Brand New RX450h luxury with high speed vibration

[Zdeno]

Hello Everybody,

I would like to ask if anybody has a same experience. Last Friday I have bought brand new Lexus 450h luxury edition in Lexus Munich Germany. The car had a 5 miles on the clock. Original 20" Lexus wheels with summer tires installed. During my drive home I was feeling light vibration always when I reached  85 mph on the freeway. So when I got home I called dealer and he could not believe. He said that I should keep track this issue. I said for myself this has to be a wheel ballance so I replace whole set for winter (need them anyway) and will let my original wheels balanced in spring. This will solve vibration problem I thought.  

Yesterday I have bought brand new OEM 20" lexus winter sets (wheels+tires). Lexus dealer replaced the wheels for me. 20" Summer wheel set took away and Winter 20" wheels installed on the car. And what a surprice. I hit the freeway and reached 85 mph and felt vibration as well with these brand new winter wheel set. 

Would it be possible that Original wheels installed on Brand new car and also OEM winter wheels set are both out of balance? Both set would start a vibration at the same speed? It is not likely, right?   

 

[Lexus Owners Club]

sounds like a static imbalance on the driveshafts but would be difficult to balance dynamically.

In the good old days, we would place a jubilee clip / banjo clip around the driveshaft and move it around the circumference small amounts until you dialled out the imbalance and then leave in place....worked every time.

Although in your case you would want the driveshaft replaced for a new one.

It could also be transmission or brake rotors that have the static imbalance in them

[Zdeno]

Thanks Trevor for your answer! 

I have visited Lexus dealer today to they check vibration. Luckily they had a time to check that out. They check balance (did not find anything). Also they make a wheel rotation. Thats all they did. 

The vibration is now much much lower. Now it feels more like light tingle what could be felt only on good new freeway asphalt.

So I probably will wait little while if this gets worse or may be better. This sounds strange that vinbration was almost fixed by the wheel rotation...  

[Lexus Owners Club]

That is a good result then but the only possibility is that the front (now rear wheels) were carrying an imbalance / defect in the tyre which was noticeable through the steering but not so much now that the wheels/tyres are on the rear of the vehicle.

See how it goes and it still there after some time then I would take it to a tyre specialist who can perform correct wheel balancing to dial out any imbalance.