bsl888

tclk, so any engine damage related to the valve springs will be covered under the recall even if the power train warranty is out?

Craig B, does the 6yr/100k mi power train warranty applies to all 07-08 LS even if one does not have the valve springs replaced or only applies to those that had the recall work done?

I bought a 07 CPO so I'm covered for another 3 years/up to 100K mi, so the extended warranty does not help me anyways.

Craig B

I didn't ask that question, but I would guess it would apply to cars that have the recall applied.

Craig B

You're welcome, I don't know why they wouldn't sell you the car until the recall has been completed. Lexus is also going to provide each customer with a certificate for a 1500.00 discount towards a future Lexus purchase.

MikeE12345

I would think a lot of people would prefer to leave this until/if a problem occurs. I would feel a lot more comfortable doing so if Toyota put the commitment to repair even outside of warranty at no charge.

tclk

She thought it would be but she was not certain. Can't wait to see the recall notice to see want it says. If they really think that there's only 0.2% chance of failure, they should be confident enough to give us that type of assurance. I'm certainly calling them back when I get the notice to confirm. I don't think I would trust the dealer because they are bias to doing the work because they make money on it.

usermel

I was thinking, what happens to those LS460 owners who have had there cars repaired(after warranty was expired but, before the recall) before the most recent recall for the valve springs. Due to recent events, it's clear damages that happened to LS460's before the recall related to the valve springs were a defect and not the fault of the owners. Will Lexus reimburse customers who had the work(valve spring replacement) done at a Lexus dealership before the recall was announced?

If the valve springs were replaced at a non-Lexus dealer, will they still refund customers with an invoice of the work being completed as well? I hope so for those customers who had there cars valve springs damaged before the recall. So not fair to those who did so out of pocket if out of warranty!L.G.N.M

Stuart S

Seems to me that, if there isn't enough room under the hood to access the engine, it would be much easier (and less costly) to remove the hood than drop the entire engine out of the car from the bottom. It would take much less time and you wouldn't have to remove as much wiring and hoses if the engine is left in the car to do the repair.

Craig B

Yeah, I talked to Lexus Corp. on Friday. They said Lexus is trying to come up with a way to change the springs and leave the engine in the car. Once I find out more, I will post the info...

chumsdad

I decided to take my VSS (valve spring special) on a 300 mile trip to North Carolina last week. At one point on I-81 in VA, I showed some tail gating irritant how quick the LS accelerates in 3rd at high RPM. I just turned 27k miles and my engine has seen 6400 RPM on a regular basis though I do not drive the car hard most of the time. In any event, I enjoyed the trip and the usual 28 mpg. Needless to say, I am definitely content to wait this problem out for a while.

Here's a funny note- my 9 year old observed as we neared our destination in NC that we did not break "the spring." As those credit card adds say, "Priceless."

garyr

The only thing I found out today is Lexus is working on a tool for the techs to get to the valve springs so the engines do not have to come out. When the recall is released in a few weeks they will remove the engines until they come up with this new tool & procedure.

A Lexus shop foreman told me the engines comes out in 2-3 hours and he did not think it was a big deal.....still they ain't touching mine though.

chris07ls

Has anyone seen any data concerning the valve spring failure that correlates mileage with spring failure? In other words, are most valve spring failures occurring in the first 5K miles, or are they failing at the same rate in engines with 50K miles. It would be nice if Lexus would released this kind of data so the consumer could asses the urgency of this recall.

My 07 LS 460 has 50K miles and I would like to know if I'm more or less suceptible to a valve spring failure than a vehicle with 10K miles.

When I bought this car new, the plan was to keep it for 10+ years and 200K+ miles. These kind of recalls(Fuel rail and now valve springs) make me question this plan.

Like many at this posting, I believe the engine will never be the same after this service.

WhitBaby

Just talked to my service dude and he says my 25,000 mile '08 LS is going to fall into the recall. I said 'that's kind of a big job isn't it? '

He nodded and said Lexus allocates 24 hours labor to it. Says I'll be getting notification through the mails in a few weeks.

I don't like this at all, I agree that it'll never be the same after something as major as this.

Whit

cmasten

My 07 will fall into this recall also, but from what I have seen and read to this point, I am pretty confident that Lexus will come up with the most non-invasive (and cost savings) method for getting the springs replaced. I have heard of new tools etc.. dropping the motor would have to be the least likely option they will come up with.

The good news is no one is forcing any of us to get this done, they are only offering it as a solution, so we can take our time to see how the repair methods play out.

Mine just hit 65,000 miles and it looks and feels just like my neighbors new 2010. I dont have any plans to get rid of it any time soon, so when the time is right Ill take my letter and get it in to get fixed, but only after I understand the process being done, the one they have spoken about at this point I am also not comfortable with, they will come up with a better process over time you can bet on it.

bsl888

If one does not have the "valve springs recall" done and the engine is damaged due to the valve springs, and if the car is still under warranty, Lexus will still have to repair the damaged engine. At that point the engine will need to be removed and repaired.

How bad would that be compared with the recall, having the engine removed to replace the valve springs? Is it better to not mess with it unless it's broken?

So far are the springs failures on high mileage cars or occurring randomly regardless of mileage?

jmcraney

I think the main point is being missed here. This is not going to be a Kumbaya party or a goodwill gesture. In the USA this is shaping up to be a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administered S-A-F-E-T-Y Recall. This means that the defect has been deemed to present a significant risk of accident or injury.

A safety recall lasts for the life of the car. No one will be forced to get this done.

When I do a conservative estimate (based on 138,000 vehicles, 24 hours labor per vehicle and a $1000 goodwill coupon per vehicle) of the cost to Lexus for the USA portion of this effort I get between $350,000,000 and $500,000,000. The collateral cost (diminished value, owner's lost time, etc) will be significantly more. It's a BIG deal for both Lexus and the owners.