Dromara1974

Occasionally, the performance of my 07 220d is what you would expect of a car with 170+bhp. The weight of the car is not the issue, as I have driven heavier cars (BMW 520d and E220 CDI - both previous models) and they perform much, much better despit having much less torque! Remember, torque gets things moving (acceleration) and BHP comes to the fore at higher speeds (top speed) Trouble is, I seem to get 2/3 drives a month when it goes surprisingly well, boosts early and then keeps on boosting. Whereas the rest of the time it is pretty damn slow and feels like it is producing no more than 120bhp; judging by the fact that I struggle to keep up with the derv brigade on the motorway. Initially my car was just uniformily slow all the time, but I have to admit that I do now suffer from the setting-off lethargy - it really isn't right, not by a long shot!! I have never had to dip a clutch in anything since I stopped racing motocross, but I do now as I would rather live than die on a roundabout! I have tried all the additives(Archoil, BG244 etc, etc) and the Bardahl turbo/EGR cleaner, which took about 30 mins to dispense (and quite a bit of fuel),but nothing has really improved it to a marked degree. I also changed the MAF, but to no avail! My car does more motorway miles than most and that makes it run o.k, but if you get stuck in traffic......then don't expect to pass a milk float when the road clears. I thought my luck had changed and a new engine was coming, when I noted I was losing water, but Lexus found that the water pump was leaking after presuming it was the head gasket - I have never been so depressed when leaving a garage....ever!! To top it off, they had never known of a leaky water pump on post 05/06 cars. Can I ask if those with poor-performing cars have noticed that they are better to use a very light throttle and let it boost more gradually? I can feel it kick-in lower down the rev range doing it that way, as odd as it feels in practice, but when driven using a normal level of throttle it feels like you catch it out and it chokes it; as if you were over-fueling in the way you could with older engines. Or is it just me? Don't get me started on the suspension!!

Hi All, I wondered if anybody had ever received the following message on the computer display......Oil Maintenance Required? The message was accompanied by the red warning light, but I can't find mention of it within the manual. I check my oil/water fairly regularly and didn't have a problem in the last 6000 miles, though about two weeks back I did notice that my water was below the low level and my oil was just below the midway mark. I topped up the oil with some low ash Mobil 1, and also topped up the water too. I have to say that I found the dip stick impossible to use after the initial check - the subsquent checks just caused the oil to smear along the dip stick, no matter how fast or slow I pulled it! I have never ever had trouble with a dip stick on any car, whether new or old, so found this very annoying indeed! My car has run as usual, despite using the Bardhal intake/egr cleaner coupled with some BG244, so it varies between feeling pokey and feeling strangled; though mostly strangled!! I haven't had chance to check the oil as we were on our way out and got back when it was dark. Anyone had this warning message, or know what causes it?

Thanks for confirming that, as it is good to know. I seem to recall that others were getting knocked back latterly if they didn't have full Lexus service history. I have 3 Lexus stamps, 1 Lexus specialist and 1 porsche specialist, but I will have the next one carried out a Lexus even though the precedent is very clear and hard for Lexus UK to argue. Can I ask how your car drove until the coolant issue - any lumpiness in the rev range, or difference in performance/economy..... or did it drive o.k? Good old Lexus MK - they are obviously very good, whereas a few others seem pretty dreadful!

