2015 RX 350 timing Chain Cover Oil Leak

[rfcbuf]

My 2015 RX 350 with only 12K miles is still leaking oil after having been repaired by dealer less than a month ago. That repair required dropping the sub frame containing the engine and front drive assembly to fix the timing chain cover gasket. Dealer said it is a common problem ( over 50 vehicles in the last couple of years) with the RX 350. Of course I'm discouraged by the fall of Lexus quality in the last few years. I had traded a 2004 RX 330 with only 64k miles on the speedo for this vehicle. That car had an unrepairable oil leak in the all wheel drive transfer case.  I wonder if Lexus should be giving customers a recall for the RX models.  So far warrantee has covered the first timing chain gasket repair and I've yet to contact the dealer for another fix...hope I don't get into an unpleasant issue with current problem. I'm Not really happy with Lexus.

 

[wh2]

Lexus evidently uses cork gaskets for assembling engines. They could use a more durable one that should last the life of the car. Probably would cost them a pittance. Even oil filters have to be complex, rather than simple spin-on canisters.  All designs to increase you using the dealers.  I doubt I'll ever buy another Lexus.

[ADT2]

I have a 2013 Lexus RX350 and had the misfortune of running over a huge metal object in the road which destroyed the oil pan and then locked the motor. My insurance company, after much negotiations, agreed to have it replaced with a remanufactured Jasper motor that came out of a Toyota Sienna minivan, same motor. A year later it developed a timing chain oil leak and I was given the bad news about having to drop the entire motor just to replace the gasket. And then even more bad news followed by Jasper's Limited Warranty. The buyer must open a claim prior to having the work performed and pay the full price of the repair. Once this is done, the repair will be reviewed by Jasper and make a determination if they will honor the warranty and maybe pay a portion of the repair bill.  I am extremely disappointed in the poor planning and quality Lexus has put into this design flaw. Owners will pay thousands of dollars just to replace a gaskets that is less than a $100. Lexus needs to provide some form of compensation or else risk losing faithful customers. They've already lost me and I won't be coming back. 

[Donovan McDonald]

Our local Lexus dealer just completed an oil change... the last of warrantied services.. and informed us of a $4,000 repair to replace the timing chain cover gasket... this is our third Lexus (RX 350, 2015) bought used at Lexus. I'm with the above.. quality has gone downhill and this will be our last Lexus.  Oh... it has just over 60,000 miles..