Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Lexus ES300 problems
I bought a CPO 98 Lexus ES300 at 36,000 miles two weeks back. Today the check engine light comes on. Since it is a certified pre owned I take it to the my delaer and he gives me some yarn about "Oh it's just out of the standard factory warranty and I will have to check with the company who handles the warranty after the standard factory warranty(which is 4 yrs/50,000 miles) to see if they will cover diagnostics for $90/hour and parts and labor"
The whole attitude was that, as if buying a CPO car was sub-standard.
And this from Lexus who tout their customer satisfaction and attitude towards customer to be the highest.
Anyway, they had to replace the throttle body under warranty(Thank God for samll mercies!). I was dissappointed that a "supposedly reliable luxury car" is having such problems so soon.
All I can say is "Buyers beware of the Lexus reliability"!!!It is slipping......
The whole attitude was that, as if buying a CPO car was sub-standard.
And this from Lexus who tout their customer satisfaction and attitude towards customer to be the highest.
Anyway, they had to replace the throttle body under warranty(Thank God for samll mercies!). I was dissappointed that a "supposedly reliable luxury car" is having such problems so soon.
All I can say is "Buyers beware of the Lexus reliability"!!!It is slipping......
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
I had the stereo looked at and was told it needed to be sent in for repair, or replaced altogether.
Is it possible it's just a possible wiring or fuse problem, not the stereo itself? Why would the AM continue to work if the rest of the system doesn't?
Thanks for any input...
My son had an accident to my wife ES 300 -97 w/ 27,000 miles on it last Sunday morning. The car still under warranty.The impact so bad the whole front and side is gone.Luckily no bad injuries to my family.And so amazing, both airbags,driver and passenger side do not work.Stayed peaceful in their enclosures.It happened once during last year w/ my brother 91 LS 400 accident.The car was totally lost and the airbag still intact.So this time I want talk to the Lexus people before bring it up by my lawyer.Some one have Lexus representative in US email, phone # so I can call or email to them w/ all supporting pics.
Thank you- Can email me @ :"mle204@hotmail.com"
Also this way you have some knowledge about accidents and crashes when you talk to a Lexus rep. as well.
It sounds like the car was totaled in the accident and luckily no one was badly hurt. Since now was hurt seriously, you may have better luck chasing the other persons insurance (assuming they were at fault) then Lexus on this one. Good luck
As a car owner, I thought when someone purchase the car, he think about safety first by always picking the car w/more safety feature if they can afford it.Basicly seat belt first and after came air bags .Driver air bags,next is passenger side airbags and...now side airbags. No one told me that in order to make airbag working, the car must met a certain parameters as you said.Only they said that to provide more safety for oeople.Luckily no one want have opportunity to test the functioning of their airbag by involving into an accident.If not lucky, during a bad accident like mine, they lost their live and no one complains that his air bag do not meet some parameters to deploy and he not here either to understand why.
I'm not against Lexus,actually I driving a LS 400, and I still planning upgrade it to LS 430 this coming september.But before that,I will pursuit this matter till it's solved friendly or legally.
It's nt first time, it happened once w/ my brother 91 LS 400 last year which is totally lost and airbag not deploy.He got a 97 LS and forgot it because may be it's too old so airbag can be mal functioned.
Mine is different, it had two,driver and passenger side and none is deployed.
My goal is very simple, just to get the refund of the non functioning air bags when they are not working as advertised , secondly want lexus people provide some place, some way to test the air bag functioning of mine and other lexus owner (including you too,if you own a lexus.) So every one will be sure that their car are reliable and SAFE.
I don't want make any money on them.We are so lucky that no serious things happened to us.If some one tell me how to post pics in this page I will post them so lexus owner will understand why I wrote these lines. Thanks.
This accident happened during a curved turn in a 2 lanes drive, to avoid an other car head on us, we moved to the right and lost control, hit to a tree, bounced to an other tree......
Is it the purpose or airbag to protect us in these circumstances?
