taymatt

I've had my ES 350 since the end of June. Interior noises have been a constant problem including right rear window area, right front door, knocking sound from windshield and dashboard area(on cold days) and creaking sounds from front center console and navigation screen area.

All noises have been quieted (approximately 12 separate visits to the dealer)except the creaking from the console and nav screen area. Dealer has placed insulation around the frames but it still creaks to the touch and when hitting bumps. I've sat in new ES 350's in the showroom and they still creak to the touch.

I read a professional review on Autosite and it mentioned creaking from dashboard.

Is anyone else experiencing this? Can it be fixed? I'm scheduled to bring the car in again.

MD350

Yes, I had the same issue. My dealer pulled the unit out and lined it with felt. It solved the problem. I also had a rattle in the front right door, and the dealer used some felt as well and it is fixed.

ES350Bob

taymatt,

Welcome...

I had past looked up rattles on search and remembered reading of console rattles. Don't know if this site will help or not though some the descriptions of the sound are amusing, e.g. crickets having sex...LOL..and they seem to get intowhat dealer did to resolve..

Very patient if this will be your 13th trip for rattles and hope the following helps.

•Squeaking in the center console??? [Archive] - GreenHybrid ...
All Camry trims have this problem, as does the Lexus ES350. ... NOTE: Although this rattle/squeak emanates from the center console, I actually thought it ...
http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/a...hp/t-7908.html

dunnojack

yeah. rattles like the 3rd link in my sig.

I do NOT want to take the car in 12 times for stupid rattles. they should pay me for lost wages if i have to

taymatt

ES Bob350 Thank you for the post. I do believe the final creaking may be coming from the area of the plastic gear shift emblem (black plastic). Its amazing that the poor design was carried over to this new model car.

The dealer has been very co operative and at one time the Lexus Factory Rep (at my request) worked on the car and rid it of most of the interior noises.

Like eveyone else who bought a Lexus, I was sold on the inherent quality of the brand. Had I known about the problems, I never would have bought a Lexus.

Lexus has not done a good job of educating the service techs about the problems and solutions. If they did, I wouldn't have brought the car in 12 times.

Thankfully I don't have the mechanical issues so many others have with this car.

dunnojack

what is the center console? the arm rest compartment you mean?

the fat plastic button creaks when i put my arm on it.
the plastic is not made well.

ES350Bob

The raised area that separates the driver side and passenger including gear shift area up to blending into dash. Visualize a T with the bottom of the ascender being where your armrest is and the crossbar as blending into dash where NAV, CD, radio etc., are.

Tay...,

If brave, you could try a DIY on the area around gearshift. With drink holder area lid up that exposes bottom edge of the "wood" surround of gear shift area. On both ends of exposed edge of this wood stuff lift upward with a little force to start it popping up no more than an 1/4 inch though you can lift it up more once you got it started. Drive around with it popped up and see if the rattle ceases. If it ceases, you can point it out to dealer service and they can take it from there or they should be able to.

kingofire

Felt is a temporary fix. With the cold air outside and the warm air from the vents, it will dry up real fast and in it self start cracking and give you MORE snap, crackle and pop sounds. If you want a permanant fix, get dynamat or if you want to be cheap, get some roof liners from Home Depot or Lowes and install that. It will eliminate the creaks forever.

dunnojack

my backseat carpet squeaks when passengers enter the car.

how do you think they'd fix that? rip the whole carpet out and lay a new one?

ES350Bob

dunno,

I have never heard of carpet itself causing a squeak, if it was the first time you had people back there maybe something settled or needed to settle and it will not keep happening. Or the floor mat plastic clips allowed some movement of the mat and you hear that.

dunnojack

the squeak is from the carpet lining over the floor behind the base of the rear air conditioning vent/armrest box. The carpet bulges out in one spot, and when i push the bulge with my finger, or if someone enters the left passenger side, it will squeak.
the factory didn't lay down the carpet neatly in the back.

dunnojack

it seems like everyday, i'm finding a new squeak or rattle. Must be the super cheap plastics.

After playing around with the es350 loaner car, which has rattles everywhere imaginable, (seriously)..... I prodded around my own car, and found another squeak. When lightly pushing down the top of the dashboard right above the center a/c vents, it would squeak like an old wood floor.

I'm not gonna bother fixing it though, as it doesn't squeak if i don't touch it... yet.

My 2003 es300 dash was solid, and felt nice to touch too.

amf1932

That reminds me of the old joke:
A guy goes to the doctor and tells him, "my arm hurts if I touch it". The doctors answer...."then don't touch it".

LexBob2

Henny Youngman and Rodney Dangerfield would be proud of you...

dunnojack

..............