I've just sent my IS250 back to the dealer for the second time for a rattle on cold start that is intermittent. There's a service bulletin in the US that describes it - EG017-07 Engine - Brief Knock/Rattle On Cold Start Up. However being in Australia I am having a hard time convincing the dealer to do the rectification as of course it has not done it for them! I have sent them the bulletin after subscribing to ALLDATA for it but I think they are shying away from the big job that it is. It involves changing a pulley on the timing belt.

I'm getting really p***ed off at the dealers attitude as they have only just agreed to replace the drivers seat on my third complaint(the usual squeaky seat so well known on this forum). Now it looks like I have another fight on my hands to get this addressed.

The car is relatively high mileage for its age- 60k at just over 2 years old. It does a lot of motorway work.

My question is- is there a way of forcing them to do the job? It is known as intermittent so they may not hear it. But the fault is known and covered by warranty so why not just do it?

I am sure the Australian warranty isn't identical to the UK one. However if you have a problem then the dealership will need to experience it before they approach Lexus to pay for the work. I am sure somebody on here has had the rattle but I think it was not from in the car but outside.

With regards to the squeaky seat that doesn't need replacing just taking out and removing some location pins. There is a Service Bulletin for that one somewhere as well.

I posted a link to them all a while ago but it doesn't seen to work anymore...anyone know why??

Is Second Generation Tsb's 250/350

Website been taken over / expired / changed address.

Try here:

http://faqlexus.com/index.php

It might not be complete though.

Hi Swamprat,

Know just how you feel –very frustrating as I have the same problem and the same issue with my dealer and lexus U.K customer care although my last conversation with my dealer the service manager has indicated he could strip the engine down but might not find the fault as he can not replicate it when they had the car in for its 20k (rip off).

My take on it is that if lexus U.S IS 250 has this problem and as all engines come from the same supply in Japan then in theory the engines in UK cars could have the same problem ,but you try to get Lexus uk to agree to any issues or faults with Lexus worldwide – if they have had no reports in the uk no action will be taken ie engine rattle on start up – excessive brake dust - if enough of us in the uk complained Lexus uk would have to act and offer the same fix as the US. although I have been told we have totally different driving styles as per drivers in the US.

Question – do you burn any oil- as the condition get worse on my IS as my oil level drops .At this moment in time lexus have put in semi synthetic oil after the 20k (rip off) as they think thicker oil will help the rattle and the amount of oil I burn (no comment)

Best of luck with Lexus Az as I think you will get the same response as me – as stated in previous rants I will be selling the IS soon but just pray it don’t happen when the car is being valued (and it will not be valued at a Lexus outlet)

Sorry I can’t suggest any ways of getting Lexus to agree that there is a problem and action the US fix and am totally p-s-ed off with a car that cost me 30k and rattles on start up burns nearly 3 lts of oil in 10k – I have to replace the front disc and pads every 19k and creeks and groans when the weather gets cold but looks a million dollars and drives very well.


Best of luck

Swager

Hi swager and others. The dealer has finally managed to hear the rattle and has agreed to the work. The car is going in tomorrow and they have asked to keep it 2 days. No I have not had excessive oil use and have only had to top it up once when the noise first appeared. It was not that low and only needed half a litre. The fault is now listed with Lexus Australia so any one else from Oz should be able to have it addressed now.

regarding the seat I sent them the bulletin about the seat clips but they swear it is inside the seat. So they are replacing the whole unit

The only issue I have had is squeaky brakes - and that may be my fault as I had an outside garage fit Kluger Discs as they were supposedly identical and much cheaper. But I'm wondering if the material they are made out of is different

Hi swamprat
My IS250 is just under a year old, has less than 10k on the clock and has started the same thing - engine knock on cold start for about 1 second. Sounds nasty, then all sounds well until next time. Only seems to happen 1 in 5 or 6 start.
Lexus garage couldnt repeat problem until I collected this morning and then it provided the engineer with the noice he needed. They say the dont know what is wrong but I dont want my car back until they've fixed it. I'll forward the US bulletin idea to them and see what they say.

I'll let you know what happens.