Yesterday I already talked to Lexus satisfaction department and they will send some one to inspect it within 2 WEEKS.I'm not yet know what's decision of my insurance 'bout the car now,only 2 days after the wreck, the appraiser back from towing yard, give me call telling that my car might be totaled.So you can guess what kind of impact the car already suffered.I'm waiting on Lexus inspection results and I guess will be similar with your opinion.Think about Ford Explorer problems , do they accept their mistake ? Obviously,never they recognize their mistake .They afraid of their consequences. My case very simple.Good things ubder God protection no serious things harm us.What I'm asking for very simple and easy too.My goal is for the safety of myself and all other Lexus owners.My self I'm a Lexus fanince 91, my actual car is a LS 400-96, 3rd revised model,my 1st was a 91 LS 400. Because they are so great, I got a ES 300-97 for my wife and planning trade mine in to get a LS430.Never checking paper work to find out air bag problem or some thing else, because I trust on their reliability and their safety.Thanks to GOD.Since 91 till now, no accident to me.And I'm sure that no body wish to have an accident to test the functioning of their air bags,so they can examine point by point as your opinion if they do not deploy.Remenber that, can test once only, second time if they are lucky enough to survive.Last night on TV there is an ad for a car, I forgot the brand name, the car just been hit by an animal, and driver airbag, passenger airbag, side air bag, every thing deployed.They do not mentioned anything 'bout accelarating or decelerating. Just saying to protect people . An other gentleman told me that in order to get it work, the speed must be 15 miles/hr min.Actually on the roads now , none driving that speed, may be in parking deck or garage.
I want mentioned one more time that never I want make money on this matter.God already gave me enough so I enjoying luxury cars now, not a Yugo.Just to ask Lexus to act now, how? don't know beside What I'm asking.Do not wait until dozen of lexus owner been killed or recall required by National safety Transportation Board or some thing else happened.Do we need bring cars within a certain years old in for inspection or ...
My ES 300 still under warranty.I copied these line for info to all actual or furure Lexus Owner.
Anyone have any idea what this might be? I hate going in to the shop with a problem that the mechanic cannot observe for himself.
Inside you'll find the "EFI" fuse. Pull it out and about 1 minute later plug it back in.
Run the engine at idle for a few minutes.
VCV rail? Don't know.
Charcoal canister, since you know the part number, see how much it costs at a Toyota dealership. Charcoal canisters, rarely go bad also.
Good thought also about going to Toyota rather than Lexus. Lexus price for the '98 ES300 air filter is $23.50. Toyota's price is $11.33 (usually $14.16, but it's usually on sale) for EXACTLY the same one (#FA-24) - both come in the same box!
I have changed the water pump and the thermostat and the car is still overheating especially when the car is not moving. I have spent over $600 and problem not solved.
Any suggestion.
One was a 1970 Plymouth Duster (over heating at 10 years old.) and 1980 BMW320i.
Both cars were pretty old, around 10 years, when they started over heating.
Funny, but in both cases, I wanted a radiator right away (I have never seen a chronic overheating problem fixed by doing something with the thermostat). It was the mechanics that insisted I try other options. In both cases, I got a new radiator at my insistence. You'd think they'd be smarter, wouldn't you?
I have had no problems through my 32,000 miles but was thinking I should have Lexus see if there is anything that I do not know about.
I wouldn't normally maintain my vehicle at Lexus, however I would like to think they could replace under warranty anything I might not know about.
Any opinion is appreciated.
If some one want see pics, please get to this site :
www.geocities.com/tle1042002/accidentpage.html
Ps: This Lexus ES 300-1997 bought w/14000 miles on 1-12-2000 as preowned from Hennessy Lexus in Atlanta, GA,and serviced by same dealer.
I am positive that it is not the ABS. I was not stomping on the brake. I brought it to the dealer and they said that it was the wearing brake pad while I still have 3 mm left. I believe that it is a warped rotor too... I have had this problem since the first day... anyone knows if it is covered?
The dealer would not give me any satisfaction. I thought it was poor design that I should have such problems at 27Kmi. Before I changed my first set of pads. But they said too bad. Wear out parts...
So I ended up letting a performance tire and front end shop I use do the work. New pads and turned rotors at Lexus Carlsbad, CA was $300. At the tire shop it was $120.
The problem these days seems to be that the asbestos is no longer allowed in brake pads. There are mostly 2 alternative formulations. One gives softer pads that leads to lots of black brake dust, pads that don't last very long, and chew up the rotors such that they require replacing at relatively short intervals. Many high performance cars use these. MB and BMW use these kinds of pads. We've had 3 MBs and replace pads about every 20k miles, rotors every 60-80k miles.
The other has ceramic or metal in the pads. These last a long time and give off little dust, but get very hot and lead to rotor warping. These are the ones we have. The brake pads might last 50k miles or longer ......... if you do not warp the rotors.
