celionyang

We found there is rattling noise from our engine during the first 3 months we bought our RX 330 04. We brought back to Lexus dealer and they claimed we used the wrong gas and suggest changing different brand of gas. We did and noise is still there. A year later, they said carbon built up in cylinder producing the noise, but even after they clean it, 3 days later noise is back again. THis problem has been dragging for almost 3 years and Lexus concluded they cannot do anything cause our car is built "As it is". We hired a lawyer to contact lexus and lexus came back with an offer. They wants us to trade in for $31,500. We bought our RX for $41000 excluding tax and interest. That means we are actually leasing our RX, given the lost of $9,500 not to mention another $6K for tax and interest. I just feel that I am being abused, not like I want to get a new car, I would rather keep this same RX is it is functioning properly. But with this engine problem, I lose faith that it can last for another few more years, plus without the warrenty coverage, I might have to pay lots of $$ for mechnical problem in the future if I do keep this car. But I am left with no choice!!!C Can someone please give me suggestion or let me know if there's any other option for me? BTW, my RX mileage is close to 40K now.

FYI, my RX was brought brand new and not lease directly from the Bay Ridge Lexus location. The car is now 25,000 miles.. it was 3000 miles when we first realized the problem and told the dealer. They insisted its the gas that we use and suggested us to change a different brand, even to go to the one that they go and we did. And we have always used 91 gas beacuse think about it, we brought the car so that we can drive it for at least 5yrs and we love the car. Why would we do something stupid to destroy the car? But then, we still have the same problem.. so it's not the gas, it's the engine.. they just don't get it.They don't care, they just give stupid excuses so that you just have to live with what you got. And we do not start and stop the engine frequently to drive in and out of driveway, I mean who would be so boring and have the time to so such a stupid thing.. what is the point of moving the car and and out of driveway if we are not going someway? In terms of traffic, I believe traffic is a problem in every state. How about CA and texas they have traffic problem worst than NYC. As for step on gas hard enough to break carbon down, I believe we did because we are not a slow driver. On average, we get on highway to work at 60MHP and my husband also initially thought of the possibility of step hard on the gas and he did... but still, same problem. I guess my problem belong to the 10% of the issues where lexus would ignore and try to get away from it. At this point, I will agree with Lenore, that they are all talk but no action.. What will you do if you buy brand new car with engine problem and when you go back to them, they give you the answer as "sorry, there is nothing we can do because YOUR CAR is built AS IT IS, but it does not mean all of 2004 RX 330 which is the same care as you has the same issue." So, now what!!

I do not think they want to replace or fix it. They had been dealing with the same problem for 3 times, so looks like they don't know how to fix it. I still have most of the gas receipt for the last few months, but they don't care. So we are going to have a lawyer involve.

Ok, here's the update. The HQ Customer service specialist finally called and said that she spoke to both the dealer and regional representative. They both told her that they have inspected my car and that it has something to do with the gas. She kind of claimed that we are not using the most expensive gas, but we did. We had been constantly telling the dealer that we did and we even have the gas receipt to prove it. So now, the finaly answer they come back to us is that" I'm sorry but there is nothing we can do for you because your car is BUILT AS IT IS". What kind of answer is that? I questioned and said" do you mean lexus meant to built all RX330 2004 model as it is- to have carbon bulit-up in the cylinder?". the specialist then said "Oh, i mean your car only, i don't know another other car". They are all trying to get away with this. This does not make sense at all. We are thinking of sending the lexus legal department a letter, but does anyone has a better suggest to deal with this problem. I'm just thinking that they might not reply or simply ignore our letter. I also asked to speak to the supervisior while on the call, but they said they cannot do anything about it so they are unwilling to transfer me to their supervisor.. which i think their supervisor will give me the same BS anyway.

That is weird. I check my mailbox and it's not full. I tried to message and email you, but somehow I don't have access to do it. Please send email to me again at celionyang@yahoo.com.

SKperformance: I believe lexus would be smart enough to use the motorvac already to take care of the issue. Booyah: I know, I am going to call them first time on Tuesday. And this time I will try to speak to their supervisor if they still don't give me an answer. Which i'm sure they will not have one yet. However, I do not think their supervisor is going to do anything much. We'll see. Grumpa72: I'm think the lemon law in NY only covers the first year. But my husband spoke to a lawyer and the lawyer said we can still use lemon law since we approached them with the same problem in the very beginning. It's their fault for not listening and finding out the problem until almost coming to a year. My next step is to call them on Tuesday and see what they say. Then we will have a lawyer involve and the lemon law. Hopefully I can get a satifactory solution and get myself out of this lousy "truck".

Thanks for the reply and advise. I'm going to answer everyone's question as below. tmastres: I already told the lexus coperate person that they initially admitted that it was an engine problem, and how can they turn back this time and said it's not a engine problem. THe coperate specialist said it's what the dealer told her. Now she is going to check with the dealer again and will get back to me. It has been 3 days already... still no news... Booyah: Yeah totally B/S i agree! But I'm so stuck here... I don't think they will let me talk to the higher ups. And yes, my husband and I think it's lemon law time. We are thinking if they still come back and said it's not an engine problem, we will get a lawyer and sue them. P.S. I always try to talk nicely to all lexus ppl, corporate or dealer, but they keep B/S with me.. how sad can that be. mehullica: I'm not so comfortable to post my VIn # online. Can you give me your email so I can send it over to you? Please do check it up and let me know what they have done to my car that I do not know of. All I know is I'm the most unlucky one to get an unlucky problematic car. SKperformance: I have 2004 LEXS RX 330 AWD and we always go to the lexus Bay Ridge dealer in NYC. What do you mean by motorvac? Not sure if we did that or not. Thanks everyone. I'll keep you posted on what my next step is.

Does anyone have problem with their RX330 in terms of carbon built-up in the cylinder and making rattling noise when accelerating at low speed like 20-30mph? We heard the rattling sound 3 months after we bought the car, we bought it back to lexus dealer and they said its the gas that we use and suggested that we change the gas. We tried and tried for months and we keep going back to them with the same problem. Eventually, the lexus dealer got frastruated and was willing to investigate the noise. Turns up that carbon bulit-up in the cylinder and they had to take the whole engine out to clean it. We asked if the problem will come back and they said no. 3 months later, the same problem again and they said it is fixed, and then another 3-4 months later, the same problem again. This time, lexus dealer themselves got frasturated and told us that after the 3rd time of dealing with this problem and it is still not fix, they will not be responsible for handling the problem and lexus HQ should take over. Now, the problem comes back for the 4th time. But this time, when we brought the car back to the dealer, they turn around and said its not a engine default or problem and there is nothing they can do about it. We called the HQ and complaint and the HQ specialists said they also cannot do anything about it cause the dealer said it's not a engine default or problem. What type of service is this? after 2-3 times of admitting that it is a problem and they will fix it and not, suddenly they said its a commom lexus issue and there's nothing we can do about it? Can someone please tell me what to do? We are now stuck with this car, which sounded like a truck most of the time cause of the rattling sound!