panda327

iTrader: (3)

to the people *****ing about how bad your lexus is .. maybe u should write complaints to lexus about your problem with your car how bad you think of them ... at least by doing that you could give lexus a piece of your mind and hopefully they'd do something about it

15951

Lots of excuses here IMO, and you should all be pissed. Let's take a base year of 2006 for the competition, to give the most amount of time comparable with the introduction of the current gen IS:
And just for fun, some "unreliable" sports cars:
And some "POS" cars:
I'm not saying anything, I'm just saying. Lexus must be pretty damn "proactive". <flame suit>

quick123

iTrader: (2)

Ok, first of all, you are way too young (just out of college) and inexperienced with owning multiple premium brands of cars to make such harsh statements...and are you claiming to have a new IS for 2 years and putting over 100,000 miles on it??? And your issues are a Nav screen that was covered under warranty (I am sure your 240 didn't have nav), a water pump (usual life is about 90k in a Toyota), and a catalytic converter that got some goodwill assistance (again, life of about 100k) ??????

Dude, try driving any other premium luxury brand that hard over 2 years and only have those small issues...

quick123

iTrader: (2)

Look, everyone can compare the total number of recalls they want all day long...recalls don't mean you are having a problem, they are proactive...

My brother had a 2006 G35 coupe, and he had to replace the clutch at 25k (and he babied that car), his perforated leather seat tore and they made him pay for it!...my wife had a 2006 Jetta, and the power steering went out all the time (they replaced the rack twice, updated the software, and nothing), so we dumped that POS...

Just because there are recalls does not mean the car is junk...I wonder if the Geo Metro had less recalls

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

You're also cherry picking data there a bit...

For example 06 was the FIRST year of the ISx50.

Whereas the 3-series was near the end of its product cycle (for several models... one or two had moved to the E90 but did NOT have the new TT engines until the 2007 model year)...

likewise the TL model began in 2004 so it was on its third year already... and G35 was in its last year of the third generation (since 2003) so most of the bugs had been worked out there already.

Fair comparison there would be-

My 2008 IS350 has had ONE recall letter. For the floor mats. Which isn't even an actual problem.

(It might, or might not, get caught in the valve spring one...we won't know till at least next week, but that's still pretty good compared to say all the BMW 335i guys who've had fuel pump failures or overheating due to no oil cooler on the car).

And the 09 and 10 IS350 won't even be impacted by the spring recall... so it'd be sitting at 0 recalls so far if you discount the floor mats (which you really, really should).

javyLSU

iTrader: (21)

Why should I be pissed? Like I said before, I've yet to have anything "fixed" on my car that I didn't damage myself. I'm more pissed about people like you who are making this out to be a huge issue because they don't bother to read the facts. From the actual Lexus press release:
That means Lexus is going through the trouble of recalling ALL the vehicles in the VIN range that could possibly be affected even though 99.8% of them will NEVER experience this condition.

Please, folks, let's actually use our brains here and calm down.

Javier

Deros

iTrader: (1)

I had a 86 300zx turbo in high school, through college, and out of college 16 years ago. It went through 2 clutches, 1 digital dashboard, 2 water pumps, 1 exhaust for rust, 1 electronic shocks, and the air compressor. No of it under warranty. All this with less that 80k miles. Also it had a issue with not wanting to start with the first crank. Even though the Nissan technician replaced almost every thing in the car that was associated with turning over the engine, it still would take 2 or 3 cranks to start the engine.

Look everybody, for every good story with a car brand, you will hear a bad story. We can argue all day in this forum about how good or bad cars are. However I trust publication like Consumer Reports that collects all the data from thousands consumers to give us a picture of the trust worthiness of a car. As far as I can see Lexus is top. Does that mean Lexus has no problems. No! It means that the majority of Lexus owners had fewer problems than than the other brand vehicles.

