GoHuskers

Dear Lexus

I thought we have a great relationship after 5 new Lexus in 10 years but I was wrong. You are just like any other blood-sucking manufacturers.


I LOVE my 2017 NX200t F-Sport AWD, from its exterior looks, especially the F-Sport front, to the way it drives. The gas mileage is decent (24.2 mpg @13900 miles) and the power is there when needed (in Sport mode). The car fits me and my 3 boys perfectly while taking them to school and daycare (with 1 forward facing car seat). It is tight when my spouse is riding with us so we take the GX instead.

3 days after owning the new car I noticed the backup camera got stuck while in Drive. I thought it is a cool feature at low speed (so you can also see what is behind you) but I was wrong. It kept being stuck all the way home from the grocery store. At the time the FM radio is also stuck to one channel as well. Restart the car and everything is back to normal.

I mentioned this to the sale manager and he assured me that the service dept will take care of it. At 5000 miles I brought that issue up to the SA and asked them to look into it. It happens so many times out of the blue and I recorded up to 40 videos to show the SA/SM because I KNOW they always say “can’t duplicate – operate as normal”. I usually start the car, put on the seat belt, wait few seconds for the throttle to settle then put it in PRND (normally I back it in at work) and off I go.

6/2017 - brought it in for 10k service as well as this backup camera/Radio problem. Dealer consulted with Lexus and said the display is defective. They kept the car for 6 days but no display avail at that time.

8/2017 – The display is replaced – the problem is still there. They also have no idea why the radio is not working sometimes but insist to fix 1 problem at a time.

2 days after picking up the car the problem was still there, nothing improved but this time my fuel tank gauge went crazy (always full regardless of how much gas I have in the tank). As it turned out rodents chewed some wires on the tank. I don’t know if that happened at my house or at the dealer – but I KNOW that it costs me $410 out of pocket (damn – that hurts). Dealer kept the car for 3 days but still couldn’t find the culprit for the Display/Radio problems.

9/2017 – Lexus replaced the junction box relay unit. I didn’t drive the car that week (parked at the airport since I was on business trip). The next week I drive it the same problem happens again – back up Camera got stuck in drive and sometimes radio is stuck to 1 channel. The dealer has no idea what to do since they can only do what Lexus told them to.

10/2017 Case filed with Lexus asking them to buy the car back under lemon law. Brought it back in the 5th time for them to read the data from the CPU.

After 8 weeks and multiple emails with Lexus coordinator – Lexus denied my claim and washed their hands. They actually did not offer to fix the car nor buy it back. Lexus stated “we do not believe that your vehicle suffers from a defect in materials or workmanship that substantially impairs the use, value or safety. Therefore, we cannot offer any assistance at this time”. I have nighttime videos in which I have to pull over to restart the vehicle because it is too bright to drive with the backup camera is on. Lexus asked me to contact National Central for Dispute Settlement instead.

Lexus rushed to blame the problem is with my USB drive (which I have used in multiple Lexus and Toyota vehicles for music - with no issues). However, after I REMOVED the USB drive and the problem is still there (have videos to prove). Lexus coordinator said that she will ask the Japanese engineers for further explanations but in the meantime she asked me to Un-Pair my phone in which I refuse to do for safety reasons– 3 weeks past and Lexus was purposely failed to get back to me.

I contacted the dealer general manager to express my disappointments (we have 13 Lexus vehicles in our family so I am somewhat a familiar face to the dealership). I told him that I am vetting a lemon law lawyer to help with the issue. The GM advised me to let him looking into this issue before going down to that costly path.

Fortunately, the GM offered me some trade-assists to put me in a different vehicle. I would rather keep the NX instead of spending more than $10k on top of the trade to get another vehicle. However, after so many sleepless nights and angers I caved in and bought my wife another new Lexus. She likes the RX350. I may have many Lexus vehicles but I am still pissed at Lexus.

