chrisexv6

Ours still has the same vibration. Now out of warranty, of course dealer couldn't find anything wrong the final time I brought it to them.... Side note: has anyone fiund ANY dealer that will actually say something isn't normal on a warranty vehicle? Lexus is now on par with my RAM dealer. Scan the computer, don't find a code (because we all know nothing mechanical can be wrong....) "Car is fine". Next step would be to wait hours for then to find a like vehicle that does the same thing. But their time is free at that point, only mine costs me (in vacation time)

I personally think it has something to do with the active engine mounts but have not had the time to get a techstream setup to run the diagnostics. There is a test to run that will make them firm and loose over and over again, service manual says you should feel a difference and of you dont, they are bad. But im sure my dealer took the time to try that, right?

UKEE

I'm starting to think the same on bolded part above. Maybe it's just the dealer closest to me....everything is normal to them and they always want to pull out another vehicle to show me that they all act that way.

As for your issue (and my previous issue), I tend to agree it's active motor mount related. The tech said that everything was OK but I'm thinking it wasn't. Maybe something wrong with the accelerometer that activates the active motor mounts or something. The resonating was a result of the vibration. I could live with the vibration but I couldn't stand the booming resonance from the engine. I finally gave up and moved on. I wish you the best of luck.

rmak

My 2016 ES350 has a slight vibration at idle with the A/C on. I do not think the 2016 shares the same active mount as the 2015. Either way if it starts to bother me I am going to just change the mounts to eliminate them.

Dampfwalze

Several people mentioned this, but now I tested several ES's, RX, and LS over the weekend. The 2010 that had this issue more severely wasn't affected at idle in drive with A/C on or off. For what it's worth, it the shaking was worse on hot days like around 100F.

When I got into the 2017 with about 20K miles, first drive, I checked the vibration at idle and the Lexus Salesman, which had been honest about every weakness of the various models (ultimately leading me away from an LS), said it shouldn't vibrate at all - and the 2017 ES didn't. However, the a 2015 RX350 with about 80K miles had the same vibration, but it wasn't transferring through the steering in the same manner as the ESs. Any of the higher mileage cars, nothing more than 105K, had this vibration it seemed. I'm starting to think twice about getting a new ES to replace my very old GS because I can't stand that much vibration as I drive in a lot of stop for few minutes and go traffic. I'm also noticing these higher mileage cars (all dealer serviced) going on very long oil change intervals - more than 10K. As a side note, the ES ride has really degraded (kind of like being on a stiff board) compared to the old generations, though I'm not particularly a fan of the ride in the 2007-2012 models, but prior was great.

If anyone does change the motor mounts and it makes it like new - zero vibration pretty much - please let us know.

Mike728

I replied awhile ago that I could not feel any vibration in the wheel of my ES350 at idle. I have since realized there is some there, just not really that noticeable and far less than any vehicle I had previously owned, until now. We bought my wife a CX-5 Signature at the end of last year. When we first got it, I thought the engine had died at a stop light (it does not have stop/start technology). There is absolutely zero vibration in the wheel. Just like if the car was off. Not just this, but Mazda has really surprised me with the quality they have put into this vehicle.

Dampfwalze

The vibration I think most are talking about is enough that it almost feels like a massage chair - initially in the steering wheel and doors, then the chair as gets worse. Out of curiosity, what year and how many miles do you have? If the car has electronic steering as most these days, then one really shouldn't feel vibration in the steering wheel at idle in drive. If it is motor mounts for instance, maybe some wear out earlier then others depending on roads etc... driving on the highways/interstates etc in Houston is like driving on an unfinished roads, they leave little bumps and grooves throughout - making a terrible ride at high speeds and likely wearing the suspension more.

Mike728

I've had my 2013 since March of 2013. It just hit 21k miles last week.

Tootsall

Same with my '14: just enough of a "tremble" that by gripping the wheel firmly you can't feel it any longer.

TechNut

Wow. We recently traded our 2015 (since Feb of 2015) with 22K miles and I thought we had really low miles. You have us beat by a long shot. Time for a road trip?

Mike728

I had 13k after the first year. Then my worked moved to downtown Chicago. I've been putting a ton of miles on the train now.

Dampfwalze

Update on engine vibration. I think I've found the source of the vibration. Every 80k mileage 3.5L v6 ES, RX that i tested had this issue to some degree. The members that don't have it also seem to have low miles. Well, I've been using a 2014 with 61k miles that had it some, much more vibration than the low mileage engines (<30k), been using premium top tier fuel and it has improved significantly. Plus, driving it less conservatively. This 2014 had always had the oil changed every 5k miles which probably helps too because some others I tested went 10k interval and sometimes a bit more.

I recall someone on the forum saying they had their valves cleaned and it fixed the problem. If it's not completely smoothed out as I continue to use premium (which I am getting 2-3mpg better with anyways - over 33.3+mpg around 70mph and 31.8+mpg 74-80mph ), I'll try the BG full 44k service and let you all know if it helps. I'm sure this isn't an isolated issue, though I noticed it is not as bad in cool weather and if you don't sit at a stop in drive a lot you may just be ignoring it, but compared to the low mileage ones, they're near vibration free. But the old 3.0L V6 didn't do this - have two.

Tootsall

Dampfwalze

Yeah, he's right about what an engine may or may not like. And this one definitely runs better on the premium, I wasn't expecting that at all, but I knew it couldn't hurt to try and the manual says it can be run on premium. I'd have to get the manual out again, but I'm guessing that's what they tested it on.

Though regarding quality, there's a good study here. https://www.consumerreports.org/car-...h-extra-price/
Cheap gas with minimal cleaners and the way direct injection works on modem engines carbon build up is very likely, that would be my guess from all the evidence I'm seeing and testing myself on these engines. The car Wizard said he had to chisel the carbon build up off his Audi V10 valves he bought used it was so bad.

Tootsall

Just to clarify, octane rating is not a measure of quality, energy content, nor detergent additives but only knock resistance.

Dampfwalze

Ok? Also to clarify that not all gasolines meet "top tier" standards as noted in the study by AAA and as all the major auto manufactures have designated a standard, so I'm guessing the cheap gas and overly conservative driving is how these engines are getting carbon build up.