NEWRXOWNR

Please post a follow up if you hear anything. I'll come back next winter when I have irrefutable "proof" (so to speak).

Right now, I am putting in Premium, letting the car warm up for a little longer than normal, and turning the radio up.

anna1949

[QUOTE=NEWRXOWNR;6205745]I just purchased a 2010 RX 350, has only 7k miles on it. Really, really nice car.

I noticed for the first time yesterday the engine ticking/knocking/rattling/whatever you want to call it sound when starting up on a cold start. It definitely goes away after about 5-10 minutes of running.

I read a few thread on this forum and others about it, and there seems to be two schools of thought.

Most people seem to accept this as "normal". They hear it, live with it, and they never have any problems. I am a new Lexus owner, so I have trouble digesting that such a luxury vehicle with so few miles would have a "normal" engine knocking sound at 7,000 miles.

A few people posted in other places that this is indeed an issue, and should not be happening. There is a a Toyota (Lexus) service bulletin that I didn't get the details on, it is LSB-0028-09. LEXUS: ENGINE TICKING NOISE AND/OR MIL ON P0014, P0015, P0024, P0025, P0017, OR P0018. ENGINE MECHANICAL. *PE

I am curious if anyone has the details on this service bulletin, and if it does indeed apply to the engine knocking sound. Also if they have had theirs "fixed".

If there is anyone that has addressed this issue, please respond, I am curious about what people's different experiences are before I go to the Lexus service department. Has any of the following helped?
- Premium gas
- High viscosity cold synthetic oil
- Dealer fixes issue
- Other fix?

Kind regards[

anna1949

I have a 2010 also making the "mini diesel" noise. I took my car in three times with the same complaint and the last time the technician agreed with me that is what it sounds like, a diesel, and he has had several customers with the same problem and there was nothing they could do about it. Alright, after they checked my VIN# here is what I was finally told, they said my engine was manufactured in 2009 when the government required them to meet new EPA guidelines and they were aware of the noise, but in January 2010 they were re-tooled which took care of most of the noise problem, there were some 2010 models that were sold with the 2009 engine in them, mine being one of them,they acknowledged the noise in mine is much louder than in 2010 engines. So far no reported problems with the engines but I wanted it documented. As a very unhappy customer the dealership is working with me at this time.

NEWRXOWNR

Here is an updated video with the sound, I managed to amplify the recording so it was more audible than the last one.

The best part is around 23 seconds or so.

Not sure why, but the video is only 30 seconds long but keeps going after that (I am new to YouTube).

Please post if this is what your issue sounds like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpayE-Cntxk

rxovermdx

All RX 350's have cam timing chain..not just 2010+..

NEWRXOWNR

anna1949,
Thanks for the follow up.

Did they tell you exactly what was wrong with the engine and where the noise was coming from?

Have you pursued any other paths, like contacting Lexus corporate?

Just curious, sounds like I am just starting down the same path you are on, any info you give will help.

Billyray

Took delivery on a 2010 Rx350 from a dealer that used it as a corporate car. less than 12k miles. To my surprize I thought I was driving a diesel. I did the recording bit and took it to the dealer. Tech response was that's the "normal" sound for the engine. All descriptions on this topic thread are the same. Goes away after about 5 minutes. Not a problem when you realise everyone else's sounds the same. Once I got past this annoyance I'm a happy guy, now I know it's not trouble down the road. I may try synthetic oil on my next change (someone suggested that in a post) and I'm back to 87 octane. Spent a fortune filling with premium (So. Cal prices) before I took it in for analysis. Glad I found this forum....big help.

Billyray

I did get a descriptive "print out " from the dealer (Desert Lexus). Quoting ... "Vehicle is operating properly, safely and withouth fault at this time. No repairs were need, or recommended or performed at this time. Sound is consistant with sounds for GR engine seires." So when the blue smoke starts trailing behind me, I'll have this little document (and my recording) to share with the dealer. I'll see if I can attach the recording to a future post. It's identical to NEWRXOWNR'S.

NEWRXOWNR

Billyray,
The problem isn't the same as everyone else's. Luckily, you seem to be in So. Cal, so yours likely isn't as horrendously loud as mine is in the winter. I can definitely hear it in the warmer weather (80-90 degrees now) on cold start.

I put a 5w20 synthetic in (Royal Purple, expensive stuff), to see if the 5w dampens the sound at all, well it doesn't. I have the oil out for analysis and will post the results once I get them in.

I will switch back to a 0w20 synthetic after I get through the Royal Purple I bought.

iewiew

My 2010 rattles in the morning, rattles in the evening. I believe these are very loose engines. Dealer says "No problem", probably because they all do. I was waiting for my car at the dealer in the entry area listening for RX rattles, surprise most all do. And it's the only Lexus model that does.

NEWRXOWNR

iewiew,
I guess it is tough to distinguish between all of the possible engine noises. Rattles, ticks, lifter ticks, etc. etc.

I have another thread that continued this one here: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ston-slap.html

Mine has specifically been diagnosed as a Piston Slap by the Lexus factory technician. The sound has the following characteristics:
- Not audible in idle
- Only audible under load (while driving)
- Loudest between 1000 - 2000 RPM
- Diminishes as the car warms up (eventually it is almost completely gone)
- Louder the colder it is outside
- Louder on a cold start (after sitting overnight)

This is a piston slap, mine is louder because of excessive clearances, but Lexus has assured me that it won't hurt the engine.

MOST Lexus RX's do *not* have this sound, as the manufacturing process is supposed to pair borings with pistons in order to minimize clearance (and hence minimize any sound). I have test driven several RXs in the cold weather on a cold start, and I haven't found one so far with the piston slap.

BillyRay may have a Piston Slap. The bit of mis-information is that "they all do it". Well, they don't all sound the same, some are much louder than others, the volume of the sound varies with the amount of clearance. I would say you can't hear the sound in most of the RXs, just an unlucky few of us.

Billyray

Boy it sure sound like we're driving the same car. The conditions you describe are the same. Cold engine, under load @ around 1500 rpm. My friend has the sedan (gs 300?) And his engine has a similar sound but only slightly detectable. Mine really does diminish after warm up, so I've adjusted to its presence....for now. Once I'm a couple of minutes down the road, that RX300 cabin remains luxuriously quiet. Thanks again for the update.

anna1949

My 2010 RX350 never stopped making a noise that sounded like a mini diesel, the Lexus dealer even acknowledged it was worse than any of the others they had heard, the dealership offered me a platinum warranty or a good price on a 2011, I decided I couldn't live with that noise and they seemed to drag their feet on the new car offer so I decided the best thing for me to do was to trade my 2010 RX350 in for a new 2011 Cadillac SRX (love it). Shame on Lexus for ruining my new car experience and good luck to all of you owners of these cars.

anna1949

Lexus and Cadillac are both quality cars, I would be totally surprised if they didn't offer the same, it's just that Lexus has taken so many of us by surprise with the noise the cars make, we all expect better when you purchase quality.

NEWRXOWNR

Geez, I wish my dealer would do *something* like that. I got neither a platinum warranty offer or a better deal on a 2011.

I sent out my oil for analysis, waiting to hear the results. I've never "hoped" for a bad oil analysis result before, crossing my fingers.

Only thing I can do other than the oil analysis is wait until the cold weather arrives and bring it back in when it is obnoxious again. It is annoying, but not embarassing in the warmer weather.