies in there (took me a while to get to know my car) but the biggest issue does seem to lie at the door of your local dealer. Certainly some of the issues you have described should have been dealt with straight after purchase by your Lexus dealer under the Used Car Warranty and you should be able to have confidence that they will do a professional job on the servicing according to the schedules laid out.

What should you do next? Personally if you feel you want to try another Lexus I would definitely change to a different dealership (assuming that there is one within a sensible distance for you) - you may have a different (hopefully a lot better) experience. In my experience, all brands have their good and bad dealers though - when I had my first BMWs I went through about four different dealerships that were shocking until I found one that was excellent - bought a number of BMWs through that dealer and always serviced the cars there - they just did everything right. At the moment I have found the same at my local Lexus dealer. If I have any issues I can discuss it with the service desk - if that starts to become complicated or the issue is difficult to pinpoint then they offer to have a tech come out with the customer so that they can understand the issue properly face-to-face in the car which definitely helps speed up diagnosis. It doesn't sound like your dealer went down this route for you.

Hope that you are able to find a more positive experience one way or another - it's a shame that a few of the dealers seem to be damaging the brand that Lexus have built.

Phil

One think I liked about Lexus when looking was that it seemed to come in three standards only (Sports exceted).

When looking at Merc/Audi it appeared that when purchased new you started with a basic model and added 'options' to suit your personal desires.

This made looking as second hand cars you did not really know what standard until you went for a look. Sometimes the advert said plus "x" pounds of options but rarely listed them. With Lexux it clearly said 'Executive' 'Advanced' or 'Premium' so you knew what to expect.

I have two dealer options one 25 miles north and one 25 miles south.

I noted the previous owner of my car lived in the same area as myself and had bought from the dealer south, had it serviced at the dealer north then sold back to the dealer south rom where I purchased.

I will go and talk to the service manager of the one north and see what he has to say as it belongs to a different dealer franchise..

Thanks for your experiences.

Daavis

rayaans · February 20, 2022

On 2/18/2022 at 5:30 PM, David lings said:

Phil

A lot of my issues, I think, depend on how you view a 'car'.

If it is just something you use every day, fill with fuel, occassionally take to a car wash, let someone service and then after a few years change you will most likely think I am too fussy.

For anyones interest I list the things that I don't like.

It's a pity really as the IS300 is exactly the car we wanted.

A new car was outside the budget and there is always risk with a second hand car.

I though by gong for a Lexux and through a dealer I was reducing my risk but alas not so.

Saftery Check/service

In the test drive the car exibited brake problems (noisy and grabbing) so when discussing the deal on offer I mentioned this and was told they do a 150 point safety check that would cover this. Plus part of the deal was they did a major service so the service package offered covered two minor and one major service so a better deal for me.

I did the deal and collected the car but still with the brakes noisy.

My initail concerns were the reliability so did nothng about the brakes until the car went in for sorting of the relaibilty issue.

At that time I mentioned:

- brakes noisy;

- vibrations through the steering wheel and transmision;

- steering that 'banged' when turning through 90 degress.

I was told all ok nothing wrong.

So no change once returned, other than the battery sorted. Not satisfied I again decided to look for myself.

Safety Check

The safety check is purely a sales gimmick as they had done nothing. Don't be fooled by such sales talk. Just tell them you wil take it to a proffessional for a safety check and see their reaction.

The major service possibly the same - see below.

Brakes

The front brakes had never been touched in possibly years. They were clogged up with rush from the disc which had packed itself around the pads.

Once I found this I took it to the garage that had looked after my IS200 for a though brake check and PDI (Pre-deliver inspection).

The car had never been serviced for years. In addition to the front disc issues the rear nearside parking brake mechanism was almost siezed up.

I subsequenty found that Lexus do not serives their cars hence the mess mine was in. They change oil/filters only and then supposedly inspect other safety related aspects (read your service guide).

Lexus don't maintain only repair. Without service things deteriorate and eventually require repair and, of course, Lexus then tell you it requires repair and, of course, repair at your cost. All very good for business

So firstly buying from a Lexus dealer is not necessarily your best bet. As a friend did, buy at a garage that gives you 7 to 10 day buy back option, explain you will take to your regular garage for a PDI and any thing seriously wrong you will bring back for repair or money back. If they don't accept something must be wrong so go elsewhere.

Moral

Lexus 'service packages' are not worth the money - just another con-trick.

The 150 point saftey check is a sales gimmick only.

If you want your car properly servicing to last as long as possible, then take it to an independent local garage that does a proffessional job.

You will be pounds in pocket and the car will last longer.

Vibrations

Whenever I contacted the dealer they just kept saying never heard of such a problem hence must be nothing wrong.

So again I decide to have a look myself.

I checked myself, and through my reguar type provider, the discs for true, wheel bearings, tyre pressures, steering alignment, wheel balance, etc. The car had two different tyre makes so I matched them across the front/back axles.

Underfloor body panels stopped me checking the UV joints.

I then started to see if I could 'fix' the vibrations to a set speed but no, it vibrated any speed between 20mph to 80mph.

I did discover that the transmission vibrations were when the car was not being driven hard and occurred between 1100-1500rpm.

