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Lexus ES 350

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Comments

  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    CR publishes a new car preview feature in the October issue, but their annual car issue comes out in April. (I'm a long-time subscriber.) Their frequency-of-repair summaries are based on readers' replies to questionnaires that are mailed out in December of each year. You won't see anything meaningful about the new ES until next spring at the earliest. I haven't yet seen a full report on the ES.
  • petlpetl Member Posts: 610
    Try this -
    autonet.ca/News/story.cfm?story=/News/2006/11/10/2302176-ap.html
  • tdohtdoh Member Posts: 298
    coolcow--no rough shifts when cold, although "rough" can be somewhat subjective. In any case, the flare doesn't happen too frequently since most of the time, my car has either warmed up sufficiently and/or long enough to the point that the flare doesn't occur, or I'm unable to quickly reach the first 3-4 shift after a cold start (typically because I've just driven away from my house and I have to drive a bit in residential areas before reaching a road that'll let me get up to speed). I don't think the flare is necessarily more prevalent depending on road grade, as I have had it occur on flat roads.

    If you want to almost ensure that the flare will occur in front of the service tech--make sure that you don't let your car sit too long during a cold-start warm up (i.e., don't let it idle for more than 30 seconds once you cold-start your vehicle)...then once you get moving, try to get to the 3-4 shift as soon as reasonably/safely possible.
  • larrymitlarrymit Member Posts: 80
    The Consumer Reports web site is continually updated and has a report on the ES350. It says, "Reliability of the redesign has been impressive."
  • rileyjrileyj Member Posts: 13
    From Consumer Reports:

    http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/pricing/best-worst-in-car-reliability-10- 05/best-worst-models/index.htm

    FAMILY CARS: Honda Accord Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Honda Accord (4-cyl.), Ford Fusion*, Mercury Milan*.

    UPSCALE/LARGE CARS: Lexus ES350*, Lincoln Zephyr*, Hyundai Azera*, Acura TSX, Acura TL.

    LUXURY CARS: Lexus LS (2006), Infiniti M*.
  • sirrafsirraf Member Posts: 55
    I will never understand which car should go into which category because size wise the ES350 and the Infiniti M are about the same size and should be in the same group. The "M" car is not in the same class as the LS.

    But a few years ago who would have considered the ES and "M" to be LARGE or even considered LUXURY cars.
  • jkossjkoss Member Posts: 9
    I am considering purchasing an es 350 premium plus package. I understand that the stereo system has eight speakers. Could someone please tell me what size the speakers are? I am thinking that there are four 6.5 speakers, two 6x9 speakers, and two tweeters. Could someone please confirm? Thanks for your help in advance and please comment on what you think about the performance of the stock stereo...I am considering upgrading the entire system after purchasing.
  • ncdaydreamerncdaydreamer Member Posts: 31
    I tried to find out the answers for you, but speaker info about the ES350 is scarce. You might have better luck in the Club Lexus forum.

    I've had the Premium Plus ES 350 and now have the UL edition. In a nutshell: the sound and sound system in the Premium Plus is horrible and the ML system is barely tolerable, IF, you can discern good sound quality. Both systems use cheap OEM vrsion of name-brand speakers (I think Nakamichito obtain what Lexus touts as sound quality. It's eqivalent to BMW's Harmon Kardon system. If I were HK, I would be ashamed to stamp Harmon Kardon on those speakers.

    It would be much easier to upgrade the sound system in the Premium because I don't remember any speakers in the dash. The ML system has 3 speakers in the dash that would be hard to replace. The only thing that would be easy to upgrade is the amp. It is located in the right-rear quarter panel.

    JL Audio makes two devices that solve several problems in all late model cars. One is called the Clean Sweep DSP and the other is the Clean Sweep SSI. One of the problems with the ES 350 sound system is that the sound levels change each time you select a different source. You might be listening to satellite at a comfortable level and then get blasted away when you change to FM.

