Lexus quality control (faults)

[NemesisUK]

13 minutes ago, fourbanks said:

I can live without, it's just that switch area is very weak overall especially the rocker that adjusts the mirrors up and down and to keep using that area to do what should be automatic, I feel needs to be addressed. Of course if that area of switch was of good sturdy quality then no problem, but it isn't overall and will break I can assure you in due course 

From my experiences within the Mercedes world it's the wiring that fails from the constant folding and unfolding. Why MB couldn't have used ultraflexible wire as used in robotics, I don't know. Oh, hang on of course I do, the expense...

[Roger Bill]

39 minutes ago, fourbanks said:

i don't think the adaptive variable suspension is a viable proposition for UX as it would make the cost too high for this type of vehicle

you already have a 17 inch for the UX in the basic form. What you're asking is you won't a 17 inch wheel in a higher grade? 

 

Yes that's right I intend to buy a Takumi for features such as the HUD and 360° cameras. As the Takumi is the highest cost spec, except for F Sport + Takumi Pack, it'd be great to have AVS included. I suspect dealers would sell me some 17" wheels as they did 16" for my 2009 IS250SEI.

[Fusspot]

3 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

I detect the smell of a change of direction towards Servicing by Lexus U.K. 

I too recently received a survey request, which was concerned with my views on using a Toyota dealer for future servicing (with a Lexus approved technician of course).

My replies to this strategy were not favourable.

Toyota being the parent company aside, there are any number of factors which should differentiate a dedicated Lexus service capability. Having said that, not everyone is that concerned over sticking with dealer servicing.

What are other people's views?

[NemesisUK]

11 minutes ago, Fusspot said:

My replies to this strategy were not favourable.

 

Ditto..

[Las Palmas]

I believe that the difference between Toyota and Lexus cars is more on the cosmetic side than in engine and other mechanical things.

It would be cheaper to have one company to take care of both brands as they are generally built of mostly same materials. The CT is a Prius in disguise and the new Crown looks like a luxury car ready to compete with Lexus. In 1985 I was driving in a Toyota Crown and that was a luxury car then. Would still be today.

Toyota will likely take over servicing of Lexus in the future.

[08ISF]

22 minutes ago, Fusspot said:

I too recently received a survey request, which was concerned with my views on using a Toyota dealer for future servicing (with a Lexus approved technician of course).

My replies to this strategy were not favourable.

Toyota being the parent company aside, there are any number of factors which should differentiate a dedicated Lexus service capability. Having said that, not everyone is that concerned over sticking with dealer servicing.

What are other people's views?

My Lexus cars have always been serviced in a workshop  shared with Toyota, the only perk being that I deliver the car to the local Lexus showroom and they take it away and deliver it back so I don't have to deal  direct with the service facility. You have no control over who is actually working on the vehicle and let's face it most "servicing" is only checking that things haven't fallen off so providing Lexus are going to stand by "their"  workmanship  and guarantee its quality , who cares how it got done?

Lexus cars are very reliable but expensive when they go wrong so as far as I'm concerned their  eye watering service charges are simply a premium for keeping the warranty  intact. You pays your money you takes your choice. I strongly suspect there is an element of insurance premium now in every service bill , otherwise how does Relax get financed? The acid test for Relax  is how  well they honour it of course.

Has anybody claimed successfully or unsuccessfully on Relax??

[EVANGELION]

5 hours ago, fourbanks said:

I have a meeting with one of the Lexus UK chief executives coming up in the not too distant future. Are there any issues that you would like me to talk to him about with regards your new cars and faults that you have been made aware of. 

I have found 3 areas for attention, at the designer stage, one is the passenger seat belt buckle that rattles on the pillar now and again. The other being the rear wiper motor noise, which could be made quieter. Also, the wing mirrors don't retract automatically, this is specific to the model in question but nonetheless it needs addressing. They may be miner, but the overall idea of the meeting is to get these miners details understood and then hopefully fixed 

if you have any concerns you won't me to address, then do please say so 

Hi  i had an issue with my ES front bonnet not alignment and paint work issue  when you will meet the chief executives, i want to show them my car and let them to check the quality issue

[Alan305]

30 minutes ago, Fusspot said:

I too recently received a survey request, which was concerned with my views on using a Toyota dealer for future servicing (with a Lexus approved technician of course).

… and me ….

Like the circle of life, I tried to remind Lexus what it used to be like in the 1990’s. My LS400 in 1996 was serviced by a joint Lexus/Toyota dealer. In reality it was Toyota and it got so bad that Lexus insisted that all Lexus dealers had to have independent premises to protect the brand. (Was it reasonable to take in a £50k Lexus and be given a Corolla courtesy car for the day.) And do we really think a minor service will be done by a dedicated Lexus technician during holiday periods in a Toyota centre?

