Platypus

6 minutes ago, rayaans said:

What transmission problem? 

Do you mean because they're changing to multistage CVT? 

They do read this forum regularly. The only problem is it takes time to make changes, especially for a very small market. 

They rely on American customers to get problems across like the small screen which they've now made bigger

And of course they're moving to multistage CVT as reviews keep complaining about the normal CVT. From reviews of the LC500H it appears the multistage gearbox is much much better with no holding of revs

We're deviating a bit here Rayaans, but it was on the discussion below. CVT vibrations - very irritating. Problem was fixed with a workaround after I had it for about a year. Lexus Belgium ignored my rants, but one of the moderators of the forum slapped a comment on Lexus UK's Facebook page and I was contacted shortly afterwards to come in for a fix to the ECU. Coincidence?

15 hours ago, Eire Lexus said:

Do us all a favour Ganzoom sell the Lexus and stop moaning on this forum about how bad Lexus cars are compared to an EV.

Take 2 LEAF's out of Nissans book

No harm in moaning if you can't wax lyrical all the time. Many thanks to this forum for getting Lexus to fix a serious problem some of us had with our transmission. If Lexus only would read these blogs regularly it might get some good ideas that would keep their customer base.

3 years to improve things. Curious to try out the 2017 model to see how far they got! 

Indeed... but so many beemers on the road. Was also considering the new 330e plug-in but it's just more of the same. Nope, I'll go full-hog this time: electric is the future, hope Elon can make the model 3 seriously reliable by the 400,000th! Sorry Lexus, but you were just not listening :(

 With 110,000km on the clock I can definitely say it's the most reliable car I've ever had, but Lexus' conservatism is not going to do them many favours. Personally I'd be quite happy with a slightly less reliable car if used cutting-edge technology, but when you look at it seriously the Lexus tech is quite crap for 2016/2017; even the light sensors, auto wipers, adaptive cruise control are terrible! And not even having a decent gearbox is the ultimate in playing it safe. Also, unless I'm seriously mistaken, I don't see Lexus looking into plug-in hybrid or all-electric. I dared challenge my dealer with these statements, only to be arrogantly rebuffed with the claim that serious drivers don't see merit in fancy tech on the dash. My departing words should have been that, even though I might be the 400,000th on the list, I can't half wait for the invitation to on-line configure my Tesla Model 3!  For my next service, I'll have a bumper sticker saying 'My next car is a Tesla'!

Has anybody had the chance to see the infotainment system on the 2017 model, and if so, what's  your impression compared to the previous version?

Probably a dumb question, but seeing as it's mainly just new software, what are the chances Lexus will offer it as a retrofit to the older models?

At my last service just two weeks ago, my dealer wasn't even aware that the new model had an 'improved' infotainment system and went into typical denial model when I asked if there would be any major updates for the lousy present system. 

Happy holidays all!

I stand corrected! Indeed, 10% is a bit on the high side; it's more like 7-8% at 120kph but seems to be on a sliding scale with higher discrepancies at lower speeds. Not a UK car, I'm in Belgium. Compared it to my Coyote which gives the same speed as my Garmin. Used the same gear in an Opel Corsa and it was within 3%, just like my old Saab 93. Thought it might be a Japanese safety thing it inherited because my wife's Toyota Auris is also around the same tolerances. 

Can't trust their advertised CO2 figures, so don't trust the speedo either! :))

Mine is in kph. The speedo on the IS300h always shows 10% faster than you're actually driving (for whatever reason I don't know). I checked with a Coyote and at exactly 200km/h (around 220 on the clock) she stopped accelerating.

... if you hear the vibration, paddle down a 'gear' and it should go; then you know you have the problem. But as it's been 'fixed' more than a year ago, I doubt you have much to fear.

Hi John,

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/86868-potential-manufacturing-defect/ should do it.

Haven't you been informed of the fix by your dealer (well, it's actually more of a work-around)? It's an ECU update. We've had ours in Europe since 3 weeks ago. Like I said, it doesn't remove the resonance completely but in my experience it moves it to a much narrower range of RPM which make it more bearable. Last thing to say to Lexus is that it's resolved! I'd suspect it's still a mechanical problem.

See you on the other topic...

Hello DoNotBuyIS300h,

You should move to the 'Potential Manufacturing Defect' post as that's where the topic is hottest. There is a 'fix' for the problem which some of us have had done. It hasn't cleared the issue completely but makes it a lot more bearable.

Has anyone else had the work-around done except Tore and me? Would like to know if you noticed a difference.

Wow, 2nd generation heated seats must have been really poor. On my IS300h I can hardly feel the heat, and the ventilation seemed to be ok for the first few months but now all I can feel is a tickle in my bum. I asked them to check the heated seats at the first servicing but they said they were ok. Mind you, I'm coming from a Saab, and those guys know (sorry, knew) a lot about cold weather.

