bc6152

Mine doesn't do this but I'm wishing it did now...

lesz

I don't get much chance to see an unoccupied front passenger seat back in other vehicles because, if I'm in another person's vehicle, I'm probably going to be sitting in the front passenger seat; however, since this thread was started, I've tried, when I've had the opportunity, to see what happens to the front passenger seat back in other vehicles when the vehicle is moving. With the three vehicles that I've had the opportunity to check, including my own Lexus GX, the front passenger seat back in all three of them shimmied about a bit when the vehicle was moving, just like with my ES. With some, it was a bit more noticeable than with others, but I get the feeling that it is normal for an unoccupied front passenger seat back to vibrate a bit when the vehicle is moving, but that it is just one of those things that we, while driving the car, are not likely to notice.

mrbrown188

Having this problem as well in my Lexus ES350 and dealer told me it is the it is, and that's BS. My 2007 Prius never did this so why is my Lexus that cost doing it. I've submitted a case to the http://www.nhtsa.gov/Contact and if you do as well we can get Lexus to do something about it.

Cheers,
MB

rustytank

My 13 does the same since the day one on my way home from the dealer. I live in NYC and the roads here make this really noticable. It litterally rattles like the bobble head, especially the headrest area when i hit bumpy roads. I still love my the car tho.

jim256

NHTSA is for safety issues.

Mine does not move enough that I have ever noticed. It may just be the seat back angle I have set on mine.

Max707

Angle could be the difference between noticing the shake versus like me not noticing any shake?

lesz

I really think that some of the people who think that they have this "problem" really need to take a look at the unoccupied passenger seat backs in other vehicles as the vehicles are being driven at reasonable speeds.

Normally, our eyes are not going to be drawn to the back of an unoccupied passenger seat while we are driving, and, if we are passengers in someone else's vehicle, either we are going to be sitting in the front passenger seat or, if we are sitting in the back seat, someone else is going to be occupying the front passenger seat. As I said earlier in this thread, when I read the start of the thread, I made a point of looking at the unoccupied front passenger seat in my ES while I was driving, and it was shimmying a bit, but, since then, I've made a point of checking out the unoccupied front passenger seats in a number of other vehicles, including my own GX, and they all also shimmy a bit.

I suspect that what is happening is what often happens on the internet. Once one person thinks that there might be something wrong with the front passenger seat of his/her vehicle, others who otherwise would not ever have looked at the back of the front passenger seat while driving now make a point of doing so, and, when they see a slight shimmy, they start to believe that their vehicle is "broken". I'd suggest that those who think that there is a problem make a point of checking the unoccupied front passenger seats (which, again, we normally would not do) on other vehicles while they are being driven, and, if they do so, I suspect that they will see that it is quite normal to have some small amount of movement in those seat backs. I also suspect that, when some go back to the dealership to complain about this "problem", it is the kind of issue that leaves the people in the service department shaking their heads.

rustytank

I can assure you, our head rests do shake and no its not because someone pointed it out. For me it doesn't just shake, it rattles too. I can literally hear the rattling of the seat. I noticed mine from day one from my way home from the dealer. I also noticed it when i got the loaner so i was certain it wasn't just mine. I told my dealer about it and they said "its a WELL KNOWN ISSUE". So please don't speculate that people experiencing this issue is over reacting or being over sensitive. A $40-45k car shouldn't do this.

Personally, I don't really mind this when i'm driving by myself but when i have someone in the back seat and no one in the front seat, its quiet embarassing for a luxury car to rattle like that.

rustytank

It seems like when the seat is more tilted back, the stronger it vibrates.

Arty101

Try adjusting the headrest a little forward. The spring tension will be tighter and may reduce some "looseness" that may contribute to the vibration.

lesz

Since I have never driven your vehicle, I clearly can't say with certainty whether or not there is something wrong with the passenger seat on your vehicle. If there is, in fact, a problem with the seat that is a "well known issue", it certainly is not an issue on all ES vehicles.

While I have questions about a number of things that you have said, I think I'll chose to leave them unasked and just wish you good luck in getting satisfaction as you deal with issue.

Max707

One of the great benefits of online auto forums is bring to light things current and future owners should look for. Since I don't have this issue on my 2014 ES350 but some others do it becomes something that prospective buyers should look for when test driving the car they are buying. The problem I have with a service tech. Stating "it's a known issue" when it isn't, it becomes a cop out stating you will have to live with it until Lexus comes up with a fix. Another way of a tech saying it's not my responsibility. Jmho

lesz

It would be very surprising and especially unusual for a service adviser or service technician ever to say that any issue is a "known issue". Service personnel are trained and instructed not to use that term because, if they do use the term, they are, in effect, putting Lexus (and the dealership) in a position of liability for fixing the alleged problem. Regardless of whether an issue is a real problem or not, service personnel are trained to tell customers that they are the first ones ever to have whatever the issue is, and saying that something is a "known issue" becomes acceptable only after the manufacturer has made an official decision to replace or repair involved components on thousands of vehicles. Further, more than a few service personnel have lost their jobs or otherwise been reprimanded for telling customers that something is a "known issue". Because I wasn't there to hear what someone from the dealer told rustytank, I can't know the exact wording of what was said, but, if the words "well known issue" were actually used, both Lexus and the dealership management would not be happy about their use.

rustytank

You're delusional if service technicians are trained to tell customers that a well known issue is never heard of. World is not that cruel buddy. Plus, the dealers know there are online communities that bring up the issues so for them to deny the issues is just stupid and bad business. I've driven plenty of cars previously and had many known issues fixed and the dealers acknowledged of the issues.

Believing what you read here or not is up to you. But speculating someone else's statement and speculating the facts just because you're not experiencing the same with your car is just ignorant specially when there are MULTIPLE people experiencing it.

Here, I uploaded some videos just for you buddy, turn up your volume and you can actually hear the rattle:

jollick

Wow, that looks like the seat is not fully bolted down to the floor. That, IMHO, is an issue that needs to be repaired by your dealer. I hope you show the dealer the videos if you have not already done so.