Nothing wrong with Toyota but If I want Toyota servicing I’ll buy a Toyota.

 

[fourbanks]

44 minutes ago, EVANGELION said:

Hi  i had an issue with my ES front bonnet not alignment and paint work issue  when you will meet the chief executives, i want to show them my car and let them to check the quality issue

Quote

Hi  i had an issue with my ES front bonnet not alignment and paint work issue  when you will meet the chief executives, i want to show them my car and let them to check the quality issue

Noted and thanks 

[fourbanks]

2 hours ago, VFR said:

I am amazed that “any” new Lexus does not have auto folding mirrors out of the box in this day & age, or have I missed something ?

No, you haven't missed anything. The UX range only has auto folding mirrors in the F sport and takumi models only, and non auto folding on the F sport design. And no folding at all on the basic model, although i believe you can close them by hand? 

[Pin_nick]

According to the spec on my new UX Premium Plus it does have auto folding mirrors. Due in November so we will see?

[fourbanks]

32 minutes ago, Pin_nick said:

According to the spec on my new UX Premium Plus it does have auto folding mirrors. Due in November so we will see?

It's unlikely they will be automatic, as the spec that you have is the same as mine and the dealer made it quite clear to me that the wing mirrors were not automatic. The car i purchased was a customer cancellation with a sunroof, so i had to pay extra for that, and she was correct the wing mirrors are not automatic 

[Las Palmas]

It is far more expensive for car companies to build several version models than one of the same car model.

Already around year 2002 - 3 Citroen, Peugeot, VW etc. had cruise control built in the car, all the agents needed to activate it was to install the stalk with a couple of wires.

You do not think that Lexus is doing the same? It is not cost effective to have so many different versions of the same car.

[PDM]

8 hours ago, fourbanks said:

I have a meeting with one of the Lexus UK chief executives coming up in the not too distant future. Are there any issues that you would like me to talk to him about with regards your new cars and faults that you have been made aware of. 

I have found 3 areas for attention, at the designer stage, one is the passenger seat belt buckle that rattles on the pillar now and again. The other being the rear wiper motor noise, which could be made quieter. Also, the wing mirrors don't retract automatically, this is specific to the model in question but nonetheless it needs addressing. They may be miner, but the overall idea of the meeting is to get these miners details understood and then hopefully fixed 

if you have any concerns you won't me to address, then do please say so 

The infotainment software is very buggy.  On my 21RX (and other models with MM19 software), several things are broken:

1. Unreliable (sometimes never) indexing of mp3s on a usb stick into the voice command system

2. Radly internet radio does not work (it did for a while and then stopped randomly)

Lots more smaller bugs which I have reported to Lexus but no action has been taken.

I see from reading the forums here that MM21 in the new NX is also bug ridden (broken profiles being a particular issue, as well as vehicle location not updating in the app/web).

Paul 

[fourbanks]

43 minutes ago, PDM said:

The infotainment software is very buggy.  On my 21RX (and other models with MM19 software), several things are broken:

1. Unreliable (sometimes never) indexing of mp3s on a usb stick into the voice command system

2. Radly internet radio does not work (it did for a while and then stopped randomly)

Lots more smaller bugs which I have reported to Lexus but no action has been taken.

I see from reading the forums here that MM21 in the new NX is also bug ridden (broken profiles being a particular issue, as well as vehicle location not updating in the app/web).

Paul 

i will do my best Paul to get all of your points addressed. The dealers in general aren't that great, as to why i don't know. They need to have direct access to the manufacturing plant so they the plant staff are up to speed with what they are turning out and not just turning out what the computer is telling them. 

Who ever allowed the UX infotainment to be installed is a very good case in hand, as that proved the company know very little about this type of software. This is a third party piece of nonsense and could never have ever worked properly with such a low resolution. 

i'm well up on fine detail, so i should run rings round the chief executive with ease, the hard part will be the diplomatic part so that i don't demean him with his overall lack of knowledge of which most chief executives have. 

[Pin_nick]

1 hour ago, fourbanks said:

It's unlikely they will be automatic, as the spec that you have is the same as mine and the dealer made it quite clear to me that the wing mirrors were not automatic. The car i purchased was a customer cancellation with a sunroof, so i had to pay extra for that, and she was correct the wing mirrors are not automatic 

The MY23 specs state it does so maybe Lexus have realised that this is really a necessity on a ‘premium’ vehicle. It also lists it as included if you build it on their website.