SC3coupe

iTrader: (4)

Not every IS experience 6 recalls, mine is 2007 and I have only been in for the fuel rail and smaller gas pedal install. Didn't have any of the other recalls applicable to the VIN

I did see the Navigation problem being a liability down the road, it is expensive from the factory also.

ajfinoak

I have been driving for 40 years and have had many cars (mostly Toyotas/Lexus' and Acuras) over time. My issue is not that the car has recalls as I do appreciate Lexus being proactive. My issue is when the car has problems they "proactively" try to fix that do not get repaired. For example, my 08 250 has a carbon (or some issue) that started at just over 10K and now at 20K persist despite the top engine Service Bulletin. How Lexus can try to fix a fairly new car for a week and then say the rough idle is "normal" really pisses me off. And yes, I have dealt with Lexus Corporate (Rep and Supervisor )and they say nothing else will be authorized as it is now considered within "factory specifications". I hope that as the carbon issue with the 250 becomes more pervasive as cars get older they may take some other action. I imagine that if the issue was with the 350 they would get many more negative responses as 350 owners tend to be enthusiasts. After 3 Toyotas and 2 Lexus', I can't say I will not seriously look elsewhere for my next car.

patrick323

iTrader: (1)

This thread was started in part, as far as I can see, to question the recent integrity of lexus products. This is perfectly acceptable. If no one questioned anything nothing would ever be done right. If anything, this might be THE EXACT place/forum/thread where one would list their complaints as they pertain to recalls and product integrity/reliability since they are undoubtedly tied together. If people care to react in such negative and offensive ways to these complaints well, thats not so appropriate and just causes drama.

I did write lexus and did every other official method of complaint I could go through, as would anyone faced such expensive parts going bad so soon. And it did get something done. I wouldn't just sit on a forum b**ching for it's own sake or to make myself feel better. I gave a brief list of the problems I've had and how they might impact my future choice of vehicle manufacturers. real b**ching is a little beyond that, IMO. I find the issues I've had to be uncommon and more extensive than many other vehicles that friends/family have had. Yet despite it all, 95-98% of my postings on this site are ones sharing the joy of owning my lexus.

Booo at you for that reply. "First of all," just because I have not owned multiple luxury cars does not mean I am not very familiar with them, their owners and their issues.

A new nav screen and a new cat represents a pretty high dollar amount after only 2 and a half years. You consider these minor issues? What's major? My car exploding? Regardless as to if they were covered in full or in part, it's a matter of principle and things very well could have swung the opposite direction leaving me to pay for these in full. An unquestioning consumer or one that just accepts this is 'how it goes' would have just shelled out thousands of dollars for these things and you cant sit here and tell me that would be acceptable.

I am 32, "dude." By 'fresh out of college' I mean after my doctoral studies. If my statements are harsh it's because the problems Ive had are harsh. I simply stated what's gone wrong with my vehicle and that I'll probably give another maker a go next time given these issues. Perhaps then I'll see that lexus is indeed THE most reliable vehicle out there. Perhaps not. Either way I'll own this lexus as long as I can keep it running.

I do not "drive my vehicle hard" at all. 120k of my driving is likely far easier on a vehicle than 30k of driving for someone living in downtown major metropolitan area.

"and you are claiming to have a new IS for 2 years and putting 100k on it." It's been two and a half years and it has 121k. I do an uncommonly large amount of highway commuting 4 to 5 days a week. Then there is the normal, non work-related driving, on top of that. Are you suggesting that I'm exaggerating or lying about my mileage?

Yes, my previous 1992 Nissan, as i stated, was obviously far far less of asophisticated vehicle but that does not mean that I cannot take issue with a nav screen going out after 2 years. If in 18 years, since the design of my last car, makers cannot get a nav screen to go more than 2 years then we have problems. That's not the case though. They do last far longer usually which is the point, in my case. Find me ...say ...5 other people on this site who have had a nav screen go out after 2 years. I think you'd be hard pressed to find that. And mine was acting possessed and I was told they've never seen a nav screen go bad like mine did. So when mine goes out so quick that's probably a legitimate complaint. Seems logical to me at least. And it must have seemed logical to Lexus as well since they replaced it out of warranty.
I also feel I'm somewhat justified in taking issue with my catalytic converter going bad after 101k. Even having a basic , at best, knowledge of mechanics I have never really known anyone who's had to replace their cats let alone at 101k even if in a short time. I question the claim that a cat should only last 100k. And clearly Lexus, again, did too since they decided to pay for a large portion of it. They dont just cover things out of warranty to be nice! They cover them because something was wrong with them and that something must be a pretty warranted complaint if they paid out of warranty. Actually now my car is firing up the same catalytic efficiency issues again. Hopefully it's just an o2 sensor and not the other cat going bad or worse yet the new cat. The code fires for a day then goes away for a week just like it did last time. If it continues this way or if it then proceeds to stay on, like previously and is a cat issue then I'll have yet another complaint.

