tex2670

I thought this was to lock out the windows. Don't the rear doors each have individual child safety mechanisms?

you should also post on Club Lexus--you'll get more traffic there.

If you don't see recalls on Lexus.com when you enter the VIN, then they've been preformed. As to the carbon buildup, I had noticed low idle or hesitation at stop lights. The dealer checked the ECU, and saw misfire codes. If the dealer sees misfire codes, replicates the issue, or sees evidence of excessive oil burning, they will perform the work under the CSP at Lexus cost. It took them 2 weeks to do the work on my car, with a free loaner.

Listen to what you are saying. How is Lexus supposed to "make you aware" of absolutely everything that can go wrong on your car--thousands and thousands of parts? They can't install a warning light covering every part that can go wrong which will leave you stranded. Sometimes, stuff happens. It's not Lexus' fault.

If the salesman "says" it--get it in writing....

Your car does not have a life time guaranty. Driving a car, including on the highway, has inherent risks associated with it. Thanks for the heads up of your problem, but understand that your car does NOT come with a lifetime guaranty. A car is complex piece of machinery, and things go wrong. If something goes wrong within the warranty period, that's on Lexus. Otherwise, unless it's part of a recall, it's on you. Maybe you should have bought a Hyundai for the 10 yr/100,000 power train warranty--then you would have been covered. Certainly, if this is a common occurrence, posting on message boards like this one or Club Lexus will help alert other members of the public; and if a recall is later issued, you should receive a reimbursement of your repair costs. But, until then, a 10% discount is awfully generous, given that Lexus has no responsibility here whatsoever.

Carbon buildup issue does not impact '13 MY.

I have an 07 with 61,000 miles. First thing you should do is go to Lexus.com, in the owner's section, and put in the VIN to check and see if there have been any recalls which have not been completed. It will not show you what HAS been done, only what's outstanding. But--a recall will be covered by Lexus, so you won't have to really worry about it. I have had the carbon buildup done and the cam gear (while it was still a TSB, not a recall) fixed. My water pump went bad at 47,000 (dealer saw it while doing the carbon buildup CSP), and I needed a new wheel bearing (also done during carbon buildup fix)--both of these were covered under the power train warranty, which seems like you would be out of. The water pump seems like a common failure, from postings I have seen. Carbon buildup CSP is 9 years, unlimited miles IIRC, so you should have time to get it done if you notice any issues.

Thanks for the bump--sorry I'm late to the game. I wish I saw this thread in September. What do you want the tire store to do about it? Order the correct f--in' tires and install them at the dealer's cost. Pretty basic....

So does actually using the seatbelt... :D

They had my car last year for just under 2 weeks. tex2670/Tepbro326/others- Are you guys saying that you were able to get your Lexus fixed without them having to do any "reproducing" of the problem? You just brought the car in, explained what was going on, and they fixed it? This is not what they told me when I was in over a year ago. If that's the case, I guess I'm going to need to make another appointment. I did just get another TIB about a wiper blade or something like that, so maybe it's a good time. Where are you located and what was the dealership you took your vehicles to? Thanks. I called the dealer (Lexus of Chester Springs, PA) when I got the CSP letter. They told me that either they need to replicate it, or they need to see evidence of excess oil consumption, or they need to see "enough" misfire codes in the ECU. I'm not sure which was the case for my car. I was ready for a fight because I had definitely seen the RPM drop while sitting at traffic lights--even my wife noticed. But they just called me and said "You qualify, we'll get started right away". If your ECU has recorded the requisite misfire codes, it doesn't make sense to me at all that they would also need to replicate the problem.

WTF? Why would they do a carbon cleaning before cleaning the carbon through the CSP? And by the way, they don't "have to" replicate the problem. They check the ESU, and they can see if the computer has recorded mis-fire codes. I suggest you march back in there with the CSP letter, and have them show you *exactly* where the letter says that certain services must be performed first at the customer's expense before they do the CSP??? Now--to be fair, I see you have a 2007 MY. So do I; I just had my 60,000 mile service done on Friday (local shop, not by Lexus). The Lexus service schedule recommends the spark plugs be replaced at 60,000 mi. 3 of the 6 spark plugs are difficult to access, and some part needed to be removed to get at them, which jacked up my labor costs. So, if the dealer is saying: "We recommend that you change the spark plugs while we pull out the engine so we can have easier access to them," then I say do it. But I don't know why you would need (or want) to do it as a separate service before doing the CSP.

They had my car last year for just under 2 weeks.

Do you happen to live in hills/mountains? I'm from PA and there are hills everywhere! It's time for me to replace my tires, and I've been putting it off b/c I can't seem to find an all season tire that performs well in the snow and/or ice. I'm wondering if I should just purchase snow tires for the moment, but that can be quite costly. You can't beat snow tires in the winter. While it can be costly, your other tires will last longer because you are putting 0 miles on them while your snows are on. It can certainly be a pain logistically. As for snow traction with the all seasons, you should check out the surveys and ratings on Tire Rack. With low profile tires like on the IS, nothing's going to be ideal, but you should get a pretty good idea from the Tire Rack surveys as to what relative qualities each tire has.

I just think you have a bad dealer. Once the CSP notices went out, I contacted the dealer. They warned me about replicating the issue, or reading the codes. But they had my car for about 2 hours before they called and said they were going to go ahead and take care of it--and I only had 47,000 miles at the time. What you are describing, sounds exactly like the issue. You should do 2 things. First, check out the forums on Club Lexus too--there are just a lot more posters there, and you are likely to get some good info on those boards. There is a huge thread on the carbon build up. Second, try going to Lexus corporate. They might be able to get it taken care of.

They tell you that they have to replicate the problem, but what did they say about the misfire codes recorded by the ECU? Your car's computer keeps a log of certain issues--this would be one of them. If the ECU shows these misfire codes, they don't have to witness the problem first hand. You said "September of last year". I don't know if you can pursue a lemon law claim on a car you have had for over a year. Is there any way to try another dealer?

I had mine done under the TSB too. One day in the shop.

At 102,000 miles, your bumper to bumper and powertrain warranties are lapsed, just as you said. I'm not sure what you want Lexus to do for you? Find a local mechanic you trust and you will probably pay less for the repair.

Again--the seats don't "cool"; it's just a fan under the seat. Think of the difference of putting a fan in a room in the middle of the summer vs. an air conditioner. Not sure how that makes it a "piece of crap" though?

I can't imagine that the cost of this is worth it. I've seen this question asked before (check ClubLexus too), and I've never seen someone say they've actually done it.

I agree--the dealer is only doing this if they make money off of it.

I didn't think tires were covered under the B-to-B warranty? Tires on a new car don't come with road hazard warranties. It might be that the tires were defective, and Bridgestone could replace them.

Maybe yours aren't working--I definitely hear mine.

It's a fan under the seat--that's all. If the fan is blowing, there is *nothing* for Lexus to "do" about your seats.

If you arch your back, you should feel the air blowing--not that you can drive that way, but just as a check that they are working. A 100 degree day in the Cali desert is not going to get you much in way of cooling you off with the vented seats...