I'm glad it is moving in the right direction for you Pat. I had thought about the Subaru Legacy Boxer diesel, but they are hard to get with fewer miles on the clock (at the price anyway), and I do think the IS has aged very well indeed as a shape. I would suggest that you also try the cleaner that you need to spray diectly into the air intake whilst the car is running, as this purports to clean the carbon build-up from the top half of the system, along with the EGR and the turbo's vanes. When I've done it it has intially made a clear difference to the low-rev urge, but then you can feel the motor clog up for a period of time(a week or more) before it then seems to clear when it has eventually burned off. I haven't done this in conjunction with anything other than AR6200 in the fuel, so it is perhaps wiser to do it with something like BG244 in the tank to assist with getting the durge through the DPF etc. You mentioned that you may have some suspension wear. It may not be the same fault, but it may be worth checking your drop links, as I have just had my car into my classic car mechanic and he fully assessed the front/rear suspension and steering rack, and nothing was moving aside from the drop links. They are a short/stocky design in the IS and they apparently shoulder quite a bit of the work - mine moved by just grabbing them with your hand, but yet they weren't split. The backs hardly moved at all, so there was a clear difference. They are also not cheap, as I have bought some genuine parts from Toyota for the tidy sum of £143! BMW replacements are much cheaper despite being longer, but then the other items in the BM design tend to come as part of an expensive wishbone. I'm told the Lexus bits are typically individual items. I'm still miffed that I'm having to replace suspension on a car with 45k, but the suspension did seem to look very well engineered. Shame you can't say the same about the engine and the interior trim, and I suppose I will be happy if the front end is tighter and doesn't feel disconnected in concrete surfaced multi-storey carparks. I'm thinking of having the next service carried out early, as I wonder if the software updates will provide a marked difference - mine seems to choke itself most of the time, unless you push through it. Are you aware that some cars have a tendency to over-fuel and cause excessive carbon build-up? David

As I understand it, the early modifications reused the block and had a modified head/gasket fitted, but it didn't erdicate the problem - as there were other contributory factors that helped to cause the problem - in all cases and many modified cars had a reoccurance of the problem. I believe there are a few forum members that have suffered twice. I have read a few responses from toyota/lexus mechanics(mainly on other forums) and they say that the scuffing on the top of the block, caused by the gasket moving, was sufficiently bad that the blocks do not seal properly after the modifcations were carried out......or something like that. BB1000 - what symptoms did you have prior to it going in for the work and do you have full Lexus service history? I ask, because a Lexus garage told me that they have to carry out a number of tests to ensure that Lexus UK will cover the replacement engine, and that l would probably have to have the car recovered to them on a couple of occassions to have the DPFs regenerated and other work completed. I don't believe that many owners on the forum have had to go through this process, or have they?

My understanding is that you should never buy parts from ebay, as the vast majority of them aren't actually genuine even if the packaging is. Anyway, I had Mintex discs/pads fitted to the front and rear of my BMW 320d, and I have to say that, as someone who tuned cars in his younger days and thought that Mintex was the...., I was underwhelmed by their performance. My BMW's original discs/pads lasted for 84k rear and 93k front, and they were sharp until the end. Whereas, the mintex set never seemed to bed in and were never sharp, even after 10k. When I test drove my Lexus the brakes were sharp and feelsome, but the garage did an MOT that highlighted the front pads were 80% worn - so they changed them. Unfortunately, they fitted pattern pads - I don't know the brand - and the braking performance has been rubbish ever since. I actually can't wait until I need front discs, so I can get some original discs/pads fitted and then I'll have a premium car that can actually brake like one.

Hi Postman, I hail from Down myself and the roads there will not suit the IS220d, as they do(as has been said) 'choke up' very easily indeed. It needs regular motorway running to keep it running properly, as I frequently do 100+ mile trips each week and I can feel my car starting to run properly after about 30 miles on such a trip, especially if prior to this it has had a day or two of urban or A/B road driving. I've run BMWs for years and never had a problem, so it is not my driving style or the type of driving I do on a weekly basis. I changed my MAF and that made no detectable difference, but my car did run better after I used the JML air/EGR cleaner that you spray directly into the air intake; after the MAF sensor. However, my car did then run on an 'off and on basis' for a few days, whereby it felt like the gunge/carbon was cleared from futher up the system and was perhaps blocking the DPF further along the system. My car had never smoked in the previous 3500 miles, but it did 'blow out' one noticeable puff of white smoke when accelerating up a motorway slip road two days after the treatment, and at the same time it felt like I had lifted the anchor(Or more appopriately the tanker given the consumption) I had been pulling. I then got better mpg and even over 40mpg on a run, but you can then feel the car revert back to the tardiness mode as soon as you use it on non-motorway runs. I run my car on the better brand expensive diesel, such as excellium, in conjunction with AR6200(also redex on occasion) and that makes it feel better, but it is certainly no miracle cure. I would suggest that you don't use supermarket fuel or other non-brand outlets, as that will exacerbate your problem. Cleaning the EGR - as many do - alone will not solve the problem, but merely provide a shot in the arm - the rest of the system is affected with carbon and that will remain in situ and then block the EGR again. I am going to carry out the cleaning process again via the spray method, but I think I will do it only when there is a DPF type additive in the fuel to see if that will stop it 'clogging up' the DPF. Despite what some say, the car can feel like a 170 + bhp machine (with enough torque to shift a mountain), as I have managed to find on occassion. Trouble is, it only gives me this on maybe one drive a fortnight if I'm lucky, so it is utterly frustrating!! Finally, how do you find it on the roads over there, as I don't think mine would fair that well and cope as well as my BMW did during a trip home last year. Any steering jitters or creaks through the front suspension with yours?

