danteh2000

Hi Everyone,

I just purchased a brand new Lexus ES 350 on September 11, 2011. I have to say I am very disappointed as it is not what I expected from a new luxury car. I have been having problems with my steering. The car pulls to the left and my arm hurts from having to pull it to the right in order to compensate for the difference. I do not feel safe in this car because the wheel has a mind of its own. I have had it serviced twice already, including tire rotations and wheel alignment. This is a new car for god sake. Total price tag with Ultra Luxury package was over 46k. In addition to the steering, I have other problems with it. This is a total disappointment. Anyone else experience the same thing?

garsarno

Got mine in October and no problems outside of a loose shifter handle that I noticed this afternoon. Have 1,800 miles on it. Maybe approach the dealership and insist they drive the car. Mine tracks straight and to prove it to them, ask to drive another 2011 back to back. Maybe it will be time for lemon law to take effect.

ESSY

Picked a 2011 up last night and will put about 30K a year on it. I drove two before buying. Neither of them had any pull to them.

When was the last time their alignment machine calibrated? Which tires did you end up with?

I asked my dealer to swap the Stones out for a set of the Michelins, neither are stellar choices but they are what they are for a factory tire. As a two time BMW owner I am new to this electron steering deal, it does feel different but like most other things today fly by wire is the way things are going.

I'd try another dealer or a good independent tire shop.

RickC5

Sorry to hear of your disappointment. We totally love the used 2008 ES we just bought--at 1/2 what you spent. But don't forget, the ES really is just a Camry in drag and even though it is made in Japan, it can still have problems, just like any car. Do you remember all the issues Toyota has had in the past few years? Well, lots of those recalls applied to the ES too.

Keep after the dealer to fix the steering, and start looking into your state's Lemon Law--you may need it!

ESSY is right about the tires! If your ES came with Bridgestones, you got a really bum deal. You really need Michelin Primacys. They made a huge difference on our 2008 ES--like a total transformation. Even the steering feels more precise.

Stay away from any tires that have "stone" in the name.

LexBob2

I agree with ESSY, you should try another dealer to see if they can help you out.

I've owned two ES350's and both of them tracked straight.

OEM tires of any brand on a 3 month old car should not be a problem unless one or more is defective. If that's the case replacement under the tire warranty is in order.

garsarno

Sometime a cross tire rotation will help but by all means, not acceptable on a brand new car of any make.

sngldgt8

I also had a steady pull to the left on my 2008, after getting an alignment it still pulled left, had to replace the tires, went to michilin primacy, problem went away, also a very quite smooth ride ensued.

garsarno

With regard to my loose shifter **** on my '11, I took a chance and rotated it clockwise and it tightened up completely in the one rotation. There is no tightening screw for the ****.

RTSM

Danteh 2000, take the car back and tell them that it is a lemon and that your are going to contact Lexus HQ about this. I bought my 2011 350 in the begining of the year and I have about 15K on it now without any problems. This is a great car and I enjoy it every day, there is something definetly wrong with the one you got and don't settle for anything other then a replacement or refund.

danteh2000

Thanks for the advice everyone. I just took it back to the dealership today and I am now driving a 2011 ES350 Loaner. I have to say...HUGE DIFFERENCE. Last time I took it back, I had a 2010 ES350 Loaner and that drove awesome as well. There is a huge difference in the 2010's and 2011's. It seemed like the 2010 had more power and drove much better than the 2011. Overall, I am disappointed with my Lexus. I love the look of it, but the performance is awful. I thought I would be happy in this car but it doesn't seem like I will be happy with it. We'll see how it all plays out.

garsarno

My 2011 versus the old 2007 drives smoother and does body roll easier but performance is on par. If they come back at you and say they could not find anything wrong, get a hold of your salesman that sold you the car and have him intercede and make him drive both cars.

LexPaul

Did you hit a curb or something? If you are having to pull to such a degree as to correct the steering, that your arm, hurts, then it sounds like you don't even have power steering and perhaps something is wrong with your steering column maybe. How soon after you bought the car did you experience the problems? I assume you test drove the car. Did you notice any pulling at that time? Are you the only driver of the car?., if not could someone have possibly hit something and didn't tell you? The problem you describe seems really odd for a brand new Lexus. There is no difference between the 2010 and 2011 ES.

nevernu

Are you aware of L-SB-0174-08 December 24, 2008 Repair Manual Supplement: Vehicle Pulling to One Side? [I]t applies to many Lexus vehicles up to 2009 and runs 15 pages of corrective measures. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a more recent verson for later models.

michaeljf

We just purchased a 2012 ES350 and love it. Not a single problem, although it has only been about 2 week.

Generally a steering pull can be the result of a defective tire or alignment issue. Of course a suspension issue would also cause such a problem, but this would be something more often experienced with a car that had been damaged then repaired after an accident. Something as simple as not having the same tire pressure in all 4 could cause a pull.

If you are really disappointed, I would first say, don't rule out "Lexus". They are really good cars. Given that thousands of cars roll off the line every year, you can't expect to not have at least a few experience some kind of problem. Check your local laws for something like what Florida has - the "Lemon Law". If you have gone back to the dealer a certain number of times within a given period, they are obligated to replace the vehicle.

http://www.myfloridalegal.com/lemonlaw