White Dust On Dash

[ccds]

I am getting this white dust on my dash. Lexus is looking into it and have called their tech person.

It seems to happen after the car has sat overnight and then the a/c or heat starts in the morning.

I have changed the in cabin air filters 3 times now and still no fix

here is a link to the same problem in other models.

I have posted some pictures there

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;#entry246855

wondering if any one else is having this problem with RX 350

thanks

:)

[ccds]

I went on a 3 day trip last weekend and you can see from the pictures in the photo linke below

how much particles collected in 3 days.

Lexus has authorized the dealer to change the a/c and heat exchange and have asked for samples

of the particles.

Lexus has been very quick to authorize whatever is need to fix this problem.

here is the link if you want to take a look at what I am talking about:

http://picasaweb.google.com/ccds22/RX350WhiteParticleProblem

just double click the thumbnails to enlarge the pictures

[mps]

I am getting this white dust on my dash. Lexus is looking into it and have called their tech person.

It seems to happen after the car has sat overnight and then the a/c or heat starts in the morning.

I have changed the in cabin air filters 3 times now and still no fix

here is a link to the same problem in other models.

I have posted some pictures there

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;#entry246855

wondering if any one else is having this problem with RX 350

thanks

:)

I have the exact same problem with my 2007 RX350. I took it to the dealer two weeks ago where they replaced the air filter and cleaned the air ducts. The problem went away for the next few days but then the dust just came back! I plan to report this to the Lexus company. If enough people compain to them they may decide to take some action.

[rajkal]

does anyone know what an evaporator sub assembly is.

my dealer says that changing this part will rectify the white dust on dash issue.

has someone with similar problem been able to find a fix for that?

thanks

[TomWoodLexus]

Manufacturers like to !Removed! the word "sub-assy" to many components. Like the dash is actually called the "safety pad sub-assy"

It is just the evaporator core.

[rajkal]

I got my car back after 6 days at the dealership.

In order to replace the evaporator assembly, they had to open the dash completely. The guy who did it obviously didnt do a fine job as there are visible marks of him trying to pry open the dash, specially around the gear shifter box. The light grey interiors make the marks stand out when looked at closely.

I am really *BLEEP*ed about this as my vehicle is NEW. Can someone here please suggest what I should do.

When I had gotten the satellite radio installed there was slight damage to the shifter box cover and the dealer was quick to replace it. I am not sure how to approach the dealer with this damage.

Please, please advise.

Thanks a lot.

[skywagon]

I got my car back after 6 days at the dealership.

In order to replace the evaporator assembly, they had to open the dash completely. The guy who did it obviously didnt do a fine job as there are visible marks of him trying to pry open the dash, specially around the gear shifter box. The light grey interiors make the marks stand out when looked at closely.

I am really *BLEEP*ed about this as my vehicle is NEW. Can someone here please suggest what I should do.

When I had gotten the satellite radio installed there was slight damage to the shifter box cover and the dealer was quick to replace it. I am not sure how to approach the dealer with this damage.

Please, please advise.

Thanks a lot.

Only advice I have is stay out of the stealers, they wreck more than they ever fix, they learn or train on the customers cars.

[rajkal]

i stopped by at the dealer, and all i had to say was that the center console was damaged. without any hassles they offered to fix their error by chaning the whole thing. I hope other dealers are as proactive as the one that I have been going to. So far, I have loved the way they have handled my concerns in the 3 months that I have owned the vehicle. Its a shame I have to move to Canada for personal reasons. I can recommend the Greenwich dealer, HANDSDOWN. They are the best (so far)

They gave me an unbelievable deal on class 2 tow hitch receiver as well. Less than 500 installed. Maybe because they messed up my car the first time around.

[ColeenP]

I am getting this white dust on my dash. Lexus is looking into it and have called their tech person.

It seems to happen after the car has sat overnight and then the a/c or heat starts in the morning.

I have changed the in cabin air filters 3 times now and still no fix

here is a link to the same problem in other models.

I have posted some pictures there

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;#entry246855

wondering if any one else is having this problem with RX 350

thanks

:)

[ColeenP]

Did you get your car fixed yet?

I am getting this white dust on my dash. Lexus is looking into it and have called their tech person.

It seems to happen after the car has sat overnight and then the a/c or heat starts in the morning.

I have changed the in cabin air filters 3 times now and still no fix

here is a link to the same problem in other models.

I have posted some pictures there

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;#entry246855

wondering if any one else is having this problem with RX 350

thanks

:)

[Kennemax]

Took my 2007 RX-350 into dealer on 1/28/09 for several warranty items, one of which was the "white dust" issue which is the topic of this thread. Thought I better get it addressed before the warranty period expires....since ours was a CPO and had mileage on it, we were nearing the mileage limit on the warranty period.

On the following Tuesday, 2/3/09, I heard from the service consultant who inferred that the "white dust" problem was due to an "aftermarket" cabin air filter that I had installed. (I had replaced the factory one with another less expensive model, but only a couple of days before taking the car in. The dust buildup had been occurring for a long time before this.) I explained this to the advisor and sent him back to the drawing board and asked that he check with Lexus Hq for any information on this problem and told him about what I had read on this Lexus owner's forum. After I did not hear back from him, I called him on Friday and learned that they had ordered a replacement heater evaporator core, which has been reported on the forum as the source of the problem and would probably start the job today, Monday, 2/9/09. When reading some of the last posts on this issue, noticed that one owner had the part replaced and the problem came back after awhile. So I am concerned that they have not ordered the supplier to change the design and do not look forward to the possibility of having to go through this again downstream. They have to completely remove the dash to get to this part.

