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Friend's 2007 Lexus ES350 passenger window fell out.
#62
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ES350 Window Tabs
I replaced 3 windows or more correctly Lexus did including re tinting. You have to make a real fuss preferably when the GM is available and lots of folk in the showroom. You are not alone and Lexus will not acknowledge the issue in public. Now replaced with an Audi! Ifli43
#65
Driver
iTrader: (1)
Is this issue only effecting the 2007-2008 models? The TSB says that improvements were made so the issue would not occur anymore on newer cars - so I'm surprised the issue is happening more than once to folks if the TSB replaces the window with the new parts. I wonder if there is something else that changed to fix the problem in newer models?
#66
defective plastic retainer tabs
I have addressed this issue in the past....This is a problem in the side windows in the 07 and 08 es350's.....The window does not fall out, it pops off track....The plastic tabs that hold the window to the regulator crack and fail to retain the window on track..Therefore, the window will protrude away from the window frame...Lexus will warrant this defect for 4 years or 50k...The tell tale sign that the plastic is about to crack is the the window will make a POPPING SOUND when moving in the up position..........THIS IS THE TIME TO HAVE IT CHECKED...If the car is out of warranty the replacement price is $660....However, I went to a glass shop that offered a lifetime warranty and had it done for $220...This shop did not have the expertise to reset the PINCH PROTECTOR and Lexus quoted a price of around $100... I decided to not have the pinch protector reset, but it is very easy to do, after the door panel is removed....Hope this helps
#67
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Since my 2007 ES350 had run a little over 50k (thus, was out of warranty) at that time , the local Lexus service dept refused to replace it FOC. They said each replacement would cost $984. But, when we checked with a local Toyota service dept, their serice charge was $700. (The Toyota technicians also didn't understand why they should replace the entire window glasses because of those small plastic pieces.) If I went to the Lexus service, I should have spent $2k for both.
#69
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Defective Window Regulator on ES 350
I have a 2007 with 29,000 miles! The driver window disconnected from the window regulator and had to be duct taped to the door frame. I thought the bolts that hold the regulator to the window had fallen out as this had happened to me on a Mercury that was 12 years old. The dealer charged me $130 to tell me the tabs on the window regulator had broken off and he wanted $850 to replace the regulator! This is the worst design quality I have ever seen in ANY car yet alone a premium car and I have owned many cars over the last 40 years.
The dealer said he will try to get Lexus to cover it but from the message traffic I have seen, Lexus will not cover these repairs.
Anyone had any success getting Lexus to cover their design/quality mistake?
The dealer said he will try to get Lexus to cover it but from the message traffic I have seen, Lexus will not cover these repairs.
Anyone had any success getting Lexus to cover their design/quality mistake?
#71
I have a 2007 with 29,000 miles! The driver window disconnected from the window regulator and had to be duct taped to the door frame. I thought the bolts that hold the regulator to the window had fallen out as this had happened to me on a Mercury that was 12 years old. The dealer charged me $130 to tell me the tabs on the window regulator had broken off and he wanted $850 to replace the regulator! This is the worst design quality I have ever seen in ANY car yet alone a premium car and I have owned many cars over the last 40 years.
The dealer said he will try to get Lexus to cover it but from the message traffic I have seen, Lexus will not cover these repairs.
Anyone had any success getting Lexus to cover their design/quality mistake?
The dealer said he will try to get Lexus to cover it but from the message traffic I have seen, Lexus will not cover these repairs.
Anyone had any success getting Lexus to cover their design/quality mistake?
I have addressed this issue in the past....This is a problem in the side windows in the 07 and 08 es350's.....The window does not fall out, it pops off track....The plastic tabs that hold the window to the regulator crack and fail to retain the window on track..Therefore, the window will protrude away from the window frame...Lexus will warrant this defect for 4 years or 50k...The tell tale sign that the plastic is about to crack is the the window will make a POPPING SOUND when moving in the up position..........THIS IS THE TIME TO HAVE IT CHECKED...If the car is out of warranty the replacement price is $660....However, I went to a glass shop that offered a lifetime warranty and had it done for $220...This shop did not have the expertise to reset the PINCH PROTECTOR and Lexus quoted a price of around $100... I decided to not have the pinch protector reset, but it is very easy to do, after the door panel is removed.... If you use a glass shop, make sure they are able to reset the pinch protector..hope this helps..The pinch potector can be overridden when auto up is not used...hope this helps
#72
Pole Position
It was a design issue, yes, but Lexus has hardly "refused" to admit it. Lexus put out a service bulletin in Jan. of 2009 "admitting" to the problem. That's over 4 years ago. Blame Lexus for the flaw but don't spout off about Lexus not acknowledging the issue. The bulletin is posted earlier in this thread if you want to see it. The bulletin is cold hard evidence that Lexus did not refuse to acknowledge anything.
Last edited by IS350jet; 04-12-12 at 03:39 AM.
#73
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You folks need an education on how those windows are designed. The reliable way to connect the regulator to the window is to waterjet 2 holes into the glass and mechanically connect the window to the regulator with bolts or rivets. This is how REPUTABLE auto designers operate. This basically lasts forever. Lexus and some low reliability US manufacturers figured out they can save $4.00 per window by gluing plastic tabs onto the glass and mounting the regulators thru these tabs. They also use less glass. The etching compound used to prep the glass to the tab can react with the plastic tab causing the plastic to get brittle and break over time. And/or the plastic tab is formulated with insufficient plasticizer (expensive part of the plastic formulation) which also causes the plastic to get brittle and break. You would think that when you buy a premium car you would get the best design but we got the worst design from Lexus. They are not about to fix all these defective vehicles at $2000 per copy. Our only recourse is to file a complaint at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov. The government forced Toyota to do a recall in 2008 for a similar problem on bad window connections on Corollas and Matrix. See NHTSA Campaign 08V162000. Signed Materials Engineer.
#74
Pole Position
You folks need an education on how those windows are designed. The reliable way to connect the regulator to the window is to waterjet 2 holes into the glass and mechanically connect the window to the regulator with bolts or rivets. This is how REPUTABLE auto designers operate. This basically lasts forever. Lexus and some low reliability US manufacturers figured out they can save $4.00 per window by gluing plastic tabs onto the glass and mounting the regulators thru these tabs. They also use less glass. The etching compound used to prep the glass to the tab can react with the plastic tab causing the plastic to get brittle and break over time. And/or the plastic tab is formulated with insufficient plasticizer (expensive part of the plastic formulation) which also causes the plastic to get brittle and break. You would think that when you buy a premium car you would get the best design but we got the worst design from Lexus. They are not about to fix all these defective vehicles at $2000 per copy. Our only recourse is to file a complaint at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov. The government forced Toyota to do a recall in 2008 for a similar problem on bad window connections on Corollas and Matrix. See NHTSA Campaign 08V162000. Signed Materials Engineer.
BMW is also a premium brand, dare I say, more so than Lexus, but I can guarantee, you'll find more broken BMW 3 series window regulators in the scrap yard than Lexus windows, not to mention failed *plastic* water pumps, high pressure fuel pumps, etc.
The bottom line is, while no car is perfect, Lexus ranks among the top in quality and reliability.
#75
It was a design issue, yes, but Lexus has hardly "refused" to admit it. Lexus put out a service bulletin in Jan. of 2009 "admitting" to the problem. That's over 4 years ago. Blame Lexus for the flaw but don't spout off about Lexus not acknowledging the issue. The bulletin is posted earlier in this thread if you want to see it. The bulletin is cold hard evidence that Lexus did not refuse to acknowledge anything.