MD350

The new ES gives much more horse power than the previous ES models. However, there is more engine noise. Here is a poll to see what is more important to you. Quiet engine and less power (previous ES models), or an engine that produces lots of horses and is not as quiet.

garsarno

The engine noise is quieter than my 2004 Lincoln LS V6 but not in the cold morning start up. It was 34 degrees the other morning and it took a good 10 minutes in driving to quiet the engine. I just filled out the Lexus customer satisfaction questionaire and notated unsatisfaction with the first 900 miles.

amf1932

My engine has been quiet whether cold or hot right from the time I picked up my car from the dealer with about 23 miles on the odometer, up to the present with over 4000 miles on the odometer......and BTW, the build for my car is 3/06!

ES350Bob

More horsepower does not have to equate noise to a degree it is appreciably louder INSIDE the car. There are plenty of vehicles on the road with more HP that are as quiet or quieter and would not be if simply the addition of more HP made it a requirement it be noisier inside a car. We aren't lurking about under the hood, we are riding inside what is supposed to be an entry level luxury car. Personally I think a mistake has been made in the noise abatement decisions on this car, no doubt a cost cutting measure involved in the decision making. As for the diesel engine noise, that cannot be factored in this as mega abatement measures would be required if that is also supposed to be normal for this car.

LexBob2

Same with me. 4/06 build date and 5,100 miles on the car.

amf1932

I can't agree with this statement! I would agree if ALL '07 ES's were afflicted with this problem.....but they're not.

ES350Bob

I wasn't talking about a vehicle with a problem, actualy focusing my input on the two ES350 loaners I drove plus my own factoring out the knocking tapping noise, that cannot be considered as that is a problem. Idle, and the revving during acceleration and also considering surrounding noise intrusion like passing vehicles as well as road noise on highway etc. They could do better in the abatement department.

As for more HP must equal more dB inside the car that just isn't the case.

LexBob2

Speaking for myself - I really don't have any problems in that department either, which leads me to wonder if it is a widespread problem. Hopefully it's not. I know there is no way to accurately tell how widespread the issue might be, but a forum like this alerts owners to be on the lookout for potential issues. So far my car is very quiet, and the sound of the engine under hard accleration is quite pleasant with no unusual sounds.

Stevekil

I like quiet engine with lots of horsepower.

ES350Bob

LexBob...

Without question you got a car just like the cold started demonstrator I test drove. Whisper quiet at idle and generally so just as my 2 prior ES300 were so I was shocked at the noise level of my own car and the two loaners I drove in comparison.

I don't have any idea how many were made properly like yours as opposed to not. Someone, I think it was Wanderer, said there should not be so much variation car to car as he also drove several loaners and I think Riley on here agreed with him. I do as well.

There is no excuse for so many cars to be so dissimilar, they should be more similar than not so where three of us have noticed such variations just as a result of problems with our own cars then notice no set standard among loaners we drive either. Off slightly one could understand, noticeably so is inexcusable.

When I would get loaner ES300's when I owned those they may have driven as though beaten suspension wise or interior wear but the engines all sounded similar when considering one to another, all were QUIET at idle and generally so at speed. And I never knew an interior rattle in either of them, wind noise at mirror on one of them which was repaired, not had an excuse made as with wind noise in this ES350 and for many others.

onsknht

We all have different tolerance levels... For example, I like a bit off bass to fill in music, my grandmother can't stand even a hint of vibration. A guy coming out of a Powersmoker diesel might think the 3.5 is too quiet.

I sincerely believe that Toyota didn't spend enough time dampening the noise from the engine compartment... We really need to be aware that an engine is made from metal and the new 3.5 is all aluminum. While I'm no metalurgist, I know that tolerances change between hot/cold. I've never thought it to be uncommon for an engine to sound pingy upon cold startup and it can take awhile to completely heat soak to "operating temperature."

ES350Bob

Ons..

To get an idea of the knocking tapping for miles, not otherwise cold engine noise, take a stainless steel butter knife and lightly rap it, the bulkier handle end that is, on the countertop and then picture that in your mind in more rapid succession than you can tap and that is approaching the diesel engine knocking tapping noise that lasts for miles and progresses to also be present at hot in idle as a clacking sound where at hot early on it ceased for all intents and purposes.

That is not to be confused with the normal sound all engines have when cold through warmup. All engines as far as I am concerned are noisier when first cranked, this is different.

Then there is different levels of engine volume vehicle to vehicle absent the knocking tapping. Demonstrator whisper quiet absent any knocking and tapping much quieter than 2 loaners absent knocking tapping. They are, in those I have experienced, all over the map.

MD350

We all have different tolerance levels... For example, I like a bit off bass to fill in music, my grandmother can't stand even a hint of vibration. A guy coming out of a Powersmoker diesel might think the 3.5 is too quiet.

BINGO!!! Depending on what kind of car you came from, it is going to be a difference of opinion. The ES is quieter than my 2004 TL I owned previously. But, for someone who just came out of a ES 330, they are disappointed.

Heck, I used to think my wife's Sienna drove smooth. Now, I get in it after I drive the Lexus and I think it rides like junk. I am spoiled.

garsarno

I agree. Getting into the Lincoln LS, which I thought was very quiet, now sounds loud. If they could only get rid of the cold engine clatter! People look at you as you drive by with the clatter and probably think that your darling new car is falling apart. If any more happens to us, we should do what the owner of a new 1978 Corvette Pace Car did in Buffalo, NY did. He posted signs on his car "Lemon for Sale" and had the windows covered with work orders / letters that did not fix his car. Parked the Corvette outside of Chevrolet zone office for weeks. Do not know he finally made out. As I stated before, there are two ES350 with transmission replacements on e bay motors right now.

ES350Bob

MD..

The G35 coming out has 34 more horsepower than our ES350 yet it's interior dB level is nearly identical, is at idle, is marginally less than our ES350 at 70mph cruising and only 4.4 points above full throttle out. So something is off in the abatement area in our own if you try to tie it to HP.

Let me know if you get to drive a few ES350 loaners to see if you notice variation among them compared to your car and to each other.

I'm now curious but cannot find what the dB ratings were for the ES330.