    The SSI is a summing device. It takes either line-level or speaker-level inputs from the head-in unit and routes them to the the DSP which "cleans" and provides 30 bands of equalization that is then fed to the new amp via line-level RCA outputs. They are not cheap at about $500, but a good solution for clean, equalized sound going into a new amp. At this writing, I don't know if the SSI is shipping.

    The ML system has a bigger amp than the Premium Plus, no doubt to drive the increased number of speakers but I can't say it is any better quality than the Premium-Plus amp. One thing I noticed missing on the ML is the ability to tailor the sound to just the driver. I suppose this is because of the surround system in the ML version. I also notice that the ML tends to focus the sound toward the front of the vehicle.

    As far as speakers, I would find a good mobile audio shop that specializes in Lexus vehicles. They may have more info on speaker sizes. Unfortunately, speakers are not trial and error in replacing them in a vehicle (you have to buy them first). What sounds good in the showroom might sound tinny or muddy in the vehicle. Again, seek the advice of the pros.

    I would tend to say the ML sound system is adequate for the typicle driver that would purchase the UL version of the vehicle. They are not typically going to pay and average of $200 to $300 for a set of separates for the front of the vehicle or $500 for a good sub and another $500 for a good amp.

    I wish someone could post how to defeat the DVD system of having the car in Park and the parking brake on to watch DVDs. You can still listen to DVD sound after going through the process but not watch video.
  • tomdtomd Member Posts: 87
    Is the standard leather in the ES perforated or is just the semi-aniline leather perforated? What is the semi-aniline anyway? Thanks
  • ryguy1ryguy1 Member Posts: 10
    Thank you very much for a very informative write-up on the sound system. I agree with you completely. Do you happen to know any audio specialty shop in the NYC area that can upgrade my sound system? I have Premium Plus. I read this forum and hear of all the complaints some owners have with the ES.My only complaint so far has been the sound system, it's so very basic.
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    )) "What is semi-aniline anyway" ((

    Aniline, obtained from nitrobenzene, is used to synthesize dyes noted for transparency that gives an appearance of depth and richness to premium hides. Cheaper grade hides are usually surface sprayed with opaque dyes to hide visible imperfections. Neither coloring technique is necessarily longer lasting, nor do the quality of the hides prior to dyeing and tanning necessarily portend longer useful life, either. I'll hazard a guess that "semi-aniline" is somewhere in between for hides that are somewhere in between. It's really all about the visuals. The best thing you can do for leather upholstery of any quality is to frequently brush or vacuum it and apply proper cleaning and preservative chemistry twice a year. Even common "saddle soap" (a gentle, pH-neutral, fine soap with lanolin and glycerin as emollients along with a small amount of carnauba wax to help seal in the good stuff and protect against staining) is an excellent agent for these purposes.
  • ncdaydreamerncdaydreamer Member Posts: 31
    You can find JL Audio equipment dealers here: http://mobile.jlaudio.com/dealerfind.php

    Interview several dealerships and inquire about their Lexus knowledge, Lexus installs and their proposals for your vehicle. Be sure to inquire about their knowledge of the JL Audio CleanSweep DSP and SSI. A reputable dealer won't try to upsell you on equipment you don't need. Remember, great sounding stereo systems, such as Boston Acoustics, MBQuart, JL Audio and others, aren't often found at Best Buy and Circuit City. If you're going to spend $40,000 and over for an automobile, spend about 3 to 4 percent of that on superior equipment with 5-year to lifetime warranties. Also remember, just because it sounds great in the showroom doesn't mean it will sound great in your mobile audio studio. It's a shame that Lexus, BMW and others cut costs on audio equipment and spend it on royalties for designer names like Mark Levinson and Harmon Kardon and pass it off as premium equipment. The amplifier for the Harmon Kardon subwoofer of a BMW is not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes and the subwoofers aren't even subwoofers; they're 6x9 speakers that are flat as a pancake! The money you spend on the premium sound systems offered by these car manufacturers could buy excellent sound equipment and it does not void your warranty!