Anybody has a good idea how to get leather seats repaired? Thanks in advance,
I've had an older 380SL interior restored. Found a shop that recovered the leather seats for about $800 per seat. That included new pads and some minor repair work to the frames.
I am considering a new ES300. I heard one person here( sddlw) got to a tire shop for pads/ rotors from a tire shop for a much better deal. Does this is any way mess up your Lexus warranty. Also, I have a dumb question!:) Is the ES300 with its increaded HP and 5 speed auto trans (and other nicities) worth ten grand more than a Carmy? Thanks for any info!
Mike V.
The ES is a great car. It was redesigned for 2002 and is quite different from the earlier model. I drive a 2000, so do not have day to day experience with the latest model. However, over on the sedan board, there is an ES discussion group that is really focussed on the 2002/2003 model. One thing they seem to complain about is a glitch in the transmission shifting that has been blamed on a software problem. You might want to check the discussion out.
Is it worth more than the Camery? You'll get many opinions on this. The difference may be closer to $5K once you get that Camery upgraded to the same level of the ES, and do some hard negotiating. At least here in So Ca, the Lexus dealers are having to deal. But still it is a lot of money. I think the ES is a better ride with a little more attention to detail and a little nicer trim. Both cars hold their value very well. Both cars are very reliable.
BTW: The brake rotors and pads are not covered under warranty. They are considered wear-out parts. As long as the periodic maintanence is done and you have records, you should be fine. You are not required to have the dealer do the service work. Now, is the dealer going to tell you that?....yeh right. In the last 2 months, I had that brake job that I wrote about earlier and a 30K service. Dealer = $300 and 500 respectively. Independant = $125 and $272 respectively. Heck, a simple 5k OLF and fluid inspection at the Carlsbad Dealer here in San Diego is $160..... but you do get a car wash and a loaner!!
There is a Toyota shop right next door that quoted me $275 for a 30K swervice if I had a Camery instead of an ES. So you have one shop charging $500 and the guy next door for a very similar, but not exactly the same car, engine wise. Some Toyota shops will service Lexus, others will not. I actually prefer an independent. For the price and because I like to get to know the mechanics and the shop owners....Try to do that at a dealer.
Sometimes, especially at the beginning of the ride, I fill exhaust smell inside the cabin.
What it could be an how to deal with it.
Thank you for the answer.
You need to take it into the shop for a couple reasons. First, exhaust and carbon monoxide are toxic at high concentrations. Second, a leak in the exhaust system can effect the back pressure of your engine and lead to bigger problems.
I'm driving a 88k ES300 right now. All my maintance & regular oil change is not doing in Lexus dealer. 1 year ago I replaced a OEM timing belts & water pump. I find that the engine noise is very noisy than normal & also the ticking sound comes out. Is anyone know how to reduce an engine noise and also the ticking sound. Is it the timing belt installed to tight or too loose?Thanks
Except the sounds ES300 is running pretty good.
Until now I still think Lexus is more reliable then European car.
The automatic windshield wipers that are supposed to come on when raining come on when they feel like it, sometimes when it's dry outside. Then, the steering wheel started to shake when coming to a stop.
While stopped in my driveway and engine running, I got out of the car and was locked out. I went into my house for the spare remote key, but the only way to unlock the car was to insert the key. The clicker wouldn't work.
The service department wasn't very helpfull, so I called the Service Director. On the steering wheel problem, he said that it's a rotor problem that is common with this vehicle. On being locked out, he just about accused me of doing something to cause the problem.
Service changed the rotors and that corrected the shake. They also reprogrammed the way the car locks, but at times with the key in my pocket, just walking around the car, I hear the doors lock. So I try to carry a spare on me at all times.
I waited two hours for a oil change. When I complained, they said that next time they would pick up the car. So when I made a appointment, they broke it 3 times before the car was picked up. When there are problems, it seems that I don't get a call from the Lexus helpdesk or a survey in the mail asking how everything went.
Now I find out that at the 5000 mile checks, the oil change and other things that they do costs $200, except at 15000, 30000, 40000,
the cost is $379. Why so expensive?
I don't feel like I'm driving a car that is special or different. The customer service is no different than a Ford dealer. They sometimes try to make you feel that way, but in a phoney kind of way. Give them a problem and see what happens. I feel like, when inside the car, it's a FORD.
