I just purchased a 2010 CPO with 61K miles and there’s a lot of exclusions in the warranty. They make you think that it’s a bumper to bumper warranty but a lot of things are not covered.

So what has gone kaput on your RX and what should I look for and get it fixed while they will? Heard about the front bumper issue.

I have this week to get things fixed (basically just monday to weds).

I'm also trying to gauge wether to purchase an extended warranty based on the info that I get here. But I don't want to talk about ext. warranties on this thread as I am posting a question on that thread.

Thanks!
Enz

To the mod who moved my previous post. I tried to find a way to contact you but I could not figure it out. I also tried to delete my previous post, was successful on the one you moved but not the original one. You can delete that. IMHO I don't think my original post was just about purchasing an extended warranty but was also about gathering info on what has gone bad on 3rd gen RX350s. you should have not moved it to that thread. That post was not just about extended warranties Thx.

 

Enz, congrats on your purchase!
The common thing to check for is if the rear struts are starting to leak. They've been the Achilles heel of the RX.
The only thing I took mine in for was the Nav system. Under extreme cold weather last year, the fan would become very noisy. Of course, it could not be duplicated, and it hasn't reappeared since. Other than that, happy motoring.

 

Ok thanks Vlad! Will definitely check on those things!

 

I understand your concern because time is of the essence.
We purchased a 2011 CPO about a year ago and the only repair done since birth was the rear shock replacement during the CPO prep. On this forum, I've seen steering wheel squeaks, rear seat rattles and fob battery deaths, but nothing major-component related. Lexus has earned it's excellent quality reputation. You can look thru 180 pages of threads at the start of this forum, which lists topics of concern, and probably will not spot a trend. You could ask your service advisor, and be up front, what repair trends have been seen in your model year. Like they say in Australia, "No worries, man."
I would skip the third-party extended warranty, but that's just my opinion.
Ray A.

 

Hi Ray! Yeah, I'm still debating on the extended warranty and the info that I gather here will help me make that decision. All I buy are Japanese cars because of their dependability. I currently have on 02 Coach Ed RX300, 00 Sport Ed 4Runner, and 94 Nissan PU. All AWD/4WD vehicles.Thank God, they've all been solid cars. Didn't have ext warranties on those. But I was really considering a warranty on this 2010 since they changed it from the 09 and its got all those electronics plus I got it used and it was a loaner in its 1st 15K of life.

 

Save the money and spend it on a transmission flush, and brake fluid flush. Plus changing the fluid in the rear differential and transfer case if AWD. Ask the dealer for them at a discount since you are just buying the vehicle. More return on your money, especially if you plan to keep it over 100,000 miles. Also how many miles are on the brake pads? How much pad is left?

 

Ok good one on getting stuff done now at a discount. New pads, replaced during CPO certification. Thx.

 

Rear shocks, a very easy job if you care to do it yourself. Both of mine in less than 60 minutes 2 months ago.
Check tire condition/manufacturer.
We had OEM Dunlop tires on ours when purchased. Loud as a MAC truck going down a gravel road. Changed to Michelin, much better ride & very quiet.
Ask the vendor about any recalls on the car & whether they have been reviewed/completed.

 

Have the steering Column checked. There are threads on this issue. Read them. I had mine done and there is a TSB on the issue. It's expensive and you don't want to pay for it. Also, so far, my Lexus extended warranty has covered everything that has gone wrong except the brakes and alignment. My dealer is great though and never gives me a problem.

 

A few things to check (not necessarily repairs), whether the windows are laminated, the iPod scrolling issue was addressed (TSB in this thread), and ask the dealer for the 12V extension cord if you don't have one (TSB here). Check the battery. Chances are it's been replaced. Depending on build date you either have a sunglass holder (pre August 2009) or Lexus Enform (August 2009-present). Also take a look through this thread so you can get a sense of some quality issues early on. Most were noise/rattle related. Others have mentioned the rear shock leaks and steering wheel problems.

As far as my 2010 450h, I've only had issues with the rear emblem on the tailgate and remote start to date. Both were fixed under warranty. Neither affected my ability to drive my RX. The battery was recently checked and still going strong at five years.

 

Thank you to all who brought this to my attention! I checked my rear shocks earlier and its obviously the filthiest part of the undercarriage. Looks like the shocks have been leaking for a while and crud has formed around the lower body. I also have some rust on the control arm, spring seat (where they jack up the car), and some head bolts. Not sure what the definition of "rust free" is which is supposed to be the condition of the car. Now my confidence on the CPO certification process is totally gone. First the CPO sheet say my tires are 6/32nds and I get home and measure it and its 5 on a section of both the rear tires, they did give me $500 tire credit for this when I brought it to their attention. Now I find out about the rear shocks that were definitely an item to check off during the certification process.

 

I have always noticed a lot of undercarriage surface rust on the 5 Lexus vehicles I have owned. My RX is the worst. Mostly around edges of frame and suspension components. Not sure what can be done. Doubt if anything would rust through before the rust warranty was over. I am not inclined to sand and repaint with some rust preventive stuff as I am afraid it may rust worse from trapped moisture under the rust preventive stuff. My old 95 Explorer was much worse and the only major rust issue was the brake lines rusting out after 18 years, which is when I got the RX.

 

Underbody components are prone to all the weather & splash created by the wheels. Surface scale is common & not a major concern if kept in check. The steel used here is far thicker than anything used on a body panel.
If you like you can spray WD-40 on the areas in question to dry any moisture. You'll see a noticeable difference. Then spray it with an aerosol rust inhibitor. We can buy RustCheck here in Canada, I'm sure the US market has an equal.
"Rust free" is usually in reference to body panels including the floor pan. They all rust to a certain degree as soon as they leave the factory. Exposed bolts, brake discs, brackets etc..

Remember the Chevy Vega ?
Used to see them on the delivery trucks headed to the dealers. Doors painted only about 3/4 of the way down & the door bottoms already rusting.........still on the truck.

 

Raymond, I've been following the thread and your concerns. 1st congratulations on your new (new to you) 2010 RX. They're great cars and it should provide you with many miles of enjoyment and safe driving.

2nd, I'm having trouble understanding what your impressions of a CPO warranty are. True it's very comprehensive but not to the true level of a new car. It is pre-owned. Almost all functioning equipment is covered under the terms. If the shocks are leaking it may be something missed in the pre-check and I'd bring it to the dealers attention to see what they'll do before becoming too concerned. I don't have a copy of the CPO terms and can't say for sure but I'd bet they're covered. Just use the warranty.

As far as rust, the warranty coverage is probably going to be corrosion protection on the painted body components and where things attach. Some suspension and power-train components have exposed steel that can/will rust after the 1st drive in the rain but it's just surface rust and shouldn't be a problem. There's really no way to permanently stop it. I would check to make sure the TSB on the steering components was performed. I understand they gave you some credit toward new tires so that's a good thing. Depending on where you purchase new OEM Michelin's should run in the neighborhood of a grand when you're ready.

If you have time, check back after your dealer visit and let us know how it went. If he's typical, he's going to address your concerns and make you happy.