    Good Luck
  • dreyfusdreyfus Member Posts: 24
    As to the perforated seats, yes, the regular leather seats have perforations. You'll have to have the ventilated seat option, but this is almost standard on the ES350.
  • cmmicmmi Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone know if and how to get the airbag warnings off the the front of the visors? I asked my Lexus dealer to remove them but he refused, saying they are fused into the visor. I don't think they are.

    On all my cars previously I've been able to peel them off.

    Are we all driving with them on or has someone managed to remove them?

    Thanks.
  • petlpetl Member Posts: 610
    I believe for libel reasons they would not want to remove them. To my knowledge they must remain affixed (either by regulation or law).
  • nhislopnhislop Member Posts: 2
    Follow up - the dealer worked with me and reproduced the issue. Apparently the fix involved adding extra insulation to some clips that were supporting the entire console/dash area, I believe mostly where the sound was coming from (ie near the center speaker / center air vent area).

    Anyway - problem solved. I heard a similar sound on the loaner car(s) that I was driving while this issue was being resolved, so this issue may affect other cars too - so worth mentioning to your dealer, if you are experiencing this.
  • curt2005curt2005 Member Posts: 70
    For liability reasons, no dealer is going to remove them.

    On my ES 330, the two labels on the driver side visor are very distracting when driving with the sunshade in any position.

    I got light cardboard (in the form of report folders matching the interior color) from an office supply store, cut rectangles the size of each label, and used a light coat of rubber cement to stick a piece over each label. I did not get rubber cement on the visor material itself.

    Did that only on the driver's side. Left the labels alone on the passenger side, where they might matter.

    The visor labels are curved. The cardboard pieces won't stick down perfectly flush with the surface of the visor. Sooner or later the light cardboard will get damaged or torn off in cleaning the car. So I'll keep the rest of the packet of report folders handy to replace the covers.
  • johngreisjohngreis Member Posts: 70
    Do a search on VISOR LABELS and make sure your search is in
    ALL MESSAGES.

    #322 in the dodge dekota forum has a way to remove them.

    Good luck.
  • garmogarmo Member Posts: 20
    Any more to report on the cold start tapping sound? I have the same situation. Thanks.
  • jkossjkoss Member Posts: 9
    I called Lexus Corporate and spoke with a customer service rep in regards to the speakers.

    1 Front Mounted 65 mm Center Speaker (assuming dashboard)
    2 Front Mounted 25 mm tweeters (assuming dashboard corners)
    2 Front Door Mouned 160 mm wolfers
    2 Rear Door Mounted 100 mm Mid Range
    1 200 mm Subwoofer

    I listened to the stereo again and the system definitely needs to be upgraded. I am planning on purchasing the vehicle in the next two weeks and will be immediately upgrading the entire system except for the head unit with JL Audio or a brand of similar caliber and will let everyone interested in upgrading know how it turns out.

    On a different note, I live in Houston Texas and have noticed a few new vehicles with very shiny rims...similar to the same structure of the standard rims. They seem to be very shiny chrome. Does anyone know if there is a rim upgrade available? The cars that I have seen may just have very clean, shiny rims.
  • jaspalbjaspalb Member Posts: 84
    I was under the impression that car locks by itself after a minute or so, if accidentally left unlocked. I found that when left unlocked it was still unlocked when I returned to it after several hours. Is it configurable, or I have a wrong impression.
  • jaspalbjaspalb Member Posts: 84
    I agree that it's 'standard' stereo is not good enough. Which make is it, Nakamichi or Bose? Several years ago I owned a 1986 BMW. Notwithstanding it was BMW, this 20 years old design had a far better stereo.
  • jkossjkoss Member Posts: 9
    The rep that I spoke with was unsure who the manufacturer was on the speakers, head unit, or amp. I own a 97 Lexus es 300 that had the premium sound upgrade and the entire system was made by Nakamichi. The sound in it is much, much better than the current 07 350. It seems the new one is missing power from an amp or something. My best friend owns a high end car audio store and he is going to perform the upgrade after taking a look at the current system. I should have some good information in about two weeks.
  • jaspalbjaspalb Member Posts: 84
    Will the new system match with installed 8 speakers? Or if you replacing speakers as well, will it not be a problem to fit new speakers in enclosures/space designed for different speakers?
  • bobbassbobbass Member Posts: 34
    My impression is that if you UNlock the doors with the remote and do not open at least one of them within a certain length of time, they will automatically lock again.