I use an independent Toytota/Lexus mechanic. The dealer in north county San Diego wanted $500 for a $30K service! My independent charged $275. Why so expensive? Well it is more than an oil change, but the shop is a huge profit generator for the dealer and they have the price up as high as the traffic will bear. Many people don't think twice about shelling out whatever the dealer asks. In all fairness my independent doesn't have a fleet of 2 year old Lexus loaners either, and don't come out and pick up the car.
I was just at the auto show last weekend and I've got to say that if your shopping for an intro level lux car with a full lux interior and lots of room, there isn't that much to see in the low $30ks.
On my first service visit, the "less than one hour wait" turned onto a two hour wait with no explanation.
I expected a better built car and a better level of service than this. I am kicking myself in the rear for selling my 1996 Infiniti I30 for this car. The I30 was the most trouble free car that I have ever owned and the Infiniti service and loaner policy is far superior to Lexus. When the new I35 comes out, this ES 300 is history!
Would very much appreciate your response.
Steve in Encinitas
MB first. I have used Ziggy's for the last 8 years for 3 benz that we have owned. I can't say enough good things about Ziggy and his crew. They've been together for years and I have found them to be very professional at prices about 50-70% of dealer. (Ziggy Von Rathmann 858-450-1501)
Lexus: I just stopped going to the dealer about 6 months ago so I only have a short history with TLC in Clairmont. But the day I stopped in for the first time, Jim, the owner drove me back to the office in my car so he could get to know the both of us. He was charging $275 for a 30k service. Lexus Carlsbad wanted $500. I'm stopping back by this morning for a 35K service. The service manager's name is Fred Webb (858-541-0852).
Maybe this discussion is too narrow for the group and we should continue in private email. My address is s3r6@adelp***.net (***=hia).
Thanks, for your advise.
Steve
I just returned from TLC. They charged $95 for the 35K service (a minor service). That included LOF, overall inspection, fluids, etc and rotating and balancing the tires. They did it in less than an hour. But I had arrived early and waited for the tech to get in.
Took car to dealer for other problems. Tires were WAY overinflated (thanks hubby) and rear sway bar bushings were dirty. So, afterwards, the car was not so too overly responsive to road and less noise on turns. But it still seems to drift to left when in left lane of Xpressway and have to hold steering wheel in slight, slight correction so as not to drift off side of the road. Still makes bit on noise when turning and backing out of garage but not on forward turns.
But, the thing that really annoys me is that pesky hop and shudder remained -- almost like I was riding a horse, but not quite as severe. So I took it back to dealer. They let me drive around with the tech who worked on my car and he said while he knows what I'm talking about from other cars he just doesn't feel it in my car and tried to blame it on the roads. I told him that, yes, I was really sensative but that I had driven it on the expressway and city roads and smoother suburban roads and it was there all of the time. It seems to be worst when accelerating from 25 to 45. And I told him about the repaired tire. So, they tried to fix it by balancing the wheels, which they said were off by 10%, and gave it to me to drive around and see.
So, after the wheels were balanced, I drove around and the pesky hop and shudder were still there. So my dad suggested that, since we have a brand new spare in the trunk, we put that on to replace the repaired tire and see if that did the trick. It didn't.
So, does anybody have any suggestions? I know it seems like a minor complaint, but we have had the car less than two months and I saved up for years for it and got to drive it when it was pristine for 2 DAYS!!
I'd just like it fixed, and it seems to me that it's going to be hard for this dealer to fix it if they can't even feel the problem, which both me and my husband feel. I'm willing to pay to have it fixed (and have an extended warranty). But I don't want to pay for all of their guesses only to have them discover the real problem 3 or 4 educated guesses down the line. To their credit, so far, I've only paid the $50 initial inspection fee. (Of course, they still haven't diagnosed the problem nor can they acknowlege it's existance.)
Does anyone have any mechanics they particularly like in the Chicago area? Any particular tech at any Lexus or Toyota dealer, especially in the city?
Is that true, is this symptom common to all ES300. Why has Lexus not provided any fix to this yet. Have other people noticed this ? Is n't this a serious problem which should be addressed. It could be personal style also but I am especially concerned when parking my car inside my garage since I have to be dead slow to avoid hitting the walls due to lurching.
Has anyone else opened a case with Lexus ?
Other instances, when the car is parked and just walking by it, I hear the doors lock. This has happened about 5 times.
Has this happened to anyone else????
I think the dealer thinks I'm crazy when I explain this to them.
Thanks
-.