I took my car into the dealership on Monday for 30k service and a sunroof problem.

The problem with the sunroof is whenever I open it up all the way by either pressing the dial (08') or turning to full open, I get major vibrations that shake the entire roof/ rear view mirror. It basically makes the rear view worthless and also creates loud subwoofer like base noise. I can attribute it to the wind deflector thing that semi-pops up when the sunroof is open because when it starts to do what I've discussed, if I reach my hand up and hold or touch the deflector, I can feel it vibrating and then it will stop if I touch/hold it hard enough. This only occurs if I'm going 45mph and it's windy or most the time I'm on the highway.

The dealer already performed the new mirror recall months ago.

After having my car a week, my service rep told me that I'm not going to like the news. He said that that is just how the IS's are. That I need to not open it full way, but rather back it off one notch. Basically, there is no fix for it nor is there anything they can do...

My thoughts are not to accept this. I already kind of told him over the phone that this is a $65k lexus and that is not the type of quality I would expect of such. I want to get other opinions on 1) if anyone else has experienced this and 2) how I should go about handling this the best way possible.

 

Well you are not going to like my answer either. Lexus can not control the physics of the harmonics and buffeting of the air coming in your sunroof. They have done the best they can by providing additional "stops" for the sunroof other than full open. I think you will find that everyone has the same behavior of they sunroof at speed. I suggest either closing the sunroof more or driving slower.

 

I respectfully disagree with you. I don't believe they have done the best they can to solve the problem.

One, they haven't replaced a single part on the sunroof before determining that the problem may not be fixed. Two, I have been driving around a is250 loaner to which of course I have been trying it with the sunroof open at it's full capacity and of course, there is no problem whatsoever, showing that it's neither my speed nor the lack of solutions to solve the problem. Three, I'm not going to drive slower than the speed limit, the speed at which I drive when I encounter this problem.

 

its a design flaw on the car. both my is350 and isf have the same issues around 40-50 mph with some wind. i can drive one way up my street and it will do exactly what you described, turn around and drive down my street and it wont. there are just too many variables outside of the control of the dealer and lexus. you stated that the plastic wind deflect vibrates, thats because anything air flows over on your car is going to vibrate from one degree to another. its just the nature of pressure difference.

does the problem occur if you drive slower or faster? for me it doesnt occur at 35mph or 65mph or 70mph which seem to be the 3 most common speed limits where i drive.

 

I've learned to live with mine too. Maybe they will come out with a service bulletin at some point but I'm not holding my breath. I get similar buffeting when the rear windows are open to certain positions although not as bad as with the sunroof open fully. Sucks but it is what it is.

 

this is BULL**** and it sucks that lexus has done nothing to fix it. Its LITTLE things like these that steer people away from a manufacture.

BTW there IS a service bulletin for this already, I cant remember where to find it but just google "is250 rear view mirror vibration"

According to lexus it is "normal" for all IS's and the cause of it is the sunroof being open at high speeds.... Mine does it once I am at 70mph... ive learned to simply turn the **** one step short of the end. usually helps. without it the rearview mirror is practically pointless as you stated.

However I can tell you to try something that might make you a bit more at ease... try leaving the two front windows closed and open the two rears.... sounds like someone punctured a damn hole in an airplane.

 

I think people here should give you the benefit of the doubt. It sounds like you were able to compare it directly to another IS, and notice a difference between them. This will be the key to your argument. If you simply complain about wind noise from an open sunroof at speed, they are just going to say that its normal and expected.

Have them check the wind deflector part to see if it is operating correctly when the sunroof opens up. Take it to another dealership to get a 2nd opinion if you have to.

 

I'm surprised how many are willing to settle with a flaw like this.

Obviously this is the extreme, but I'm surprised Lexus hasn't done something sooner to fix this "design flaw". I could easily see somebody suing Lexus if they were to be involved in an accident that was caused because they couldn't see out their rearview mirror and hearing was inpaired due to the noise caused from this flaw. The fact that would make it worse for them, is their acknowledgment that there is an issue and that a recall is not being performed...

 

As the current and previous owner of 3 convertibles. I guess I have a higher tollerence for wind noise and do not believe it or shaky mirrors will result in an accident.

 

To me, the vibration stops if you leave it partially open rather than at full open, so it really doesn't bother me. Correct me if wrong, but I believe the rear view mirror replacement due to vibration from sunroom was an attempt by Lexus relating to this matter.

This is similar to the 01-03 Toyota RAV-4 with a faulty ECU that damaged the transmission. B/c there were so many "chatter" from a class-action lawsuit thanks in part to the online community, Toyota finally released a TSB and extended the warranty to 10 yrs and 150K miles in the summer of 2010 so that Rav4 owners can either have their ECU replaced and or their transmission replaced. All together there were over 150,000 01-03 Rav4s, I believe in the world.

 

it is a design flaw and there is no fix for it at this point. i have found depressing the wind reflector seems to lessen some of the vibration. it might be fixable with a new wind deflector design, but i am sure lexus has no intention to fix it now after it wasted billions of dollars for that BS safety recall.

 

Mica - My thoughts are possibly they could use a new deflector design, OR the easiest and surest way is to reprogram the amount the sunroof opens when you select "full-open".

Maybe my case is worse than others on here b/c most don't seem to make a deal out of it, when I think there is justifiable reason Lexus should have corrected this by now.

I understand I can fix the problem by not going "full-open" which is fine and all but what happens when I go to sell the car and the potential buyer opens the sunroof and it's "broken", in their eyes. Now I have to explain something that I shouldn't have to explain...

 

There is a little round circle a few notches short of full open I think it says in the manual that is the spot to use to prevent excessive noise. I think the push button mode should open it to that setting but I haven't paid much attention recently.

I have noticed the subwoofer type sound you talk about but I usually remedy that by opening all my windows.

 

I have had the mirror replaced under warranty on mine, it did not solve the issue but it is slightly better.
There is a recall in the US for this, the Lexus dealer did not want to comply with it so I got the same mirror assembly instead of the updated 09+ one.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...v006-07-a.html

 

The more I think about it, I'm fairly certain my issue is much worse than others on here. I've been driving the 250 around for over a week now and when I open the sunroof to full open, I do get slight mirror vibrations and "subwoofer" like wind noise. I suppose like what most of you experience.

However, my F is MUCH worse than what the 250 does. I suppose if they do not warrant it, I will try and get a video of it to post up. If my F's sunroof was like the 250's, I wouldn't be complaining either, or making nearly the deal out of it that I am...

Honest to God, my roof vibrates so much and so hard that it seems like sometimes the thing is going to rip off the car... It can't be normal and what other fellow F owners are willing to compromise on...