Anyone Taken Theirs In For The Airbag Recall?

Essex chelle · October 3, 2013

Had my letter saying I now need to contact my local Lexus dealership for the airbag to be checked, was wondering if anyone has done this yet and how long it took. Cheers

dave1 · October 12, 2013

Who was the letter from? There is no recall listed for SC430 at VOSA.

Essex chelle · October 12, 2013

The letter is from vosa and there is a recall cos it says it has to he taken in to lexus for inspection ofcthe passenger airbag.

dave1 · October 13, 2013

The letter is from vosa and there is a recall cos it says it has to he taken in to lexus for inspection ofcthe passenger airbag.

Really strange. I have just rechecked VOSA recalls and there is certainly no recall listed on their website. Did you book appointment at Lexus for recall work to be done?

Essex chelle · October 17, 2013

Copy of my letter

Essex chelle · October 17, 2013

Strange just noticed its dated April 2013 yet I received it last month.

Essex chelle · October 17, 2013

Oops thats because ive posted the wrong letter lol

Essex chelle · October 17, 2013

alphacat · October 18, 2013

This recall was made public for Mk 1 430Sc s in February last year. It only applies to cars up to 2005 and not to Mk2 (6) speed versions.

jeffreyt · November 8, 2013

went into Reading Lexus this morning ( the plushest carpets and decor I have ever seen in a motor dealer,most impressive )

and presented my recall letter.

Processed very efficiently and booked in for an inspection.

Its a 2 stage job,inital inspection which takes about 40 minutes and determines if you have a fault on the air bag activator

( I think thats what he said) if you don't end of story.

If you do ( have a fault) then car gets booked in again to rectify.

Will keep you all posted.

Essex chelle · November 20, 2013

Thank you for replying, I've still not taken mine because I broke my leg as not been able to drive! Must get it booked in as soon as I got my current breakdown situation sorted!!!!

jeffreyt · November 20, 2013

took the car into Lexus dealer this morning and they have told me that it needs a new airbag activator so its booked in for that in a couple of weeks.

I asked if the airbag was likely to go off accidentally and the chap said no just the opposite but when I pressed him for details he said he didn't have any technical details which I found rather strange.Anyway,I am pleased its being fixed.

The mechanic also gave the car a quick checkover presumably to find problems they can tell me about/quote on.

Surprise ,surprise 'your back brake pads are getting dangerously low sir, would you like us to renew them when you have the airbag activator done ' and your quote for that job would be : ' only £150 sir ! '.

Now I have just had the car MOT'd and the front brake pads replaced and the verdict on the back pads was that they will probably need doing at the next MOT but not critical at present.

And as for 150 quid for a set of pads and at most 1 hours work...................although it does explain why they can afford such oppulant

showroom and offices.

Perhaps I am just an old scrooge but can't help feeling that telling me my brake pads are 'dangerously low' was a bit naughty.

.

F355 · November 21, 2013

Airbag recall painless. Dealer picked up car from home address and dropped it back next day.

F355 · November 21, 2013

Forgot to say they were touting for work and trying to sell me tyres at an extortionate prices!

Essex chelle · November 21, 2013

Well they wont be getting nout outta me as ive got the flipping alternator to now spend out on.

alphacat · November 30, 2013

Most dealers treat car owners like they are stupid. Most car owners are stupid when it comes to auto engineering (or any sort of engineering)... I know all the dangers of not using dealers except when absolutely required but I use a very well qualified and very very experienced fully qualified auto engineer who does his own work in his own garage. He once worked for a very famous world rally car team.... he does all my servicing and all my upkeep.. One thing he has found about Lexus dealers is they just don't like other people doing the work and he finds it very difficult to order spares etc from them they don't make it easy. Even exhausts they only quote for supply and fit not just supply so if you want one and you want someone to fit it the cost is the same. That's a big rip off. When he tried to get hold of a tappet adjusting kit they wouldn't provide one... He doubts they even do it. Cost of an O2 sensor from the Lexus dealer around £180 cost locally (£129) etc etc.. I will put up with the hassle as I want a trained engineer to work on my car not an apprentice or someone on work experience with no motivation.

jeffreyt · November 30, 2013

I'm with you on the main dealer aspect.Haven't been near a main dealer since I retired 10 years ago and the cost of repairs/servicing had to come out of my hardearned pension rather than simply signing off on a worksheet for the company car and never seeing those horrendous dealer costs.

I use a couple of independents that have experienced and trustworthy people AND their labour costs are still around £40 an hour ( ex VAT)

which I think is acceptable.

Have not come acrosss Lexus parts being expensive but TBH have not had that much done,most recent were front brake pads which didn't seem that much different in cost to the Volvo front pads.

The exhaust is original and the back half looks to be getting very scabby so I think it is going to need doing in the next 2/3 years and will be interesting to see what that costs at the indie verses the main dealer.

I think I have hijacked this thread,apologies chelle.

alphacat · December 2, 2013

Good points well made... In fact I pay £50 an hour and consider it well worth in because I am getting the organ grinder not the monkey.. he even gives me a choice of parts Lexus or generic.. Main dealer parts Lexus or Volvo are all 33% up at least on the parts that can be obtained on the open market. If your willing to wait you can in many cases get them even cheaper from the USA. This is especially true for Lexus.. With Lexus some part are Toyota, order them as Lexus you pay say £200, order them as Toyota you will pay say £170 order them as generic and its £150 but if bought from the states it may well be even less including shipping. Not always but sometimes. They only have the value they can demand. Just got a generic O2 sensor fitted... £120 ... Lexus wanted £185 The bill is £170 including fitting... Lexus want £185 part + I think its £85 an hour..£270... Note these sensors are Denso.. they are all the same... I wonder why it is legal...

grahamw2 · April 30, 2015

I have a 2001 model, yes got the call, took it in. when taking the steering wheel off to remove dashboard, the centre of the steering colum fell in. ewnd result, I was offered, nicely, but read on.

1 would you like to give us £1300ish for a new steering column, or 2 when will you arrange a transporter to collect your car which is in bits.

yes coughed up, now the speakers rattle behind the dash and since then driver airbag light is now on, and Levison sterio makes a deafening sound at random times, I do mean deafening, unsafe to drive loud. These may just be coincidnces and it has been a few months since the work was done (speakers rattlled staright away).

I have an IS300 as well, but neither goes anywhere near a Lexus dealer now. If there is not an issue with your airbag, stay away.

Paul_G · April 30, 2015

Sounds like you need to call Lexus head office, I wouldn't stand for that. My recall caused the ashtray to jam, so they took it back in and resolved it all free of charge. Complain like hell, preferably in front of other customers.

grahamw2 · April 3, 2018

It was LEXUS head office who told the dealer that they would NOT pay anything towards the steering coloumn change (yes the dealer did offer to forgo thier costs, but not the cost of the coloumn. Dealer nice, but hands tied etc.
No one wanted to listen to me, so I post it here, as a warning to others.