That being said, you are very rude and condescending to someone who merely shared their ownership experience. I was not rude. I did not bash Lexus. I listed my complaints and my skepticism of recent reliability. If the act of sharing my experience and possible plans for future vehicle choice offends you (or anyone) thereby leading you to approach a stranger in such a disrespectful way then you might represent yourself better or just not reply.

Obviously I like my car or I would be rid of it. As a matter of fact I adore my car. I can love something and have justified complaints. There are many issues I've had that I didnt even mention but these would be those common, expected, not worth mentioning issues that you seem to mistake my complaints for.

SC3coupe

iTrader: (4)

Try to replace the O2 sensor first.. in my experience bad cat just give you bad emission test results. What code is your check engine light?

patrick323

iTrader: (1)

I'll get it tomorrow if the light is still on.

It's been maybe 3 to 4 months since I had the one cat replaced. I now question if it even WAS the cat after all, despite a few places saying I needed a new cat.

A few weeks ago the fireworks started. Check engine light, VCS picture light,"CHECK VCS" on info gauge. I dont care about a minimal difference in emissions until it's state inspection day but all the warning lights drive me friggin crazy. The next day it was gone and didnt come on for about a week until today when it came back on. The frequency is, so far, the same as before. It might go back off then come on again in another day then stay on I'm guessing. Anyway I'll get a code tomorrow if it's still on.

Memout

http://www.ktvu.com/news/24145524/detail.html

MBTC

For the record, I think it's just as important to hear from the folks having negative experiences with their car as it is to hear the positive experiences. As long as things don't get too emotionally charged it is a constructive process. I'm a new IS owner so I'm learning from all of you.

However, I wonder how many folks having trouble their cars have modified them, particularly with regard to changes that would tighten suspension and increase vibration? I never modify my cars; part of the reason for that is that like most other things that are engineered and manufactured, a car is not designed and tested in isolation on a per-part basis, then later simply put together. Rather, individual parts are chosen but the assembled product is extensively tested as a whole. Doing anything to the car, from installing new electronics to modifying the suspension (even something as simple as a sway bar) can affect the automobile in ways that cause it to run outside of the tested specification.

So while a modification may not necessarily be the sole contributor to an issue that occurs, I can understand why a dealership would be frustrated by folks modifying their cars, then wanting work done under warranty. I run into the same thing in my line of work developing software. Sometimes I encounter users who want to "tweak things" to their liking in ways that are outside the scope of the test cases I have run -- I basically tell them if you change it, you own it, warranty voided That's not because I'm territorial, it's because there's no way I could support every combination of custom modifications, so I make clear their changes are going to get overwritten on my next software release. Clearly there are some differences in software and auto engineering but there are many similarities. Modifying something that is tested and supported to a certain specification is a risky move.

When I had my '02 Maxima SE, a friend of mine got the same year / model car. I left mine stock, while he modified his suspension, ran custom wheels and unofficially supported tire sizes, etc. I always thought that car was stiff enough but he wasn't happy with the handling. Over time he ran into problems with the Nav system and stereo bugging out on him, little things that I always felt could be getting beaten up by more vibration than intended. Because of the electronics integration it would have cost him a lot to fix so he sold the car. I had problems with rotors and wheel bearings but those issues would have only been worse if I tightened suspension. It's just one case in point, and certainly doesn't mean that mods necessarily = problems.

I'm also aware that not being a modder probably puts me in the minority here and that this particular post probably won't win me popularity points on this forum -- and I'm not saying "don't mod" I'm just saying there is always a chance that running a car outside of tested spec will result in a few more issues or at least reluctance to help at the dealership.

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

More specifics here:

http://lexusenthusiast.com/2010/07/0...engine-recall/

Lou