Rattles . . .

[Wicksy]

From my long and hard experience of rattles in my IS220d, I have to say this:

Don't let the dealerships take it apart YET!! Wait for others to do it first. Believe me - it's the right way. Mine was one of the first registered and they sort of used it to "learn" where these rattles came from on mine. In fact I think mine was the first diagnosed with the dreaded dash clip problems, the foam/felt in the centre speaker and the creaky seats (plastic lugs), but not until they'd had the car for about 3 to 4 weeks on and off in the first 3 months of ownership.

They used density foam to pad it out etc etc, but it only got worse over time. In the end, after 2.5 years, loads of stress, I hated the car. The buzzing from the B post etc never went and it used to drive me mad. Things like the vibrating mirror, the flat spot etc really started to grind and the camels back broke easily in the end. lol.

The car had to go and I walked away from Lexus (a sort of sabbatical).

So once again - I would re-iterate - let others take the first step, and be the benefactor of the dealerships increase in knowledge having "practiced" on someone else's car!! TSB's will come out and you'll benefit as the dealerships will go straight to the problems cause.

[i know some of you will ask how anyone would benefit if everyone followed my advice - but I really did get burned and the scars are deep]

From my long and hard experience of rattles in my IS220d, I have to say this:

Don't let the dealerships take it apart YET!! Wait for others to do it first. Believe me - it's the right way. Mine was one of the first registered and they sort of used it to "learn" where these rattles came from on mine. In fact I think mine was the first diagnosed with the dreaded dash clip problems, the foam/felt in the centre speaker and the creaky seats (plastic lugs), but not until they'd had the car for about 3 to 4 weeks on and off in the first 3 months of ownership.

They used density foam to pad it out etc etc, but it only got worse over time. In the end, after 2.5 years, loads of stress, I hated the car. The buzzing from the B post etc never went and it used to drive me mad. Things like the vibrating mirror, the flat spot etc really started to grind and the camels back broke easily in the end. lol.

The car had to go and I walked away from Lexus (a sort of sabbatical).

So once again - I would re-iterate - let others take the first step, and be the benefactor of the dealerships increase in knowledge having "practiced" on someone else's car!! TSB's will come out and you'll benefit as the dealerships will go straight to the problems cause.

[i know some of you will ask how anyone would benefit if everyone followed my advice - but I really did get burned and the scars are deep]

Hi Jonas - your experience with the 2nd generation mirrors exactly the same problem that I had previously with Land Rover and my rattling Evoque - I returned to Lexus expecting superb craftsmanship and I still can't get my head around the fact that I am now living a recurring nightmare.

The thing is, I have to trust the dealership at Newcastle because they have never let me down in the past, they say they know the cause and just need the go ahead to get it sorted. I can only hope that they are right and that I can have an F Sport to give me the same satisfaction every other owner seems to be enjoying. Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased that no no else either in America or Europe seem to be having the same problem as me but it makes it so much harder to get my head around, I just feel so unlucky but I absolutely love every other aspect of the car.

Hopefully they will get the go ahead to start repairs next week and I will let you know the outcome.

[Silver Arrow]

Good luck mate. I hope they sort it out.

Normally I'd stay away from a "new" shape car, but I too succumbed to the appeal of the GS. I think it was probably one of the first privately registered GS250's in the UK, and so far not a whimper of a squeak or rattle anywhere - no matter how the temperatures change. SO hopefully yours is the only one - but it would worry me if they have said that they "know exactly" where to look. Either it's really obvious, or there are other cars out there with this exact problem....food for thought!

[Wicksy]

Good luck mate. I hope they sort it out.

Normally I'd stay away from a "new" shape car, but I too succumbed to the appeal of the GS. I think it was probably one of the first privately registered GS250's in the UK, and so far not a whimper of a squeak or rattle anywhere - no matter how the temperatures change. SO hopefully yours is the only one - but it would worry me if they have said that they "know exactly" where to look. Either it's really obvious, or there are other cars out there with this exact problem....food for thought!

Good luck mate. I hope they sort it out.

Normally I'd stay away from a "new" shape car, but I too succumbed to the appeal of the GS. I think it was probably one of the first privately registered GS250's in the UK, and so far not a whimper of a squeak or rattle anywhere - no matter how the temperatures change. SO hopefully yours is the only one - but it would worry me if they have said that they "know exactly" where to look. Either it's really obvious, or there are other cars out there with this exact problem....food for thought!

Hi Jonas

It certainly is food for thought because it would seem that they know the cause before taking the dash apart seeing as they don't yet have authorisation to start repairs - maybe they are convinced that the problem is the exact same one found on the second generation IS - the surprising thing is that the symptom appeared on my drive home from the dealership after picking the car up which makes you wonder whether the QC check was carried out properly.

