Chuckie888

"It's your driving sir" ... I don't think so, it's inherited! But the diesel exarcerbates the problem. http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=12875& BTW I'm working on a solution. I spent a couple of hours on it at the weekend and it is a lot better. When I get it to work properly I will post, but only to genuine members with problems as I have it in writing from my supplying Toyota dealer that they don't have the expertise to diagnose a Lexus - a car which uses a Toyota gearbox, clutch(OEM) and engine!

Blimey, I wish Lexus Shefield were as helpful, they won't even fit a new Oxy sensor for about 150 quid to try and cure mine, in fact, exactly the opposite, they seem to be intent on dragging the fault out as long as they can. ... or Lexus Derby who won't answer my calls anymore re: clutch & g/box. Sheffield denied there was a problem and said that it is usually caused by the driver! Local Toyota dealer have replied to my complaints saying they won't and can't do anything as they are not Lexus experts! This is a car which uses A Toyota engine, clutch (LUK) and gearbox!

You do know that if you have HIDs then you should also have headlight washers and self-levellers by law? Don't know what a vigilane MOT man would do.

I think the problem is that there is excessive play in the gear linkage. When I get some time and weather, I will inspect and let you know if there is the possibility of changing bushes etc to make it more taught. I've been very dissapointed by the Lexus, although I still think it looks marvelous!

Wish I could help, but I get fobbed off too. They know it will cost too much to get justice from the legal system. The legendary Lexus dealers are a pipedream in my experience.

Most head gasket problems are when they fail to seal the block and head due to them being warped by overheating. Because it's an all alloy engine (most use an iron block), it is not recommended to skim them so Lexus will replace them. The symptoms will not be noticable when driving unless you have the heater on (and the subsequent annoying 1200rpm idle) - a lack of warm air. This is because exhaust gasses are getting into the cooling systems (as your HG is not sealing) causing it to over-pressurise and then the relief valve of the expansion tank will expell coolant until an acceptable pressure is met. This will mess up your engine bay with white deposits. Of course this will eventually lead to low coolant levels and an overheating engine which will cause the block and head to warp some more. I have been told two theories of why this happens : 1) The Lexus dealer says that the wrong type of coolant was used 2) The local useless Toyota garage where I bought it told me that carbon deposits in bore makes the piston force it too far and warp the head. Neither may be the real cause as remember these engines are built in Poland in a relatively new factory and so may have taken sometime to get all their processes correct.

The leather(ish) gaiter has a metal press stud on it. Mine makes a chattering noise when reversing up my driveway as it rattles onto the plastic or metal parts on the lever.

New engine, built in a new factory in a new territory, Poland, and then we are suprised when there are issues? Must admit, Lexus changed mine with no qualms. If only they had the same attitude towards the gearchange/clutch/DMF problems because my engine ran fine even when the gasket had gone, although I didn't check the coolant level as I'd only just purchased it from the unscrupulous Notts Toyota Main Dealer.

What I have noticed on mine is that the Computer is pessimistic! On all my previous VAGs' they were at least 5% optimistic so when it read 50mpg, the actual was 47mpg. On the IS220D I filled up yesterday when it read 38.7mpg but when I caluclated brim-to-brim it was 40mpg (467 miles on 53 litres)! I keep a spreadsheet of all fills and it is consistently reading 1-1.5mpg low! In other words, the difference between your Lexus IS220D and your colleagues Turbo Diesel, which they keep saying does 50mpg, may not be as big as the trip computers are saying! - Poor strategy and marketing compared to the Germans, after all, most people just rely on the computer readouts and don't do brim-o-brim "actual" calculations.

I was of the understanding that a Release/Throw out bearing would be noisy when the clutch pedal is depressed (clutch dis-engaged) and that it's probably the flywheel(excessive movement) or g/box input shaft bearings if its the other way around.

Went to a transmission specialist yesterday. They test drove the car and said it is in the early stages of DMF failure. They showed me an old DMF and LUK lietrature about DMF testing etc. Buoyed by this I went to the Lexus garage, but was soon dis-heartened when I was given the well practiced verse after their ridiculous test drive as I'm sure 90 year olds would change gear faster than a Lexus Tech. "It's normal. You must expect a some shunting and crunching. Change gears slower - it's your driving! We don't have DMF problems but the likes of Ford do etc." Basically rather than fixing the problem, Lexus want you to believe the car is cr@p as they are giving up on the diesel and biding their time. When cold, the gears are excellent, but deteriorate when warm. Ah well, I guess it's legals then. Warranty's are all well and good, but when the car companies collude to deny a problem you are on your own as the goverment bodies aren't well organised, giving you circular referals to each other!