All this I put in a report I sent to Lexus and they called the car back for a test drive and inspection.

They agreed there was I problem and booked the in again for checking.

On collection they claimed nothing wrong but had reset all the wheel/steering based parameters, e.g. alignment, balance, camber, etc. of all wheels.

This they charged me for as there was nothing wrong.

It has improved the steering wheel vibrations a little but those of the transmission no. I was told nothing wrong with the transmission so it has to be the Lexus standard and you have to live with it.

Steering Bang

This I was told is just standard Lexus steering 'skip' due to having a good turning circle.

Others

The Lexus IS300 has a number of electronic gadgets/gimmicks that again are not of the best quality so check carefully before buying.

The windscreen wash/wipe washers every time but only wipes when it feels like it. Not a major issue.

There is a system that identifies roadside speed restrictions and brings them up in the info screen between dials.

This system has a mind of its own.

You enter a speed restriction, say 20mph, and it brings up 110!

It may actually get the correct speed but then stubbornly refuses to change no matter how many differnt signs you pass.

Finally it recently decided that no matter what speed it showed, once your actual speed went above 25mpg the background turned red suggesting you were speeding.

Just a gimmick so turned off now.

In fact I have now turned off all the elctronic aids/gimmicks.

Driving

Possibly not a probem but something anyone considering buying a Lexus IS300 ought to check and be satisfied with before buying.

The car in the passenger cabin is noisy compared to the old IS200.

At 70mph on a motorway, that does not have a billiard table smooth surface, you cannot hold a conversation with rear seat pasengers due to road noise in the passenger cabin.

Also the steering/front suspension are very susceptible to road surface condition. A deaf person would know through the steering wheel every time the road surface changes.

The rear passenger ventilation system (located between the two front seats) just does not work.

These are not complaints just inherent IS300 norms you need to satisfay yourself they are not of concern to you.

Dealer

The service manager is excellent and tries very hard on my behalf but nothing ever happens. Always nothing wrong - take it or leave it.

Battery

The battery now seems ok but one word of warning.

NEVER use the auxillary for anything for more than 10-15mins as it will reduce the battery capacity to an extent it may not start the hybrid system.

ALWAYS have the car in 'ready' mode whenever you are doing anything. This tip I leaned from the AA man who came to rescue me.

He had many 'hybrid' call outs for flat battery due to owners, like me initially, not undertsansing the system weaknesses.

Conclusion

For all my complaints I still have the car and drive almost 1k miles every month.

I just have to accept the inherent idiosyncrasies of a Lexus as irritants and keep going or change to something else due to poor quality car and dealer franchise.

What to change to though???

At present I will not be rushing to a dealer for my next purchase

Hope you all have safe and enjoyable motoring

David

David,

I honestly believe you've managed to get some kind of vehicle that wasn't looked after or bought from a poor dealer.

Many owners have had no noise or vibration issues from an IS300h. It's certainly quieter than my newer Mercedes C-class which is reasonably quiet.

The points you make of Lexus main dealers has no real value as it's the same across most if not all main dealers. They're more expensive than independents as a rule.

Additionally, the car being in auxiliary mode is no problem. It will turn auxiliary mode off after a certain amount of time. In fact I've had it on for 30 mins before it did this.

The rear passenger vents work just fine like on most cars. Check the settings!

wharfhouse · February 20, 2022

2 hours ago, David lings said:

Phil

One think I liked about Lexus when looking was that it seemed to come in three standards only (Sports exceted).

When looking at Merc/Audi it appeared that when purchased new you started with a basic model and added 'options' to suit your personal desires.

This made looking as second hand cars you did not really know what standard until you went for a look. Sometimes the advert said plus "x" pounds of options but rarely listed them. With Lexux it clearly said 'Executive' 'Advanced' or 'Premium' so you knew what to expect.

I have two dealer options one 25 miles north and one 25 miles south.

I noted the previous owner of my car lived in the same area as myself and had bought from the dealer south, had it serviced at the dealer north then sold back to the dealer south rom where I purchased.

I will go and talk to the service manager of the one north and see what he has to say as it belongs to a different dealer franchise..

Thanks for your experiences.

Daavis

In my case my car was also bought new by it's previous owner from my local dealer and then sold back to them from where I purchased it, which I felt was a valuable (though not essential) additional plus - and I also now have it maintained at the same dealer. It's certainly worth a look at your other local dealer - I live in Berkshire but there may be others on here with experience of your local dealers who if you are happy to mention who they are may be able to add some comments.

As for trim levels, yes definitely easier than some brands to understand although there were additional options for each trim available and of course what was included in each trim level changed over the years too.

ganzoom · February 20, 2022

At 7 years old our IS300H is by far the most reliable car we have owned, more reliable than Nissan/Honda etc of the past.

The IS is reliable I've now moved to only servicing it every 2 years in the hope that something will break so I can have an excuse to replace it. But alas no such luck, flew through the MOT with no issue, even the front brakes pads are still only 50% worn from new, on original 12V Battery too. £10 VED, 40mpg+, £250/insurance, for reliable, cheap motoring it doesn't really get much better.