Intake Valve Noise

[paulLS460]

I bought my LS 460 in August. I took it in for a 5,000 mile checkup with a problem of tapping noise in the engine during idle and very slow speeds. It does it when cold and when warm, after several hours of running so it is not just a cold start situation. The best way to describe the noise is like a diesel engine but not nearly as loud. The dealer did many tests, they heard the noise, called the factory and indicated to me that the factory is aware of the issue but has no fix as of yet. The report on my maintenance receipt is "This is a normal condition for this vehicle" Has anyone else had this issue or know if I am getting the real scoop? I know when I buy a luxury vehicle I don't expect this kind of issue (This is my first Lexus). It took several thousand miles of use to show up. Any help would be appreciated.

[SW03ES]

Unfortunately I bet this noise comes from the direct injection system. If thats the case theres not much you can do.

Are you running synthetic oil?

[Willie1]

I bought my LS 460 in August. I took it in for a 5,000 mile checkup with a problem of tapping noise in the engine during idle and very slow speeds. It does it when cold and when warm, after several hours of running so it is not just a cold start situation. The best way to describe the noise is like a diesel engine but not nearly as loud. The dealer did many tests, they heard the noise, called the factory and indicated to me that the factory is aware of the issue but has no fix as of yet. The report on my maintenance receipt is "This is a normal condition for this vehicle" Has anyone else had this issue or know if I am getting the real scoop? I know when I buy a luxury vehicle I don't expect this kind of issue (This is my first Lexus). It took several thousand miles of use to show up. Any help would be appreciated.

[Willie1]

I have the exact same problem. Get my 5,000 mile check 11/6/07 and will let you know. There are several TSB's that may help. Check the link below and look under "Engine" for two and under "noise/vibration" for another. Good luck!

http://www.lambros.net/2007LS460L/tsib/

[allklr]

Diesel engine, That is exactly how I described it to the service advisor, I ended up going to another dealership since I did not think it was a normal noise. I'm going in this Thursday to get EG012-07 done and hopefully this takes care of the noise, I will let you know!

[allklr]

Fixed!! Get this TSB done and the sound will go away!!

[IS400]

Fixed!! Get this TSB done and the sound will go away!!

Wow! 8 hours to repair that problem? The dealership is making bank on that design flaw. From an engineering side, the problem seems to have been the tensioner allowing slap in the chain and the valve timing was affected.

That noise you heard was valves knocking against other parts. Ouch. Mis timed interference engines are a scary thought!

I bet it was still there at higher rpms but you could not hear it. Would love to look at drivers side valve train with a bore scope. Have your engine oil checked for metal flakes too. Seriously.

[allklr]

Fixed!! Get this TSB done and the sound will go away!!

Wow! 8 hours to repair that problem? The dealership is making bank on that design flaw. From an engineering side, the problem seems to have been the tensioner allowing slap in the chain and the valve timing was affected.

That noise you heard was valves knocking against other parts. Ouch. Mis timed interference engines are a scary thought!

I bet it was still there at higher rpms but you could not hear it. Would love to look at drivers side valve train with a bore scope. Have your engine oil checked for metal flakes too. Seriously.

Actually it was only about 2hrs, I believe the fix you are referring to is EG014-07, That is the one that is supposed to take 8 hours.

[JPT72]

I bought my LS460 in December of 06 and now have 15000 Miles on it. I had the engine noise from the beginning and the dealer stated it was from the injection system and there was nothing that could be done. If anything the noise has become more prevalent or maybe a bigger irritant.

[was.happy]

I have a 2007 LS 460, built at the end of the model production year, well beyond the date when the fix called for in the TSB referenced here is applicable. My car was allegedly built after this problem was corrected. However, it exists just as described here. The engine sounds like a diesel at low speed and idle - the words ticking, clicking, tapping and knocking are all applicable at times. The dealer kept the car two days with the response, "Sound is normal as the car is currently constructed." The fuel injection system is blamed.

My noise did not surface until the car had about 500 miles on it. I would not have purchased it if the noise had been noticable during my pre-purchase test drives. My question is this: If this noise is "normal" - meaning that most LS 460s demonstrate it to some degree - why do we not see multiple complaints in this forum? I consider it completely unacceptable in a car of this caliber and don't understand how Lexus is able to sell cars with this problem. I would think that most owners want a completely silent idle, like you find in many lesser cars.

