Loud Road Noise And Michelin Tires On Rx350

boatracer · February 14, 2007

I just bought a new RX350 (used to have a 2002 RX300 and loved it) and after two days I started hearing a lot of road noise coming from the rear of the car. It is not your typical noise it sounds more like a tinting noise (air going over metal), but it occurs more when I drive over a rough asphalt road and above 30 miles per hour. When I drive over a smooth asphalt road I don't hear it. It is really annoying.

I took it back to the dealer and they said it is acceptable noise level. I am not satisfied with it and ready to sell the car and buy something else if I can't come up with a solution.

I love the car, but very disappointed in the road noise.

I am going back to the dealer again to ride another car with the same tires to see if the noise is the same.

Also at the same time I started hearing the noise (3 days after I purchased the car) I also had a tow hitch put on. Talking to the hitch company and the dealer they said that would have nothing to do with it, but it just happed that the noise started at the same time. I actually went back to the hitch company and had them remove the hitch, but the noise was still there. I don't think they couldn't bumped anything that would be causing the noise to the way they fished the electric line thru.

The noise really sounds like it is coming from the tires.

Are there better tires that I could put on that wouldn't have the loud road noise especially over rougher asphalt roads?

I have done some checking on Bridgestone tires and they are suppose to be better and quieter.

Why did they put these Michelin tires (performance tires for sedans and coupes) on an SUV?

SW03ES · February 14, 2007

The MXV4s (the Michelins that come on the RX350) are some of the quietest tires made. If the noise started when the hitch was put on, thats where I'd look first.

What PSI are your tires aired to?

wwest · February 16, 2007

My 2001 AWD RX300 has run on nice quiet and comfortable riding Bridgestone Turanzas summer tire all year 'round for 60,000 miles.

I don't think they can be beat for quietness and comfort and with more rubber on the road for traction they are a good compromise over all-season or even winter times. On ice or packed snow they even out-perform most of those.

skywagon · February 20, 2007

I just bought a new RX350 (used to have a 2002 RX300 and loved it) and after two days I started hearing a lot of road noise coming from the rear of the car. It is not your typical noise it sounds more like a tinting noise (air going over metal), but it occurs more when I drive over a rough asphalt road and above 30 miles per hour. When I drive over a smooth asphalt road I don't hear it. It is really annoying.

I took it back to the dealer and they said it is acceptable noise level. I am not satisfied with it and ready to sell the car and buy something else if I can't come up with a solution.

I love the car, but very disappointed in the road noise.

I am going back to the dealer again to ride another car with the same tires to see if the noise is the same.

Also at the same time I started hearing the noise (3 days after I purchased the car) I also had a tow hitch put on. Talking to the hitch company and the dealer they said that would have nothing to do with it, but it just happed that the noise started at the same time. I actually went back to the hitch company and had them remove the hitch, but the noise was still there. I don't think they couldn't bumped anything that would be causing the noise to the way they fished the electric line thru.

The noise really sounds like it is coming from the tires.

Are there better tires that I could put on that wouldn't have the loud road noise especially over rougher asphalt roads?

I have done some checking on Bridgestone tires and they are suppose to be better and quieter.

Why did they put these Michelin tires (performance tires for sedans and coupes) on an SUV?

I have owned 10 lexes vehicals and two of them had luggage racks and the crossbars are tapered and if put on backwards when dealer does initial service they howl like tires.