chrisexv6

Just got our '15 Atomic Silver UL yesterday. Nice car!

After bringing it home, I had a few questions/observations

1. The HID lights make an audible buzzing noise, quite noticeable once the car is off and before the timer expires to shut them down automatically. Ive read this is somewhat normal but figured Id ask anyway. Anyone had the dealer attempt to fix this? (Im assuming it has something to do with the ballasts for the headlights)

2. There is more noise in the cabin than I would expect. Its not bad by any means, but I was wondering if it could be quieter. Im thinking part of it is 18" wheels, part of it is the tires (Bridgestones) and part of it is that our car didnt win the "dual pane glass" lottery.

Has anyone gotten the dealer to swap out the Bridgestones for Michelins, after picking up the car?

How about swapping the single pane for dual pane glass....I figure that would be a tough one but I might ask them anyway.

Overall still love the car. Fit our needs perfectly to replace our 2003 TL (unfortunately I was unable to convince the female parental unit that the V8 RC-F in the showroom would also fit ours needs perfectly)

bc6152

The buzzing noise with the HID's is normal. Pretty soon you won't even hear it. You're probably right about the tires. I have Michelins and am really glad I do. I traded an '06 Avalon for the Lexus and it had the Bridgestones.
Don't think you'll have success with the side glass and as far as the RC-F, They just don't understand...

Good Luck with your new wheels!

swfla

iTrader: (1)

I've noticed that many places tend to inflate tires on the high side. Dropping the pressure to 33-34 psi will make a difference if this is the case.

lesz

I would guess that the two main factors causing any noise levels to be higher than you had expected would be the 18 inch wheels and the tires. I doubt whether the windows are much, if any, factor at all. On the ES vehicles with the single-paned windows, that single pane is thicker than the total thickness of the dual-paned windows, and its acoustic properties are supposed to be at the same level, if not better, than those of the thinner dual-paned glass. In any case, I would guess that, even if you were willing to pay for it yourself, switching out the glass would be cost prohibitive.

Another factor, though, that would contribute to higher noise levels is the panoramic roof on ES UL vehicles because its larger glass surface area can't suppress sound at the same level as a smaller sunroof.

chrisexv6

Thanks everyone.

According to the MID, tires are at 33psi which is correct.

I forgot to mention that I do assume some of it is the roof. However, when I hear the road noise (usually 60mph and up) it seems like its coming in from the sides, if that makes sense.

Nice to know the single pane is a little better than plain old single pane. I wont really pursue that then.

I *will* be asking the dealer for the Michelins. Hopefully they oblige.

chromedome

Congrats on the new Lex Road noise is an issue on the ES. On smooth tarmac it's almost silent but on worn concrete roads there's a lot of noise from the wheel wells. It could be down to tire choice and the lack of wheel well insulation. There's also wind noise from the mirrors if you have cross winds.

chrisexv6

We had a loaner for a day and it had the 17" wheels on it. Road noise and ride quality were much better.

I knew our incoming vehicle would have the 18s (for some reason its an "option" but seems to be "required" for the Ultra Lux model), but figured id be better off taking the 18s, getting the michelins if possible, and selling them if they still didnt satisfy us.

The ride quality on the 18s on our car is somewhere between the loaner with the 17s and the car with the 18s that we test drove at the dealer....I think the test drive car had over inflated tires.

lesz

I think it is fairly common for the cars on the dealer lots and the cars that are delivered to customers to have over-inflated tires. I believe that, when the cars leave the factory, the tires are over-inflated for shipping. You would think that checking the tire pressure would be one of the things that would be on the checklist for the people who prep the cars, but, evidently, tire pressure is often not checked. When I bought my ES and drove it off the lot, the tires were inflated to 40 psi.

If you want a more comfortable and, perhaps, quieter ride even with your 18 inch wheels, you might want to experiment with the tires inflated, say, to 31 psi. That will decrease your fuel economy just a bit, and the outer edges of the tires may wear slightly faster, but it should give a more comfortable ride and reduce noise a bit.

gemigniani

The 2013-15 Toyota Avalon has a stiff ride with considerable road noise - even with Michelins - and owners have found the Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum gives them relief.

Poppa

I traded in my 07 Avalon for a new ES back in January of 2014. I looked at the new Avalons, but in my opinion, the 13 model avalons had a rouger ride and was considerably more noisy in the cabin than my 07 Avalon... that's when I switched to the Lexus.. my own experience is that my ES is much quiter inside than my 07 Avalon... I will agree that part of what you're hearing is due to the 18" wheels and bridgestone tires... I did ask the dealership about swapping out for Michelins but they wouldn't do it..... I will tell you when I bought my Avalon in in 06 it came with the bridgestone turanza's ( same thing that's on my lexus now )... and as soon as the bridgestones started to show any wear I swapped over to Michelins... made a world of difference in the ride and I"ll do the same with these tires on my lexus when they start to wear... someone else mentioned it, but it's worth repeating.. check the air pressure... when I got my car home from the dealership I checked the tires and they were inflated to 38 to 40 lbs... dropped them all down to 32-33 and it made a huge difference... congrats on the new Lexus!

SLH

Most of the noise in most cars comes from the interaction between the tire and the road surface. (Cars with intentionally loud exhaust or stereo systems are, of course, the exceptions.)

A very interesting article on this subject is http://www.tirereview.com/the-fight-against-tire-noise/ . Turns out the tread pattern has a lot to do with it. According to the article, "air is trapped in the tread pattern and is suddenly released as the tire rolls along the road surface. Tread elements successively hitting the road surface can create what’s known as a 'rhythmic percussion.' Tread designs made up of short, repetitive patterns often generate a whine. Usually, a tire with a rib tread pattern is much quieter than a tire with a lug or block tread pattern. "

Europe has had regulations for several years, limiting tire-noise and requiring manufacturers to label tires for noise. Michelin has done a lot of work to reduce tire-noise. You might notice the central "rib" on the newer Michelin tires. I am less familiar with other brands.

chrisexv6

Good info, thanks for all of the replies.

I will be contacting the service department today to see if they will take a ride with me (or if swapping out the tires is even a possibility)

-Chris

MDames2

iTrader: (1)

I think the time for swapping out the tires was before you took delivery. Unless you have a phenomenal dealer, I doubt they'll accommodate your request for different tires.

chrisexv6

Yeah that's what I was worried about.

Will try anyway but not holding my breath (although it seems a few people on the forum were able to make it happen)

gemini6kl

As far as the dual pane glass/acoustic glass as lexus calls it the deciding factor may be how sensitive is your hearing. I have a 2013 ES and it came with the single pane glass. Out of curiousity i decided to swap it out for the acoustic glass. I ordered the OEM glass for around 350 each from a lexus supplier and changed it out myself, if you are handy with tools its actually an easy job just remove the door panel and remove 2 screws to take out the glass. Now for the verdict honestly there is really not a big perceptible difference in the interior . The car did not get noticeable quieter. there is a small diffference but not a deal breaker in my opinion, i would say the glass added may be a 5 to 10% diff in blocking of outside sounds. (Tire noise however does not count as it appears to come from inside the cabin) Like another poster said i think both windows are designed to give very excellent sound blocking properties. Its still the quietest car i have owned and i love it . Also on a side note both windows are exactly the same thickness even though one is dual pane.