[Wicksy]

Just had a conversation with the Service Manager and he says they still have not had permission to make a start on the car - I'm finding this very difficult to get my head around and have basically paid in good faith for a brand new car which is effectively off the road until further notice. I'm beginning to feel very unhappy about the whole situation.

[Activ8]

I would phone Lexus or your finance company and get them to shift things along.

[Wicksy]

 

I would phone Lexus or your finance company and get them to shift things along.

 

Strangely enough only 30 minutes after sending an e mail of dissatisfaction to the dealership they got back to say that they have contacted Lexus Japan directly who now say that a start can be made even though in cases like this they normally like to send their own engineer over to oversee things.

I can only think that they forwarded my e mail which has caused this change of heart, so I'm happy again - for now.

[Roger Bill]

Hi Wicksy,

Just wondered if Lexus have fixed the rattle on your car and, if so, what was the cause and cure?

Many thanks, Roger

[Wicksy]

Hi Wicksy,

Just wondered if Lexus have fixed the rattle on your car and, if so, what was the cause and cure?

Many thanks, Roger

Hi Roger

The car has been with them for over two weeks now and I've heard nothing back even though I'd e mailed them yesterday asking for a progress report - I will ring them tomorrow to find out what is going on - I can only assume that they have hit a problem :eerrrmm:

[Roger Bill]

Hi Wicksy, Sorry to hear that but hopefully you'll find they've taken time to ensure a good, rather than a rushed job.

[Wicksy]

Hi Wicksy, Sorry to hear that but hopefully you'll find they've taken time to ensure a good, rather than a rushed job.

Hi Wicksy, Sorry to hear that but hopefully you'll find they've taken time to ensure a good, rather than a rushed job.

Hello again Roger

Picked car up yesterday and all is resolved. The delay was caused by Lexus Technical, who I assume are based in Japan, only allowing the technician at Newcastle do certain things to track down the cause. One thing they were adamant about was that the rattle would not be eminating directly from the dash so they didn't want it to be removed.

First of all the windscreen was taken and replaced to no avail until they finally found that a wire in the engine bay was slightly kinked and knocking against something near the wheel arch - the noise, which I can only describe as a kind of pinking, then travelled up into the cabin to where the speaker cover is on the passenger side of the car.

Lexus Newcastle, other than perhaps not keeping me up to date without me ringing them first, have been top class and even filled my car up with gas for the inconvenience and also gave it a valet - I am a happy bunny once again and can now enjoy my car to its full potential

I've had a 300h Lux as a courtesy car for the past 3 weeks and although nice enough I can now appreciate that the F Sport is well worth the extra outlay, it feels like a different car in almost every way.

[Tel]

Thrilled for you ------enjoy your Supercar!

Tel

[Richard1200]

Great that you have been sorted to your satisfaction. I have no problems with mine but did notice the other day while checking the oil that the exhaust manifold shield is loose. Bolts are tight, have not checked when it's hot yet as maybe it's for expansion. Anybody else noticed this when cold?

[DJP]

That's really good to hear Wicksy, so pleased it has worked out. Happy motoring from here on in!

[Roger Bill]

Hi Wicksy,

That's a great result and reassuring it wasn't anything serious; must help restore your faith in the car. Also it's good to hear they didn't have to remove the dash. I really sympathise with the difficulties faced by technicians having to identify intermittent noises.

Was the IS300h Luxury on 17" wheels and, if so, I was wondering how much firmer you find the ride on 18" wheels and your F Sport suspension?

[Wicksy]

The Lux version was on 17in wheels and the difference to the F Sport ride is negligible - there are so many more feelgood factors to the F Sport that the extra outlay is well worth it

[Roger Bill]

Thanks Wicksy that's good to know.

[Silver Arrow]

Excellent news - that reminds of the throttle cable in my old mondeo. It rattled against the air in take housing (if I recall) and did the same thing. I had the whole dash out....only to find everything was OK there. It was a chance find by me after my local Ford garage had failed.

[Wicksy]

. . . its back again :megaangry:

It's not quite as bad as before but still a pain in the arse!

The problem is definitely temperature related - this week we have had temps over the 16 degree mark and this is when the sound makes a re-appearance - I can guarantee that once we go below the 14 degree mark no rattle will be heard.

Since temps will soon be dropping I am going to wait and see if the said noise reappears in the spring, I'm hoping that over the coming months things will bed in and this may be a cure in itself. Here's hoping :eerrrmm:

[Roger Bill]

Hi Wicksy, That's annoying, but isn't it something Lexus, Newcastle could quickly resolve now they've already done the difficult work in tracking down an intermittent fault and because a kinked wire in the engine compartment sounds like something that would be easy to get at and fix?

[Wicksy]

Hi Wicksy, That's annoying, but isn't it something Lexus, Newcastle could quickly resolve now they've already done the difficult work in tracking down an intermittent fault and because a kinked wire in the engine compartment sounds like something that would be easy to get at and fix?

