nerv81

I'm wondering if anyone else has had the issue I've had. I bought a certified 2013 GS with 19k miles back in January of 2016. A few months after driving I noticed a whining noise coming from the engine bay when I was at about 60mph. I mentioned it to the dealer on my next visit and turns out there was a TSB for a transmission mount so they put the new one in. Within a couple months the sound came back to I took it back to them. They said the new mount looked good and I was the first person to report the sound coming back after getting the updated mount. Since the sound can be reproduced very easily they decided to try the trans mount from a 2016 GS and the problem is still there. This time they scheduled an appointment for me when the regional lexus tech or something was going to be at the dealership so he could take a look. They took a drive and he had some instrument that measures sound and said "yes, we still hear the sound but it's within Lexus spec so there's nothing else we can do". The service manager called me with this yesterday so I told him it's obviously an issue that there's a TSB so it's not within spec and I refused to pick up my car. So now the service manager is going to some higher-up to ask what to do next.
I just wanted to see if anyone else has run into this issue and if they had a permanent fix other then the TSB. Until now this dealer has been great with troubleshooting anything I've brought to their attention so I have confidence in them, but I'm wondering if it's time I try another dealer.

bclexus

I'm not familiar with this issue - never heard about it before now. Can you provide the TSB number?

nerv81

Here you go http://www.revbase.com/BBBMotor/TSb/...dPdf?id=192696
TSB L-SB-0001-16

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

I have the same issue or sound I think, does it sound almost like a supercharger whine. I tried to get mines fixed with no luck, maybe that TSB will help keep us posted.

nerv81

Yea sounds like a supercharger when you're either coasting around 60 or just feathering the gas to maintain speed. You should take this TSB to the dealer. I'm glad my dealer was able to diagnose it properly the first time at least otherwise I'd be stuck with that whine. I just left a message for the service manager to call me back because I noticed the TSB says to replace the engine mount and when I checked my service records they replaced the engine mount the first time, but when they put in the part from a 2016 they replaced the trans mount so I want to make sure they replaced the right part. I'm thinking I possible just got a defective engine mount the first time which is why the problem didn't go away then the 2nd time they just replaced the wrong part. Either way i'll update the thread as I hear back from the dealership.

bclexus

Interesting! I see that this TSB is only one year old and applies only to some AWD GS 350 vehicles for model year 2013 - 2015. Is your GS 350 AWD?

nerv81

Yea, I live in NJ so they're mostly AWD up here.

nerv81

So I just spoke to the service manager and customer satisfaction manager at the dealer. I asked them to replace the engine mount and cross member as per the TSB again in case I happened to get a defective one the first time. The 2nd time they replaced a trans mount as per lexus support. In short they said there's nothing else they're allowed to do on the car for this issue since the lexus corporate tech looked at it too. What they suggested is that I open a case with corporate and push the issue because then they can give approval for the dealer to swap out more parts so I just opened a case and will hear back by EOB Tuesday. I told them I'm keeping the loaner until we have some type of resolution because I'm not wasting time driving back and forth so looks like I'll be rolling around in a 2016 for the next week.

nerv81

Just to update everyone Lexus has refused to do anything further to try to resolve this issue. I've spoken to everyone I possibly can and have gotten nowhere. I guess I'll just have to turn up the radio a little to cover the sound. From what I remember it wasn't so bad in the summer so hopefully this is a winter months issue only.

bclexus

For whatever it may be worth - the repair for this 2013 GS 350 AWD that makes a whining noise only at 60 mph (like yours) was to replace the rear differential carrier assembly, which was done under warranty at 44k miles.

nerv81

Thanks, I think i'm a few thousand miles away from my next oil change. I'll bring it up then but mine sounds just like the video. Do you know if there was a TSB for it?

bclexus

There is a one year-old TSB (affecting 2013-2015 GS 350 AWD) for whine noise coming from the transfer case at 30 - 50 mph under light throttle, which requires the transfer case rear mount and bushing insulator to be replaced. But, that TSB (while close to the same) does not appear to be your particular issue.

Here is the TSB (L-SB-0001-16) for the transfer case whine noise (covered for 72 Mos./70k Miles) ► http://www.revbase.com/BBBMotor/TSb/...dPdf?id=192696

Davenlei

iTrader: (1)

I do not have that whine in my car but it sounds similar to another car I used to own.
It was a 1983 street ported 1983 13B RX-7. The rear end would whine much louder than that when getting off the gas. The rear end never broke but it did annoy.

nerv81

Thanks, that's the TSB they already followed to try to fix the car. Looks like I'm SOL for now.

bclexus

Not all customer complaints and repairs fall under an existing TSB of course, nor do all customer complaints and repairs create a TSB. The majority of repairs by-far do not have, nor do they need, a TSB to be worthy of Lexus making the repair. Keep at it - you now know what was replaced to satisfy another customer with [likely] the same exact problem...