djrobsd

I got a great deal on a used 2006 IS-350 with almost 45k miles on it, but the trade off is it's not "Certified", so it didn't go through the whole certification program. As I understand, the bumper to bumper runs out in 5k miles. I want to make sure I shake out any problems covered under the warranty before it expires. Is there any way for me to take the car in to the service department and just have them give it a general once over to check for problems?

Right out the gate I have these issues:

-Driver side seat squeeks (not the leather, the coil springs kind of like a squeaky mattress!)

-A weird hissing sound, coming from the stereo area - even with the stereo off, and no cd's in the in dash changer (have the levinson audio). It's intermittent, mostly when you first run the vehicle.

-When I gently tap the breaks to come to a long gentle stop (as opposed to slamming on them) they start out smooth, but then they grip really hard and abruptly stop the vehicle. Is this a normal feature on these brakes that I need to get used to? I seem to remember when renting an Infiniti G37 from Hertz that it did the same thing.

-Wind noise at 80mph on freeway - is this normal/expected, or should I have this checked out? It didn't seem too windy today when I was driving on the freeway, but yet the wind noise was interesting to say the least.

-Paranoia: When I turn the wheel all the way to the left or the right when I am navigating out of tight parking lots/spaces, I seem to hear some noise coming from the steering/suspension...


In addition, this is more of a tire issue I believe:

The front tires seem to be really noisy. I have the 18 inch wheels with the Potenza tires on them (not sure if they are stock or if they have been replaced). I am wondering if this is a normal expectation from having low proifile sport/performance wheels and tires, or if I just have crappy tires on my car? I've heard if I want to switch them out for some normal tires I'd actually have to downgrade my rims to 17 inch rims because of the size of the wheel well. Would going to smaller rims and normal tires make my car ride quieter and smoother? I know I'm supposed to just totally love the performance aspects, but I like to have a nice balance between performance and luxury.

Sorry for posting all these questions in one thread, but hopefully some of you can provide some insight into the above issues and whether or not I should be concerned.

Oh, last but not least, if I buy an extended warranty, should I buy one from Lexus or am I even eligible to buy one from them?

radicalrev

iTrader: (2)

For the squeaky seats, I think the there is a TSIB about that.

I also hear hissing sound but only when I charge my iPod and playing it through the AUX at the same time. But there is a TSIB about it too

Wind noise is normal because of the jumbo elephant side mirrors...

Steering wheel noise - try to get the steering rack TSIB

About the tires, the Potenza is indeed noisy part of it is also because of them being low profile tires, but you can always solve it by changing them.

Btw, my warranty is running out too, any1 know how many TSIB i can do at 1 time??

projectdna

iTrader: (56)

if the factory warranty for your 2is has not expired, take it into a certified lexus service center and address your concerns and issues to a service advisor.

if your 2is was previously serviced at an authorized lexus service center, they should have a service record of your car - of what's been done and what needs to be done.

sometimes, it's just that simple.

montgb

iTrader: (7)

Drivers seat issue - WD-40?
Hissing stereo issue - I hear this when using the AUX input and nothing is playing.
Brakes - That's how they are.
Wind noise - Not sure how the dealership can fix this.
Steering wheel noise - Not familiar with this, you might want to recreate it for the mechanic.
Wheels & Tires - You might want to get different tires. I don't know if downgrading to 17s is the answer. Would 17s even clear the IS350 BBK? (Other CL members probably know)

Good luck!

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

And just an FYI in case you wanted more warranty- AFAIK so long as your car has even 1 day and 1 mile of original warranty left you're eligible for the Lexus extended warranty.... if you do a search you'll find a couple dealers who sell them to anyone over the phone at about half the price most local dealers charge too.

j_spec

iTrader: (5)

Yes, if it's still under factory warranty take it in and tell them everything that's wrong wit the car. I brought my car at around 40k, and took it in everytime i had an issue, including a worn down shift ****

i do have a suggestion for the wind noise, check the moldings on each side of the windshield, they could have removed/reused the moldings without getting new clips. i had this issue and when i replaced the molding and clips wind noise went away..

funnie

iTrader: (14)

congrats on the purchase of the car. Im sure you will like it. Now on to the issues.
1. Driver Seat squeeking - take to dealer to have it looked at. not normal
2. Hissing is normal when i play audio from my ipod.
3. Brakes - no problem there [its normal]
4. Wind Noise - if it bugs you, take to dealer, I dont notice any wind noise from my car
5. Steering problem - take it in to have steering rack replaced
6. Tires / Wheels - Leave stock wheels but get new tires. The protenzas are stock and a bit noisey

also you can get an extended warranty as long as the car does not exceed the 4 yr or 50k mile warranty. You can purchase from your lexus dealer. I believe it extends the warranty for 3 yr or 100k miles [bumper to bumper] warranty.
Hope this helps. Enjoy!

benzo555

iTrader: (11)

Doesnt matter how many TSBs. I told them to do all of them and it was at least 2 pages long. They even replaced my brake pads at 47K. I dropped it off on a Friday and didn't pick up until next Wednesday.. IS250 loaner with free gas and eztag ftw..

djrobsd

UPDATE on the hiss! I guess there must be a Navigation DVD in there at all times? All of a sudden I have lost my nav, white display only shows GPS coordinates, but no maps! I pushed the map button, but it just locked up and then said "no DVD" or some message like that. I don't hear the hiss any more, so I'm assuming that hiss was coming from the DVD player trying to load the nav, and now possibly it has died... ???

Anyway, I'll call the dealer and schedule an appointment. Thanks for all your info guys, I also found the previous owner had their Lexus dealer in Orange County in the bluetooth phone book, so I can give my dealer down here in San Diego their info, although they should already have it in the computer I'm sure.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Yup, the dvd drive is behind the clock face... you can pop it off with a little set of tools in the toolkit in your trunk.

Lexasaurus

iTrader: (12)

I have that same pop when i turn the wheel too hard pulling out of a space, is this a symptom the faulty steering rack?

djrobsd

Suddenly it started working again. Amazing. I'll still have them check it out.

djrobsd

I made an apointment for tomorrow! I am very impressed at their online service system. My previous vehicle was a Ford, and they didn't have anything fancy like this. I am sure I am going to LOVE the service compared to what Ford used to give me. I'll never look back!

Clay Easto

Does anyone have a link to the steering rack TSB? I have looked and cannot find one.

For the Lexus extended warranty - save a ton of dough and call Troy at http://www.toyotaofgreenfield.com/

Clay Easto

When you go in, ask if the front brake pads have been changed under the technical service bulletin. If they say they haven't, tell them you don't like all the brake dust and they will put on alternative brake pads for free.