is250gurl

to the folks that have had their pistons done already i have a question. did the car vibration come back already at a light? mine did about 300 miles later. :-( i don't feel it as bad on the doors, but the sterring wheel is just as bad. Funny when they give me a loaner i never feel it on any of those. what gives???

zen

iTrader: (6)

I had mine done and drove around 6000miles on the new piston/ring already. I had only once that it happened, but it was I didn't drive the car for 2 days, and it didn't felt as bad as before the replacements.
The service consultant at Lexus told me it's a "permanent fix" but I really doubt it. Also, rumor about to open up the throttle once in a while reduces the build up.
I plan to keep the car for long time, but this issue made me want to trade it in sonner since the replacement for piston/ring costs about $6000+ at my local Lexus dealer.

is250gurl

yes i too thought i would keep the car, but now thinking only until when my extended warranty is up at 100k since this could be very costly in the future if there are more problems.

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

Doubtful, its not really a safety risk that really put anyone's life in danger yet so I doubt they will do a recall. If our cars were stalling in the middle of the freeway or something because of the carbon build up or something along those lines risking personal safety...i'm sure it would have been a recall rather than a TSIB.

Same here. I'm picking my car up tomorrow. Still got 2 years and 30k left on the CPO warranty, but i'll see how the next 10k miles go (should be done by the end of the year). If it's still having bad carbon issues , i'll probably just trade it in for another Lexus. I'm more worried about how the new piston job will hold up tho then the carbon build up. I know they had their best techs working on it, but still...

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Only real risk is needing to pay a few hundred bucks out of pocket for a top engine cleaning every year or two...

Presumably the piston/ring thing will make you need it less often, but I don't see any way it's a "fix"

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

Picked up my car yesterday, drove it about 40 miles home and all I gotta say is that it feels freicken brand new again between the new piston work and the spark plugs i had replaced. Longo Lexus really did a good job on all the work and the car runs great. I don't know how long it will continue feeling like new, but i'm hoping a while at least. But just driving it on the highway its a lot smoother as you accelerate and doesn't feel sluggish at all like it used to before I took it in.

I'll update again when everything is broken in and I get the oil changed in like 1,000 miles to clean out any shavings and stuff that might be floating around in there.

panjfj

is it correct to say that the top engine cleaning is only a temporary fix to the rough idling problem? I dont get the stalling but i get vibrations and slight rough idling at stop signs especially after pulling off a highway.

My dealership is doing the top cleaning now but is not replacing any rings or pistons and i do not have any warning lights on. Should i ask them to do the other TSB with the replacement of rings and pistons or does the top cleaning suffice?

rpk2012

if its in warranty, get it done if possible.

panjfj

does the new TSB supersede the other?

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

^ Yes I believe so. My dealer would not do the top engine clean, they said since the issue was verified they had to do the piston work as the solution.

sergfro

heres my timeline.

Within the last 1.5 years i had: top engine clean, top engine clean, replaced pistons. Pistons replaced about 4 mothes ago and I noticed the car acting up last week while idle. Not as drastic as prior but you can still notice it. Car is now getting Valve springs replaced and valve containers.

mickificki

wow that sucks, . question, did they replace the valve springs and containers when they did the pistons?

CarbonDtls

iTrader: (4)

My car seems sluggish, alot of black soot on my exhaust tips, and sometimes I feel like its gonna stall at a full stop. I have 75k miles on my 07' is250, bought used have a warranty from careguard till 100k should I be able to get Lexus to perform the TSB for me?

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

With aftermarket warranties it depends, If your dealer can verify the issue they will send an invoice of repair costs to the warranty company for approval....then it's up to the warranty company to say yes or no. With a high $$ repair like replacing the pistons...it may or may not be a headache to get it approved.

sulfur

Thanks Jeff for the VIN range explanation! Hopefully people with the 1st gen rings will have their cars fixed for no cost.

Looks like mine barely made it. TSB shows TMK 4WD prod change A2032832, mine is A2033xxx. Phew...

Hopefully nobody will need the even newer 2012 rings in the future.