I'm wondering if anyone with a 2008 or later has engine noise at startup? I call Lexus Corp. and they told me that none of the engine noise TSB's affect my VIN# and the local dealer has a bunch of morons working as service advisors, told me the same thing. It happens approximately once a week on start up. The dealer told me it would cost $109 to check if they didn't replicate the problem (laughed in her face)....any help or advise would be appreciated....

 

If you are in warranty, it should not cost you a dime if it's not repeatable.

 

That's why I laughed at the service advisor...I just want to find out if anyone else has this issue whose VIN# doesn't fall in the TSB.

 

you're talking about the clatter?

get your camera out and record every startup.

once you catch it, show it to them and demand a fix.

 

That's what I think it is...sometimes clatter and sometimes it just sounds like a clunk...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBsVeesr9Y0

 

That exact same thing happened to me on my 06 GS 300. At 35K, i would occasionally hear that noise but of course the dealer couldn't replicate it. Basically, I pushed the start/stop button twice to turn on everything but the engine, then I turned on A/C. Its not gonna blow cold air but just leave it for a little bit, and then when its doing that turn the car on without turning of the ignition. That duplicated the problem for me, might not work for you though.

 

Does it happen every time? That doesn't sound good.

 

mines a 2006, been making that sound at start up about once a month for the last four years! Don't worry about it!! I think it's the a/c compressor clutch engaging. I"ve never had the a/c system turned off as long as I've owned the car

 

just to let you know, it was the cam gear

 

I have the same problem with my 08 GS350 RWD. At first I thought it was just the cold weather during the winter, but its occasionally happening here and there. Is there a TSB out there for this problem? It does get embarrassing sometimes when I start up my car and the passengers would ask what that noise was. That doesn't sound so great for a Lexus owner.

 

I had same exact problem, if i was to drive the car and park it for maybe an hour or so when i would start it, it would make that clatter sound. I took it into the service department and told them about it, they didn't even ask me to duplicate it or try to go around the problem they fixed it that same day. It took a whole day but its been smooth as butter after. So i would DEMAND a fix on that its not cool, when i just got the car and bunch of my friends were standing outside and i started the car everyone looked at me like WTF? Yes its horribly embarrasing owning such a expensive car and have this happening.

 

WOW, that same noise happened on my 07 350... I thought I was the only one with that crazy clatter noise.

I don't know what changed but it stopped doing it for a while.. Havent hear it since... I used to get embarrassed when I heard that noise and people looked at my car like it was a bomb...

Anyways , thank god its gone for now....

 

not all the time, once in a while. Dealer did tsb and it is gone...

 

Just had my 20k service done and they couldn't duplicate the noise. I drive the car out of the service lane and park it because my wife decides that she want to look at the new RX. Wouldn't you know that as soon as I push the button "clatter"...that figures....and on top of that they just told me that it going to cost me $650 to replace the front brakes and rotors on a car with 19k... also the dealer said that I can't get a loaner because the service takes less than 2 hrs. I'm soooo tempted to go back to Acura or something else.