My '13 GS was delivered in March 2012, so it was one of the first of the new model. I've had ZERO issues after 30 months and 18k miles. To my knowledge, no improvements were made to the 2014 model (other than offering folding mirrors, etc.) so there were no defects to address and I doubt there will be any by 2016. They have replaced my aluminum trim on the doors due to denting, but that was it and is was free.

You could say it is luck, but I also purchased a 2006 Infiniti M45 in April 2005, and it was rock solid (again, no defects) until I traded it a couple years later.

Both, first year models.

 

dseag2: You are the lucky one of us. I am not. New defect is leaking rear damper in 45k km...

 

I was just going to post a rattle question and found this post :-)

I have the rattle described in #1, OP post. The aluminum trim under the AC vent. It's occasional and ALWAYS on a certain road - 2014 F Sport with 1600 miles. The noise has been there since new.

I pound on the trim and it goes away, for a second. The husband told me to quit pounding on the trim...but it is beyond irritating to me. The Mark Levinson doesn't help - I know it's there.

What I did today was slip some paper between the two aluminum trim pieces - scooted the paper up towards the AC vent and the sound went away.

There is probably no way that the dealership will reproduce this sound, as bumpy roads don't necessarily cause it. I hear it on a few roads near my house, between my house and my daughter's school - no where near the dealership.

And from what I've read, Lexus mostly could care less - so that's what I will expect from the dealership.

 

Take it to the dealership. If you tell the dealer the issue, and tell them that you have inserted a piece of paper between the trims and the sound went away, they will remove the trim and insert some foam tape for you that will be a more permanent solution.

Dealers want to do warranty work, they get paid to do it. Its just that Lexus requires them to document their observance of the issue before they will approve work. This idea that dealers don't want to help you is a fallacy.

 

This thread makes me think about my dad, who always owned Pontiacs, Cadillacs and Lincolns before he moved to Lexus. He used to have toothpicks sticking out of all the nooks and crannies of the interiors of those American cars to stop all the rattles. In his '73 Pontiac Grand Am (which was one of the first American sedans designed to compete with the Europeans) his "genuine African Crossfire Mahogany" veneer trim would regularly peel off the dash and he would have to take it back into the dealer to have it glued back on. It would stay for a few months, then peel off again.




He thought he'd hit the jackpot when he bought his '91 LS400. How far we've come with just a few rattles to complain about.

 

rattles could com from anywhere any time.

 

I would absolutely expect rattles from American cars. My dad is a die hard, loyal Dodge buyer. AND he then needs to buy a new car every few years...my parents regularly end up stranded somewhere...

A few years ago, when I was forced to check out a brand new Corvette, the body fitment was beyond ridiculous. Never did test drive, but can bet that thing rattled like mad. The hood did not close properly.

This Lexus is my first and it is so well made, it seems like QC issues that these rattles are coming from new cars. The car that this Lexus replaced was a 2000 Nissan Maxima and it had NO rattles when sold. My other car is a 2001 Toyota Sequoia and it also has no rattles; but does have blown speakers now.

I do not expect rattles with a 2014 GS.

I will explain my paper fix to the dealership at the 5k mile service.

 

I can't help but to horridly disagree. Other than, yeah, older corvettes had crap interiors but the new ones are stellar.

 

Our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee has a beautiful interior too. Very high quality, very tight. Nicer in some ways than the Lexus (real leather dash, door panels, etc

 

I started with "paper fix". Thanks keystone for inspiration. I am putting pieces of paper into dashboard gaps. And what is the best? It's helping So now I can tell the dealer where exactly rattles are coming from. What will be next? Will I be telling the service how to change an oil?? I didn't know when I bought a car in such price level I'll be doing dealer's job. BTW 2nd most expensive Lexus in offer. They can rename it to GS DIY Rattle-Free-Sport

 

My sister has a '14 Summit that has 20k miles on it. She says it's been her best vehicle yet and it always impresses me when I get to drive it.

 

Rattles are one of those things that you have to help dealers find. You're the one who drives the car every day and hears what sounds occur and on what roads. The dealer just has a quick test drive to help them identify rattles.

Why anybody would be annoyed having to show the dealer where a rattle comes from is beyond me. I know you're frustrated but come on.

Are you careful when driving to avoid chuck holes and pot holes? Seeing that you said elsewhere that you had a leaking rear damper also my guess is no...hitting a ton of big potholes and stuff will cause rattles too.

 

the reason i was reluctant with my rattles is because i know they can be careless when they put things back, and i didn't want more rattles from broken clips, loose ends, etc.

and another part of me didn't care to ask the dealer to fix it because i've been in very expensive cars that also have rattles, so to me, it's inevitable that at one point you will get rattles, whether quiet ones or loud ones.

with that said, i took it in for a 30k oil change yesterday and the brake recall, and asked them to take a look. i guess they tightened some stuff up in the back, but the rear seat/shelf clunk/rattle is less now it seems. But I have been listening to music and haven't really been paying close attention to it, so who knows. The trim piece rattle they said they could not replicate.

my loaner was a ES, man, the GS f-sport ride is A LOT stiffer, they really feel like 2 totally different cars. This whole time i thought the GS ride was pretty soft, but compared to the ES it's definitely a lot stiffer.

 

I am also concerned that the dealership will create more issues in trying to fix a rattle.

I paid the dealership to install a clear bra and they cut up the paint! I only knew because I took my car to a different aftermarket clear bra shop to install the window tint. The 2nd place said that the headlight and mirror clear bra coverage was inadequate. He agreed to redo the headlights after I paid him to do the front bumper (not done by the dealer). One headlight had a cut that exactly matched the outline of the dealer's clear bra - like in the middle of the headlight because their coverage was so minimal - maybe they covered 1/3 of the headlight. The dealer claimed that "there's no way that their blades cut" - WTF - but the sales manager had to admit that the headlight's cut matched their clear bra coverage. They either buffed the headlight or heat gunned it. Whatever they did, it was acceptable and the entire headlight is now covered by clear bra - from the 2nd guy. At the time that the headlight was being tended to, I demanded that the dealer remove their inadequate clear bra coverage from the mirrors. Turns out, the paint on the mirrors were cut too. The mirrors were buffed or heat gunned (it's a dealership "secret") and then re-filmed by the 2nd guy. There are still deep cuts under the mirrors, but nothing you could see unless you strived to.

This dealer was so adamant, claiming that they could not have messed up the clear bra install, which they obviously did, I wonder if they can figure out how to pop off trim and add cushion...not many F Sports around here...I would rather have them show the husband how to do it.

 

I understand your trepidation there.

Because they are