    However, if you UNlock the doors, open one and shut it, they will NOT lock automatically.

    Actually makes sense to me.
  • jaspalbjaspalb Member Posts: 84
    Question is about locking the car automatically when you leave it unattended for a while (e.g. when you go to a mall but forget to lock it). I had an impression that it locks automatically after a minute or so. I think it has to do something with the 4 locking/unlocking settings (e.g. automatic locking after a certain speed, automatic unlocking when shift moved to P, etc.) which users can change themselves. I played with them, and may be I setup something which effected this.
  • tdohtdoh Member Posts: 298
    "...the ML system is barely tolerable..."

    Barely tolerable? I mean, I reckon the ML isn't the best car audio system around, but for a factory car audio setup...is there any other OEM/factory-installed car audio system (not including factory one-offs or custom/option install packages) out there that BLOWS the ML away, as far as car stereo sound quality? For a factory car audio system, the sound staging of the ML--and I'm speaking only for the one offered in the ES 350--is really good, IMHO...and I can say unequivocally that the ML definitely blows away the BLOSE (I mean, BOSE...no pun intended, BTW) "premium" sound system in my Denali.
  • sirrafsirraf Member Posts: 55
    We have noticed that there is background static on the AM radio stations. The dealer suggested that this was normal reception in the area but we're not having the same problem with our old truck nor did we have the same problem with the loaner car the dealership gave us while our car was in for service.

    The technician could not hear the static and again suggested that this is normal but once I drove the service writer to the parking lot he could clearly hear the background static. We don't seem to have this problem as much with the FM station as we do with the AM station. We do have the Ultra package with the M/L system.

    Has anyone else had the same problem of static?
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    Two points about AM reception:

    1 - the afterthought AM sections of automotive radios over the past twenty years are pathetic at best and horrid at worst.
    2 - AM reception quality varies considerably as to the time of day (extra two-way AM traffic during daylight hours generates interferrence at the extremes of the commercial broadcast bandwidth) and sunspot activity (worse if ol' Sol's in a testy mood ;)).

    If you feel your car's AM reception is particularly subpar, ask to test drive another similarly equipped model for comparison. It is possible you have a defective head unit and/or a suppression problem with one or more of the electricals in your car. A comparison test drive may give you peace of mind or grist to demand further action. One final point - does completely inactivating your cell phone improve AM reception? The reason I bring this up is that, while the frequencies cell phones operate on are outside the frequencies of AM commercial reception, any device that receives RF transmissions, and a cell phone qualifies, will inevitably transmit to a limited degree, too. If its unintentional transmissions are within that part of the spectrum alloted to commercial AM reception, you could have reception issues in your car due to the proximity of the cell phone to the car's radio reception antenna.
  • larrymitlarrymit Member Posts: 80
    The car relocks itself after a set time if it is unlocked by the keyfob or by touching a door handle AND a door is not opened. The time delay can be changed by a Lexus dealer. (I believe the relocking can be turned off too, but I'm not sure.)

    Once it is unlocked and a door is opened, it stays unlocked until locked by someone.
  • jaspalbjaspalb Member Posts: 84
    Thank you larrymit. Relocking when unlocked by keyfob/door touch, but door not opened (for a minute or so) is different. May be I am wrong, but I had the impression that if I forget to lock the car, and move away with the key, after a set time, car locks by itself. I do recall this happening, as I rarely locked my car in my garage at the end of the day, but next morning I found it locked. Perhaps I changed some locking/unlocking functions (as per page 20-21 in the manual), and did something which impacted this.
  • alien2alien2 Member Posts: 33
    Hi, I have an ES-350 Ultra. I posed the same question about the auto locking of the car if you walked away to the dealer. He said, and I've verified, if the car is running and you walk away with the key fob the car will beep about 5 to 10 times but will not lock. Same results without the beeping if you walk away with the key fob and the car is not running.
  • curt2005curt2005 Member Posts: 70
    I'd add one point to the excellent reply.