Bump! Uncovered snow- did you get to the bottom of your symptoms, as I share them! I fitted a new MAF Sensor and air filter (very dirty) and I have worse step-off and more pronounced lag.........aaahhhhh!!!! Strangely my revs don't shoot to 1450rpm after starting and then stay there for 10/15 mins, rather they start at 950 rpm and occasionally go to about 1250rpm. My car warms up much more quickly too!!

No not at all, as my car is prone to doing that and this was why I wanted to see if a diagnostic check would flag anything up. Nothing was logged, nor was anything showing under real time running. I checked the car with my friend and then filled it with fuel(Including AR6200 additive) before setting off down the M1. Just an hour before it was running o.k and the fuel consumption was better than it had been for a while, which was probably down to the 310 mile drive I had done the day before, though it still had the split-personality and just didn't feel like a car with 170+ bhp - more like 110 bhp!! I'm hoping that a new MAF sensor and air filter will do the trick, though the aftercare manager at Lexus doesn't think it will and said they had never ever fitted a MAF sensor. Strange, when it is a wear item that is recommended for replacement every 3/4 years, or sooner if the car has done low annual miles and short journeys.

Thanks chaps. It is located beyond the lower part of the dash, but you have to get right into the footwell to get to it. It has a cap/cover that you need to remove first. There is another box to the left with a transparent blue lid - the fuse box I suspect (didn't have time to investigate) Unfortunately, the diagnostics didn't display any fault codes, yet I then drove down the M1 for 37 miles with a choking/powerless engine that achieved 31.4mpg. I had done about 37 mpg on the way there - so frustrating!!!!!!!!

Hi all, I'm meeting a friend tomorrow morning and he has kindly agreed to bring along his hand held diagnostic kit. Does anyone know where the plug-in point is so we can carryout the check? Is it in the usual place in and around the driver's side lower dash area? I have an IS220d Thanks David

Yes, I have noticed the same thing and I must say that I have never had this on any car I've owned! I lowered my passenger window to speak to someone and the scraping noise as the window went down was not pleasant at all.

Not all rear drive cars are bad in the snow, as both my e46 3 series and my wife's 2005 C class coupe were both very good and I could keep them going when idiots were crashing in their 4x4s. My IS220d is utter bobbins and couldn't cope with an inch of snow and a slight incline - the steering is way too light and the front end has no grip (my federals probably don't help - they were on the car when I bought it!), and the rear can't generate any traction whatsoever. I nearly swapped ends when changing from 3rd to 2nd in a straight line, which was at about 25 mph and has never ever happened to me before and I've had RWD for over ten years. I used to find my cars fun in the right circumstances, but this feels far too twitchy and quite dangerous.

It sounds very much like my car and I've just ordered a MAF from Lexus Sheffield. Lexus Sheffield told me that my problem would not be a MAF sensor(as they had never replaced one), and they are convinced it is either the EGR or the DPF - I explained that my EGR had been cleaned and it had made no difference. I think that Normski is referring to the MAP sensor on the inlet manifold(something like absolute pressure sensor in Lexus language - also about £360), which I believe can display similar symptoms to a worn MAF when it goes. Did you check the turbo actuator/arm when you checked the turbo, or are they not accessible on these? I don't think it sounds like an injector or the glow plugs! I haven't done it yet, but I'm going to try the inlet/EGR cleaner (spray) to see if that will clean the system. Do keep us informed.

