Alloy Wheels

[javaboss]

All,

I've had 3 IS200's since early 2000 and have had two sets of alloys due to them corroding. My current IS is 3 years old in March 2006 and I had a new set of wheels about six months ago after driving it when the weather was really bad in the winter when there was loads of salt on the roads. My dealer told me that salt caused the problem.

Anyway, I've been putting alloy wheel protector on the wheels everytime I wash the car and was told by the dealer that refurbished wheels don't suffer from the problem. I drove to Bedford last night with my wife to visit her father, and at this time of year there's loads of salt on the roads again. I put the car in my garage when I got home and there it will probably stay until next weekend.

Does anyone think I'm going to have the dredded wheel 'rot' again? I plan to change the car at some point next year, but if I decide to keep it until it's 4 years old, I don't want to be driving round with knackered looking wheels....

So, my question really is - has anyone had their wheels refurbished and then had no problems in future???

Regards,

Neil.

[Purvesh]

Had refurbs and they corroded after 3 months.

[Pip]

Yes the problem will return unfortunately, just the way the alloys are i am afraid due to all the salt on the road.

[TED]

Yes the problem will return unfortunately, just the way the alloys are i am afraid due to all the salt on the road.

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I have a Mid 2003 IS200. Leaving in Paris, we have NO salt on roads, however, I had to get all four alloys replaced this year because they were heavily corroded . I am affraid that's not related twith the salt on roads, but more with the way they are manufactured.

[Parthiban]

Seems to depend how often you clean them, my first set lasted almost 2 years, and then the refurbs they replaced them with are still fine. As long as you clean off the rubbish, they should last. Although having said that, I haven't cleaned my car for a good 2 months, so might be time to get it done

[javaboss]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll give them a wash asap!

Hopefully, they'll last out until I replace the car then year :-)

[LennyLexus]

def a case of negelcting them, 2nd winter i didnt wash her for 2 weeks :s :( and they have rotted.. they are really bad now, o well i'll keep them as winters wheel and get something fancy for the summer B)

[javaboss]

Sorry... another stupid questions... Are the refurbished wheels covered by an exteneded warranty? i.e. will the dealer still fix them after the 8th March next year when my warranty runs out? Surely they're taking the ***** if they think it's okay for wheels to rot on a 20k+ car? I might have to think carefully before I purchase an IS250 next year if they are going to take the mickey on warranties with wheels....

[alpine]

I don't believe it's much to do with frequency of washing. I'm on my 3rd set now. My previous Impreza, bought new and sold after 60K miles, had virtually unblemished alloys when I sold it: driving conditions and cleaning frequency were pretty similiar.

[SpOcK]

I don't get it...? I live in Finland where we have LOTS of snow (therefore LOTS of salt) almost half of the year, and I've never had problems with wheels corroding. The problem is there only if you've hit a curb (or smth) and the original surface/laquer is damaged... And during the winter I wash my car (and wheels) only like once a month.

[alpine]

In Finland, your average winter temperature is much lower than here. The problem could be due to the fact that our winters are always marginal. Thus we get down to zero for a couple of days, and they salt the roads, then back up goes the temperature to 10 or so, and the chemical reaction because of the poor quality of the wheel alloy protection starts to bite. Chemical reactions always speed up as temperatures increase.

This problem is NOT due to kerbing, it occurs mainly on the sides of the wheel spokes in my experience.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

In Finland, your average winter temperature is much lower than here. The problem could be due to the fact that our winters are always marginal. Thus we get down to zero for a couple of days, and they salt the roads, then back up goes the temperature to 10 or so, and the chemical reaction because of the poor quality of the wheel alloy protection starts to bite. Chemical reactions always speed up as temperatures increase.

This problem is NOT due to kerbing, it occurs mainly on the sides of the wheel spokes in my experience.

←

I don't believe that this problem is unique to Lexus (though it appears to be worse... on a Lexus).

