New Gs Dash Rattles

[Rillo]

Hi folks - had my GS 430 since December last year and overall it is one hell of a car. However it would appear (and this will sound familiar to new IS oweners :) ) that a small % have been afflicted by rattly dashboards. Initially mine was silent but overtime it has developed a very annoying creak / buzz near the upper vents just under windscreen.

The good news is that Lexus Bracknell have been fantastic - removed and refitted dashboard. However the problem although lessened is still there. It appears that they had another car that had the same issue that was replaced. Lexus GB have since stripped this down and come up with a potential fix which involves the spotwelds on the bulkhead below the windscreen.

Hopefully mine is going in soon for the fix so I will keep you posted as to how successful it is and also post up the fix number from Lexus.

[nickjwarman]

My Gs300 sel has the exact same rattle/creaking over the vents! I took it to the dealership a few months ago but the rattle soon came back and i am loathed to hand over the car again for non-specific rattles as it often causes as many problems as it solves!

If the rattle is a specific problem though - that could be great! Look forward to hearing the results!

[maneesh]

Glad they are fixing it, but pretty crap to hear that such an expensive car that has got a reputation for being well made, has got problems with rattly dashboards. I have spent quite a bit of time with newish bog standard Vectras, Mondeos and the like, and didn't hear a peep from the dash.

[rolandrock]

I got the rattle too. Its minor but its there and it shouldn't be, although if the car wasn't so quiet anyway, you may not notice. It certainly does not have the build quality of my old MK1.

PS Some git nicked two of my tyre valve caps. The other two were on so tight they won't budge. I am going to recommend to Lexus they electrify the body when locked. That'll keep cats off the bonnet too!

[Rillo]

The rattles are not that common just certain batches of cars.

Symptoms :

- creaking from upper vents under windscreen

- rattle from deep inside centre dash

- rattle / knock from passenger door/window/a frame

- dash flexing over big bumps

- creaking centre console

Turns out mine didn't need welding and solved by :

- Dash removed and all contact surfaces felted / padded (5 day job ouch )

- Mark Levinson stereo - connector cables padded

- Upper speaker grills removed, padded and refitted

- scuttle plate removed and refitted with felt.

- centre console tightened.

- passenger a frame trim removed to allow tightening of wiring loom.

Only one rattle to fix and that is passenger door which sounds like window rattling but according to US LOC is actually faulty door panel.

It's been a pain going through this but customer service has been fantastic and overall the car itself is awesome.

[rolandrock]

The rattles are not that common just certain batches of cars.

Symptoms :

- creaking from upper vents under windscreen

- rattle from deep inside centre dash

- rattle / knock from passenger door/window/a frame

- dash flexing over big bumps

- creaking centre console

Turns out mine didn't need welding and solved by :

- Dash removed and all contact surfaces felted / padded (5 day job ouch )

- Mark Levinson stereo - connector cables padded

- Upper speaker grills removed, padded and refitted

- scuttle plate removed and refitted with felt.

- centre console tightened.

- passenger a frame trim removed to allow tightening of wiring loom.

Result = silent dash so far.

Only one rattle to fix and that is passenger door which sounds like window rattling but according to US LOC is actually faulty door panel.

It's been a pain going through this but customer service has been fantastic and overall the car itself is awesome.

Did you have to pay or was it done under waranty?

[Rillo]

All under warranty - customer service has been great

[nickjwarman]

My Car goes in for it's 10000 mile service this week and is booked in for a few days for the rattle to be looked at.

Thanks for the info Rillo - should be a big help!

[Rillo]

If the garage have any queries ask them to speak to either Dhale or Mel at Bracknell who have handled the car, or the senior technician George who did the actual work.

Of course it's disappointing to get rattles in a new car but the customer service has been great throughout.

[alpappy]

Rattles on the GS sound the same problem on the IS This seems to be a lexus trade mark so much so that the reliability index has now dropped from 1st to 6thand below FORD.

alan

[Tony9r]

I've got an annoying rattle from the rear-view mirror on my Mk1...

[bill jarvis]

Rattles on the GS sound the same problem on the IS This seems to be a lexus trade mark so much so that the reliability index has now dropped from 1st to 6thand below FORD.

alan

Surely the sort of rattles being talked of here, wouldn't affect reliability.

bill

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

I think Alan explained this on the IS forum - the reliability index takes information from Warranty claims made, so OK it might not affect the reliability of the car (unless wires from the ECU are dangling behind the dash and eventually fall out ).

[lexluther-return]

OMG I cant beleive im reading this, rattles from a Lex hmmm but what you have to remember is that the desighns very new so theres bound to be a few quirks here and there and all minor, as the years go by the little niggles will be eliminated, its minor compared to the other marques out there with major components failing and Techies who cant figure out what the problem is on a brand new car (Ahem German comes to mind) lol...I think we should be gratefull we only have a creaky dash to moan about here on the Lexus forum :-) and I know it's annoying as hell and shouldnt happen on a new car, I have an old Pristine Mk1 and I dont have any creaks the build quality is rock solid and if I could ever afford a new one I would buy it without thinking twice and its the only car I would consider buying brand new ! I think the quality is still up there just some niggles, still a bit sad though :-( At least Customer Services rolled out the carpet to those that did have problems...

By the way anyone know where I can hire one for a wedding in the Midlands, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry ?

[PQuist]

I am very disappointed with these rattles. I was thinking of replacing my IS 200 for a new GS300 but my guess is to either wait or look elsewhere. My IS200 has had rattles from day 1 from the roof and the dash. Lexus tried so many times to fix it but in the end, I got a friend to help me take the dash out to fix the problem. The rettles and creaks from the roof is still there and I am having to live with it.

Not a nice experience