[Important] I need the collective help of the ISF community, please help.
11-16-11, 04:17 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
[Important] I need the collective help of the ISF community, please help.
[Cliff's notes]: engine problem in carefully maintained, babied ISF, Dealer claims damage from "racing and over revs". Help me show them these problems are NOT uncommon.
I have a 2008 ISF with a low VIN number, it was one of the early cars in the US delivered in Feb 2008. Like many here I have experienced the cars alignment pulling/drifting to the right. This was only fixed by several attempts by the Lexus dealer and shared experience from the community here that it is a VERY common problem with early ISF. The verdict was the subframe was not properly aligned at the factory. Once aligned it drives perfectly.
My car has also exhibited the engine knocking noise at idle as a few other cars here have exhibited. This has been documented by descriptions and videos on YouTube. After repeat visits to the dealer and the support of other members here that have had the dealer make a repair I convinced my dealer to look further into the issue. They pulled the engine out of the car, completely disassembled it and have found a number of problems.
The dealer (supposedly backed by the factory rep) has determined the damage to the engine is from over reving, redlining, and racing. NONE of these things have EVER been done to his car. They have gone so far as to claim my alignment problem/pulling right is due to "excessive corner loads" from racing on the track or hitting something (the car has NO damage, no parts replaced).
They are full of it. Based on their observations, they/Lexus are choosing to repair, rather than replace engine parts for a fix, free of charge under warranty, however they are not looking at replacement parts as others on this forum have received for the same problem (block, heads).
They have pointed to NO external evidence that the car has been abused. To my knowledge they have not scanned the ECU for redline/over revs # and time. They show NO signs of over heating, blueing of the exhaust, over heating/warping/cracking of the brakes, etc. etc.
I have nothing to hide as the facts are that the car has NOT been abused but I am being pushed around by Lexus with their accusations that I have abused the car. ALL service has been completed by the dealer (including oil changes at 5K with Mobil 1).
What I need:
Please provide me with you screen name, real name, car VIN and if you had the alignment problem, and or the engine knocking noise. According to Lexus, these issues do not exist. Please provide this in PM for privacy issues. Afterwards I will provide the feedback NUMBERS not calling out individual cars or owners.
I am now retaining legal council to represent me in further discussions with Lexus.
Thank you for your Help! Someday any of you other owners my end up in my situation, Lexus part fails and they go to blame the owner. Help me protect myself and you for the future. I am 40 years old, my ISF has 2 car seats in it. I do not race this car (with 2 kids, where would I have the time/money to even do it?)
Regards,
Andy
Please PM or email to ucrazykid [at] yahoo [dot] com
Admin: is it possible to make this a sticky as it pertains to many of us?
I have a 2008 ISF with a low VIN number, it was one of the early cars in the US delivered in Feb 2008. Like many here I have experienced the cars alignment pulling/drifting to the right. This was only fixed by several attempts by the Lexus dealer and shared experience from the community here that it is a VERY common problem with early ISF. The verdict was the subframe was not properly aligned at the factory. Once aligned it drives perfectly.
My car has also exhibited the engine knocking noise at idle as a few other cars here have exhibited. This has been documented by descriptions and videos on YouTube. After repeat visits to the dealer and the support of other members here that have had the dealer make a repair I convinced my dealer to look further into the issue. They pulled the engine out of the car, completely disassembled it and have found a number of problems.
The dealer (supposedly backed by the factory rep) has determined the damage to the engine is from over reving, redlining, and racing. NONE of these things have EVER been done to his car. They have gone so far as to claim my alignment problem/pulling right is due to "excessive corner loads" from racing on the track or hitting something (the car has NO damage, no parts replaced).
They are full of it. Based on their observations, they/Lexus are choosing to repair, rather than replace engine parts for a fix, free of charge under warranty, however they are not looking at replacement parts as others on this forum have received for the same problem (block, heads).
They have pointed to NO external evidence that the car has been abused. To my knowledge they have not scanned the ECU for redline/over revs # and time. They show NO signs of over heating, blueing of the exhaust, over heating/warping/cracking of the brakes, etc. etc.
I have nothing to hide as the facts are that the car has NOT been abused but I am being pushed around by Lexus with their accusations that I have abused the car. ALL service has been completed by the dealer (including oil changes at 5K with Mobil 1).
