Potential Manufacturing Defect

[ToreOe]

Well, I've been given a fully loaded GS300h F-Sport the two times my car has been in (diagnosis and then repair). It's decent, but the IS is a lot more fun.

The vibrations have definitely gotten worse after the repair. We were going on a daytrip this weekend (3 hour drive each way), but turned around after 20 minutes, drove home and switched to the Prius instead. It's that bad.

We have very consumer-friendly laws in Norway (significantly better than the EU) and if Lexus does not succeed fixing this rather fast, I will probably stand a good chance of returning the car and getting my money back. No that I want to, though. The car is built-to order (4 months waiting), and I have put in quite a lot of work getting it how I want. (Installed trailer hitch, Defa Warmup heater, GPS tracking, hidden dash-cam etc).

-Tore

[ColinBarber]

so is this issue not affecting UK vehicles?

[Platypus]

I thought somewhere back in the thread that someone in the UK had a car for a test drive, noticed the vibrations and decided not to buy. Could also have been outside of the UK. Maybe it only affects left-hand drives?

[dblacha]

I'm the left hand driver, and I feel it. Just joking ;-)

I have 2kkm to my first service, And I'm going to not to back without the solution.

Lexus shouldn't ignore us anymore! Lexus, are you listening?!

[Platypus]

Just checked with my dealer and they still don't have a solution.

Lexus isn't listening, obviously :((

[Platypus]

Took my car to a different dealer for its 30K service and asked them to have a look at the resonance issue too. Though they were aware of the problem with the GS and the bushing solution Tore wrote about, they knew nothing about the IS-issue. We took it out on the road and the mechanic definitely noticed it, and said he'll report it again.

Lexus is turning a blind ear to the problem - I'm going to give it one more shot with the Customer Relations Manager.

[Taxi is300h]

Same problem here in Finland, car is now in service, they have new update to ecu what seems to fix the problem, sorry my bad english.

[Platypus]

Hey Mika, as luck would have it I caught your post just as I sat down at my Lexus dealer. And yes, mine is in for the ECU update too. I got a call this morning from Lexus asking if I could come in with the car and the update would take about 30 minutes.

Lets hope this works. Perhaps we could compare notes in a few days' time?

[ToreOe]

Now this is interesting. I am going on my weekly complaint-trip to the dealer tomorrow, and I would love to hear you first impressions on the new ECU software!

-Tore

[Platypus]

Driving from the dealer to the office it did seem a lot better. I have a nice long stretch of smooth motorway home and that will confirm it. I'll let you know in a few hours.

I asked at the dealer if this was a general update or one specific to the problem. He said it was specifically from the problem.

John

[Taxi is300h]

Hey Mika, as luck would have it I caught your post just as I sat down at my Lexus dealer. And yes, mine is in for the ECU update too. I got a call this morning from Lexus asking if I could come in with the car and the update would take about 30 minutes.

Lets hope this works. Perhaps we could compare notes in a few days' time?

. Hi, so my car is updatet, but next time i drive that thing is next thursday so i dont have clue how that thing works, i'm vacation so my driver is on work with that car (taxi).

[Platypus]

Well, after about 20km on the motorway it feels like a major improvement. Not completely gone, I felt, but the resonance is certainly over a much shorter range of RPM. Certainly worth the upgrade.

[ToreOe]

I just returned from the dealer after my ECU update. Took the long way back to test different driving conditions.

My impression is that this update does not fix anything. It does, however, avoid the condition where the vibrations occur simply by running the engine at slightly higher RPMs.

While this change surely did motorway cruising less annoying, the vibrations are still there every time the engine passes 1300 rpm when I drive slightly more spirited and when the ICE starts up during driving.

I spoke to the salesman and told him I will be going to ask for them to take the car back if this problem is not fixed reasonably quick, something he did not protest to. They will take my car in for a throughout inspection next week though, particularly since the vibrations got so much worse after they replaced the bushings holding the diff. Looks like I'll be driving the GS again...

-Tore

[ToreOe]

Another follow-up from Norway.