[fourbanks]

7 minutes ago, Pin_nick said:

The MY23 specs state it does so maybe Lexus have realised that this is really a necessity on a ‘premium’ vehicle. It also lists it as included if you build it on their website.

That's great news 

mine was one of the last to be built on the MY22 platform, with the delivery in July 

i don't get a heated steering wheel either 

 

[Pin_nick]

One thing that should be raised I think is the quality, or consistency, of the information on their website which gives details of the specifications. I have noticed inconsistencies such as if you build a MY23 UX Premium Plus on their website it states it comes with a premium 10 speaker system. On the price list/spec sheet on the website it states 6 speakers.

Like many companies they concentrate on having an all singing, all dancing, flashy website but when it comes to the content that is where it falls down. Look at how long it took them in the UK to even get details of the MY23 UX on the UK website after it was announced to the motoring press.

I called in a dealers I was passing last week and asked about the speakers and they stated ALL MY23 UX’s had 10 speakers….which I think is wrong.

🙄 printed brochures were so much better!🙄

[Las Palmas]

27 minutes ago, fourbanks said:

i will do my best Paul to get all of your points addressed. The dealers in general aren't that great, as to why i don't know. They need to have direct access to the manufacturing plant so they the plant staff are up to speed with what they are turning out and not just turning out what the computer is telling them. 

Who ever allowed the UX infotainment to be installed is a very good case in hand, as that proved the company know very little about this type of software. This is a third party piece of nonsense and could never have ever worked properly with such a low resolution. 

i'm well up on fine detail, so i should run rings round the chief executive with ease, the hard part will be the diplomatic part so that i don't demean him with his overall lack of knowledge of which most chief executives have. 

Lexus is great with Hardware. Software seems to have been composed from Chinese, translated to Japanese with Google and then made by somebody that have no idea about what they were supposed to do.

Garmin could help with navigation (not really needed as all smartphones have a well-functioning GPS in them), Mark Levinson has helped with part of the audio, but I do not believe Lexus have given completely free hands with it; ML audio for home is another league. Still audio is the best part of the software in the car.

Do not know if the new models have LED in all headlights, but when they have automatic adjustment of level and washer for the headlamp and LED in the low beam bulb, why on earth have they halogen for high beam? Completely stupid. LED lamps last 10 times longer than halogen. If they had yellow bulbs in the fog light that would according to some people make sense. They think that yellow light goes better below fog than white.

Great that you try Nick, but I doubt Lexus UK will do more than pretend to listen.

[Las Palmas]

11 minutes ago, Pin_nick said:

I called in a dealers I was passing last week and asked about the speakers and they stated ALL MY23 UX’s had 10 speakers….which I think is wrong.

If it is ML audio it should have at least 10.

[fourbanks]

5 hours ago, Las Palmas said:

If it is ML audio it should have at least 10.

Mark L  is only available on the Takumi or a pack that may be available to a specific grade in which you will pay extra 

[Pin_nick]

The online ‘brochure’ states the ML has 13 speakers and as you say standard on Takumi or option on F-Sport. Has no mention of 10 speakers. That only appears when you build online, with the Premium Plus pack.

the brochure also states all variants have the analogue digital clock with GPS, which I quite like, but online reviews say that with the new touchscreen this has been done away with???

[Roger Bill]

Always room for improvement but my experience is that Lexus and Honda cars are significantly better quality and more reliable than cars I've owned from other manufacturers. Also dealer servicing is better. For example, my 2 litre petrol 2015 Mercedes C Class has been the most unreliable car I've owned since the early 1980s. I've just booked a minor service plus MoT, cost almost £600. This does include a years subscription to the Mercedes breakdown service which I've had to use a number of times. In all my years of owning Lexus and Hondas covering several 100,000 miles I never once had cause to use a breakdown service. Fortunately there's an independent Mercedes guy near where I live who is far more knowledgeable than the main dealers and he's fixed most of faults I've had at much lower cost. Apologies for the rant but hope it illustrates why I'll shortly be ordering a Lexus UX and perhaps why Lexus mostly tops reliability and customer satisfaction surveys!!! 

[fourbanks]

3 hours ago, Pin_nick said:

The online ‘brochure’ states the ML has 13 speakers and as you say standard on Takumi or option on F-Sport. Has no mention of 10 speakers. That only appears when you build online, with the Premium Plus pack.

the brochure also states all variants have the analogue digital clock with GPS, which I quite like, but online reviews say that with the new touchscreen this has been done away with???

If you have the MY23 build, you won't get the clock or the CD player like what i have, but you will have a heated steering wheel and automatic folding wing mirrors instead 

[fourbanks]

I'm sure you'll be happy with or without any extras