matt7184

My family is a loyal Toyota family, owning numerous Toyota/Leuxs Trucks/SUVs and Cars.

My aunt and my cousin both have 2003 GX470s with all the vibration clunking,etc problems. Lexus is constantly receiving awards for its reliable and low buyer complaints and it seems like the GX470 design is flawed and that Lexus should deal with this problem shiftly however possible. A car in this price range and category, should not have all these problems new.

Anyone with any problems with their GX470s please respond with info about your car, date you bought your car, and your problem (this thread is likely going to be sent to Lexus)

Also, anyone that has had their car bought back, your responses are definately welcomed as is your input.

w4rjd

If you are having problems with the GX, write Lexus and explain in detail. Phone calls are ok for getting information, but written communications is needed for results. Include all the documentation such as problems dates the dealer worked on it and results.

hipcheck

This may be a stupid reply, but I have to ask. My GX470 has been flawless. If I had one that had issues I'd take it up with Lexus privately and if needed follow the lemon laws of the state involved.

The car makers don't get excited when people try to get groups together to complain. They typically respond better to single people. Groups of people are more expensive and typically more emotional.

I'll grant you that there are first year issues in some GXs. But there are methods to remedy those things (including taking it in the shorts and selling the thing!) I've sold may a car I wasn't happy with.

major1

I'm sure read this board & others such as Edmunds are being read by Lexus management.

There's plenty of problems with the GX470 and I'm amazed how poor the service people communicate or acknowledge issues between corporate & customer

Buybacks are going on for the GVWR mis-labeling, suspension & tow hitch problems. How many people that dont read this board would even know about the buyback...very few I'd imagine.

Look at the $1000 credit card fiasco & see how poorly that has been handled.

The vibration issue probably is there for 50% of the GX470 vehicles out there. But how many service people were acknowledging the problem UNTIL people started to complain about it!

Unfortunately the car has major problems & maybe Lexus has been lucky up to now with other vehicles.

They need to get on the stick with this car and sort things out!

matt7184

Certain service departments has tried to pass this off as a normal problem, yet the car feels like it is getting hit from the rear right also during braking. My family would be happy to get another Lexus GX if the problems were fixed, yet the service departments say that there is no fix for it. The problem about getting another GX is the confidence in the vehicle, since it is a big concern about getting another bad car.

MJMeucci

Ok, so maybe i am just not noticing it but what is this vibration problem every one is talking about? I have had the GX for over a month and the only problem i have had is Lexus cannot fix a scratch on the drivers side mirror that the car was delivered wiht becuase they have not recieved any touch up paint as of yet. Is the vibration specific to certian GX's?

modelaford

If you are don't have the vibration, clunk in rear, outside temp very inaccruate, poor gas milage, you are in the very lucky catagory, may want to run to the casino.

177mph

No clunk, outside temp right on. Just the vibration....

Johnny Mo

I think I have experienced the vibration, but to me it feels like it is just the motor lugging a little bit at 65-70 while in 5th gear. I have the clunk and while it is annoying, I'm not terribly concerned by it. As far as the Outside temp goes haven't really noticed it to be "off", but I'll look again. As for the poor gas mileage...we have SUV's with 4.7 liter V-8's if you thought you were going to get good gas mileage you were only fooling yourself. Let's face it most SUV's are shaped like a barn door and will not return car-like gas mileage. Alot of it has to do with driving style as well. Other than that I am very happy with my GX.

major1

Here's some comments from the Autospies forum.

There's lots of comments about the GX470 problems all over the place!

Surprised Lexus isn't getting the message...the vibration issue has been around for 6 months or more. The GVWR also...& the clunking etc...

http://www.imakenews.com/autospies/e...e000144003.cfm

mogulbumm

Autospies is the National Enquirer of the automotive industry. It is all based on rumor and some of the "reviews" are from single people, not groups.

Entertaining at best, but just doesn't hold much water...

modelaford

Jonny, Shift into any gear and try the vibration, it will be between 1700-2200 RPM in every gear, It sure is not lugging in 1-2-3 gears.The out side temp gauge is accurate at times and way off others, even after new sensors. I realise this is a v-8, but after owning other Lexuses with v-8 engines they made 23-27mpg. true they were not suvs but that should account for aprox 3-4 MPG.

MJMeucci

modelaford: we also owned another Lexus with a V8 and did get around 23 mpg. When we called the dealer inquiring why there was so much variation in the gas milage they explained to us that the V8 in our GS 400 is not the same V8 in the GX. Well we realized that off the bat, so tell us something we didnt know. They told us that the GX's V8 is an engine made for hauling and is not an aluminum engine like the one in our GS, instead it is cast iron which causes the lower milage. I still dont totally understand how but when the service manager explained it to us it sounded good and made sense.

modelaford

May be lower commpression and lower lift camshaft but I don't beleive the different block, I think the car engine (290 HP) also has the cast block with aluminum heads , but the 300Hp in the SC and GS are aluminum blocks and heads. Now the GX engine is 4.7 litre with 235 HP and the car engine is only 4.3 litres and 290 and 300 Hp respectivly. Could be they need the lower end torque for towing.

Rx900

Maybe if you don't do any jackrabbit starts when the engine is new, maybe the vibration won't occur. My Gx doesn't have a vibration, no outside temp problem, but just has some creaky seats( probably service people in the dealer don't take care of it). I'm happy with my GX. I didn't do any sudden acceleration within the first 1,000 miles so I can get better gas mileage. City for me is around 14-15 while highway is 18-19.



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2003 Lexus GX470
Sand Dollar Pearl
Charcoal Interior
6th GX470 in Fresno