Today I met with the CEO of the regional Toyota/Lexus dealer, and we drove for a trip in my IS. I now have a written agreement that Lexus is allowed one more repair attempt on the car to remedy my vibration issue. They will fly in an expert from Brussel to assist them after the summer.

If the attempt fails, and my car is not fixed by end of September this year, I get a replacement car.

Makes me sleep a bit better at night, now I know I won't be stuck with a car that has an "unfixable" defect that will make it worth a lot less when I am going to sell it.

-Tore

[dannemare]

Feeling your pain...

To generate more awareness I've shared/mentioned today this thread on the Lexus UK fb page: https://www.facebook.com/LexusUK/photos/a.167188123332400.56950.108330332551513/764115380306335/?type=1

Lexus UK have already responded that they are aware (which we already knew from this thread) but let's just hope that the more people who becomes aware of the issue, the more pressure it will generate on Lexus...

[Platypus]

Another follow-up from Norway.

Today I met with the CEO of the regional Toyota/Lexus dealer, and we drove for a trip in my IS. I now have a written agreement that Lexus is allowed one more repair attempt on the car to remedy my vibration issue. They will fly in an expert from Brussel to assist them after the summer.

If the attempt fails, and my car is not fixed by end of September this year, I get a replacement car.

Makes me sleep a bit better at night, now I know I won't be stuck with a car that has an "unfixable" defect that will make it worth a lot less when I am going to sell it.

-Tore

After driving with the problem for nigh on 10 months, and noticing a great improvement with the "work-around" it suddenly dawned on me that I don't actually know how the car is supposed to feel at 80 - 100km/h. I notice a lot of things happening under the hood that don't happen at other speeds, is this right? Now I've changed garage, I'll ask for a loan of another IS300, which I should have done in the first place and not wasted time.

Funny that they're sending somebody from Brussels as I actually live there and Lexus Brussels never offered me to have an expert look at the car :( .

[Platypus]

Has anyone else had the work-around done except Tore and me? Would like to know if you noticed a difference.

[Taxi is300h]

great improvement with this update, much much better, but not completely gone.

[dblacha]

Hi! I'm going for an ECU upgrade on next week. I'll immediately write a review here.

[dblacha]

Hi, my ECU as well updated today. I have to spend more time for a better test, but the first feeling is: it is better but vibrations not completely gone. I observed that ECU is trying to omit the "1300RPM hot spot". But it is not possible with each conditions, so we have the issue still. Tomorrow I'll test it a bit more precise.

BTW: First time, I tested the inside of the GS300h - I didn't realise, that it has less place for legs on the second row! And the trunk is a lot shorter (not smaller, the volume is almost the same). This is the cause: there is still the spare wheel under the floor, so the Battery is "classically" located - behind the rear row.

Anyway, I love my IS300h :-)

[ToreOe]

Well, today I picked up my car after Lexus' 3. attempt to fix the car. They did not seem to have a plan this time, but poked around trying to find *something* I guess.

Needless to say, they found nothing. I test drove another IS to see if I could feel the same vibrations in it as my car has, but even though there was some rpm/load conditions where the driveline felt more "rough", it was not nearly as bad as mine.

I now have an appointment at the end of the month to come in and do the paperwork so they can order me a replacement car. Hopefully that will be the end of my vibration issue...

-Tore

[DJP]

A shame they couldn't get to the root of the problem but getting a replacement car sounds like a very acceptable solution.

Sent from my iPad using Lexus OC

[Silver Arrow]

So are you having to "pay" extra to replace it? Or is it all part of the legendary Lexus goodwill???

[ToreOe]

@Silver Arrow:

Well, they sold me a car with a defect they are not able to rectify in three attempts. According to Norwegian consumer laws they have to take the product back or replace the defective product (the car) with a new one.

Thus, we are strictly speaking not talking about Lexus Goodwill here, just the law.

-Tore

[dblacha]

@Silver Arrow:

Well, they sold me a car with a defect they are not able to rectify in three attempts. According to Norwegian consumer laws they have to take the product back or replace the defective product (the car) with a new one.

Thus, we are strictly speaking not talking about Lexus Goodwill here, just the law.

-Tore

Hi Tore, any news?