onsknht

Yup, swear to it... Like I said, I took it as a formality, because I was sure what I was there for, but it definetly made me pause. While I'd consider myself far from being a player, if I'm at the dealership there's something wrong and I want it fixed, whether I have to foot the bill or not.

Keep in mind, they weren't giving me the typical "sign here" flap... This guy looked me square on and told me he'd charge me for DND time.

Also remember, this is Toyota and I've worked with a few dealers, they're all the same. It's unfortunate I know, but I think a lot has to do with some people never being satisfied... They've ruined it for the lot of us, who have legitimate gripes as in dunno's case, they are getting screwed because they fall into the basic category of; "Whackjob with a noise."

ES350Bob

20 days in a loaner with your car in the shop thinking this was being addressed, no wonder you are pissed apart from the obvious reason of no repair.

You can likely imagine all manner of reasons for what they pulled day before yesterday but a couple come to mind.

it is asinine they claim cannot duplicate.

That length of time is somewhat approaching Lemon Law condition for being without your car in many states, maybe California too ??? so they bypass it by forcing you to pickup the car when you did to stop that clock ticking.

That length of time is enough for them to have changed their mind about the expense of repair because they WILL use cost as a reason to deny repair, certainly to stall one out, COST was a reason given me in denying my repairs on former transmission, that and a bold faced lie about the transmission at the same time not so unlike not able to duplicate the patently obvious.

Or maybe they did try and could not repair it which may show if you examine C pillar coverings and headliner. Nearly two weeks after they are told go get the welds done, it hasn't even been touched, are they that backed up in their body shop? Something is not adding up there for sure.

Since it was in there so long before your last week's calls about buyback it seems unlikely whatever the reason is solely as a result of your phone calls-buyback requests, though that may very well be part of it.

Good news is you can take it to another dealer, today if you want to get it started, and that will count as your 4th attempt, it does not seem like this will be repaired and a chronic rattle does devalue a car which is one of the conditions to qualify for Lemon Law. And on top of that in this case can be viewed as a safety hazard as well due to welds.

As 2th suggested...you really need to step this up a notch, I'd send an e-mail to your highway patrol official, call and get an e-mail address for that person or their secretary, they do get involved in vehicle safety issues related to accident results any portion of which are attributed to defects. I only learned that this past year and never knew it before.

Whatever the reason for this I wish you the best in seeing it through.

MD350

Yes, the truth. No one at Lexus has told me that (yet), but several times at Toyota. I guess that if they cannot complete a repair, they cannot charge Toyota for warranty work. So, they bill the customer.

Now, I have the wife back in a Honda product and I am happy. Might I add, the Pilot is defect free to date. So is my Dad's 2005 Accord. Not one warranty claim. Yet, I am going in to have my headliner dropped to do fix a rattle on a TSB. Oh, and my dash was torn apart at my 5K service to fix some rattles. Oh, and my front right door panel was removed for rattles. Yes, it was fixed. But, come on, shouldn't be on a Lexus. Would expect that on a GM car or something. Not Lexus!!

garsarno

The expectation for all of this happening to a GM car and not Lexus is my sentiment also. But, my 2007 Impala has been working perfect for 2,000 miles / 1-1/2 months now. Standard remote start, satellite radio, Onstar and all! No return to the Chevrolet dealer for warranty work as yet. Also, no buybacks needed.

LexBob2

That's the same experience I've had with my ES350 after 6,800 miles and 10 months. I've been back to the dealer just for 5K service and car washes. It is possible.

garsarno

Have you tried to start you car from inside your house yet? It's a shame that the Lexus technology (accounting) could not offer the Chevrolet features on their brand as standard equipment. Just had the 5,000 miles service this morning. Waited little less than one hour for the service and got a clean car!

LexBob2

Nope. I'd have to raise the garage door before starting the car. In my case remote start isn't necessary. If the car was parked outside it would be a neat feature this time of the year.

garsarno

Mine is outside our townhouse. You can imagine being able to remote start the Impala and the Jeep but having to go outside, in the snow and starting the Lexus ES350, most expensive car out there. Pet peeve that will disappear in April or May. But... I do have pushbutton starting and the absolute best sound system with ML in the car along with the panoramic sunroof. And high style!

onsknht

^^^ Considering there's basically nothing to the remote start system (should be able to mass produce for like $5 each) this should be a standard feature on cars like the ES350. While I can appreciate parking in the garage, because I do... I still start the car for a few minutes before running out first thing in the morning in the winter. I simply start the car and open the garage door.

garsarno

The Impala will turn the heat on and rear defroster in cold temps and will turn on the a/c in warmer weather on remote start. What a country!

ES350Bob

dunno,

Here is an example of someone stepping it up a notch and refusing to tolerate a cannot duplicate and letting the feds handle it.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Make : LEXUS
Model : ES350
Year : 2007
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION
*
Crash : No
Fire : No
Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10183424
Number of Deaths: 0
Date of Failure: January 21, 2007
VIN : Not Available
*
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Summary:
MY CAR DEVELOPED THE FLARE/SLIP (1000 RMP GAP) COLD START FIRST SHIFT FROM 2/3 GEAR. IT HAPPENED 2-3 TIMES OUT OF 7 DAYS I SENT THE CAR TO DEALER, THEY KEEP TELLING ME THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR VERIFY THE PROBLEM, I VIDEO TAPE THE PROBLEM SHOW IT TO THE DEALER HOWEVER THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM FIRST IN ORDER TO START TO REPAIR. AFTER I PICK UP THE CAR BACK FROM THE DEALER FOR THE FIRST TIME THE FLARE/SLIP (1000 RMP GAP) HAPPENED AGAIN, IT HAPPENED 3-4 TIMES OUT OF 7 DAYS, I SENT THE CAR BACK TO DEALER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. AGAIN THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR VERIFY THE PROBLEM. *JB

dunnojack

that would have been easily remedied by scheduling a test drive with the foreman. Then they wouldn't be able to lie. It seems like the test drive is the extra hurdle we have to go through.

ES350Bob

Yeah, as long as it did not behave the way it does 2 out of the 7 days after aranging that hurdle to jump, what a PIA to go through when they said they had a video too.

I admire their social conscience exercise in reporting it to fed agency, I did not report former as suggested to me to do though I guess I still could having it's VIN #.

15951

Good Lord...if I was having half the problems with my IS350 as you guys are having, I would dump it ASAP. Lexus needs to step up to the plate and DO SOMETHING about this BS. This is how reputations get tarnished.

wanderer99

Agreed and Agreed. And Agreed. I agree on all points.