I have a 1996 ES300 that I bought in 1999. It was a certified vehicle with 31,000 miles. I got a 3 year or 100,000 mile warranty. I have had all service done at the local Lexus dealer.
When the car had 69,000 miles, the engine light came on and I drove directly to the dealership. The car died just as I arrived. I was told that the oil sending unit was not sending oil and the engine has locked up and would need to be replaced. After some hassels, they did replace it. After I got it back, it used oil rapidly. I had to add 1 to 2 qts. between 3,000 mile oil changes. They investigated that and said I needed new gaskets. There was considerable debate as to who should pay the appx. $400 bill. I asked if new gaskets were installed when the engine was replaced. They relented and said they should have been replaced and did it at no cost to me.
The car now is out of warranty. Two weeks ago the oil light came on and the car started making noises. I had to drive about two miles to get off the expressway. I had it towed to the dealer. They called the next day to say the problem was internal to the engine and they would let me know the extent of the damages and would ask Lexus for assistance. No news yet. The car now has 117,000 miles and this engine would have about 48,000 miles on it. Is there a problem with the v6 engine?
