Looking to purchase a Lexus IS300h

[IS300FSPORT]

Doesn't sound unusual I get the odd groan/squeak after being stood still for a coupe of days.

As long there isn't a knock I'd say nothing to worry about.

Get the disc and pads checked not just for the wear, check for corrosion brake discs & ensure slider pins are moving freely. Keep in mind the brakes operate differently on a hybrid they tend to rust out before they wear out if the car is low mileage sat parked doesn't do it any favours reports of seized calipers etc. Take it for a good test drive applying brakes heavily obviously in a safe environment to see if it makes any noticeable difference to the noise.

[wharfhouse]

Difficult to tell what the noise might be amidst the background noise - maybe go to a quiet spot and do the video again and it may be easier to hear what's going on. I wonder if it might be a brake caliper sticking and the noise is it releasing? Drive for half an hour and feel all the wheels and see if any are warmer than the others - of so there's a sticking caliper. 

[zed007]

13 minutes ago, IS300FSPORT said:

Doesn't sound unusual I get the odd groan/squeak after being stood still for a coupe of days.

As long there isn't a knock I'd say nothing to worry about.

Get the disc and pads checked not just for the wear, check for corrosion brake discs & ensure slider pins are moving freely. Keep in mind the brakes operate differently on a hybrid they tend to rust out before they wear out if the car is low mileage sat parked doesn't do it any favours reports of seized calipers etc. Take it for a good test drive applying brakes heavily obviously in a safe environment to see if it makes any noticeable difference to the noise.

Surely it can't be the the discs and pads right? it just had a service few days ago and the car got delivered 2 days ago from Scotland so it did around 300+ miles

[wharfhouse]

1 minute ago, zed007 said:

Surely it can't be the the discs and pads right? it just had a service few days ago and the car got delivered 2 days ago from Scotland so it did around 300+ miles

Was it actually driven down or brought by car transporter - I would have expected a service to pick up on any brake issues though including sticking calipers - worth a good look though and check for warm wheels. Otherwise anything caught under the car? I had a small branch once caught under mine and it made some off noises before in worked out what it was and pulled it out... 

[zed007]

Just now, wharfhouse said:

Was it actually driven down or brought by car transporter - I would have expected a service to pick up on any brake issues though including sticking calipers - worth a good look though and check for warm wheels. Otherwise anything caught under the car? I had a small branch once caught under mine and it made some off noises before in worked out what it was and pulled it out... 

I'll have another look tomorrow. 

No, someone from Lexus drove down.

Quite surprised actually as I was expecting the sales chap to call me regarding something I raised about the vehicle a couple of days ago but he didn't. It would have been good practice to see how the car is getting along with the new owner.

I wasn't happy with a couple of other things they were supposed to do so may call them tomorrow.

[wharfhouse]

25 minutes ago, zed007 said:

I'll have another look tomorrow. 

No, someone from Lexus drove down.

Quite surprised actually as I was expecting the sales chap to call me regarding something I raised about the vehicle a couple of days ago but he didn't. It would have been good practice to see how the car is getting along with the new owner.

I wasn't happy with a couple of other things they were supposed to do so may call them tomorrow.

Worth having a good look around and underneath somewhere easier to see and hear what's going on than the side of the road - hopefully something straight forward. 

[wharfhouse]

If you can get down on the ground with a torch and check all the plastic undertrays - they run the length of the car and something there could be loose?

[IS300FSPORT]

Delivered from Scotland interesting they seem to get harsher winter in comparison to us in Manchester) i'd be getting it on a ramp  & doing an inspection for corrosion etc.

It's hard to diagnose a sound from a video on the Internet but you get a good feel of a car when driving it. Generally speaking though it's very unlikely to give you trouble so rest your mind a little hopefully it's a good purchase.

[Notamech]

It sounds like brake noise to me but best to get it checked if you're concerned.  Only thing is how will they check it? Will you have to drive down to them in Scotland? Or is there some arrangement where you can take it to a local service centre to have it inspected/fixed?

This is generally why i dont think its a good idea to spend thousands before making sure you're completely happy with what you are buying.

Anyway it doesn't sound too serious the only things it could be are steering suspension or brakes. But if it were steering or suspension i feel like the noise would be present all the time at all speeds. With brakes different speeds can create different sounds and this one sounds like the sound i sometimes get when turning in the mornings. But mine happens only when the brakes are applied at low speeds.