The insides of the Spokes of my Audi A4 started to show the same symptoms. 3 Wheels were replaced under warranty, but one was not, as it had been marginally curbed (even though the corrosion was not occuring where the wheel was kerbed yet, but on the insides of the spokes).

Maybe mine was a one off... but I tried to complain and VAG were having nothing of it...

I just hope they have sorted this out for the new IS....

[javaboss]

All my wheels on all 3 cars have been perfect. I've never curbed any of them. Like you say, it doesn't appear to have anything to do with curb damage. I guess I'll just have to wash them everytime I drive the car when there's salt on the roads

Does anyone know about the warranty situation with the wheels are? If they're replaced say a month before the vehicle warranty runs out and then six months later they rot, I'm assuming the dealer can't just say tough?

[Lex-aholic]

All my wheels on all 3 cars have been perfect.  I've never curbed any of them.  Like you say, it doesn't appear to have anything to do with curb damage.  I guess I'll just have to wash them everytime I drive the car when there's salt on the roads 

Does anyone know about the warranty situation with the wheels are?  If they're replaced say a month before the vehicle warranty runs out and then six months later they rot, I'm assuming the dealer can't just say tough?

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I don't know the exact answer about the warranty situation, but I would have thought that surely it would extend the warranty to the date of the parts, or in this case wheels, were replaced.

I had to have mine refurbished back in March this year, and the company who done them gave me a new warranty for 1 year (providing the damage isn't caused by me - such as kerbing).

I was told when I went to by a new set of wheels on my previous car that I need to wash them every time I make a drive in the winter due to salt - just a simple rinse to get rid of the salt clinging to the lacquer.

British chrome alloys had the same problem when they were first released over here, because of the finish they corroded pretty bad.

Just keep washing them, and give them an occasional high polymer protectant to create a barrier between the lacquer and anything such as brake dust/salt clinging.

[Drummerboy]

Roads over here are never salted but I have corrosion eveident on back edges of spokes............... sent email to the dealer a week or so ago complaining, he got me to take full wheel pics of all five alloys and all my car details and he said he's going to claim for a new set off Lexus Ireland........... haven't heard anything back since though?

Just reading the above I am wondering if he will make an issue of the fact that 3 of my wheels are lightly kerbed ........ has absolutely nothing to do with the onset of the corrosion as this occurs on the spokes but are Lexus likely to try a cop out?

Anyone experienced this?

[Lex-aholic]

Roads over here are never salted but I have corrosion eveident on back edges of spokes............... sent email to the dealer a week or so ago complaining, he got me to take full wheel pics of all five alloys and all my car details and he said he's going to claim for a new set off Lexus Ireland........... haven't heard anything back since though?

Just reading the above I am wondering if he will make an issue of the fact that 3 of my wheels are lightly kerbed ........ has absolutely nothing to do with the onset of the corrosion as this occurs on the spokes but are Lexus likely to try a cop out?

Anyone experienced this?

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My friend who I worked with had a Lexus before me. He took his to Lexus Bristol and they made an issue about the kerbing. He then took it to Lexus Swindon, and they swapped them no questions asked.

I think it's just luck of the draw if your wheels have been kerbed. Hope luck is on your side. :)

[its_a_doozy]

Kurbing can only be blamed if your corrosion is on the outer edge of the rim. If the corrosion is elswhere, which it often is, then you should seek replacement from Lexus. Regardless of warranty you should insist on replacement due to this being a know design/manufacturing fault.

My replacement wheels for IS200 Sport 52 plate were replaced after 1.5 years from new. The new wheels had visibly more laquer on the alloy. When the car went back last month, it was clear that the wheels also had corrosion. The car is now 3 years old, out of warranty and on its second set of wheels. Lexus dealer will claim a set back from Lexus.

If Lexus dealer refuses to replace clearly corroded wheels due to this fault, then just threaten to take the matter to Lexus direct and also the media, and trading standard. The goods are not fit for purpose. I hope the new Lexus has learned the lessons of the old.