2008 LEXUS RX350 Power Train Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. WHILE REVERSING, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THREE TREES. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE/INOPERABLE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE IGNITION TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, BUT A REPORT WAS FILED 3 DAYS LATER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED COMPONENTS WERE WORKING PROPERLY AND CONSUMER MADE NO ATTEMPT TO STOP OR STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. VEHICLE ALSO CRASHED INTO 1 CAR.*PM CONSUMER'S INSURANCE COMPANY STATED CAR WAS TOTALED. ('PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY...

THERE WAS A WINING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I STARTED MY SUV UP IN THE MORNING THERE WAS A LOUD WINING SOUND. THE SOUND LOWERED AS THE CAR WARMED UP, NUT WHEN I PUT THE CARE IN DRIVE AND ACCELERATED THE NOUS BECAME LOUDER. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER THEY SAID IT HAS THE POWER STEERING SO I HAD THEM REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. BUT BEFORE THEY RETURNED THE CAR TO ME THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE AND THAT I NOW NEEDED A TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL. AT 120,000 MILES THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD CLEAN THE TRANSMISSION OIL MOTOR PAN AND THAT COULD STOP THE NOISE FOR NOW. THE DEALER CLEANED OIL PAN AND THE NOISE STOPPED. I AND TOLD THAT THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX AND THAT I WILL NEED A NEW...

THE OIL COOLER PIPE ASSEMBLY ON THE ENGINE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY CAUSING A SUDDEN LOST OF A LARGE VOLUME OF OIL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON A STREET AND WAS ONLY NOTICED WHILE PARKING (A CO-WORKER SAW THE OIL POURING OUT OF THE CAR). THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS. UPDATED 10/10/2017*JS

AFTER HAVING TO REPLACE BRAKE CALIPERS, A BROKEN KEY, AND THE ENGINE OIL COOLING PIPE (WARRANTY) IN THE LAST YEAR, MY RX 350 IS HAVING TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS WITH 136K MILES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR A CAR WITH THE LEXUS NAME AND PRICE. THE CAR IS HESITATING DURING SHIFTING CAUSING ISSUES WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE NOT HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION YET, BUT WITH THE REVIEWS FOR SOME OLDER MODELS, I FEAR THIS IS COMING SOON. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED TO PAY THIS MUCH MONEY FOR A QUALITY CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO LAST 250K+ MILES, AND HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH JUST 136K MILES ON IT. IT DOES NOT LIVE UP TO THE LEXUS QUALITY REPUTATION!

THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAUSED A SAFETY HAZARD. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE POWER STEERING RACK HAD TO ALSO BE REPLACED. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT THESE FAILURES OCCURRED BEFORE 120,000 MILES. *TR

WE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT A NOISE UPON STARTING THE CAR FOR THE PAST YEAR WHEN HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED. THIS WAS THE FIRST SERVICE VISIT WHERE DEALER WAS ABLE TO PINPOINT THE CODE AND THEY CAME BACK WITH THE CAM SHAFT VARIABLE VALVE TIMING (VVT) GEAR ISSUE. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE WAS $6830. I FOUND YOUR RECALL DATED SEPTEMBER 4, 2013 # 13V395000 FOR VVT ON LEXUS GS350, IS350 AND IS350C MODELS FOR THE SAME MODEL YEAR AND FIND IT SUSPICIOUS AS THE SAME ENGINE IS USED. I AM WONDERING IF OTHER RX 350S HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND THE RECALL SHOULD ACTUALLY BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE RX350 MODEL. AT THIS POINT, THE DEALER SAYS THEY NEED TO TEAR THE VEHICLE DOWN TO ACCURATELY ASSESS IF IT IS THE BOLTS OR ANOTHER ISSUE BUT THE EXPENSE IS VERY HIGH. I ALSO WAS WONDERING WHAT THE RANGE OF MILES WERE ON...

AT 65,000 MILES VEHICLE HAD A MAJOR BREAKDOWN. SERPENTINE BELT RUPTURED CAUSING FIRE AND SMOKE INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BOTH INSIDE THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE. GAS PEDAL BECAME INOPERATIVE AND VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. AS FURTHER DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE BELT RUPTURE IS THE A/C COMPRESSOR FREEZING STUCK. REPAIR IS EXTREMELY COSTLY. PARTS ALONE ARE CLOSE TO $1500. LEXUS IS NOT WILLING TO HELP IN ANY WAY AND ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE PER THE MAINTENANCE BOOKLET IS PERFORMED AND ON TIME. ADDITIONALLY THE MAINTENANCE BOOKLET DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY WORK OTHER THAN FILTERS, OIL CHANGES UNTIL 100,000 AT WHICH TIME ONLY SPARK PLUGS ARE MOSTLY DUE TO BE REPLACED. A/C COMPRESSOR SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT AT 65,000 MILES ON A 2008 LEXUS. *TR