DMPesso

Doesnt the f sport have a resonator to increase the sound of the exhaust? Someone actually removed it and made the car silent? There IS a difference in sound from an f sport and a regular RX

Do you have an f sport or regular rx? I’m pretty sure if I load it up I’ll get the same drone. I’m going to try again next time I drive. I know the f sport is louder from the resonator they add so I won’t hear it probably. I should feel it. Have you tried shell 93 gas? Throttle might be different on f sport then regular because I have to feather the gas so lightly to only use 1500 RPM. A loaner rx I had the pedal felt heavier. It’s hard to stay that low on rpms. Does yours do it in sport mode also?

gnguyen

I have a regular RX350. If you have the vibration issue, you'll will feel it without even looking for it. People have different tolerance for the drone. It drives me crazy, but not my wife. I don't feather the gas. On the highway I keep a constant speed. Very often I'm in the 1500 RPM range and I get the vibration. When I speed up or slow down and it crosses over the 1500RPM I feel the vibration. Sport mode doesn't make any difference. It's the RPM. For comparison, my 2006 Tacoma is loaded with gravel in the trunk. I feather the gas going up hill in any RPM and it's smooth as butter. Same with my 2017 Highlander, or any other cars that I've owned.

DMPesso

That’s weird. I would have noticed it then because the car feels smooth especially on the highway. I’m going to try to keep RPMS near 1500 today to see if I notice anything. Have you tried using 93 gas from shell?

gadgetman1

Fuel plays no role in any of this. It’s a vibration/drone that is unique to the design of the RX. Also, depending on altitude, only 91 may be available. I’m over 1500 ft above sea level & 91 is the highest octane available of any fuel brand. When I travel to other areas that are lower, I can find 93 octane. I usually use regular or mid grade Top Tier fuel & I get better results than with 91 of non-Top Tier.

For whatever it’s worth, I heard this vibration/drone from the back seat while on a test drive of the RX 350. Several loaner 350s have done the same. The RX 450h doesn’t do it.

DMPesso

Interesting, and it’s only at 1500 RPM or above as well? I’m going to play around with mine today at the low rpms and see if I feel it. You feel the vibrations on the steering wheel and the whole car? Where exactly? There were some times I was driving in normal mode and if I feathered the gas as if I wasn’t pressing it hard enough, you can feel it bogging.

I wish I would’ve been able to find a 450 f sport. I would’ve gotten that instead. There were barely any f sports with the options I wanted as it is. I’m sure next year as they come off lease there will be more. F sport 450 is rare though. Seems like that’s the true gem in the rx line. Especially considering the horrible NYC city MPG for the 350. I get barely 14 MPG in the city. 450 gets double mpg in the city. For that reason and the transmission and vibration issues that 450 is the winner. I’m going to test drive one to feel the difference, I’ve never driven a hybrid before. I hope it’s not that much better then I won’t like mine anymore all the people on here that get it and say what a difference with the instant response from the CVT is tempting me.

gnguyen

1500RPM is when it's most noticeable. My range and most people who've experienced it in this thread is somewhere from 1400RPM - 1800 RPM. The vibration starts from underneath the car--in the exhaust area--transfers to the gas pedal, steering wheel, floor and seats. As I mentioned the vibration intensity from the gas pedal is like that of holding onto an electrical hair clipper. The intensity varies with ambient temperature. I notice on cold days it's worse and on hot days its more tolerable.

DMPesso

Oh wow the gas pedal shakes? That’s completely unacceptable! It’s most definitely something with the exhaust then

GSFRX350

I know it's not related to the vibration issue but the F-Sport RX 350 does have a resonator that increases the engine noise, makes her growl a little more under hard acceleration - it's designed by Yamaha and can be easily replaced with the regular RX 350 resonator to reduce the growl.

gadgetman1

Are you thinking of a “sound generator” that’s pumped thru the speakers that simulates engine noise? I drove the F Sport, the base RX model & a well equipped RX 350 & there was zero difference in the sound - I didn’t hear any growl, except for the exhaust drone/vibration. The 450h does sound different because of the electric motors...

mspearl95

the F Sport has a physical sound generator in the exhaust system- there is a whole thread about deleting it.

GSFRX350

The NX has the sound generator going through the speakers, the RX has the resonator that just increases the volume of the normal sound. The F-Sports sound is really only noticeable when accelerating hard, like on the on ramp to a freeway, she certainly growled a lot. I didn't really like it, doesn't sound refined like a Lexus should, I'm older and past all the go fast goodies. When driving around town you may not have noticed anything different, anyway I bought the regular resonator (in Australia $13.00 AUD) and changed it myself, very easy, and now no more boy racer noise getting on the freeway.

here's a whole thread about. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...t-f-sport.html

DMPesso

Do me a favor and try some shell 93 gas, not Costco. Get some Lucas octane booster or something good to boost it a point or two. After that reset the ECU and drive. I can almost guarantee the vibration will subside. There’s people who have this car in Australia and don’t have these issues. The standard for gas is much higher there. It is probably all this cheap gas we have out here. I only use 93 from shell or Sunoco and I don’t have any issues. I tried very hard last night to keep it at 1500 rpm and I couldn’t feel or hear any vibrating.

gnguyen

Sure, it doesn't hurt to try Shell 93. I'm waiting for a cold day where the vibration is worst and have the dealer test it and apply the TSB. If that doesn't fix the drone&vibration, I'll try Walt's weight dampers. How do you reset the ECU?

DMPesso

You will notice a diffident on the first tank of gas. I do. The transmission learns your driving style in a relentless effort to save gas and lower rpms. Every time I fill my car with different gas it drives good until it learns the timing and lowers RPMs. I’m not the only one who noticed this as well. Sport mode eliminates the problems.

So you haven’t had the TSB done for the hesitation yet ? I’m pretty sure that’s going to help the problem, you don’t need to show them anything you just bring it in and have it done. Or are you referring to a different TSB? It changes the rpms and pedal response that and the new gas would probably fix the issues

resetting the ecu easiest way is unplug the negative battery terminal for an hour. Maybe less with this car but that’s the process I’m used to with old cars. There’s another way to do it with pulling a fuse. Can’t find the thread but it’s on club Lexus somewhere

gnguyen

I don't have any hesitation issue, should I just go ahead and ask for that TSB? The TSB I'm referring to is L-SB-0003-18. This is where they replace the mid exhaust pipe with another that has the damper weight attached.