By the way, I'm not one of the "Lexus haters" who slip into this forum. I have driven an ES 300 for eleven years and love it. In many ways, with 100,000 miles on it today, I like it better than my new LS. I certainly prefer its sound when I pull up to a stoplight.

Is this LS 460 engine noise really "normal" and experienced by most owners? Is so, how is Lexus successful in selling these cars?

[2008ls460]

I have a 2007 LS 460, built at the end of the model production year, well beyond the date when the fix called for in the TSB referenced here is applicable. My car was allegedly built after this problem was corrected. However, it exists just as described here. The engine sounds like a diesel at low speed and idle - the words ticking, clicking, tapping and knocking are all applicable at times. The dealer kept the car two days with the response, "Sound is normal as the car is currently constructed." The fuel injection system is blamed.

My noise did not surface until the car had about 500 miles on it. I would not have purchased it if the noise had been noticable during my pre-purchase test drives. My question is this: If this noise is "normal" - meaning that most LS 460s demonstrate it to some degree - why do we not see multiple complaints in this forum? I consider it completely unacceptable in a car of this caliber and don't understand how Lexus is able to sell cars with this problem. I would think that most owners want a completely silent idle, like you find in many lesser cars.

By the way, I'm not one of the "Lexus haters" who slip into this forum. I have driven an ES 300 for eleven years and love it. In many ways, with 100,000 miles on it today, I like it better than my new LS. I certainly prefer its sound when I pull up to a stoplight.

Is this LS 460 engine noise really "normal" and experienced by most owners? Is so, how is Lexus successful in selling these cars?

I have a 2008 LS460L that was built on Feb. 19, 2008. The engine is so quiet that stopping at red light feels like the engine is completely off. But I have heard that the long version is better quality checked than the SWB. I don't know if this is true but I have experience with both SWB and LWB.

[RFeldes]

No such problem with my 08....you cannot hear it idle. Hope you 07 guys sort it out.

[kltrossiter]

No such problem with my 08....you cannot hear it idle. Hope you 07 guys sort it out.

My 07 is extremely quiet. This sounds more like an anomaly to me.

[WhitSTer]

I was down at my dealer's parts dept the other day and they mentioned, that when the time comes, to make sure and use Synthetic 0W-20 weight oil or I will experience valve train noise, as they waved the little red Toyota Synthetic 0W-20 weight container around.

I'm not experiencing any noise in my 400 mile '08 at this point. When stopped I have to keep looking at the tach to see if the engine is still running, eerily quiet.

Whit

[Andy JL]

I have a 2008 LS 460 (1,500 miles on it) and have the tick-tick-tick noise at idle. Lexus of Portland service rep. explained it as "the high pressure fuel pump" and "it's normal" and "there's nothing we can do about it."

It really does sound like tappet noise or engine time chain slap, but what do I know? :(

[460LEX]

[

I have a 2008 LS460L that was built on Feb. 19, 2008. The engine is so quiet that stopping at red light feels like the engine is completely off. But I have heard that the long version is better quality checked than the SWB. I don't know if this is true but I have experience with both SWB and LWB.

LWB or SWB same drive train....

[Coop]

I bought my LS 460 in August. I took it in for a 5,000 mile checkup with a problem of tapping noise in the engine during idle and very slow speeds. It does it when cold and when warm, after several hours of running so it is not just a cold start situation. The best way to describe the noise is like a diesel engine but not nearly as loud. The dealer did many tests, they heard the noise, called the factory and indicated to me that the factory is aware of the issue but has no fix as of yet. The report on my maintenance receipt is "This is a normal condition for this vehicle" Has anyone else had this issue or know if I am getting the real scoop? I know when I buy a luxury vehicle I don't expect this kind of issue (This is my first Lexus). It took several thousand miles of use to show up. Any help would be appreciated.

/quote]

I had the same problem with my LS 460 since the day I bought it. It sounded like a tappet noise and was quite annoying. After trying to dampen the noise and 12 months later. My technician finally figured out the problem. The high pressure fuel line was attached to the firewall with plastic brackets which caused the noise you are hearing to telegraph into the cabin. My technician discovered this when he compared my 2007 LS 460 to the 2008 LS 460. The 2008 had rubber lined brackets which held the high pressure fuel line to the firewall. The technician replaced the plastic ones with the rubber ones and the noise went away. If you need some feedback from the technician, call Tim Guidrey with Sewell Lexus in Ft. Worth. He is a super guy.

Good luck.