By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Be Well,
The Redman
Hope yours is on this next allotment.
I would say the jury is still out on the 2007. If it is resolved, I would like to know what they did to fix it and whether the remedy can be retrofitted to earlier models exhibiting the problem.
By the way, what is a "morum"?
Looks like a one person jury looking for something that doesn't exist. It's your choice, if you believe there is a problem, move on to another vehicle. If your intentions are to actually buy one. Good luck.
Does anyone know where I can purchase the molding and have it installed cheaper than $400? Since the molding is apparently only glued on it doesn't seem like it would be a job that would take very long.
If you haven't heard these things and that shipment is already on its way, you're not getting your car off that ship.
Sorry, maybe the next one.
I am curious to see the photos, but I don't see a link where they can be viewed?
Will post some photos in a few days, I've upgraded to the E17 Sport wheels (only because I got a great deal on e-bay). Wasn't sure how I would like it but turned out great.
Has anyone seen the ES350 with spoiler? I'm considering it but not sure how it would look. Any opinions?
Did you put on your new wheels yet? If so, how about a photo?
MSC
http://www.carspace.com/wireguy1/Albums/ES-350%20Ruby%20with%20grey%20interior/
It requires you to race a cold engine which I hate to do.
Have read on posts of people complaining about the tranny.
However, the people I have talked to who own a 350 have had no such issue.
I will update as more miles are put on the car.
Pro's: The increased HP is welcome and it does
handle better than my '02 ES.
Con's: The center console is a little narrow
Agree - the center console is pathetic!
Going to recheck the colors as the Black Amethyst appeared to be blacker / darker than Dark Blue Onyx.
Have a Dark Blue Onyx / Cashmere Ultimate on order and may want to change colors. Even Ruby Red is renamed.
Starfire Pearl = old Crystal White
Obsidian = Black Onyx
Black Saphire = Blue Onyx Pearl
Breakwater Blue not available on ES350 as yet.
******
BTW, "lookinginscv" did you ever buy an ES? I haven't heard from you in the forum lately but noticed you are still checking out the colors quite often on the carspace site.
Lexus engineers have a set of paramaters for the local service tech to perform to check the transmission. The car must be driven over 20 miles, by the technician, before the tests can even be performed. If the car fails the test, Lexus USA will buy back the vehicle or you can wait forever for a new transmission (there are none to be had).
Yep, still looking at colors. Went to the dealer you used but they have nothing in stock. They are supposed to let me know in a few weeks. I'm ready to go for white, too. I've heard it's impossible to get red. He had the silver in stock but it didn't do anything for me. So, I'm in a wait and see mode.
Thanks for asking.
In regards to the wheels, they are an option that you can find on the back pages of the brochure. They were dealer installed.
Good luck on your ruby with grey interior. You are going to love it.
MSC
The bottom line: If the "VSC" light illuminates or you suspect the transmission is not performing correctly when shifting gears between 1st and 2nd or 2nd and 3rd, take it and have it inspected and insist that the technician open a service ticket with Lexus USA, whether they can duplicate the problem or not.
Don't be a "shade tree" mechanic and try and explain why the transmission is not working to your satisfaction, regardless of the operating temperature, your climate or your location. You paid damn good money for the vehicle, you don't like the way the transmission shifts, so, let Lexus tell you why the transmission doesn't operate to your satisfaction.
I know from experience, because my first ES350 was bought back by Lexus USA. I took my ES350 to be inspected because it was not shifting gears properly. The technician did not have a clue what was wrong with the transmission and opened the service ticket with Lexus USA who determined, through testing, that the transmission was faulty.
If your car is under warranty and you don't take your car to get it checked, regardless of what problem you are experiencing or you don't tell the service department that you think something is wrong with your vehicle, they are not going to check that specific problem. They are not going to ask you: "Hey, is your transmission shifting OK?"
This same practice was used when the ES330 vehicles were experiencing transmission shifting problems. Three firmware updates were released (to date), after introduction of the vehicle, to correct transmission shifting problems. If you did not complain about rough shifting of the transmission when you had your car serviced or some other problem was repaired, they did not update the vehicle's firmware to correct transmission shifting problems because you didn't tell them you had any.
Every time you take your vehicle in for normal servicing, always use a service manager that you like and that you trust. Aways make it a practice to ask your service manager if there have been any software or firmware releases, or any problems noted for your particular vehicle model, since the last time you had it serviced. It's your vehicle, your money and your warranty. While under warranty, they are obligated to check every problem with the vehicle that you tell them you are experiencing, no matter how minor it may seem to you or anyone else.
Dealer anticipates four weeks for my Ultra Onyx Blue / Cashmere but warned my that it was probably going to be Black Sapphire - just a name change for same color. Black is now Obsidian. Looking at exchanging the 17" Graphite wheels for chrome versions of same wheel.
If this explanation isn't sufficient, go try another car around the same time of day (morning perhaps?) that you normally experience this "issue" and I promise you'll see the same thing in every other ES350 as well as lot of other makes/models. I experience this every morning and to a much lesser extent at the end of the work day (since it is about 20-30 degrees warmer). If people aren't noticing this, it's either due to fairly warm weather or just not paying super close attention like other people happen to do.
Of course if there is a VSC or Check Engine light on, there is probably a problem. If there is no light on and the tranmission is holding gears for 1-5 miles, you can ask them to fix this issue, but they won't because it is protecting the transmission and engine.
Agreed. My 03 Camry does the same thing for the first 1 to 1.5 miles. I asked the service technician and was told it was a normal characteristic of the car and has something to do with protecting the drivetrain and achieving SULEV rating.
We have a broad body of knowledge amongst the members of the forum and can have a significant impact upon the future of our ES350s. Lexus USA and Lexus Canada will do their utmost to please Lexus owners. Collectively, we can bring about change in the way Lexus interacts to solve our issues.
Unfortunately, when you have a perceived problem with your vehicle or bring your ES350 into the service department of your Lexus Dealer, it's still an "us against them" issue. Unless you're "armed" with knowledge that you have gleaned from this forum and other sources, you may not be aware of potential problems or solutions for your vehicle.
If I had not read about someone posting that they noticed a "VSC" light illuminate on their dash, I would still be waiting on a transmission for my old ES350, from my dealer, instead of Lexus USA buying back my old vehicle and offering me a new vehicle.
I was also able to upgrade the options and change the color or I could have selected an entirely different vehicle or walked away from deal with my cash. My old ES350 has been at the dealership for two months, waiting on a new transmission. Pity the poor Toyota Camry owner with a faulty 6-speed automatic transmission. That owner is still waiting on a transmission and was not offered a "buy back".
Cars manufactured in Japan are under strict quality control from not only the manufacturer but also the government. Just like the quality of wine and beer produced in Germany is controlled by the government, Japan has the same sort of authority over car manufacturers. Recently, a well-known manufacturer, that is near and dear to all of us, was fined for not keeping consumers abreast of potential problems with their purchased vehicles. It's a "Catch-22" for the manufacturer. If they notify us of potential problems, to satisfy the Japanese government, they risk the close scrutiny of the U. S. government.
The problem has been reported in the Lexus ES for several years. Doesn’t make sense that a potential buyer would want to make sure the problem is corrected before moving forward.... why so defensive?