What I need:
Please provide me with you screen name, real name, car VIN and if you had the alignment problem, and or the engine knocking noise. According to Lexus, these issues do not exist. Please provide this in PM for privacy issues. Afterwards I will provide the feedback NUMBERS not calling out individual cars or owners.
I am now retaining legal council to represent me in further discussions with Lexus.
Thank you for your Help! Someday any of you other owners my end up in my situation, Lexus part fails and they go to blame the owner. Help me protect myself and you for the future. I am 40 years old, my ISF has 2 car seats in it. I do not race this car (with 2 kids, where would I have the time/money to even do it?)
Regards,
Andy
Please PM or email to ucrazykid [at] yahoo [dot] com
Admin: is it possible to make this a sticky as it pertains to many of us?
Last edited by UCrazyKid; 11-16-11 at 04:23 PM.
11-16-11, 04:22 PM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I am also looking for a good attorney that would have experience in litigation with dealers/manufactures in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Please PM or email to ucrazykid [at] yahoo [dot] com
Please PM or email to ucrazykid [at] yahoo [dot] com
11-16-11, 05:08 PM
#4
Lead Lap
iTrader: (9)
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Socal
Posts: 736
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How many miles does the car have? Are you the original owner? My car has only had the pulling issue but I just learned to live with it. Have you filed a formal complaint with corporate? Hope this issue gets resolved asap with no $$ out of pocket. Best of luck
11-16-11, 05:43 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
The car has 30K miles on it. I am the second owner, purchased with 8,000 miles in 15 months from a 45+ nurse.
Only Mod is rear sway bar.
Car cannot be moved as the engine is currently out and disassembled, located in 2 different locations.
I am not ready to disclose the dealer name at this point. I want to see how they move forward.
Only Mod is rear sway bar.
Car cannot be moved as the engine is currently out and disassembled, located in 2 different locations.
I am not ready to disclose the dealer name at this point. I want to see how they move forward.
Trending Topics
11-17-11, 09:50 AM
#8
i feel your pain buddy, I have 2 kids and my wife. I would never jeopardize their safety or mines from racing. hopefully you dont have to waste too much money on this but I had the alignment problem and Lexus couldn't fix it after several attempts until I mention to them the brackets from the other forum and the car goes straight again. anyways I'll pm you the vin after work as I am in the office at the moment. Good luck to you! My friend might have the engine knock noise, but it doesn't always happen as he told me over the phone so if it keeps on happening. I'll let him know about your problem as well.
11-17-11, 11:53 AM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Thank you to those that have chimed in. I'm hoping more will as well.
I currently have a signed affidavit to the effect that the car was never raced or abused. Evidence is building agains t this dealer and Lexus findings.
thank you again.
I currently have a signed affidavit to the effect that the car was never raced or abused. Evidence is building agains t this dealer and Lexus findings.
thank you again.
11-17-11, 12:20 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Under an IS F since 2008
Posts: 13,441
Received 1,064 Likes
on
586 Posts
I'm sure if you sit down with the Service Director and explain that your next phone call will be to 1-800-25-Lexus.....
... He will surely understand that a dealership tech or factory regional rep can not make false accusations, especially if there is NO PROOF in the Pudding...
Good Luck!!
~ Joe Z
... He will surely understand that a dealership tech or factory regional rep can not make false accusations, especially if there is NO PROOF in the Pudding...
Good Luck!!
~ Joe Z
11-17-11, 04:07 PM
#13
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I'm sure if you sit down with the Service Director and explain that your next phone call will be to 1-800-25-Lexus.....
... He will surely understand that a dealership tech or factory regional rep can not make false accusations, especially if there is NO PROOF in the Pudding...
Good Luck!!
~ Joe Z
... He will surely understand that a dealership tech or factory regional rep can not make false accusations, especially if there is NO PROOF in the Pudding...
Good Luck!!
~ Joe Z
They have pushed me into a corner by shooting off their mouth with unfounded accusations while I old all the evidence to support my winning.
this sucks.
11-20-11, 10:23 AM
#15
This is my story behind Lexus buying back my 2008 IS350 not same problem as you but it was situation where no one could quit figure out was causing ASL to fail. Be persistent don't give up this is process which will take several months to complete in the mean time make sure they are providing you with loaner while they resolve this problem I had one during my cars down time.