Hi Roger

I think Lexus Newcastle thought they had fixed it purely because of the drop in temperature whilst the car was at the dealership. I now doubt whether the kinked wire was the problem in the first place.

The car has barely done 500 miles and I'm hoping that things are just bedding in - the noise was not there this morning on my way to work with the temperature at 13deg.

[Roger Bill]

Hi Wicksy, Sorry to hear that. If the noise was just a small squeak, like you, I'd be hopeful that it would disappear as things bed in but if it can be loud enough to hear over the radio I think that might be wishful thinking!

Just a thought but if it only happens with higher outside temperatures, could it be when the climate control system has automatically switched the air conditioning on? If so, might be worth trying manually switching the air conditioning on to see if that causes the rattle and then off to see if it stops. Air conditioning compressors and the flaps used to route the airflow can rattle and I'd guess should be relatively easy to fix. Also I wonder if air conditioning pipes can rattle as is the case with air in radiators & water pipes of a central heating system?

[Wicksy]

Hi Wicksy, Sorry to hear that. If the noise was just a small squeak, like you, I'd be hopeful that it would disappear as things bed in but if it can be loud enough to hear over the radio I think that might be wishful thinking!

Just a thought but if it only happens with higher outside temperatures, could it be when the climate control system has automatically switched the air conditioning on? If so, might be worth trying manually switching the air conditioning on to see if that causes the rattle and then off to see if it stops. Air conditioning compressors and the flaps used to route the airflow can rattle and I'd guess should be relatively easy to fix. Also I wonder if air conditioning pipes can rattle as is the case with air in radiators & water pipes of a central heating system?

Hi Wicksy, Sorry to hear that. If the noise was just a small squeak, like you, I'd be hopeful that it would disappear as things bed in but if it can be loud enough to hear over the radio I think that might be wishful thinking!

Just a thought but if it only happens with higher outside temperatures, could it be when the climate control system has automatically switched the air conditioning on? If so, might be worth trying manually switching the air conditioning on to see if that causes the rattle and then off to see if it stops. Air conditioning compressors and the flaps used to route the airflow can rattle and I'd guess should be relatively easy to fix. Also I wonder if air conditioning pipes can rattle as is the case with air in radiators & water pipes of a central heating system?

. . . you could possibly be onto something Roger - I will give this a try when the temperatures are on the rise again - 12 degrees on my way home today and not a sound.

[Rob64]

The slight rattle from the dash/steering column that I noticed on the way home from collecting the car is still there after 1100 miles. It is definitely related to the road surface being driven over. There is nothing on smooth roads, and only certain types of rough tarmac seem to cause it. It is very consistent and reproducible. The car is going in on Thursday to have its winter tyres fitted, and the dealer is going to check it out then.

[Wicksy]

The slight rattle from the dash/steering column that I noticed on the way home from collecting the car is still there after 1100 miles. It is definitely related to the road surface being driven over. There is nothing on smooth roads, and only certain types of rough tarmac seem to cause it. It is very consistent and reproducible. The car is going in on Thursday to have its winter tyres fitted, and the dealer is going to check it out then.

The slight rattle from the dash/steering column that I noticed on the way home from collecting the car is still there after 1100 miles. It is definitely related to the road surface being driven over. There is nothing on smooth roads, and only certain types of rough tarmac seem to cause it. It is very consistent and reproducible. The car is going in on Thursday to have its winter tyres fitted, and the dealer is going to check it out then.

. . . keep us posted Rob - I do get the odd reminder that mine is still there but nowhere near as bad as it is in higher temperatures. I definitely think mine will be paying another visit to the dealership in the Spring.

[Silver Arrow]

The big criticism I had with the Gen2 IS was that there was a plethora of different grade plastics all over the centre console and dash - Hard plastic, meets soft plastic, meets shiny plastic etc, and whilst my dealer had the car in bits several times to resolve rattles, it was pretty obvious that temperature and the expansion and contraction of the different grades of plastic was always gonna mean that the gaps would be forever changing, leading to rattles at certain temps, including that infamous "crack" sound. Added to this was the issue with the Dash clips etc, and som of the earlier ones were plagued with issues - whilst others were not.

In fact where the dash met the A post trim there was what I can only describe as a high watermark - clearly changing in height with temperature. It was that bad on the one I had!

I had a good old poke around in the new GS, and was happy that they had used a much more consistent range of plastics on the dashboard - and that seems to have worked out - as the car remains totally rattle free regardless of temperatures (having been through the coldest of cold winters and a pleasant summer).

I have recently had a good poke around the new Gen 3 IS, and I wasn't that impressed (don't flame me - just my opinion) with the centre console which seemed like a hard plastic unit with joints like the CT - and it did put me off a little, though thankfully there aren't too many complaints at the moment from owners. Hopefully these squeaks etc are very isolated and one off's.