barrysanta

Why should my LS 460 have occasional ping pinging tick tick tick noise
at about 600 to 900 rpm, both in reverse and forward but not at idle??? At idle the rpm goes just above 900 rpm.

With 9600 miles on it I have had the car at the dealer 5 times. They cant find anything. It comes and goes. No Lexus field reports site the problem and therefore they say there is no problem. Really frustrating!!

Any ideas? The car is 10 months old. I bot it new for $72k.

305Busa

I know that a ticking sound is normal but your RPM shouldnt be above 900. The injectors on the car is whats doing the ticking and my car usually idles at about 6-700.

Silverpaws

Yes, idling at 900 rpm in neutral or drive/reverse sounds excessive. My car idles at 600 rpm. There are several other discussions regarding the clicking or pinging sound from the engine and I think the overall conclusion is that some occasional light noise may be normal. So far, my car, now with 19,400 miles has been unusually quiet. If the noise from your engine continues to be bothersome, you may need to insist that your complaints be evaluated further. Incidentally, you may only hear the noise in drive/reverse because the idle speed usually goes down when in gear. If the idle speed is adjusted to around 600 rpm while in neutral, the noise may be more noticeable. I wonder if a technician adjusted the idle speed upward to minimize the noise? No, surely they wouldn't do that.

JG132

Just took my 2011 LS 460 in for the same issue pinging/ticking, 3600 miles. Service rep told me that it was the injectors and was normal since I had the sport option. All 460's have the same engine so that explanation didn't work. One of the technician advised that in 2007 when they changed engines from the 430 to the 460 this issue arose and they have tried numerous ways to correct it even to the point of placing sound damping material in the engine. I was also told that it could be the timing chain since Lexus changed from a timing belt in 2007 , but I've never heard of timing chains making noise until they have lot's of miles on them. From what I've read and been told it is probably the injectors, but that dosen't make much sense. You would think that a vehicle that cost's close to $80,000 would not have this issue and if so a solution could and should be found at this point. Have a 2003 LS 430 and you can't hear the engine running. VERY DISPOINTING!!!

gs400jon

From what little I have read, the LS460 uses direct port injection, a combination of two different fuel delivery systems. The direct injection needs fuel under high pressure to operate at higher RPMs and uses a solenoid. The solenoid is probably what is making the ticking noise. The LS430 did not have direct injection so that's why the engine is quiet.

iceman76

^ +1. The LS460 uses the direct /port injection IIRC. LEXUS says it improves fuel economy and hp, which is why they kept with it. Something everyone wants with a V8. I can also see it being a solenoid making the noise. Just my .02.

Mikey100

I agree on the solenoid theory.

I would not worry too much about it.

Good Luck !

BClarke

I have a 2010 Lexus LS 460L, and have noticed the engine "ticking or tapping" noise get worse with time. I currently have 24k miles and have had it in for inspection 6 times so far. Each time is met with the canned answer of of the fuel injectors, but I have continued to press for more. My last visit I asked that they compare my noise to a car on the lot or one that has been brought in for service, and my car was much louder. Even the head of service agreed something was off. Now the dealer has had it for 3 more weeks, and just yesterday called to say they need to bring a "Lexus Specialist" in to diagnos the problem. He mentioned to me that he thinks it is an issue with a lifter and a posible valve problem, but he can't do anything until Lexus authorizes him. This specialist will take 30-45 days to come into town (Columbus, OH) and I am sure he/she will say it is normal. What BS...the car is under warranty and I have brought it 6 times already. Having owned 4 Lexus vehicles in the past, and currently in the market for a new GX (which now uses the same engine as the LS) is causing me to re-evaluate my loyalty to Lexus.

Maybe they will get tired of me when I just bring it in every month and tell them I am not happy with this noise. It was not there when I bought it, and I don't expect an $85k car to sound like a Jetta.

I8ABMR

Its most likely the direct injection. I had the same issue with my GS. It drove me nuts until they told me it was normal

Dema

But why the problem appears with time? I hoped Lexus fixed the fast aging problem, but it looks like not

Nvbanker

The ticking is known to be normal. It is either the direct high pressure injectors, or the mechanical fuel pumps, stories vary on that. I quit worrying about it as long as nothing is wrong, the noise doesn't bother me. I turn up the Mark Levinson stereo. The idle speed, I can't help you with.

Elioac

We own an LS460 2008, when we received the recall notice that all the valve springs needed to be replaced, because they were braking, we were very concern that something else could be damaged in this process, because it was a mayor disassembly project and our fears came through. Soon after a knocking noise started coming from the rear of the engine right trough the fire wall and very noticeable inside the passenger compartment, even our Lexus independent specialist that services our Lexus cars for the last 14 years, says that from all the LS460 his company services, is the loudest of all. We have visited 2 times the original Lexus dealer we purchased from J. M. Lexus and Lexus of West Kendall for service in Florida; they all say all the LS460 have a noisy engine due to the 2 high pressure gas pumps and even the brand new 2012 would have the same noise. We took the time to test drive one with 500 miles in the odometer and of course did not have the knocking noise.
This is the most absurd answer response we ever heard. We have written 4 certified letters including the top Toyota representative Mr. Yoshimi Inaba Toyota Motor North America, Inc. Chairman and CEO, trying to get Toyota involved to do an inspection by one of their top engineers to trouble shoot this knocking noise that is causing it and they are ignoring our request since the beginning of the year. The original warranty is going to run out by the end of this year.
We welcome any similar comments from other LS460 or any other Lexus owners that are experiencing similar knocking engine noise.
Elioac

aazz

I am experiencing the same with my LS460 2010 , do you have any updates on your ?

Valley101

If we are all talking about the same ticking noise from the direct injection system. I would say it is an inherent problem that comes with the technology. I have had two Lexus vehicles with the ticking noise and have no mechanical problems with either vehicle. I for one always have music on in the car, at a moderate level, and I never hear it until I turn off the music or step outside the car when the engine is running. So I do not see it as an issue. No one else has experienced a mechanical problem, so why all the fuss!

aazz

because we bought lexus for its quietness !