2007 460 strange engine noise
 

has any body had a strange ticking noise that you can hear in the cabin sounds almost like a exaust leak or a fan blade ticking something under the hood..i have had the dealer check it they say nothing is wrong i just can't belive a 75k car can have this noise...any help:)

I had that noise after I got my VSR done. I took it to another dealership and they re-did the VSR. Apparently they left a spring loose? Who knows if they were telling me the truth. And then about a week later when the temperature dropped I heard it again, but not anywhere near as loud. I still heard it in the cabin. They said it had something to do with the fuel rail or injectors or throttle body, I dont exactly recall. However I havent heard it since so I think I am in the clear for now.

Take it to the dealer as have them look at it.

In cold weather my, now departed, Acura TL used to make a ticking noise for a while until the engine warmed up. I was told it was the fuel injectors and nothing to worry about. That seemed to make sense since it never happened in the summer.

rcpromo1,

I have followed the LS460/600 discussions in several forums for the past three years because of my special interest in the "Wind Noise" problem. The engine noise problem that you described was the most common complaint after the wind noise in the 07s and 08s. It was usually passed off as fuel injector noise by Lexus and considered within the normal range of their expectation much to the consternation of many new car owners. There were indications that some of the complaints were resolved through Lemon Law claims that culminated in the repurchase of some of the cars by Lexus.

If I recall correctly the most likely cause is a "valve lash adjuster." There have been a few reports of cars that didn't have this problem before the Valve Spring Retrofit and then exhibiting it after the Valve Spring Retrofit. And, there were several reports of cars that had the engine noise problem before the Valve Spring Retrofit and they were very quiet after the retrofit. The VSR, in addition to all new valve springs, provides all new valve lash adjusters.

This admonishment in the Valve Spring Retrofit instructions caught my eye:
Quote
STOP, These are not self bleeding lash adjusters, if they are not bled properly, you will have excessive valve noise after installation.
End quote

If your car has not had the Valve Spring Retrofit then perhaps there will be some improvement when you get that done. The VSR is a NHTSA Safety Recall affecting all 2007 and 2008 LS460s.

Agreed, i had this noise and both it and my slight smoking when i jumped on it where both remedied with the VSR,, it runs smooth as silk now, 1000 miles and three months later

mine has had the valve springs replaced and they insist nothing is wrong but at an idle you can really hear it. Any ideas to make them repair it?

Thanks

If you live in south Fl and have not used JMLexus in Margate, you might want to see if they will address your concerns.

any chance i could get your vin so i can get my dealer to look at it and maybe redo mine?

Thanks!

ralph

THIS HAPPENED TO OUR CAR after we got valve springs TSB done at Lexus of North Miami...there was a ton of noice. We took it to JM Lexus in Margate and I believe they fixed the problem...I do believe it may have to do with the VSR that Jmcraney is writing about...

could i possibly get your vin number to refrence it at my dealer?

Ralph

I have this noise too. Need to have them look at it when they do the brake actuator.

Is this noise different from the previously reported complaints that have been attributed to the high pressure direct injection? It was my understanding that this produces a "ticking" like sound that reminds me of the sound of valve tappets that need adjusting.

I hear this on my 2009 at idle and when I raised it with an LS mechanic he said it was due to the direct injection and "normal". Do others think this is in fact a correctable "problem"?

i too have the very slight ticking at idle (after the VSR) and have heard this explanation before.

don't you think its weird that the noise is not there until the vsr is done

Let's see now.:uh:

All of the cars have the same fuel injection system.:agreed:

Some of the cars have an odd engine noise.:sad:

Lexus says this is normal.:rolleyes:

thats what im saying

I had the same noise also after VSR repair on a 2008 LS 460.
Brought it back to the dealer and they said the left side was defective, bleeding, and they replaced it.

JM, I don't think Lexus says this is normal, I think that some technicians think that all LS owners are dumb a$$es.

Hello,

I am a new owner of 2008 LS460. The previous owner did the VSR and not sure about the engine noise earlier. But now, I am able to hear this noise after I drive for a while. Especially when I stop and go. Since I am in Atlanta, not sure how to approach JM Lexus who seem to have fixed this problem. Can someone email me the vin number of any other info that I could take it to my dealer. Please advise.

take it to the dealer and if they refuse to figure out what the problem is or diagnose it you should contact a lexus representative....ive seen it done before on this website...

