Oil Gel Damage / Need New Engine / Customer Support Program?

ricko · September 8, 2008

I recently paid to have a used engine installed in my 2001 RX300 (my engine had only 40,000 miles on it). Unfortunately, I didn't learn about the oil gel issues with Lexus engines and the class action lawsuit settlement agreement until afterwards. When I took my car to my Lexus dealer for repairs, we complained about three things; thick smoke coming out of the tailpipe on startup, unusual consumption of oil and the "check engine light" was on. No one at Lexus told me that these are the three classic signs of oil gel damage. Of course I didn't know anything about oil gel either, but if you read the lawsuit settlement (www.oilgelsettlement.com) they mention three signs of oil gelling and my car had all three! What concerns me is that I find it extremely difficult to believe that an experienced service manager did not immediately recognize the signs of oil gelling. He actually tried to blame Jiffy Lube and say that "they must not have filled your car with oil" during our recent oil change. Has anyone else run into this? Tis has been such a nightmare. If the dealership would have come clean, maybe I'd have a brand new engine installed by Lexus instead of a used engine installed by an independent mechanic. I'm bummed.