Window Won't Close (Fully)

[mikesands]

front passenger window jammed yesterday. It's pulling up some kind of rubber guide at the front end, then when it gets about half closed it thinks it's someone's head and re-opens. Took it to Lexus today and they have done a temporary fix that has got the window in the up position but say it will cost £165 to fix properly - they say it needs a new rubber guide or seal or something at £105 plus the labour. This seems well over the top - any thoughts anyone? (The obvious one of never using that window again, is an obvious choice)

By the way the all-singing, all-dancing Lexus used car warranty doesn't cover anything rubber :-(

Thanks

Mike

[autobahn]

I am surprised that this isn't covered under warranty. It's a mechanical failure. The windows seals and guides are not replaceable items like tyres and exhausts. To me this simply sounds like a mechanical failure and should be covered under warranty.

[steve2006]

If the warranty doesn't apply to rubber items that means effectively all the suspension,hoses,engine mounts,brake cylinders etc are also not covered?

Give Lexus GB a call to confirm.

Had the car not been under warranty I would have sprayed the window channels with furniture polish to see if that freed things up 1st.

What was the Lexus answer to a temporary repair,wedge a clothes peg in the bottom window channel!

Have another go at them, wear and tear and maybe some cosmetic parts I understand but as said previously this is a mechanical fault which should be covered.

[mikesands]

Got my Lexus warrnty document out at lunch time, and I think autobahn is right. They have a very specific list of what is excluded and that list doesn't include rubber window or door seals. Rang Lexus Teesside and they said they would TRY and get it done under warranty. I had come to the same conclusion about it being mechanical. The window was jamming because something had come loose inside the door - that to me is mechanical. A water leak caused by perished rubber after 10 years might be different but to me this is a mechanical failure of the electric window.

I did spray everything with silicone rubber lubricant before realising things were more serious. I'm going to make sure I do the other working windows in case they fail in a similar way (and the wife's car !)

Mike

[autobahn]

I'd log the issue with Lexus GB customer relations. I'd say it sounds more like your dealer trying to make a fast buck as warranty labour rates (paid to dealers by the manufacturer) are often half of what dealers would charge you to effect a repair. You could also try another dealer.

[1967andy]

i had a problem with my a/c and took it lexus teesside, who smiling and grinning asked me if i wanted the £1300 repair carried out while i waited, as soon as i enquired if it could be carried out under warranty, i was told that it couldnt as the lexus full warranty only applied to vehicles up to 5 years old!! i asked if they would mind ringing the warranty company while i was there, to check if that was the case and surprise, surprise i was fully covered.

however now that it was being done under warranty it had to booked in on a different day and ian the manager was no longer smiling and grinning! long story short, it took a further 5 visits to sort out, as each time it went in, a different part had to be ordered.

moral - dont accept the first answer you're given, do some homework

[mikesands]

i had a problem with my a/c and took it lexus teesside, who smiling and grinning asked me if i wanted the £1300 repair carried out while i waited, as soon as i enquired if it could be carried out under warranty, i was told that it couldnt as the lexus full warranty only applied to vehicles up to 5 years old!! i asked if they would mind ringing the warranty company while i was there, to check if that was the case and surprise, surprise i was fully covered.

however now that it was being done under warranty it had to booked in on a different day and ian the manager was no longer smiling and grinning! long story short, it took a further 5 visits to sort out, as each time it went in, a different part had to be ordered.

moral - dont accept the first answer you're given, do some homework

I know what you mean Andy - years ago I was very suspicious of anything the workshop said needed doing. But I think they have changed a bit - I was very surprised for instance to get a bill for the MOT for £75 - and that included £27 for a foglamp bulb that I was too lazy to obtain and change myself. years ago I would get a call while they were doing the MOT saying it needed this that and the other and the bill would be £300. My colleague has bought a GS450H from them and thinks the quality of service (and fairness) is better than anything he experienced with BMW. Me and my pal must be the nightmare customers for them - we buy old Lexus's for next to nothing and yet want treating the same as the guys who buy a £60k car from them.

.... in that vein - is it possible to wash/clean the a/c filter which the system is telling me needs replacing?

Thanks

Mike

[steve2006]

I've done that to mine twice,took them out (for some reason mine has two mounted together) first sucked the dust out with a vacuum cleaner then washed in soapy water,rinsed then allowed to dry. Once dry I sprayed with Fabreeze and refitted.

Then did the aerosol AC cleaner (£1.99 from Aldi)

You may have to reset the reminder on yours though.

Whilst on the subject of Lexus dealers,can anyone remember the guy who had his transmission "melted" and the last we heard Lexus were going to cover it?

[1967andy]

hi mike

got my replacement ac filter from lt motors in stockton - about a tenner, easy enough to change in glove box, then press and hold the "off" button for about 4 seconds, it should bleep and reset the display. ( or you can just tap it out/hoover/blow with comp air then reset)