Starkey

Hi Starkey,

sorry to hear you have one of the same problems as I have - the dreaded intermittent engine rattle on start up - can you let me know where you get your Limo serviced so i can advise bristol to call them and compare notes .is it Lexus Reading

cheers Swager

Hi Swager
Yep, will post the progress here.
I have left my car at the Reading dealer.
I will be letting them know abuot the US Notice tomorrow to see if they have seen it. Without being too presumptive, it sounds very much like my car has the same bug as identified in the notice. Given that it is an engine rebuild, I'm looking forward to seeing how they react!

Will keep you posted

Starkey

Hi Starkey,

any news from Lexus Reading regarding the intermittent engine start up rattle as I have my IS booked into Bristol for oil used over 1000 miles and two VCS warnings and brake pedal going hard at top of travel making it difficult to depress to start (only on auto versions ).

cheers

swager

Hi Swager
I sent the Tech Bulletin to the Reading dealer. They confirmed last Thursday that they believe my proble is the same - so they have ordered the parts and will hopefully be fixing it tomorrow. Not sure I like the idea of my engine being rebuilt when the car is only a year old, but if it comes back working ok then I cant complain.
Will let you know the outcome.
Starkey

Here's the latest...
Lexus Reading have had my car for a week now and are doing the top-end engine rebuild to replace a faulty pulley.
They have called in Lexus GB as this problem has been seen on a number of others cars. Now they know what it is, my car has the dubious honour of being the guinea pig - the mechanics are doing the job very slowly and taking photographs of it as they do the job as a record.

I don't mind them taking their time if it means other people get a good service when this problem is diagnosed on their car.

I'm hoping to get it back Monday wit the problem fixed so I'll post an update when I get it back.

Regards
Chris

Hi starkey,

great news on your limo!!!!!

had mine into bristol for various - could not detect start up rattle as I feared ,asked them to call lexus reading for advise on the problem but main guy dealing with it was not available - lets hope lexus uk agree its a problem and issue a fix.

cheers

swager

Thanks to copying the bulletin ( EG017-07 Engine - Brief Knock/Rattle On Cold Start Up. ) and submitting it to my dealer today, he has agreed to get the parts and do the work with not so much as a faint quibble! My accompanying letter stated that I was NOT happy that the vehicle should exhibit this noise EVER.. and the fact that his service manager has stated "it has been reported by a few customers...but its nothing to worry about" is of no comfort to me. Apparantly they sent a copy of the bulletin ( which they claim they nothing about ) to Lexus today who agreed instantly to cover the cost under warranty.
SO if any of you are still in warranty...get the letter off NOW and get the work done.
I am pretty certain you will not get any joy without the bulletin info and after the warranty expires...well forget it.
The job is priced at circa £900 according to the centre manager I spoke with today.

any news on your fix

cheers

swager

Guys
At last, after 4 weeks I finally got my IS250 back today!!
Here's what I could find out from the dealer (Reading).
It appears my car is the first in the UK to be ripped apart, so Lexus GB took a keen interest as they've had reports of the same problem in other branches (Wolverhampton, Bristol and another in Reading were just 3 they mentioned).

Although they followed the Tech Bulletin I sent them, it appears that my UK cars engine layout was very slightly different so they had to take it apart further than the bulletin suggested to get some of the bits out. Also, when putting back together, they also found that they needed to order more new parts to be compatible with the other new bits (dont ask me which bits - I didnt ask them).

The upshot is that they now have a UK specific bulletin which can be communicated to other branches.

So if you car is doing the same and your dealer isnt sure what to do - get them to cal the Reading branch.

I've only had the car back an hour and so far so good - always a bit worrying when they have to do such a major engine dismantle. But all seems fine so far (touching wood). They want it back in next week just to check for leaks etc.

I must say that the Reading Dealership have been great. They never quibbled anything, just got on with it. They gave me an identical replacement car so I didnt miss my own. Plus they gave it a damn good wash and filled it with petrol when I collected. I cant fault their customer service (which is why I went Lexus again with this new car anyway).

Good luck with your own rattles. I'll post here if I get any further noises!

Regards
Chris

Quick update
Its now August - 4 months on and the car is running fine.
Chris

Hi Starkey,

good news for you ,mine is still the same but as we have been using the beema more then the IS I have not really thought about it .I have covered some 4k from the 20k service and its started to happen more often although I have not checked the oil level i suspect that it has dropped .Will get in touch with Lexus Service soon to try to resolve the problem as I think I will keep the IS another year as the wife likes it and will have to extend the guaranty.

cheers

swager