Mike_TX

Apologies if this has been covered before, but can you give the number and location of these plugs? I recall one of my other cars had 4 of them, one each behind the front wheels and one each in front of the rear wheels, all on the underside of the "frame".

Same on the LS?

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ES350Bob

If I remember right there are at least 5 each side of car and they are all black in color. If LS has underside (plastic) cover preventing seeing, you may have to ask dealer to confirm some of the plugs rather than able to see for yourself.


I know there should be two of them right near where front wheel well arc meets flat underside of car, take a few moments to really look in general area and you should see them and from memory no further away from back edge of tire than about 8 inches or so. Those are smaller ones and very close to each other, as within inches of each other, one is round shaped and the other oval shaped.

Then there are two more, larger ones about the size of a silver dollar, round, more or less right in front of where you'd guess front of seat edge for driver is on underside of car and also similar for where you'd guess rear passenger front seat edge might be on underside of car.

I am less sure of my recollection of this potential last one, but seems there is one more smaller one near rear wheel about a foot or so from one you find under passenger seat edge, if you look for a while for this last one and don't see, then blame my bad memory...LOL.

In all of the above they should be more or less within a foot of edge of car, no further in than that on underside of car than.

Side note: Road noise or tire on road noise is also increased if they forgot to spray on/coat the underside of the cabin of car with that sound deadening rust prevention black goop that is paintable to match car color under there which also you will see surrounds the two larger plugs, my first one they had forgotten to apply that stuff, 2nd one had applied it and less noise.

Hope the above helps.

encore888

The reason why I was wondering about the same FSR is that if he's the one who did the repair, he might 'take offense' at having the customer come back stating that it was no longer effective. He might also hypothesize differently on how the customer now has a different reaction than before. Perhaps some 'fresh eyes' could look at the problem without the baggage of past history. It's up to you, but if the problem is that bad, it may warrant the 50 mile drive (and perhaps 'testing' the noise level en route). Hopefully that might have some benefit?

Anyhow, am I correct in surmising that what's happened in this case involves initial success, but then a lack of permanence and reliability in the fix--it basically reverts to original (problem)? (I suspect this has to do with dealership work not being able to match the durability of a correct factory procedure). So if a following repair was effective and stayed that way, that would be a desirable solution, right?

There was a magazine test which still included some dB measurements, name escapes me at the moment. However, perhaps more useful, the actual dB measurements from the LS 460 designers themselves, included in the press information from Lexus GB:

ES350Bob

were you thinking of Edmunds maybe?

These are for the 07 LS460 and what would be interesting would be to see the dB change for 08 with the addition of laminated glass for 08 compared to values for 07 without it as below.

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...9/pageNumber=4
Db @ Idle: 37.2
Db @ Full Throttle: 68.3
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 62.5

dimapb

I just called the dealer back and ask them to find out form FSR how he has determined if the wind noise is at acceptable level and also to find out if the dB meter was used and what were the numbers. I will post it here once I get that info. I also just called Lexus Corporate and filed a complaint.

Mike_TX

Many thanks for the detailed response, Bob!

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ES350Bob

You are more than welcome.

Here is a better conveyance I think as pics are easier than trying to write detailed descriptions.

Go to post #23 and you will see pic of two smaller plugs, plug holes missing plugs, that are near front wheel well arc approaching/meeting underside of cabin body on both driver and passenger side of vehicle. If either of those is missing on either side or both are on each side, or pushed too far in allowing air in, then ...... noise like you would not want. The first pic shows the round plug missing and the second shows the oval one missing. After his dealer put them in, much improved, but he learned about it right here on CL thanks to member input in problem solving then he went to dealer to have it corrected. The perspective is off in pics, they are about the size of a quarter or slightly larger maybe at most. If they forgot to do this, seems they arrive with them in the glove box, possibly in trunk, but for sure have seen mention of glove box, for PDI folks to install them, so if you see any in glove box then there may be some missing.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...se+part&page=2

HiltonHead

I am one of the owners of a 460 LWB that had the TSB done for the wind noise. When I got the car back, the wind noise was worse than ever on the driver's side now even starting at speeds above 40 mph. Before the noise was annoying above 60 mph.

A friend of mine who is an Aeronautical Engineer at Gulfstream drove the car and after inspecting the window area found that the small triangular black piece covering the bottom front of the window was extending outward from the glass leaving a small area where rushing air could penetrate.

I sealed this black strip with painters tape (see photo) and took the car out for a short test drive. I got the car up to 80 mph briefly and my initial impression is the wind noise problem is gone. I want to take it out hopefully later today when there is some wind and drive it for a more extended period.

It now makes me wonder if the TSB was successful in the first place, but they created a new problem when putting the door back together. I say this because, the passenger's side seemed much improved after the TSB. The black triangular piece on that side is much more flush with the window.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

great work there! it's great to see some owners taking the time and effort of their own to try to find out the cause of the noise! good luck, keep us posted

Atlas

Not sure this makes sense, don't many people report that if they lower the window just a tad, the wind noise goes away or is less noticeable?

Johnny

Read this thread thoroughly. It is full of references to the window "cracking", or slight lowering as it were.

Atlas

I have read the thread, that's why the black triangular piece doesn't make sense to me regarding the wind noise. Doesn't seem that the triangle would be affected by lowering the window just a tad, which seems to help.

rjm

I think the thread points out that there may be MULTIPLE causes of the wind noise that owners are complaining about.

HiltonHead

The black triangular piece that I refer to in my post has nothing to do with lowering or raising the window issue to correct the wind noise. The increased wind noise I experienced after the TSB was caused from the this black triangular piece not being flush with the driver's side window. As mentioned, there are multiple issues at hand here concerning wind noise that is being experienced by various owners.

I drove my car again last evening with the tape covering the black triangular piece. Although, it was a short trip, the wind noise that started at 40 mph was entirely gone. I still want to take it out on a freeway preferably on a windy day to make a final evaluation, but I am becoming more certain that the TSB was in fact successful in my case. The problem was that the black piece was not properly reinstalled.

It may be wise for owners who have had a non successful TSB done, to check the black piece for a flush mount to see if this is a problem.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

EXACTLY. i have read so many different possible causes, so many different possible fixes