NHTSA Complaint #10503265 — 2007 LEXUS RX350

DURING MY ANNUAL STATE VEHICLE INSPECTION CONDUCTED BY A LEXUS DEALERSHIP, SERVICE TECHNICIANS INDICATED THAT ONE OF THE BOOTS ON THE POWER STEERING RACK HAD A HOLE/TEAR AND WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID, AND THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL LEAK FROM A SEAL IN THE POWER-STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. THE ESTIMATE AND FINAL COST TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM WAS $1600+, AND I FOUND MYSELF AT THE MERCY OF THE DEALERSHIP, WHO SAID I WOULD "FAIL" MY STATE INSPECTION IF I CHOSE NOT TO HAVE THEM MAKE THIS REPAIR. I HAVE SINCE READ ONLINE WHERE NUMEROUS OTHER RX350 AND RELATED LEXUS VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME OR SIMILAR STEERING RACK FAILURES AND SEAL LEAKS, AND THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 1 LEXUS RECALL CAMPAIGN ON A NON-RX350 VEHICLE FOR THIS ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTY REPAIR FOR ME, AND SINCE MANY OTHER LEXUS VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE DOCUMENTED THIS SAME ISSUE (AND SERVICE TECHNICIANS ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM), IT WOULD SEEM THAT LEXUS WOULD TAKE THE HIGH ROAD AND COMMENCE A RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR VEHICLES ALREADY ON THE ROAD WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND WOULD CORRECT OR ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM FOR FUTURE VEHICLES NOW THAT IT'S A KNOWN, DOCUMENTED ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY LEXUS DOES NOT APPEAR WILLING/ABLE TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD ON THIS ONE. *TR