Another follow-up from Norway.

Today I met with the CEO of the regional Toyota/Lexus dealer, and we drove for a trip in my IS. I now have a written agreement that Lexus is allowed one more repair attempt on the car to remedy my vibration issue. They will fly in an expert from Brussel to assist them after the summer.

If the attempt fails, and my car is not fixed by end of September this year, I get a replacement car.

Makes me sleep a bit better at night, now I know I won't be stuck with a car that has an "unfixable" defect that will make it worth a lot less when I am going to sell it.

-Tore

After driving with the problem for nigh on 10 months, and noticing a great improvement with the "work-around" it suddenly dawned on me that I don't actually know how the car is supposed to feel at 80 - 100km/h. I notice a lot of things happening under the hood that don't happen at other speeds, is this right? Now I've changed garage, I'll ask for a loan of another IS300, which I should have done in the first place and not wasted time.

Funny that they're sending somebody from Brussels as I actually live there and Lexus Brussels never offered me to have an expert look at the car :( .

Well, after about 20km on the motorway it feels like a major improvement. Not completely gone, I felt, but the resonance is certainly over a much shorter range of RPM. Certainly worth the upgrade.

Driving from the dealer to the office it did seem a lot better. I have a nice long stretch of smooth motorway home and that will confirm it. I'll let you know in a few hours.

I asked at the dealer if this was a general update or one specific to the problem. He said it was specifically from the problem.

John

Hey Mika, as luck would have it I caught your post just as I sat down at my Lexus dealer. And yes, mine is in for the ECU update too. I got a call this morning from Lexus asking if I could come in with the car and the update would take about 30 minutes.

Lets hope this works. Perhaps we could compare notes in a few days' time?

OK, thanks Rayaan, that's reassuring!

Having collected a few small scratches over the last 10 months, I took the my Sonic Titanium IS in to have a look at what could be done. The guy gave it an expert eye-over and said that a good polish job would remove all of them; "except that," he said pointing to a stain in the bodywork that I had hitherto not even noticed, but was quite obvious under the fluorescent light of the workshop and looked like a greasy palm and finger prints.

"That is sunscreen," he said, "and it will never come out."

So, while we await confirmation or denial of the fact, perhaps it's better to have the missus and kids clean their hands before getting in after the beach this summer.

Took my car to a different dealer for its 30K service and asked them to have a look at the resonance issue too. Though they were aware of the problem with the GS and the bushing solution Tore wrote about, they knew nothing about the IS-issue. We took it out on the road and the mechanic definitely noticed it, and said he'll report it again.

Lexus is turning a blind ear to the problem - I'm going to give it one more shot with the Customer Relations Manager.

Darned machine is a tease: don't know whether to love or hate it, but will err on the positive!

I believe there's a option in the setting to " remember password "

Haven't come across myself, but that doesn't mean it's not there hidden in some menu that one wouldn't expect to be involved with the feature itself! If you'd happen to know where it is, would you please let me know please? Lexus should have set it as default.

Hi Platypus

Sorry for the delay I had to trawl through the manual to find it.

Having first logged in, press menu - setup - navigation - connected service, and you will see a list of options one of which is save password.

D

Many thanks Dixgas! Sounds straightforward enough.

I believe there's a option in the setting to " remember password "

Haven't come across myself, but that doesn't mean it's not there hidden in some menu that one wouldn't expect to be involved with the feature itself! If you'd happen to know where it is, would you please let me know please? Lexus should have set it as default.

Mine does connect automatically, and I haven't done anything other than try and follow the instructions, which are not particularly intuitive. Whoever designed the UI would never get a job with Apple!

If I keep the personal hotspot on my iPhone on the car picks it up and a while after that I get a message saying internet traffic enabled. Must admit I'm not overly convinced it's worth the effort.

Don't think this will help much I'm afraid but the best I can do.

Thanks DJP,

I agree it's not great, but it was quite accurate in the previous RDS-only version, albeit a little exaggerated (heavy traffic being more than five or so vehicles) which now doesn't work any longer. Perhaps for the better! It is and remains a gadget.

Is anybody using the traffic info through the Internet option that came with the last update? I tried it out with wifi tethering and it worked fine the first time. Then, next time I started the car and tried to use it, it asked for my account name and password, which is not easy whether you are driving or not. So, I didn't bother and I didn't get any updates on RDC or Internet since.

Yesterday I tried to remedy the situation checking that the updates and source were set to auto. To my frustration, it still asks for user name and password, whether tethering on wifi or Bluetooth.

Anyone got it working without having to enter account and password every time the car is started again? I vaguely remember something to do with a single button press but can't find it again.