@ Carl As I have probably mentioned elsewhere, my wife's golf GTI (54k on the clock) used the amount of oil that Lexus deems unacceptable - it used 2 litres in about 2.5k miles, just before having a major service at VW. After we got it back from VW, the light came on after a month and the oil didn't register on the dipstick once again. Well, I thought the engine was gone having had oil burners in my student days, but there was no trace of blue/white smoke or oil leaks on the drive - much head scratching followed!! I tried the Normski (et al) method and put some Archoil AR6400 in the fuel, after reading about this on an american GTI forum, and this has stopped the excessive consumption - though I must check the dipstick tomorrow! The excessive consumption is caused by the piston rings sticking in the piston - due to carbon deposits - and not sealing properly against the cylinder wall.....still not sure where the oil is going. We need a techincal master to explain, but my musings are that the sticking piston ring means there is inadequate compression/seal and the oil is passing past the ring and passing straight through the exhaust without getting combusted in the way that would cause blue smoke, due to a lack of compression. This is probably rubbish though and I will gladly stand corrected by someone who knows! Incidentally, some garages are equipped with the necessary cameras and they will have a look inside your engine's bores to see if the carbon is noticeably bad.

Hi Chaps, After enduring a couple of months of variable power delivery and spending too much on various fuel treatments, I eventually decided to check my MAF using the unplug and drive method. I was(am) sure my symptoms pointed to a worn MAF. When I started to run the car it initially seemed to have much more low down torque when setting off, but it then went into limp home mode within 20 meters and the VSC check light came on!! I have never experienced limp home mode in any other car and I couldn't get the car above10mph when trying to get it back home. I reconnected the MAF plug and the limp home mode went away, but the VSC check light stayed on and wouldn't go after 5/10 mins of driving - I thought the ECU would run the checks and realise all was well. I have never heard of another make going into limp home after disconnecting the MAF, and I didn't want to disconnect the battery as this makes my car run better (initially) and would make it difficult to establish whether it was the MAF or not. I had to reset the ECU to get rid of the VSC check and my mpg has improved( or maybe the redex has done the trick), but a number of flat spots are now resident and my car's split personality is more noticeable than ever! Does any one know how to test the MAF properly, or is it a case of disconnecting it and the battery at the same time - will it then run with the MAF disconnected? cheers David

47 mpg!! That is very much the exception and not the rule. Those of us who complain about mpg are not getting anywhere near that, so I feel that we do have a right to complain; particularly if we do in excess of 15k per year and achieve petrol mpg figures.....or worse! I would safely say that you have got a good one, as you wouldn't obtain that mpg figure from a dud and nor would you pull 60 mph in 6th - no way! I would think that your EGR will prove pretty clean, as you would notice the poor performance. I haven't looked at the JD Power surveys closely, but I will try and find some as the IS just can't have received good reports - no chance! The surveys only cover cars below 2/3 years, so within the warranty period. I worked for Mercedes Benz when they were getting crucified in the surveys, and yet I don't think a C class from that period was worse than a currrent IS - rust notwithstanding! I remember driving 1st gen 1 IS200s and they always felt really, really tight, regardless of mileage and condition. It pains me to say it, but the 2nd generation does have better materials (superficially at least), but the exacting build is absent. I do, however, agree that an IS does look good and the image gets a 'thumbs up' from most of my friends/family.

Hi All, I was just wondering where the needle should sit in the temperature gauge when the engine is at operating temperature, as my needle sits a bit west of vertical and this just seems odd. My car also continues to rev at 1500rpm a good 10 mins after starting and it seems to take ages for the engine to get warm. The Lexus garage told me that the 1500rpm was part of the dpf regeneration process, but I wouldn't expect it to do this every day; or does it!!? I'm wondering if I have a faulty thermostat and this is why it takes along time to get warm, and is perhaps why I use a lot of fuel and lack power - the engine is making the injectors run in cold-start mode when they shouldn't and over-fueling the mixture. Any thoughts? Cheers David