I called Lexus Customer Assistance today and asked the advisor whether the design of the part had been changed. He was familiar with the problem and although he would not confirm it absolutely, he inferred that the part design had not been changed ! He kept telling me "not to worry", go ahead and have the part replaced and if the problem reoccurred downstream, Lexus would take care of it. So here we go, dash will be removed, part replaced and we'll see what happens. Hopefully, everything gets put back securely. I am reluctant to do this, but am concerned about breathing this stuff. I think Lexus is walking a thin line on this one because they do not want to do a full recall.

Forum members......let's keep each other current on this one. I'll do my part.

[Kennemax]

Took my 2007 RX-350 into dealer on 1/28/09 for several warranty items, one of which was the "white dust" issue which is the topic of this thread. Thought I better get it addressed before the warranty period expires....since ours was a CPO and had mileage on it, we were nearing the mileage limit on the warranty period.

On the following Tuesday, 2/3/09, I heard from the service consultant who inferred that the "white dust" problem was due to an "aftermarket" cabin air filter that I had installed. (I had replaced the factory one with another less expensive model, but only a couple of days before taking the car in. The dust buildup had been occurring for a long time before this.) I explained this to the advisor and sent him back to the drawing board and asked that he check with Lexus Hq for any information on this problem and told him about what I had read on this Lexus owner's forum. After I did not hear back from him, I called him on Friday and learned that they had ordered a replacement heater evaporator core, which has been reported on the forum as the source of the problem and would probably start the job today, Monday, 2/9/09. When reading some of the last posts on this issue, noticed that one owner had the part replaced and the problem came back after awhile. So I am concerned that they have not ordered the supplier to change the design and do not look forward to the possibility of having to go through this again downstream. They have to completely remove the dash to get to this part.

I called Lexus Customer Assistance today and asked the advisor whether the design of the part had been changed. He was familiar with the problem and although he would not confirm it absolutely, he inferred that the part design had not been changed ! He kept telling me "not to worry", go ahead and have the part replaced and if the problem reoccurred downstream, Lexus would take care of it. So here we go, dash will be removed, part replaced and we'll see what happens. Hopefully, everything gets put back securely. I am reluctant to do this, but am concerned about breathing this stuff. I think Lexus is walking a thin line on this one because they do not want to do a full recall.

Forum members......let's keep each other current on this one. I'll do my part.

[RXinATL]

Forum members......let's keep each other current on this one. I'll do my part.

Had mine for 6 weeks now after having the evap core replaced. Still has white particles right up to the top of the steering wheel and some on the black on the door panels. I'm inclined to think that they don't clean the ducts after this job and it's still blowing the white stuff out as I don't have the smell anymore (but I haven't used the heater in a while).

I did ask Lexus for the MSDS on the chemicals used in the white stuff and the adhesive used to bond it - that's what we're all breathing. They wouldn't send it to me. Instead I got a letter stating that it safe to breath as it the same chemical in TUMS. Well, I don't know about them - but I EAT TUMS NOT INHALE THEM!!

So, until a lawyer gets involved or someone gets this stuff evaluated, we'll never know what it is. Sad for Lexus to treat us like this.....

[dislexus2]

I got my car back after 6 days at the dealership.

In order to replace the evaporator assembly, they had to open the dash completely. The guy who did it obviously didnt do a fine job as there are visible marks of him trying to pry open the dash, specially around the gear shifter box. The light grey interiors make the marks stand out when looked at closely.

I am really *BLEEP*ed about this as my vehicle is NEW. Can someone here please suggest what I should do.

When I had gotten the satellite radio installed there was slight damage to the shifter box cover and the dealer was quick to replace it. I am not sure how to approach the dealer with this damage.

Please, please advise.

Thanks a lot.

[Kennemax]

Just a follow-up to my earlier post. I took my car in on 1/28/09 and got it back on 2/12/09. They replaced the evaporator core. A chat directly with the service manager revealed that only "some" of the 2007 RX-350s had this problem. My dealership has repaired several of them. He did confirm that Lexus' supplier did, in fact, redesign the part. The problem was/is caused by a chemical reaction between the copper in the electrical brushes in the fan assembly interacting with the coating on the interior of the core which caused the coating to flake off. He inferred there was no health hazard.

The dash seems to have been put back together well (and secure) with no apparent rattles and/or dings, which had concerned me greatly. Due to the fact that they had to remove the center console around the shift lever along with the dash yielded an extra bonus for me. I had previously dropped two 10mm sockets into the console trying to assess the difficulty in removing the radio for an IPod apdapter install. They retrieved them both ! I was lucky in this regard.

So hopefully, the redesigned part will actually "solve" this problem once and for all.

Good luck to all and you should feel comfortable in going forward with this warranty repair.

[pauljcl]

Just a follow-up to my earlier post. I took my car in on 1/28/09 and got it back on 2/12/09. They replaced the evaporator core. A chat directly with the service manager revealed that only "some" of the 2007 RX-350s had this problem. My dealership has repaired several of them. He did confirm that Lexus' supplier did, in fact, redesign the part. The problem was/is caused by a chemical reaction between the copper in the electrical brushes in the fan assembly interacting with the coating on the interior of the core which caused the coating to flake off. He inferred there was no health hazard.

The dash seems to have been put back together well (and secure) with no apparent rattles and/or dings, which had concerned me greatly. Due to the fact that they had to remove the center console around the shift lever along with the dash yielded an extra bonus for me. I had previously dropped two 10mm sockets into the console trying to assess the difficulty in removing the radio for an IPod apdapter install. They retrieved them both ! I was lucky in this regard.

So hopefully, the redesigned part will actually "solve" this problem once and for all.

Good luck to all and you should feel comfortable in going forward with this warranty repair.

I'm gald you resolved your issue. Was the 'dust' inside the cabin kind of 'sparklu' in the sun?