Sludge And A Known Problem

[danielc1234]

My ES300 is so sludged that it will barley make it to the dealership. I have kept with all the oil changes, but I was told this is a common problem with these cars. I had a friend take his car to the dealer and they admitted that this is common with these cars. I want to know if anyone else has experienced this problem. I called the dealer and they told me to bring in the car and as a curtiousy, they would overhaul the motor cause of this being a common problem.

I'm affraid however that once I drop off my car, they will pull a fast one on me and try to blame it on me somehow.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks Daniel

[bdonkersgoed]

They're going to do it as a curtesy?? Hmmm . . . sounds suspicious. Either they are going to pull a fast one, or you are a new client and they want to win your loyalty . . .

Regards,

Bryan

[cowboyzfan]

danielc1234,

I had good luck getting the problem resolved by Lexus and it didn't cost me a dime. I had all records of oil changes. Take it in and talk to the service manager. Make sure you tell him you've researched this and understand lexus is picking up the cost of repairs , including a rental and towing if necessary. Good Luck!

[SKperformance]

your first time asking daniel

but the thousandth time answer the same question

look around or try a search ,you'll find all you could ever want to know already mentioned before

[lexusk8]

I had good luck getting the problem resolved by Lexus and it didn't cost me a dime. I had all records of oil changes. Take it in and talk to the service manager. Make sure you tell him you've researched this and understand lexus is picking up the cost of repairs , including a rental and towing if necessary. Good Luck!

cowboyzfan,

You had an engine oil sludge problem in your '00 ES? At approx. what mileage did you notice the problem? I'm assuming you have never missed an oil change. I currently own a '01 ES w/ over 91K miles, and just recently switched to 10W-30 Mobil-1 synthetic. My first time using synth oil (I had been using the dino oil from Toyota), but I understand it benefits for high mileage vehicles. I'm crossing my fingers that I don't run into the sludge issue in the future

[VGR]

I have followed this sludge issue closely for the last 3 years. My conclusions are as follows:

1. Owners that have changed the oil at least every 6 months or 5000 miles since the car was new have clean engines that never get sludge.

2. Owners that get sludge have stretched out one or more oil change intervals.

3. Owners that get sludge and claim they have always changed the oil on time also always refuse to post pictures of their oil change receipts since the time when the car was new.

4. A large majority of owners that get sludge bought their cars used instead of new and they did not bother to check on the service history of the car to verify whether or not the required maintenance was ALWAYS performed on time.

[amf1932]

You want to read about sludge read on: Sludge

[mburnickas]

Well I just went over 12K miles and it [oil] tested fine in my 98 es300. If you have a sludge problem or THINK you do I would get an oil test done and look at some key areas: Look at OXD, NOX, TBN and viscosity. If you have a 5w30 over 18CST you will have some high OXD and NOX levels; and 100 to 1 your TBN will suck.

There is a 8-year warrenty for this sludge thing as I posted on my webpage.

http://home.comcast.net/~94gsxr1100/lexus/oil/oil_sludge.htm

Good luck on dealing with Lexus. I love the cars but most of the people working there are a$%holes. My opinion is that any records of oil changes is pointless. Lexus posted "...you show a reasonable effort to regularly maintain your vehicle." Never states you need anything. Have a look at some of my doc I have linked on my server.

Also have my oil results are on it.

[SKperformance]

MB seems to have one of the very few dealers from hell

[mburnickas]

My local Lexus dealers in Springfield MA & in Hartford CT were rude & arrogant. Nevermind wating 20 minutes before ANYONE comes over to ask if I need anything. I know Lexus is #1 but act like it.

As much as I really like the cars I think there service is not as what they make it out to be (at least my local dealers). I have owned other cars and so far if you do not walk in with a $2K suit and a pocket fill of money you are wasting there time.

Now where I bought my car is a completely different story..very nice. So I think the next time I need anything it will be worth the 75-minute drive

To close, I do not hate dealers but when the tell you this and that and have nothing to backup there opinion, I just shake my head.

[SKperformance]

there is a dealer in mississauga i can;t stand going to ,erin park lexus/toyota

they destroyed my tranny when i went for an emmision test , by a dumb chinese guy who must have thought ,ooooh a sports car and floored it too many times.

the next day i had so much debris in the tranny filter the car would't get out of my garage.

What could i say , in one day he destroyed it ?????

As well as damaging my brand new grille i made when they washed it, i have no idea who some of the idiots that work there got a job

Compared to the other dealer i have used in Scarborough called donvalley lexus/toyota , great service advisors who have always been real nice, used to check my cel for free if i had a problem and always got the wash and loaner if needed.

a world of difference with only a 30 minute distance , can you guess where i get my work done?

Wrong, i still do all of it myself,

: )