47 mpg - I wish!! Hang on.........my car is very quiet on the whole for a diesel, but when it has the 'POWER' it does seem noticeably more raucous, and it exibits a judder when setting off in1st gear when more torque is present. I could live with some more noise, if I had urge instead of lethargy!! That ring problem on various petrol cars is more common in the USA, as I understand that their fuel is of inferior quality. My wife's Mk5 Golf GTI was using a horrendous amount of oil prior to, and following, a major service at VW - it consumed about 2 litres in 2000 miles, which was very concerning. In fact, after the service it covered about 1200 miles and the oil pressure light came on - the oil didn't even register on the dipstick! It wasn't leaking, it wasn't (obviously) burning it and there was no oil in the coolant. Anyway, a few Uk cars were suffering the same problem with less than 50k on the clock, but a great deal more were suffering in the USA according to the their GTI club forum. I established from their forum that carbon build up caused the piston rings to stick in the piston on one or more of the cylinders. Incidentally, my wife's car had the syptoms described in the Lexus US bulletin. An VW techy in the US GTI forum suggested archoil and a few measured high rpm visits. I followed his advice and the mpg has improved, the power is back, the periodic missing episodes have stopped and the occassional reluctance to rev past 3000rpm has gone. More importantly, the oil consumption has stopped also! Pity the same method has failed with my Lexus thus far!! If I remember correctly, the old super market fuel chestnut seemed to be the common denominator with the UK GTI cars, along with prolonged local driving at a sedate pace. I suppose it is very much..... "you get what you pay for!" and......"never buy a car that granny has used to pootle to the shops in". I may have mentioned this elsewhere, but a service manager kindly showed me the Lexus recall guidance notes and the IS220d engines are only replaced when the oil consumption exceeds a certain rate - much like the US recall guide for the petrol engine.I believe this was a re-issue from Lexus, as different garages were applying different criteria and there was absolutely no consistency.

Not everyone is a 'doom monger', if they have 'real issues' with their car, so just be pleased that you are in the minority as Chris' comments are fair and balanced from the knowledge I have gained in the last 2 months of ownership. I am a positive chap, but I can only say that my own car is a bad one at the moment, which I was hoping would not materialise on account of it having a full service history(Mostly Lexus) and having only covered 38k in 4 years. However, this seems to be the route of the problem as low mileage and local driving does not suit the IS220d; more so than other diesels it would appear. It is partially true that other diesels suffer, but nowhere near as bad as the IS220d. I have had BMWs for years and the suspension only wears at around 70/80k, and when the front wisbones/bushes/drop links are replaced they once again resume that taut, well-damped feeling. My 100k BMW feels tighter than my 40k Lexus - fact! The turbo problems on the BMWs are due to the air filter and turbo pre-filter getting clogged with muck, but this is avoidable if they are inspected/changed early. A few more facts; I have only visited Lexus Sheffield once and the service manager confirmed the issues and showed me the workheets for four engine rebuilds that they were doing! This particular Toyota engine (apparently) has an inherent design fault concerning the piston rings and the pistons themselves(oh and the slipping head gasket that eventually scores the block!), which makes the engine produce more carbon/soot than it should (or more than the competitions' engines, if you like) and that in turn causes all the complicated valves sensors to malfunction. EGR valves do foul-up on other cars, but not as frequently! Toyota technicians have openly stated the engine problems are a design fault on many other forums - have a look if you like. The toyota vehicles with the same family of engines are getting rebuilt too on a frequent basis! The 180ps version is the worst offender, whereas the 1.4 engine is as good as you can get for diesel reliability, with virtually no issues! My advice is to try the car and if it has good (well reasonable - they are never as good as most) economy and the engine feels powerful, in the way that a car with 175bhp should, then it is probably a good one. If it feels sluggish and only goes when you really prod the throttle, then you'll need to buy shares in BP and you may have problems along the way. Cheers David

I eventually had my EGR cleaned manually and my mechanic used the spray cleaner to combust/shift the carbon through the system. I had also just added a bottle of Wynns DPF cleaner to the tank 120 miles prior, so I was looking forward to my business trip down the M1/A42. Well, it was (yet again!!) a complete disappointment as I managed to achieve 36.5 mpg after 181 miles on the motorway - travelling at sane speeds by the way! Difficult to go fast, as it just isn't effortless enough to travel at 80 + mph After a few shorter A/B road trips(6 - 30 miles) the mpg is again on the drop! I'm already sick of spending money on various cleaners, so again I ask if anyone has found that their solution wasn't the EGR valve requiring cleaning and was something else; like the Turbo actuator or MAF sensor!!??? My car is reluctant to boost strongly for most of the time (occassionally it feels strong/normal) and on the motorway you can actually feel that the car is sort of choking itself on a constant/light throttle, and it definitely does this more so if you apply a bit more throttle. Come on, someone must know the answer!