LexBob2

Good to hear that your dealer offered some assistance after all of this. It's too bad though it didn't give you the flexibility to buy another brand if you wanted to.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

So the NX is gone now, congrats on the RX but yeah that's a crappy experience with the backup camera staying on. Sounds like some glitch in the car not sensing the car's no longer in reverse which is weird because obviously the car 'knows' but sometimes things are sensed in multiple ways, and maybe the way the backup camera normally senses to turn off had failed.

mmarshall

Sorry to near about your bad experience with the NX, but, IMO, the RX is a far better and nicer-driving vehicle, and I think you will probably be happier with it in the long run. I've never liked the NX. The only thing I wonder is if Lexus will turn around and re-sell your old NX on the used-car market...which could saddle someone else with those problems if not corrected. Who knows?.....since it is only a year old, they might even try and pawn it off as a CPO.

tecman

This I don’t get. The problems posted do impair the use and safety along with “value” if the dealer can’t fix it.

jimbosr1

The problem with the rodents eating your wires is a problem for many new car owners.....http://6abc.com/automotive/lawsuits-...wires/2094944/

Toys4RJill

You should post the videos of the back up cam issue.

RNM GS3

Maybe try a new dealer that has better techs and may find a fix.

Individual

iTrader: (7)

Sorry to hear about your experience, but like others have said, you may be better off in the long run with a new RX350. I also personally like the looks of the NX and it's compact size.

It sounds like the rodent may have chewed into some wires that may be effecting the way the radio and back-up camera is operating?

Being a Service Advisor, I have run across many customer vehicles that signs of rodents that have lived, or is living inside engine compartments. I usually see rodent droppings, pee, snail shells, and nests made up of insulation from the engine compartment. Usually when I tell my customers, they do freak out and find it hard to believe. I would recommend that you set up traps around your garage, so you can avoid that happening to your new RX. But if you do leave your vehicle in one spot for a long time, like the airport, that's usually when they end up getting to your vehicle. It seems to happen a lot during the fall and winter seasons because they try to find a warm area to stay in.

GoHuskers

Thanks all for the responses.

1- The backup camera / Radio problems occurred BEFORE rodents chewed on the wires. Actually rodents damaged the wires while the car is getting fixed/brought home (I noticed the problem 2 days after picking the car up so who know if it happened at the dealer lot or at my house). I'm OK paying for it to be fixed.

2- The RX is "nicer" than the NX according to my wife since it is her car now. I take over her previous '15 GX460 instead. I still like the NX driving characteristic better since I bought that for me.

3- The next dealer is 1 hour away and I have NO Problems with my dealer. In fact they treat me really nice and I appreciate that. Lexus Corp is the bad guy here. They all want to wash their hands to save few bucks.

4- I attached couple videos for you all to see (don't mind the lovely boy crying on the back). It got stuck for the entire 28 minutes drive home.

arentz07

You say you refuse to unpair the phone, but have you ever tried using it unpaired at all? I think doing that would help to diagnose the source of the problem.

jwong77

Seems like a moot point considering how he doesn't have the car anymore.

GoHuskers

The problem is it does NOT always get stuck. Sometimes it does 2-3 times a day, sometimes it work flawlessly for 3-4 days. Doing what they suggest meaning I can't use my phones while driving at all. I ALWAYS leave the phone in my backpack or in the center armrest compartment.

Johnhav430

Interesting....again, I have started to realize that BMW service is actually very good. It was always the arrogance that kinda put me off with them. But just to cite two examples. People like me who were recalled due to Takata....2007 car, they provided a 2016 loaner for 4 1/2 mos. in my case, until the part came in. Some had loaners for 1 year and longer. We will still be getting money from a class action, how much? We'll see.

Now, there is a recall on the fan blower motor, and here we go again, people on the forum are getting loaners. I just don't want one, not for a blower motor. But the mentality is totally the opposite of denial. I mean some people fear their car catching fire with the blower motor, and BMW is giving them loaners indefinitely. Gotta give credit where it's due.

GoHuskers

if Lexus bought the NX back under lemon law then I have a Bummer or an Audi in my garage already (joining the dark side)