Wysp

We had a rattle in our 2004 ES that lasted for months, it was absolutely infuriating. The dealer worked on the rattle several times and never could solve the problem. I happened to be in Albuquerque and took it to the local Lexus dealer. I drove around town while a mechanic sat in the back seat to isolate the sound. When we got back to the dealership the mechanic went inside came back with a can of belt dressing. He spayed the door jams on both back doors and cured the problem. We never had a rattle again. What we though was a rattle turned out to be a squeaking noise caused by the seal rubbing against the door jam. This was a real simple fix.

The engraved logo is the correct location.

Try this. Open the back door and with your thumb or finger push in slightly on the door frame's scuff plate (on or near the word LEXUS). See if this sounds like your rattle.

Just purchased a new ES 330 and the back door rattle is most upsetting. I notice it in warm or cold weather. The noise may not actually be a rattle from the door but a compression noise from the brushed aluminum scuff plate on the door frame. I recently had passengers in the back seat. When the heavy passenger (200 pounds) sat next to the offending door, the noise all but disappeared. I'm taking the car back to the dealer next week to see if the problem can be cured.