I appreciate this thread is old, but it is the first post that sounds similar to my problem and I thought this may bump it forward! I also get this strange juddering noise when I turn my car on full lock. It feels like the suspension is worn, or at least part of the front suspension is worn. I'm not sure if it is related, but I also have a slight feeling (at law abiding speeds) that transmits through the steering when I hit certain bumps - though not big bumps - that is akin to something wrong in the suspension and/or steering column. It is a slight jolt with a sound that makes it feel like it is transmitted right from the bump in the road through to the steering wheel hub. My wife had a 2002 mini cooper and this did the same thing, which required a new steering column. Does the IS220d have a steering damper, like many mercs? When travelling over a relatively bumpy section the suspension again makes slight noises and the steering has this feeling of play. It doesn't feel as taut as my old 05 plate 320d BMWs, despite that having 99k on the clock, so I can only presume that something in the front suspension is worn. My car has just passed 40k on a late 57 plate, and it is definitely not a clocked motor. I do think, however, that it has spent a fair amount of time on local roads. i have always driven around bumps in the road, but I am doing so more than ever as the car just doesn't feel as taut/solid as it should - the rattles don't help! Any ideas? David

I am amazed you didn't get a vast change after looking at that EGR valve! In that case, if the tretaments Normski mentioned doesn't do the trick and get the CAT/DPF/piston rings/injectors in better shape, then I would start looking at the MAF. They are recommended as achange item every 4 years/50k, especially if your car hasn't worked too hard and had varied mileage, which it seems could be true. A good diagnosics machine will show a fault code even if the car doesn't, as the car changes settings to compensate and can run poorly without ever flagging up a fault code! I would also change the main air filter and the turbo pre-filter if these cars have one - haven't got that far myself, as I'm still a relative newbie! Also, I have 3 Lexus stamps, a lexus specialist stamp and (as part of my car purchase) a porsche specialist stamp, and lexus Sheffield said it would prove sufficient for the extended warranty on both the head gasket issue and replacement engine issue (excessive oil consumption). My car also has just over 40k, so I will probably use Lexus as the service cost isn't too bad and they will fight your corner if either of the aforementioned occurs - certainly cheaper than the warranty cost per month!!

Hi All Does anyone know how much a MAF is for the IS220d, as the cleaning theory is widely regarded as an 'old wifes tale' and for piece of mind I would rather get a new one - depending on the price? Also, are they easy to get to on the IS, as BMW ones tend to require the removal of a number of other items and it takes a while and requires tools I just don't have? For info; http://tuning-diesels.com/Mafam/mafhome.htm

Glad to hear it worked for you Dennis - was the main difference following the cleaning of the EGR and then further improvements after the fuel treatments? I've just completed my first tank on the AR6200 fuel additive(following the BG244 treatment) and despite some 250 miles of motorway driving, I achieved an average of 32.5 mpg (tank brim calculation). I've just bought some shares in BP! I'm really struggling to reconcile that my car got better, and then much worse after adding the BG/AR fuel treatments. I will check my EGR when I get chance, but I'm not sure it is the cause as logic tells me that my car wouldn't get better and then deteriorate as the EGR wouldn't have become unblocked and then blocked whilst using tretamentsdesigned to clean it - or am I missing a trick? My car seldom pulls well and really requires a good prod on the throttle to get some urge from it! Sometimes it feels like the turbo is scarcely boosting at all. I did the check in 5th at about 72 mph using the cruise control, and the computer mpg meter hovered at just below 30mpg, or just above. It is disappointing, as aside from the numerous rattles, the judder when setting off, the poor gear change, the odd ride quality and the jitter through the steering rack over bumps(particularly over cobbles at walking pace), I actually quite like it!