I own a 2018 LS 500. Lately, I’ve been hearing news about the engine in this car—owners sometimes post videos on Instagram or YouTube claiming that their engines blew or are making knocking sounds. I really like my car and want to keep it for a long time, but every time I hear these stories, I start thinking about replacing it. What are your thoughts? For reference, my car currently has 45,000 miles.

Thank you

 

I also own a 2018 LS 500 with 90K miles, and from my experience the engine has been very reliable. The 3.5L twin-turbo V6 is used across several Lexus and Toyota models, and widespread engine failures just aren’t something you see with these cars. There were issues with the TT Tundra engine manufactured in the US but our engine was manufactured in Japan.

What you often find online are the rare negative cases that get amplified on social media—people don’t usually make videos when everything is running smoothly. At 45,000 miles, you’re still well within the early life of the engine if it’s been maintained properly. Regular oil changes, good quality fuel, and keeping up with scheduled service go a long way toward ensuring longevity.

I plan on keeping mine for the long haul as well. Unless you’re experiencing real symptoms (check engine light, loss of power, unusual noises), I wouldn’t worry too much about those isolated stories.

 

Social media is not news. check the dates of the videos and the regurgitation of the same stories which are mostly as PGA71 implied are related to tranche of american made motors with "dirty" machine heads that were installedd in toyota trucks and some that were exported to japan and fited to LX models a few years ago. Lexus recalled them. They also sat on lots unsold until they were corrected.

LS500 motors were made in Japan and not have these issues.

These are luxury cars and with it carries premium pricing for maintenance and repairs. If you really like the car then perhaps worth enduring. if not, you can always find ways to spend more money that most repairs will be to enhance your preferred motoring experience.

There are always bad apples and bad examples which get magnified on social platforms. Lexus has a fine reputatin of reliable cars and this flagship while at times controversial and not universally loved by devotees to the earlier model LS that came with the higly regarded V8 motors is sometimes put in a negative light by those who advocate for those older models. The are opinoins and there are facts. As said, sales of sedans have slowed in the U.S. market and the volume of LS500 has dropped along with many other brands. That Lexus has not refreshed the LS is due to many factors but not based on reliablty issues.

I have a 2019 with 53k miles and no issues thus far in almost three years of ownership. I very much enjoy my ownership experience!

 

There are no widespread issues with the LS 500 engine. Mostly the Tundra, which was built in a different factory. Something about debris being left inside. And even with the Tundra, Toyota is fixing it. And I would even still buy a new Tundra, because I trust Toyota to fix issues. You could get a Kia or Hyundai. And they aren't fixing the issues. Told my sister nothing is wrong so they aren't going to fix it. The thing drinks oil like gas.

 

Thank you so much for sharing such detailed information with me. I feel a bit more at ease now and plan to keep driving this car. Your information has really helped me a lot. I truly appreciate it.

 

Thank you so much for sharing such detailed information with me. I feel a bit more at ease now and plan to keep driving this car. Your information has really helped me a lot. I truly appreciate it.

 

Thank you so much for sharing such detailed information with me. I feel a bit more at ease now and plan to keep driving this car. Your information has really helped me a lot. I truly appreciate it.

 

Thank you so much for sharing such detailed information with me. I feel a bit more at ease now and plan to keep driving this car. Your information has really helped me a lot. I truly appreciate it.

 

Thank you so much for your warm response. It really helped me a lot, and it made me want to keep this car for a longer time. I truly appreciate it.

 

Thank you so much for your warm response. It really helped me a lot, and it made me want to keep this car for a longer time. I truly appreciate it.

 

Thank you so much for your warm response. It really helped me a lot, and it made me want to keep this car for a longer time. I truly appreciate it.

 

The v35 recall happened to effect all global factories not just American made ones contrary to popular belief. The only recalled units however were the type 21 found in the American Tundra non-hybrid, and global LC/LX upto my 24.

Without an official recall in place for the type 17 variant which is in the LS, I would not loose sleep. If you want to remain objective, start trending data on your particular engine. See how it compares to other owners, and if for any reason you see something spike, try to pin down what is causing it and then decide how to best proceed.

If you are an owner who worries/risk adverse, and has the ability to still purchase the Lexus backed warranty that might be a better option and use of your worrying time.

 

this site is great for real world Lexus owners providing real world insight. glad you got some of that to help in your decision.
youtube (and the internet) have been evolving into more and more clickbait to wade through trying to get to real info, insight, and knowledge.
our brains are wired to give attention to headlines that cause fear and outrage and those that make money from our clicks know it.
among other things, they prey on our innate fear of making mistakes.
(which one do we click on?)

Buy this!

vs.

Whatever you do, don't buy this!