    AM is inherently more sensitive to interference than FM. That's still no excuse for static.

    I'd vote for a bad interference suppression capacitor somewhere in the car's circuitry (like ignition circuitry) or that one of the multitude of motors in the car being bad, perhaps a heating/air fan motor.

    If that is the case, the electromagnetic interference could affect the engine computer as well.
  • bishop4bishop4 Member Posts: 6
    After waiting almost two months to get my, Royal Ruby w/black interior, 350 I picked it up last Monday. Traded in a 2004 G35x for it. While some might say "why". I enjoyed the way the G would go around curves and the sound of the engine, but the chances to really use the car's true
    potential were few and far between for me. In addition, the interior was not the best for a car in this price range.

    So one day I stopped by a Lexus dealer and saw a Royal Ruby w/black interior in the showroom, sat in it and fell in love, it just "felt" different than the G, more upscale. I took my wife on another visit and got her to just sit in it and she thought the same thing. The ES350 has a great interior, much nicer than the G for the daily commute. It has good power with the 272 hp engine and folks young and old are taking second looks at it.
    I can't whip around curves as fast as I could in the G but maybe I won't get 2 tickets in two week either. Another positive for the ES350 is that my car insurance premium is only $20 more per year over my 2004 G35. Not bad. the main thing I am getting use to is the push button start and I am liking the car more and more each day. Getting a spoiler put on in the morning..... keep you posted
  • redcar07redcar07 Member Posts: 3
    On the passenger side, will the airbags work regarless of weight of the passenger? (adult passenger). In case of an accident with an adult passenger weighing 120 pounds will the airbags inflate? In my ES350 the airbag light is always off with the passenger weighing 120. Does this mean the airbags will not inflate in a frontal or side impact accident?
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    What does your Lexus ES 350 owner's manual indicate?
  • redcar07redcar07 Member Posts: 3
    Nothing about adult weight being 120 pounds or less. Only about children, and child seats that would turn the air bag light off. Just want to know if anyone has noticed this same problem. Could be a unsafe problem in a accident not only for the frount seat passenger but also the passerger in the rear seat in a side impack.
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    For what it's worth (which may not be much since I'm drawing a comparison between apples and oranges) my '03 Hyundai Sonata cautions against carrying articles or other cargo weighing in excess of 33 lbs on the right front seat because the passenger presence detection system may interpret that much weight or more as evidence of a passenger and deploy the passenger airbag in the event of an accident. Still, since these systems are federally mandated, it wouldn't seem that there'd be much tolerance for markedly different weight calibration settings among automakers. I believe the presence of a person weighing 120 lbs seated in the front passenger seat would reliably activate your Lexus' passenger airbag in an emergency.
  • jkossjkoss Member Posts: 9
    I am picking up my obsidian/black 350 on the 15th. I purchased the premium plus package with nav with the factory chrome dipped rims and tint. The salesperson put in the body side mouldings as well. Does anyone know how they look on black? Also, I would imagine that they could easily be removed if I did not like the appearance, correct?
  • zekeman1zekeman1 Member Posts: 422
    Why would you let a salesperson put mouldings on your car if you were unsure of what they would look like...because he said they were "free?"
  • jaspalbjaspalb Member Posts: 84
    If you have not seen how mouldings look like, you can view them on Lexus website under accessories. They look nice, and protect your vehicle. My dealer gets them on all vehicles.
  • larrymitlarrymit Member Posts: 80
    My 60 lb. daughter doesn't weigh enough to activate the airbag, but if she has her bookbag in the seat with her, the airbag does turn on.

    I find that if my 140 lb. son sits there, but slouches rather than sitting back in the seat, the airbag is off, but if he sits up straighter, it is on.

