RX450h 2009
I too have the same issue and have read this thread with a great deal of interest hoping that a long term fix is possible, I’m not so sure.
We had had the car about three months through the summer of 22 and one day went to open the rear tail gate which failed to lift. As I had had a recent battery exchange through Lexus assumed that the tail gate failing to operate was connected in some way, so took the car to Lexus.
It was fair to say that I had noticed that the FNS A pillar in the car was wet and there was issues with condensation in the car as the cooler temperatures came in at the start or autumn. I mentioned this to Lexus.
Lexus offered to renew the tail gate motor mechanism at a cost of £1890 stating that it was defunct. I declined and went to leave drive away and think this over. One of the mechanics approached me and explained that he had seen this issue before and that often, not always, the tailgate motor would stop operating when damp or moisture crept into the motor for the tailgate and that sometimes this was temporary and that I should dry the car out internally for a couple of hours with the heater and fan full on. This would dry out the motor for the tailgate and hopefully it would be fine.
I put the car on the drive and ran the car for about three hours with heating and fan full on. The tailgate lifted and all good. Saved myself a fortune. Lexus don’t share this information, I was just lucky that day that the mechanic felt sorry for me.
The damp pillar issue continued and I also found that the roof lining at the front behind the windscreen was wet if not soaked. Clearly with the onset of winter and the fact that water getting in will freeze and compound the leak and that wiring and electronic pathways ran up the pillars and clearly back to the tailgate motor, I could see that this issue wasn’t going to go away.
I spoke with my insurance company and explained the situation stating that the windscreen must be faulty with water accessing the cars interior and that left this would result in a possible electronic electrical failure of the car possibly affecting safety concerns. They agreed to replacement of the windscreen and instructed Autoglass to attend and change. New windscreen fitted. Excess paid. However, the leak persisted and I re contacted Autoglass who came back out to check. In doing so, they damaged the windscreen trying to remove it, so another windscreen was fitted and I was assured that they had thoroughly sealed the screen in. No cost this time.
The windscreen is not the problem. I’m pretty certain of that now. However, the leak continued with wetness to the FNS pillar.
This car does not have a sunroof nor roof bars, but investigation of the gutter trim and roof bar attachment lugs under the plastic gutter trim, seemed to indicate that at sometime the car may have been fitted with roof bars. The trim cover panels were/are looser that I would have thought they should be.
I put a load of sealant into the gully at the front of the gutter channel right up to the sealing of the windscreen and then reattached the gutter strip and cover panel.
The next wet period revealed that the FNS pillar and roof under the sun shield was dry. Fantastic. However, the FOS on the drivers side was now wet.
Back to square one.
I bought a full car cover and put it on every time there is a forecast of rain. I had to prevent the rain getting in. The car cover works, the cars lovely and dry, but it’s a major pain getting it on and off, especially if it’s blowing and or raining. Not a long term fix.
The other day forgot the cover and of course, it rained hard for hours and the FOS pillar is soaked.
It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s parked up hill or down hill on our drive.
My last hope is to get the CT1 clear sealant out and go at the gutter gully on the FOS this time and hope that it stops the water getting in.
If that fails then the car has to go. We just can’t use the car properly, not with the work up of getting the cover off and on every time you want to go out.
Problem is the Mrs loves the car and to be fair it really is a very nice car to drive.
Might try the Captain Tolleys though.
