According to the warranty manual (and you all have one):

Basic Warranty
This warranty covers repairs and adjustments needed to correct defects in materials or workmanship of any parts supplied by Lexus, subject to the exceptions indicated under "What is not covered".

What is not covered
This warranty does not cover damage or failures resulting directly or indirectly from any of the following:
[...]
-Airborne chemicals, tree sap, road debris (including stone chips), rail dust, salt, hail, floods, wind storms, ligthning and other environmental conditions
[...]

So that tells me that they are obligated to fix rattles that have occured due to defects in materials or workmanship, as long as environmental conditions have not contributed. Environmental conditions like, oh, say, the car sitting in the hot sun all day, baking the interior at 120° and expanding all the interior plastics...owner jumps in the car and cranks the A/C, quickly bringing the interior temp down to 60°, plastics follow by quickly contracting to [somewhere near] their original size.

Some rattles are due to defects in material/workmanship, but that is rare. If they're not, then the dealer isn't obligated to fix them. Still, for some reason, they usually do. Probably to keep the owner occupied as they refuse to repair the stuff that's actually broken, like shuddering clutches, etc.

Anyhow, just the fact that you guys support the idea of bringing a lawyer to the dealership to get them to fix a measly little rattle...that is simply asinine. That's the problem with America these days. More specifically, the immaturity of America. And that's the point I was trying to make earlier. It's a rattle. Who cares. Get on with your life.

 

Truth me told, I have had below average service too (non scheduled maintenance). When the cd changer jammed in our SC430, their solution was to use a hook to get out the cd which ended up scratching it. Good thing I didn't like that particular cd. And I think it took them 2 or 3 visits to finally fix the loose running board on out GX.

 

I am amazed by the sheer number of people on this board who have any sort of confidence in a dealership.

Dealerships are full of idiots. Below-average service at best, if you are lucky.

There is nothing special about Lexus, BMW, Infinity, Mercedes-Benz, Lotus, Ferarri, etc...

If you want top service, go buy a rolls royce or a bentley, then you will experience "luxury" service. Anything else, it's a local dealership filled with morons (both in sales and service). Maybe 1% of the time you'll find a salesperson with average+ knowledge, ditto with service.

PS - I hate dealerships

 

Amen brother!!! They can keep their "free 5k oil change"...

 

Is the dealer you mentioned regarding the TSB in SoCal?

To people who think that i'm just being picky, I know that cars are not completely perferct, but I know the difference between normal plastic sounds and poor workmanship. The squeek/rattling noise is obvious and if my girl (who needs a part to almost be falling off her car to notice anything wrong with it !) notices the noise then I would say it is loud enough.

I'm thinking of taking it to Longo Lexus in El Monte, any of you had any experience with them???

 

Sorry...i am not from SoCal...

Anyhoo..I dont think you are being picky at all. Lexus has acknowledged that this is a defect, and has released a fix for it. Therefore, ask the lexus service manager if he knows what a "TSB" is. If not, let Lexus Customer Service know that you are concerned about a Lexus Service Manager's ignorance about Lexus policies/guidelines/bulletins. Call them in front of him...

But...if he does know what a TSB is, ask him if he is familiar with the following bulletins:
1. TSB NV003-06 Instrument Panel Rattle (Revised) - excerpt "Some customers may complain of rattle noises coming from the front of the instrument panel at the base of the windshield. The following procedure has been developed to improve this condition. "

2. TSB NV005-06 Upper/Lower Winshield Tick Noise - excerpt "If a creak, tick, or rattle noise is heard at the top or bottom of the windshield, the source of the noise may be the two windshield stoppers bonded to the top of the windshield or the windshield retainers bonded to the lower edge of the windshield. This bulletin provides the recommended repair procedure to eliminate these types of noises from the windshield area.

NOTE: Some vehicles have both stoppers and retainers while others may only have stoppers at the top of the windshield. Use the chart in this bulletin to determine the location of the windshield holding devices. "

hth!

 

Thanks everyone for your help!!