From post back in 2010
Well back in March of 2010 I started to have problem with the ASL on the right side of my 2008 IS350 then the left side failed 4 months later. Well over the course of the next six months my dealer changed the head light housing three time,the leveling senors three times, the ECU that controls them twice. My dealership had Lexus Master Tech's come out on three separate occasion one tech came twice he could not fix nor properly diagnosis the car they then sent another one of there senor tech same deal. By September I had enough, the car had spent close 2 months down for service and wanted to just move on. I'm car guy and know that chasing down electrical problem can be difficult and was willing to try to work this out because I like my IS350 and folks at Lexus of Greenwich were great.
So in September the decision was made to start the buy back process, this took additional 2 months to complete. I had only one problem going thru this process, I had F-sport CAI, Exhaust, Sways (F&R) and Springs installed but I did not have all of the original receipt's, but had my paypal invoice with company name were these part were purchased which was at Park Place Lexus Internet sale. Well Lexus legal department did not want to except this documentation but after having three way conversation with customer care, legal and engineering Dept's using the argument that if they want I would put the car back to stock, but you will never no if one of f-sport components may have caused the failure to occur. The Lexus engineer agreed with me and the gave me total refund on those parts.
You should start process and reach out to Lexus corp and push push push this issue. Call them every week until you see that they are being responsive to you concerns. This is what occurred when first master tech diagnost my car he did same thing to me stating that is was F-sport sway bar or front springs that caused ASL to fail, I told him that I didn't think that was issue since they had been installed on car for 14 months with no problems that there were no TSIB out on this issue considering that thousands of sway bars and springs had been installed on IS250 and IS350 but yet no reported problems, That my local dealership had called 5 other large Lexus dealership and none of cars that they had set up with Fsport components had experienced my problems. I even told them that I had checked every Lexus forum trying to find anyone that had experience same problem as me, in end I could find anyone that had same problem. As you see in my earlier post above I was even able to convince them to buy back all my Fsport parts including my exhaust.
Get your facts in order be persistent and be prepared for long and some times aggravating experience also check into your local lemon laws and do you reach regarding reputable lawyer. Know this even if arbitrator were side with Lexus it doesn't mean that you can wont win your suit so don't let that put you off. Sorry for long post just wanted to pass on my experience with Lexus good luck.
From post back in 2010
Well back in March of 2010 I started to have problem with the ASL on the right side of my 2008 IS350 then the left side failed 4 months later. Well over the course of the next six months my dealer changed the head light housing three time,the leveling senors three times, the ECU that controls them twice. My dealership had Lexus Master Tech's come out on three separate occasion one tech came twice he could not fix nor properly diagnosis the car they then sent another one of there senor tech same deal. By September I had enough, the car had spent close 2 months down for service and wanted to just move on. I'm car guy and know that chasing down electrical problem can be difficult and was willing to try to work this out because I like my IS350 and folks at Lexus of Greenwich were great.
So in September the decision was made to start the buy back process, this took additional 2 months to complete. I had only one problem going thru this process, I had F-sport CAI, Exhaust, Sways (F&R) and Springs installed but I did not have all of the original receipt's, but had my paypal invoice with company name were these part were purchased which was at Park Place Lexus Internet sale. Well Lexus legal department did not want to except this documentation but after having three way conversation with customer care, legal and engineering Dept's using the argument that if they want I would put the car back to stock, but you will never no if one of f-sport components may have caused the failure to occur. The Lexus engineer agreed with me and the gave me total refund on those parts.
You should start process and reach out to Lexus corp and push push push this issue. Call them every week until you see that they are being responsive to you concerns. This is what occurred when first master tech diagnost my car he did same thing to me stating that is was F-sport sway bar or front springs that caused ASL to fail, I told him that I didn't think that was issue since they had been installed on car for 14 months with no problems that there were no TSIB out on this issue considering that thousands of sway bars and springs had been installed on IS250 and IS350 but yet no reported problems, That my local dealership had called 5 other large Lexus dealership and none of cars that they had set up with Fsport components had experienced my problems. I even told them that I had checked every Lexus forum trying to find anyone that had experience same problem as me, in end I could find anyone that had same problem. As you see in my earlier post above I was even able to convince them to buy back all my Fsport parts including my exhaust.
Get your facts in order be persistent and be prepared for long and some times aggravating experience also check into your local lemon laws and do you reach regarding reputable lawyer. Know this even if arbitrator were side with Lexus it doesn't mean that you can wont win your suit so don't let that put you off. Sorry for long post just wanted to pass on my experience with Lexus good luck.