    So it would seem that the weight detector is in the center of the seat and not in the front bolster.
  • carrelman2carrelman2 Member Posts: 80
    I would not own this car if body side moldings were not avaiable. I hate the way the car looks without them. I'm sure you will be pleased. Mr car is black and the black moldings really dress it up.
  • bobbo55bobbo55 Member Posts: 25
    When I left work today, the tire monitoring icon was lite up on my dashboard of my Lexus ES350.That was the first time I have seen this lite up. It stayed on for 15 minutes or so.I did check all the tires at work and they all appeared OK.When I got home, I checked all the tire pressures and they were at either 32 or 32.5. So they were fine.It was 20F degrees outside. So maybe the cold had something to do with it.I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem.I will contact the Lexus dealer tommorrow.
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    This from the NHTSA's website:

    "Most new cars have air bags for front-seat passengers. When used with lap/shoulder belts, air bags work very well to protect older children and adults. Air bags do not work with rear-facing child seats (those used with infants). Airbags could seriously injure or even kill an unbuckled child or adult who is sitting too close to the air bag or who is thrown toward the dash during emergency braking. In a crash, the air bag inflates very quickly. It could hit anything close to the dashboard with enough force to cause severe injuries or even death. Because the back of a rear-facing child seat sits very close to the dashboard, the seat could be struck with enough force to cause serious, or even fatal injuries to a baby. Even older children (who have outgrown child seats) are at risk from a deploying air bag, if they are not properly restrained. The rear seat is the safest place for children of any age to ride. An infant in a rear-facing child seat must ride in the back seat if your vehicle has a passenger air bag. Make sure that everyone in the front seat is properly buckled up and seated as far back from the air bags as is reasonably possible. Make sure that all young children are properly secured in an age and size appropriate restrains. Know how to properly install your child seat in the vehicle. Read both the owner’s manual for the vehicle and the instructions for your child safety seat."

    Your kids are out of control in more ways than one.
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    Your tire pressure sensors are fine, but the same can't be said of your ill-considered methodology. Tires heat up in use as they continually flex. Underinflated tires flex excessively (even more heat). This heat is transferred to the captive inflation air. When any gas is heated in a confined space, the result is an increase in pressure - ergo, checking the tire air pressure with a gauge immediately after arriving at your workplace resulted in an unrepresentative reading. If you dig out your owner's manual (the booklet with good information that car makers provide but no one ever seems to read), it'll plainly state that tire pressure should be checked and adjusted cold - before the car is driven (or, at least, no more than a mile). Otherwise check after driving with a minimum of the car sitting stationary for three hours. Due to your oversight, the gauge-measured reading could easily be off 5 lbs or more. Underinflated tires have increased rolling resistance due to excessive flexing. The most immediate effect of setting the proper inflation pressure in your tires will be an improvement in handling, fuel economy, and cooler running. (Heat, NOT "road hazards", is any tire's most constant threat.) Overheated tires are subject to accelerated wear, or outright catastrophic failure in extreme cases - if you've ever seen a tire along the side of a road with its tread partially or completely peeled off the casing, now you know why it happened.

    (Running cold tire pressure as little as 3-4 lbs higher than the automaker's recommended tire pressure will add 10 to 12 thousand extra miles to the useful life of a set of tires with a barely detectable loss of ride comfort. That little an increase in running pressure still allows a very safe operating margin when driving at high speeds across the Mojave desert in the middle of August.)
  • bobbo55bobbo55 Member Posts: 25
    Today I called my Lexus dealer. He did say that the tire monitoring system will malfunction occasionally in cold weather. He said the dash lite will stay on the tire monitoring system for a few minutes or so, until it resets itself. Also a guy I work with that owns a 5 Series BMW has had this happen to him 3 times. A lady I know with a Chryler 300 has had this happen to her one time. So I guess Lexus, BMW and Chrysler do not have their tire monitoring systems perfected in cold weather.
  • alien2alien2 Member Posts: 33
    bobbo, did you check your spare tire? It is also sending its tire pressure reading.
  • zancluszanclus Member Posts: 2
    My tire pressure monitoring light went on last week. I also checked all four tires which were fine. I took the car to the dealer and the problem was the spare tire.
  • bobbo55bobbo55 Member Posts: 25
    Yes the spare was fine.
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