[zed007]

4 hours ago, Notamech said:

It sounds like brake noise to me but best to get it checked if you're concerned.  Only thing is how will they check it? Will you have to drive down to them in Scotland? Or is there some arrangement where you can take it to a local service centre to have it inspected/fixed?

This is generally why i dont think its a good idea to spend thousands before making sure you're completely happy with what you are buying.

Anyway it doesn't sound too serious the only things it could be are steering suspension or brakes. But if it were steering or suspension i feel like the noise would be present all the time at all speeds. With brakes different speeds can create different sounds and this one sounds like the sound i sometimes get when turning in the mornings. But mine happens only when the brakes are applied at low speeds.

I do have warranty with the vehicle so that's an option I hope.

The noise is loud. I was inside my house with the window open and could hear the noise whilst my wife was parking.

[Notamech]

4 hours ago, zed007 said:

I do have warranty with the vehicle so that's an option I hope.

The noise is loud. I was inside my house with the window open and could hear the noise whilst my wife was parking.

Using your warranty is an option. But the issue is a dealership will charge you their hourly rate for diagnosis. A couple of years ago i remember lexus Twickenham wanting £198 to diagnose a noise i had. If its an issue covered under warranty then they dont charge you. But if they deem it to be normal/ a non issue or an issue not covered under warranty (for example some brake components may not be covered) then you have to pay the diagnostic charge.

[Notamech]

Also maybe double check the parking brake is off and try again. Its easy to forget especially if coming from a car with electronic parking brake or a hand operated ones.

Also you could try going for a test drive of any random IS thats selling close by to see if the noise is normal. I definitely dont get a groaning noise from simply steering the car at low speeds. There is a groaning noise (sounds similar to the noise in your video) that comes from the rear brakes when creeping in slow traffic that is normal but it involves pressing the brake pedal.

[zed007]

4 hours ago, Notamech said:

Also maybe double check the parking brake is off and try again. Its easy to forget especially if coming from a car with electronic parking brake or a hand operated ones.

Also you could try going for a test drive of any random IS thats selling close by to see if the noise is normal. I definitely dont get a groaning noise from simply steering the car at low speeds. There is a groaning noise (sounds similar to the noise in your video) that comes from the rear brakes when creeping in slow traffic that is normal but it involves pressing the brake pedal.

Hi, yes the parking brake was definitely off, we are used to that as we had the Nissan Leaf for a few years.

The sales chap got back to me and said

"The noise is an artificial noise that all hybrid and electric cars have to have when moving under 10pm to let pedestrians know it is there. This is EU regulation."

It definitely didn't make that noise on our Nissan Leaf. My brother has a CT200h and it doesn't make that noise.

[wharfhouse]

31 minutes ago, zed007 said:

Hi, yes the parking brake was definitely off, we are used to that as we had the Nissan Leaf for a few years.

The sales chap got back to me and said

"The noise is an artificial noise that all hybrid and electric cars have to have when moving under 10pm to let pedestrians know it is there. This is EU regulation."

It definitely didn't make that noise on our Nissan Leaf. My brother has a CT200h and it doesn't make that noise.

AFAIK the pedestrian warning wasn't on the pre-facelift cars - I'm not even sure it was on the post-facelift cars but someone with one of those can probably confirm. If you can get some more video in a quiet place we will be able to hear it better and you can also send that to the dealer too as needed. 

[Notamech]

57 minutes ago, zed007 said:

Hi, yes the parking brake was definitely off, we are used to that as we had the Nissan Leaf for a few years.

The sales chap got back to me and said

"The noise is an artificial noise that all hybrid and electric cars have to have when moving under 10pm to let pedestrians know it is there. This is EU regulation."

It definitely didn't make that noise on our Nissan Leaf. My brother has a CT200h and it doesn't make that noise.

I find that hard to believe. I could be wrong but as far as I am aware that artificial noise sounds more like a ufo/electric motor. Its not a grinding groaning type sound. Also i have only ever heard these sounds on newer cars when reversing not when moving forward. Happy to be corrected by anyone with a newer hybrid.

[zed007]

5 minutes ago, Notamech said:

I find that hard to believe. I could be wrong but as far as I am aware that artificial noise sounds more like a ufo/electric motor. Its not a grinding groaning type sound. Also i have only ever heard these sounds on newer cars when reversing not when moving forward. Happy to be corrected by anyone with a newer hybrid.