I give up.

Personally I think it's bizarre how Lexus are trying to tell people it's normal rather than admit to the problem - looks like they've given up on the diesel, but many owners are now put off the brand. Shame, coz I don't the German brands and the values of their owners but will probably be inclined towards them next time as they are better value than the excellent Honda Accord and are a bigger metaphor.

i don't believe yours will put out as much smoke as mine,i have now read that the heads need decoked that is 99% not true, but do whatever you want... The point of DCAT is to stop smoke! Condensation/steam isn't smoke. IS220D does have issues though and the dealers are dissapointing in relation to their reputation

It's early DMF failure, but your dealer won't admit it. Instead they will take you out on a test drive and drive with really slow and deliberate gear change actions and tell you nothing is wrong. It's caused by having 40mph/1000rpm in 6th, so you are straining the DMF when you drive it like every other diesel - top gear @ 70mph an not @85mph like it says in the manual. Basically 6th is almost useless in the UK

Have to agree with all the points, although I don't get backache from the pedals. You forgot the worst thing though - the gearchange which is probably caused by clutch drag from the failing DMF which Lexus dealers won't admit to. However, when you're quietly wafting along enjoying the stereo, it's still quite charming!

Hope you checked that the head and block weren't warped?

Good to hear that they're not 'all like that' as I get fobbed off by. Clutch drag and crunching = normal apparantly.

Is here a Lexus/Toyota conspiracy to deny there is a problem with DMFs? They just try to fob one off and say that 'clutch drag' and hence gear crunch et al is normal! Persist and communication becomes aggressive and then stops! No wonder their reputation is sliding fast. Any one else found this? Looks like the courts will be seeing this case.

Get a block test ASAP. I've just had a new block and head FOC

The German doc is a mod which may help with drivability as I find the clutch pedal high and gas pedal low. PM me for the Lexus spec.

It's adjustable at the pedal. It may be worth following the Germans and lowering the pedal to a better height. http://rav4faq.kerkerinck.de/xa3/rav4faqmemos/files/RAV4FAQ-Printfile_43_Justage_Kupplungspedal.pdf It's a Toyota part made by LUK.

Well, had a new Head and Block and the engine still performs as it did before - quite well. The gear linkage has been adjusted and seems more positive, but still have gear problems even after a new clutch. When I went to fetch the car and tried to pull off the clutch made a massive 'thud' and it stalled. I called the Service guy back and he drove it in the usual Lexus/Toyota super slow and deliberate manner (to minimise probability of probs) but it still juddered like hell. He took it to the Tech who reckoned on it needing the 'shine rubbing off' even though it had been test driven. Well, it warmed up and performed ok so we'll see tomorrow when cold. It still thudded into 1st on occasion and crunched into 2nd and very occasionally 3rd. Might be the Dual Mass Flywheel after all, or the Master Cylinder/Slave cylinder. BTW 22yr old Tech told me there was no slave cylinder on these even though the TechDoc shows one (Release cylinder), but he also laughed when I told him ATF was put into the slow 3rd gear synchromesh on my Carina E Exec a dozen years ago - "It's for Autos mate!". "Computer says NO" springs to mind. LOL

I have noticed and been informed by the Toyota garage, that the idle speed increases to 1200rpm when the Climate control is switched on(Auto). This must be an idle compensator, but is too high in my book. The hundred cars or so that I have driven have never done this. Maybe 800rpm normal then 950rpm when auxilleries are on but 1200rpm? Too high in my book.

I've just bought an '08 plate IS220D with 62K and I'm getting the same plus a crunch into third gear sometimes. The whole gear linkage seems too loose for my liking! Do you notice a chattering/chriping noise when idling which then goes away when you press the clutch? Try it at night when it's quiet. I am having a new clutch installed next week when I get my Head Gasket problem addressed. Hopefully this will cure it, otherwise it could be the master/slave cylinder, clutch fork or pivot ball, linkage or the gearbox itself :-( Coming from super reliable, if hard riding Hondas', it's disapointing.