lexuslover

I am wondering if anyone else has noticed or is noticing rear suspension noises on their RX330's. Every time I go up a slanted driveway (driving into a driveway at an angle, not head on), over a medium-size or large speed bump or any other uneven surface, there is a clunking noise coming from the rear of the car. The sounds it makes is almost as if I had something in a plastic compartment in the trunk and it was "jumping" and hitting the compartment when I go over those uneven surfaces.

I've tried at least 4 times to explain it to the dealer over my last 4 visits for regular maintenance, but I always get the shrug/can't duplicate/you're crazy response from the service techs. It is starting to frustrate me to no end b/c I hear it everyday when I enter/exit my driveway; so I know I am not going crazy and hearing things. And no, I do not have anything in my trunk, including the cargo cover.

So I'm reaching out to fellow 330 owners and trying to see if anyone else has had this issue, and if so, if they have had any luck getting it resolved. I searched the CL forum for TSIBs, and even showed the tech one TSIB that was close to this problem. Please help! Thanks!

BTW: here are the specs on my 330 - I guess it would be helpful to know if this is happening on certain 330s:

2004 RX330 AWD
Delivery date: March 25, 2003
Production: Japan
Current Odo: 32,000 mi
Options: Nav/Lev, Lexus RSES

shikbas

yes I have the same thing on my rx330,I have air suspension s I cannot tell if it is rlated to suspension. Iwill mension it to the service people as all the other noises.

jayskinner

I noticed a similar noise shortly after taking delivery of my '05 RX 330. It sounded like a rapping on hollow plastic in the rear of the vehicle. I removed all my personal stuff, the noise was still there, and a tech rode with me and heard the noise.

They had the car a week and finally fixed it; the right front strut was binding, so they replaced the strut tower subassembly on the right front. Strange, but that sound I thought was coming from the rear is no longer there.

shikbas

can you please copy whatever they wrote in the papers...thanks

jayskinner

Sorry it took me so long to respond.

The papers read as follows:

Strut was binding.
482201 TECH 782 and 845 road tested. Heard noise from right front strut. Replaced right front strut, coil and spring. Road tested, no more noise.

1 48609-0E010 Support sub-assy, FR (N/C)
1 48157-0E010 Insulator, FR Coil S (N/C)
1 48471-0E010 SEAT, FR SPRING, UPR (N/C)
1 90105-17015 Bolt, Flange (N/C)

Pulling to the left.
044184 replaced both front camber bolts and performed four wheel alignment
2 90105-17015 Bolt, Flange (N/C)

Booyah

Lexuslover,

Sounds like you copied and pasted my exact write up on this a while back! It does it on mine too on the right side--not the left and I can only get it to do it on one certain part of my road coming into my house--funny huh!

Onr day when I got a loaner 33 I brough it home real quick and it did the same thing--so I think its there to stay. Its Not the front strut making this noise. I wish it could be fixed though! I may have my tech ride with me this summer and bring him to the spot and see what he thinks??

NeverSatisfied

Could the spare tire or its cover be loose??

Booyah

Nope, not the spare!

Booyah

Anyone figure this out yet?

DURSO

I own 2 - 2004 Rx330's and both do the same thing. I told the Lexus dealer about it. I explained to them that if I go into a driveway at about 10mph turning right I hear a clunk sound in the back of the car. They duplicated the problem, but do not have a fix for it. The told me that they think it is the muffler/exhaust. They said they have had a few complaints from other customers about it as well, and that they hope that Lexus comes out with a TSB to fix the problem. If anyone else figures this out let me know.
Thanks - Tony

Booyah

Well it looks lke everyone has the same problem! Now we have to try and fix it.....

lexuslover

Thanks everyone for your input - I was afraid I might be the only one!

Will keep trying at the dealer, but I'm getting a little tired of their looks "oh great, another one of those nitpicky owners" Hopefully whatever this problem is won't contribute to further problems like the muffler falling off on the freeway!

purebliss

This is so strange and I have had the same problem for months now and the dealer could never firgure it out. Sometimes if the car is parked I can push down on the passenger front side and actcually make the same sound. But if I push down on the other side no noise. I am going Friday and I am going to bring a write up and tell them I want the strut replaced. I will let everyone know what happens. I really hope this is a fix because everytime it makes the noise the wife knocks lexus more and more. She is a BMW fan and I told her how perfect Lexus was so I convinced her to get it and between the TSB on the brakes and the 2 recalls. I am in trouble!

RA030724

iTrader: (1)

I have this same clunk (and posted about it in an ealier thread) which happens when going up my driveway. It appears to be the rear hatch door shifting in the opening. As the hatch only has one latch point at the bottom, I assume that the body flex is causing the door to shift in the opening when I drive up the curb onto the driveway and all four wheels are not on a flat surface. This flexes the body and the door shifts. Best I can figure out. My is repeatable 90% of the time if I hit the driveway at an angle.
Oliver

lexuslover

hi oliver - that is EXACTLY what i am experiencing, and i think you are right; the rear hatch is making the noise, not the suspension. i guess that makes me feel a little bit better knowing that it is not that "major", but it would be great if they could find some kind of insulation mechanism.

Thanks for posting; i think you may have hit the nail on the head! just not sure where to go with this one now, maybe i will play around with it this weekend and see if a few pieces of foam or something will mute the noise...