mixa86

kikkomanrj, to be honest i would try to go to a lawyer about this. No owner should be expected to know what a failing part looks like or feels like on a car. If the car was serviced and nothing was noted how is a customer suppose to know that there is something wrong, i feel really bad for you man couz this is utter BS.

chicagoblknazn

I agree. This is rather serious.

Alexbenz

Again there trying to pull a fast one on you...get a lawyer..you can't be expected to know how a part fails...escalate the issue with a lawyer and hopefully you'll get what you want...

kurency

does your temperature gauge work propertly?
Lexus probably would have fixed it if it was justa water pump issue if they caught it ealr enough.
it usually takes a while of driving that hot for that much damage to happen. it's up to the driver to not drive while the car is running so hot. coulda happened to any of us, just gotta check our gauges. Unless yours is broken?

kikkomanrj

What likely happened is there wasn't enough coolant for the temp gauge to accurately measure.

4wheelin

Crazy! I can't believe there is not a warning that show in the driver info screen for overheating conditions.

If you are losing air pressure in a tire it will set off at least 2 warnings...a light and a message in the info screen. But you can burn your engine up and the only way to know is to be looking at the gauge and notice the needle going up? That can happen within a couple of minutes....who in the world checks their temp guage every 5 minutes?

That being said, I would think that if it had been leaking for awhile, that there would have been a time that the engine ran consistently hotter than normal....

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

This is true. The temperature sensor depends on being fully submerged in liquid. If it is not, then you won't see a temperature issue on the gauge.

They don't have a leg to stand on in regards to "you should have noticed something" because they have no idea how long it took the pump to fail. If the seal failed suddenly and the coolant level dropped fast (same idea as a heater hose failing), your temperature would look normal and you would keep driving until the engine seized. It's very unlikely you'd notice anything if you were at highway speed unless you happened to notice a white cloud behind the car in the mirror. Most people do not, and I've seen this on the road many times - white or blue smoke from the car in front of me, and the owner is completely unaware there is an issue with the vehicle. Didn't you say you were on a long trip?

Since the pump had metal to metal contact, it was sufficiently damaged to make any assumption about how long it took to happen complete guesswork. As much as I dislike feeding the legal system because there are so many frivolous lawsuits, this is one case you really need to litigate.

NastyIS

iTrader: (1)

For those of that have not dealt with Lexus corporate, it's a joke. I've contacted them regarding several different issues and it's always some type of run around. A few weeks ago I phoned them about a oil leak and was told to take it to the dealer to be "diagnosed." When I heard back from the dealer, I was told that the problem was a oil line that was left loose after the valve spring recall. Thank God I noticed it because otherwise I'd probably be in the very same situation as kikkomanrj. Out of courtesy, I called Lexus corporate back to tell them they would not need to assist with the problem, the lady took my info and said "Yes I see your claim has been denied." Really?!!! I said how is that when it was the dealers fault by their own admission. She tried to back up and say she had misread something. I called BS and told her to have a good day. I have lost all confidence and all respect for Lexus quality, especially after hearing of kikkomanrj's nightmare.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

My experiences with corporate have been the exact opposite...


1) I called them because lexus.com described the ML without Nav option as including a 6-disc DVD changer. It doesn't. So when my special order car arrived I had a 6-disc CD changer, instead of what I officially paid for.

Called corp- had to explain to the lady what the difference was since she thought without a screen it wouldn't matter (DVD-A)... and then she asked what I'd like them to do about it... I said either install a DVD changer (which I knew they wouldn't) or refund my money for the option.

I received a check in the mail for the full MSRP of the option a few days later. (So technically I made a profit on it, since I paid invoice for the option)

2) Short bit later I noticed lexus.com had another error... it stated the sport package for 2008 models included illuminated scuff plates (it doesn't as it turned out). Of course my car didn't have em, but the website said I should, so I called and pointed this out to them... the woman contacted my dealer, who contacted me, to ask where the car would be tomorrow so they could send someone to me to install illuminated scuff plates for free. Which they did.



Disclaimer: Both of these things happened in late 2007, not too long after I bought my new, special ordered, 2008 IS350...I'd also count the $500 gift card I got as part of the valve spring recall as a nice customer service touch though and that was only like a year and a half ago It think...it's possible they've gone downhill since with responsiveness/helpfulness... I'd be curious to hear recent stories one way or the other though.

B16da9

iTrader: (7)

wow...this has turned into a real horror story and just like my post before I had a feeling they were going to point the finger at you and say it was negligence on your part.

mixa86

IF that is a case, the only thing that can tell "us the customer" that there is something wrong with our car is that temp guage, then LEXUS should be held responsible too because of how their gauges read. you have a really strong case if you get an attorney, im pretty sure you can sue for more then the damages for your car.

The warranty company, im sure if you get to talk to the damn ceo himself and ask what are the symptoms of a failing water pump, if he cant answer that question then he should be able to pay for your repairs

chikoo

This is utter BS. Amazing how companies try to save money but letting the customers prove that their "diagnosis" over the phone is wrong.

CCColtsicehockey

iTrader: (3)

How much time year wise is left on your CPO warranty? What is the chance they are trying to stall you past the time your warranty is valid?

My0gr81

Does the OP has any update on the outcome? We all provided valuable feedback on what his position with Lexus corporate should be, which is what I am assuming he was after.

kikkomanrj

3 yrs/50k mi left

I talked to cust service (Lexus Corp) and couple more times and they still won't budge. They said Extra Care is firm on their decision and won't cover. I reiterated how wrong this is and they're losing me as customer. They told me they'll document it and use it to improve their practices. Gee thanks. I'm currently looking at options for a used engine swap and drafting my letter to Consumerist and maybe Autoblog/Jalopnik.