Rented a car from Hertz today. For me and my coworkers, they gave us an 07 Sienna. Has the 3.5L engine in it. Had a cold start on it this morning, sat on the lot all night. Engine had the same cold engine knock as my ES.

I now have come to terms that this noise is a characteristic of the engine. However, I am still not happy about it.

 

I too have that engine noise tick, clack knock or whatever you want to call it. At the 5,000 mile service the dealer "couldn't duplicate the condition" even though I left the car overnight for him to test. At the 10,000 mile service at a different lexus dealer they too "couldn't duplicate the condition". I'm pissed that they don't even acknowledge the sound and make some excuse, they just deny it. Unfortunately I own the car, not leased. I just hope someone finds the real cause of this.

 

Nobody knows nuthin till you got to trade it in or turni it in. Then it will be "what's that noise - did you change the oil at the correct intervals - prove it". That's why you need to doucument the complaint and their response to it.

 

Hello MD...

They do know the cause, just refuse to address it. Of all the issues associated with my 2 ES350 the worst was the engine knocking and only realized how much it bothered me now that I do not have to hear it every day.

If you get a 2nd wind on the subject maybe show service they did address similar complaint for LS owners, why not ES owners. Look under engine related TSIB knocking, maybe take a copy of it with you next service.

http://www.lambros.net/2007LS460L/tsib/

good luck in the meantime.

 

The LS460 noise is different than the noise form the ES350. Most ES350 owners say their noise only happens with a cold engine, as some have noted it happens on most cars with the same 3.5 toyota engines. I just talked to my shop foreman about a cust I had with this same concern, he had told me the noise is coming from the engine block and pistons. Something to do with the tight tolerances used and when the pistons heat up. He has even had it happen in our 08 loaner cars. I guess what he is telling me is that the sound is normal.

 

Yep, I too was told it was normal. But, it seems to be worse in some ES350s than others.

 

Yes, I have heard that the LS noise is different too. I believe the LS engine noise is due to a loose plastic cover that needs to be tightened.

Unfortunately, the ES engine noise is related to piston tolerances. According to a Lexus insider, the only fix for the ES engine noise is to replace the engine.

 

Actually that has been done with the same results.

 

I don't get what you are saying

 

I'm not sure if my engine is knocking, but just recently when it is really cold (below 50 degrees) I hear the engine go "luh...luh...luh...luh". The harder I rev, the faster the noise. It persists for about 3 minutes, and no more. I think it's normal. There is no way a cold engine should sound the same as a warm one. The laws of physics still applies.

 

Kaius, where have you been dude?

 

Yeah, long time no hear!

By the way, the cold engine knock is present only in DRIVE and during acceleration. Not in Park just reving the engine.

 

We have replaced engines, and the 08's have a more recently made engine also. They still have the same sound. So, replacing the engine probably still wouldn't help.

 

Just was reading some owner reviews on Yahoo Auto. All I can say is

If you think some of us on this forum are negative about this car, take a look of some of those reviews! Yikes! Some angry owners out there.

They have the same complaints that we see on this forum. Tranny flares, tranny failures, engine knock, wind noise, rattles.

 

Hahah... ya Ive been away for a while concentrating on non-car-related issues. My car does have that sound in DRIVE mode, and its only when it's very cold. I test the flare thing every morning by gunning it cold, and still no flare. This car has been very reliable so far *knock on wood*.

I am less paranoid about cosmetic dings now since the car is 1.5 years old. Yesterday I took my daughter to the park, and accidentally scraped the bottom of the front bumper against the curb. Oh well. The other day a pine cone dropped on the hood and made a very shallow dent. Last month an old Camry dinged my right rear door. Doesn't sting as much now, as I am enjoying the ride more each day.