The sales chap sent me an email and was adamant that its the pedestrian warning system and guess what? he sent me a link, which talks about vehicles from 2019 its mandatory. Surely he knows my car is 2016

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/107077/new-electric-cars-must-have-audible-warning-system-for-pedestrians

He also sends another link where someone in 2021 purchased a new Lexus and had some noise coming from the car

 

[wharfhouse]

10 minutes ago, zed007 said:

The sales chap sent me an email and was adamant that its the pedestrian warning system and guess what? he sent me a link, which talks about vehicles from 2019 its mandatory. Surely he knows my car is 2016

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/107077/new-electric-cars-must-have-audible-warning-system-for-pedestrians

He also sends another link where someone in 2021 purchased a new Lexus and had some noise coming from the car

 

Yes, quite, so it's definitely not the pedestrian warning...! Hybrid cars make some low level whining noises from the electric motor is driving the car and when recuperating energy but it's not very loud or obtrusive and a constant sort of whine and also at higher speeds that just moving a couple of feet. Nothing like your noise. Also hybrids make some odd occasional noises like when the brake accumulater is charged (as it used electric than engine driven) but again this is not what we hearing on your car. A better video will be the only way we can suggest more I think and what you can provide to the dealer (might need to go over the salesman if he is being obstructive after you get a better video). You could see a more local dealer but you'd potentially have to pay the diagnostic fee and not sure with the used car warranty whether anoyher dealer can do a repair under that - something you'd need to check out first (and get in writing if you go down that route). 

[DBIZO]

To confirm, the IS 300h does not produce a fake motor sound to warn pedestrians / cyclists. It is likely one of the quietest cars in EV mode, and one need to be mindful on this when rolling in EV around people (I live in a 20 with lots of pedestrians during the day). A kid once  turned around rather suddenly and almost rode into the car on a bike because he was oblivious to the cars presence only a few metres behind him. He was very surprised.

[Notamech]

Also here's what that sounds like on lexuses and toyotas. They wouldn't change it for the is 

 

[zed007]

5 hours ago, Notamech said:

Also here's what that sounds like on lexuses and toyotas. They wouldn't change it for the is 

 

Thanks, completely different sounds, no idea why he would say it is

[Notamech]

23 minutes ago, zed007 said:

Thanks, completely different sounds, no idea why he would say it is

Thats how these people operate if youre polite and nice to them they try to take advantage. If you smell BS start getting agressive. Send them your reasoning of why youre not buying their BS and say if they dont have a good enough reason youre seriously considering rejecting the car. 

[mikejt]

On 9/22/2024 at 10:48 AM, zed007 said:

Well it finally got delivered. First impressions definitely feels quite big. There were quite a lot of stone chips at the front, which they tried to sort out with a touch up pen and haven't done a great job to be fair.

Few areas around the rear that they have used the touch up pen, again not brilliant and feels rough when touching it.

Any idea what this mark is? tried cleaning this but I reckon it might be behind the sticker

I have same colour IS and the picture shows the clear plastic paint protectors. Mine looks same. I was enquiring with Lexus yesterday and they cost about £40 for the one on the door and £20 for the one on the wheel arch. That's each price. The tech said they're a real pain to put on.  I'm going to call the body shop  and get more advice. Get a smart 12v charger and fit the two pin plug in lead to the Battery in the boot. Can also recommend a four wheel suspension alignment check. Enjoy your car.

[mikejt]

Re noise moving car.

If you're in reach of a Lexus dealer maybe go there and request they listen to the noise etc as you just bought car with warranty and would like their advice. It maybe the brake pad wear rubbing on the disc. Just my guess.

[zed007]

46 minutes ago, mikejt said:

I have same colour IS and the picture shows the clear plastic paint protectors. Mine looks same. I was enquiring with Lexus yesterday and they cost about £40 for the one on the door and £20 for the one on the wheel arch. That's each price. The tech said they're a real pain to put on.  I'm going to call the body shop  and get more advice. Get a smart 12v charger and fit the two pin plug in lead to the battery in the boot. Can also recommend a four wheel suspension alignment check. Enjoy your car.

Interesting, thanks for that. 

[zed007]

22 minutes ago, mikejt said:

Re noise moving car.

If you're in reach of a Lexus dealer maybe go there and request they listen to the noise etc as you just bought car with warranty and would like their advice. It maybe the brake pad wear rubbing on the disc. Just my guess.

Yes I might give them a shout although I'm really disappointed. Having spent £13.5 you wouldn't expect it. I don't understand how their prep team didn't notice it.

Now the sales chap doesn't seem to think its a problem