Recommend you contact Lexus customer service and advise them that two dealers have no interest in addressing your concerns. Advise them that you are an unhappy Lexus owner and request that they contact you for technical assistance. Have you listened to another LS engine with comparable mileage to compare to yours? I could not expect my engine to be any quieter either while idling or accelerating.

If you want an independent mechanic to take a look you might try R&M Automotive in Northridge. They specialize in Toyota/Lexus and Honda/Acura. I haven't had any work done there yet but some people I know have good things to say about them. I have communicated with one of the owners John and he seems like a nice guy. But they are not authorized to do Lexus warranty repairs....if anything needs to be fixed under warranty then a dealer has to do it. But at least they could take a listen and see if there is a problem.

i bought mine in to Sterling Mccall Lexus and they said it's normal..it's the FI fuel pump noise...not sure what to expect now cuz everything is "normal" to them...even with the brake noise which I fixed at another dealership is "normal" to them.
They even specifically said "I can't fix whatever that is normal"....whatever...

Sorry..it's RM automotive not R&M. They are at Tampa & Roscoe.

http://www.rmauto.com/

Tick...Tick...Tick...Tick
 

I found your comment from Lexus interesting that they are pointing to the fuel pump as the source of the noise. I have a 2009 with a ticking noise at idle and thought it was valve related. I have never heard a fuel pump make a noise from inside the cabin. I plan to ask my service tech his thoughts and be ready for the "its normal" comment.

:golf:

I just took my 2008 LS460 to the dealer this morning. He was able to hear the tickling noise, even though it was not consistent. He mentioned that not many technicians know the VSR, and he has agreed to take a look at this. The previous owner got this done somewhere else.

So I can't wait to see my car back. For Lexus, we should not hear any engine noise, that's what this car is known for. I'll keep you all posted.

could someone be kind enough to post a clip of how the engine is supposed to sound mine sounds like a sewing machine smooth but i can hear it not quiet as poster above mentioned

Good news. I just got my 200 LS460 back and the tickling/rattling noise is gone. The previous dealer who installed the VSR did not do a good job. Lexus Hennessey said the following:

Road test car with Chassisear to Engine. Valve cover on Bank 1 & 2, and Engine Block
FOund noise coming from Both Bank. Bank 1 at 1600RPM to 2000RPM. Bank2 2000RPM to 2500Rpm. Removed Valve Cover, found all of the valve cover bolts loose. One bolt on Bank1 was only by 2 turns. Causing oil to Bleed out of lifters. Making Rattle Noise.

I am glad that my dealer fixed this problem and I am extremely happy now. I would definitely recommend this dealer if you are in the Atlanta area.

It might be a favour to others if you were to report this to Lexus Corp. Such shoddy work should be brought to their attention. Were you in touch with the previous dealer?

Mike

I will call Lexus and let them know. I do not know who the previous dealer was, but they should have the record. Now, the car ride is very smooth...

2007 460 Strange Engine Noise
 

I have the same strange ticking noise that rcpromo1 described. I just took my 460 to the dealer and they said it was "injector pressure ticking and fuel pump noise" as well. I told them I had driven the car for over a year with no engine noise and after the VSR, it started sounding like a VW. I'm meeting with the Service Dept. Foreman tomorrow. Thanks to all the good information in this and other threads, I am going in armed with lots of information and the TBIS. I'll let you know what happens.

Sooooo - what happened?

Yeah, we want to know if you won or are you still trying to convince them that there is an issue. :argue:

I spent about an hour with the Foreman listening to the noise. He just continued to assure me that tapping noise was normal. When I asked him why it didn't make that sound until after the VSR, he indicated that it must have made that noise previously and I must not have noticed it! I had him bring another 460 over so I could hear it make the same sound. It did, but not as loud. He assured me that if he could fix it he would, but he couldn't. I just don't love my car like I used to anymore. I'm so dissappointed in Lexus!

I suspect that your "engine noise" is normal. I think it is time we had a discussion about the word "normal." Webster's definition of Normal, when used in the context above, is: (A) according with, constituting, or not deviating from a norm, rule, or principle; (B) conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern. With that in mind, the wind noise, brake actuator noise, engine noise, and failed audio system amplifiers, all seem to be "normal," although undesirable characteristics of many of these cars.

I had the same noise problem from day one and same story after VSR repair on a 2007 LS 460. So far Lexus dealer keep saying that it's normal :-(

I agree I'm a lot less enamored with the car. The dealer has really tried to fix it but can't get it done

Had mine worked on still hearing the noise very frustrated

I sold the car and bought another sc430 problem over