2007 Es350 Ticking Noise In Engine Until Warm

[lilredcobra]

I have a 2007 ES350 with 77,000 miles on it. There is a ticking noise like a bad lifter that increases with the rev of the engine. This happens on a cold start up and usually lasts for about 10 minutes until it goes away. I took it to the dealer and they said that it is indicative of that style of engine and blamed it on the fuel injection system and not the lifters. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[pj8708]

I have a 2007 ES350 with 77,000 miles on it. There is a ticking noise like a bad lifter that increases with the rev of the engine. This happens on a cold start up and usually lasts for about 10 minutes until it goes away. I took it to the dealer and they said that it is indicative of that style of engine and blamed it on the fuel injection system and not the lifters. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Hi Joel and welcome to the Lexus Owners Club.

In answer to your question, yes, the ticking sound you hear was an infrequent, but annoying problem with the earlier ES350's. As your dealer said, the sound is caused by the use of the DIRECT fuel injection method, versus the former type of fuel injection. It was worse upon a cold start, and went away after about ten minutes or so after the engine had warmed up. In doing some research through our data base, I can't tell whther a "fix" was ever brought out or not. I can tell you my own 2010 is as quiet as a mouse when it starts up in the morning. So somebody got their act together.

Let us know if you have other questions and someone out of our 134,000 members will surely know the answer.

[LexBob2]

I don't believe a fix was ever found for the ticking noise on early ES350's. The good news is that there doesn't seem to be reports of any long term problems caused by it, or at least I've never read or heard about anything. There are a number of theories about the cause of the noise but the engine in the ES doesn't have direct injection (the 3.5 in the IS and GS do) so it's probably not the fuel injection.

[pj8708]

I don't believe a fix was ever found for the ticking noise on early ES350's. The good news is that there doesn't seem to be reports of any long term problems caused by it, or at least I've never read or heard about anything. There are a number of theories about the cause of the noise but the engine in the ES doesn't have direct injection (the 3.5 in the IS and GS do) so it's probably not the fuel injection.

Thank you for clarifying that LexBob2....as I did my search, and from what I recalled from memory, apparently the information got mixed up. I was sure the 350 had the direct injection. Again, Thanks!

Paul

[LexBob2]

No problem Paul. I do wonder what they did to quiet down the engine. My 2010 is noticeably guieter than the 2007.

[timzter]

Did you use a low-octane gas? When I "cheated" by using the lowest octane gas on my old Infiniti J30 which required the highest octane gas, it caused noises in the engine. The mechanic immediately asked me if I had been using low octane gas and I had to 'fess up. The phenomenon is called "knocking."

[SW03ES]

Yeah the dealer had been telling people the ES had direct injection and that it was the cause of the noise, but then we were told it wasn't direct injection after all.

Not an uncommon problem, one you'll just have to live with...

[KBRX330]

My 2008 makes a clicking noise audible outside and inside the car since new. Took it in once and they documented it. Now 138,000 miles later still clicking...runs perfect.

[lilredcobra]

Thanks everyone for the great responses. I will be taking it in again soon for an oil change and will inquire again if they have come up with a fix. This is a great forum.

[RickC5]

After hearing the ticking noise several times on our newly acquired '08 ES (bought in Dec 2011), I read all I could on the topic online. Concensus is that it's the fuel injection system and there appears to be on known fix/cure.

However, I have never heard the clicking noise again after adding ONE bottle of cheap fuel injector cleaner (bought @ Big Lots) to a full tank of gas in January and switching to synthetic oil.