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My personal experience with these from worse to good and regarding main squeaks/rattles listed:
"Solidity" score, 1 being a rattle trap, 10 bank vault solid
4/10 - 2013 RX F Sport (rear door hatch, rear seat, front passenger seat, B-pillar ticking, grab bar handle, door window trim, door latch, brake pad shift click on reverse)
6/10 - 2008 IS (center stack, grab bar handle, window trim, dash vents, brake pad shift click on reverse)
7/10 - 2011 CT (front passenger seat, center console side trim, grab bar handles)
8/10 - 2015 NX (rear seat center arm rest, center stack cover, door/footwell tapping, grab bar handles, rearview mirror, brake pad shift on reverse)
8/10 - 2007/2005 RX (dash board clips, dash vents, rear door hatch, brake pad shift on reverse )
8.5/10 - 2014 IS (B-pillar trim, grab bar, driver's door latch, brake pad shift on reverse)
'13 RX by far the worst one while the NX is considerably more solid. The above looks pretty bad I know from the long list of specifics, but most people including my wife don't notice them or go looking for them like I do. You'll hear some creaks here and there in winter more than summer but it's temporary so don't sweat it.
Compared to other brands in my experience:
- Toyota and Hyundai are worst offenders like the Camry, RAV4, Venza, and Elantra models I've experienced as rentals or from family members. A Ford Fusion I had last month for a week was surprisingly very tight. I'd put Lexus upper mid-pack while I hear the Germans are more solid these days. Then again, I'll take a couple of squeaks which I can probably fix on my spare time versus a major mechanical or electrical issue leaving me stranded somewhere.
My 2012 CT was rock solid. No rattles till the day I sold - 3 yrs 27k miles.
NX200t - has been great but I have started noticing few things here and there. If I place my hand on the power window module , I can feel little bit of air. Its probably escaping through the window in to the slot where glass rolls down. I also hear little bit of rattle- trying to locate if its coming from the power window controllers.
2015 RX350- Its been over a month. Feels like driving siting on a sofa. Much better seats, ride quality and seems to be much better built than NX. The only rattle so far is the dealer plate. Will remove it once I get my own plates.
So my top 3 will be
1) 12 CT200h
2) 15 RX350
3) 15 NX200t
I loved Nx200t when i bought it (and still do - its my wife's car and she loves it more than RX). But both of us agree RX is a much better car. I don't want to put anyone down and I am sure its a matter of personal preference, but I would never pay $40k for NX. Build and ride quality of NX200t is not worth it. . I would rather cheap out on options on RX and get RX350.
BTW, if anyone has the hybrid, how is the ride? Is it quite or same issues?
We have a Hybrid, but honestly I don't drive it enough to notice the noises. And my wife, who is the daily driver of the 300h, doesn't ever really notice that stuff, so I can't really say, sorry.
I've had this for a couple months now. This occasional tap (almost "clunk-like" at times) on the driver's side near the footwell that happens more commonly over undulating roads where suspension travel is pronounced.
I jacked up the car, tightened some clips holding the panels underneath, to no avail. Also checked for suspension looseness and everything is tight. Same with my dealer - they found nothing.
Made this video to record the issue. Anyone with this noise?
UPDATE: Got a call from my SA today. DarthNX has been at the dealer for three days straight, they still cannot isolate the source of the tapping/rattle. I know it's a tough one since I've spent hours trying to isolate it to no avail. I have an ES loaner in the mean time which I will have as long as it takes them to find the issue which could be days more...
It's been in the driveway for 3 days, then off we went to the cottage (2 hours each way) and WOW...I couldn't wait to get home to get into ClubLexus forums to read up on any NX rattle issues. It was like being in a tin roofed *****house during a hail storm...I could not believe it for a new Lexus given our history with the brand. Much of the cabin conversation turned to how much we'd loose if we traded it back in for an RX. I hate it, we hate it. The rattle occurred on every frost crack, expansion joint, highway patch or utility cover. I could even make it creak by swinging the vehicle weight from side to side within the lane. After reading through this thread Benny's is the closest I've found to describing it but it is not quite exactly it. I would describe it as the creaking sound a weak framed pickup truck makes when going off camber...sort of like several rows of spot welds weren't done on the uni-body during construction and two pieces of sheet metal are clanking together. I can't seem to locate it to a specific area...like surround sound! This was the first time we had a full passenger load plus the rear hatch area full of groceries and luggage up to window height...vehicle was likely near advertised GVW. Outside temperatures were around freezing night and day and have been there since purchase. We WILL complain...when the store opens.
Originally Posted by benny56
im also having a problem with lexus nx 200 t F . The suspension continues to make squeaking noisy when going over bumps and some rough roads. its began sounding more frequent after the 1,000 mile on the road. lexus have test the nx on the road and have claim its a normal characteristic sound the vehicle makes. i taking them to lemon law court to fight the case> please help with any information to help with case. thank you
I seem to have developed that annoying rattle. Seems like coming from drivers side - behind it or just to the side on the left. Where you able to get your rattle fixed? To me it seems like its coming from the power window controls because i can also feel air escaping through the buttons when I m driving above 40mph.
I turns out there is a huge gap on the left and right side of the engine bay where the windshield meets engine bay area (below the cowl). You will need to pop the hood to see it. For me dried leaves, had gotten stuck there. I usually garage my cars but in Louisiana didn't have that luxury and there were some winter storms there. So leaves somehow lodged themselves. Its unbelievable that the rattle from the front made me think its coming from the side or the back.
I seem to have developed that annoying rattle. Seems like coming from drivers side - behind it or just to the side on the left. Where you able to get your rattle fixed? To me it seems like its coming from the power window controls because i can also feel air escaping through the buttons when I m driving above 40mph.
There's a known rattle that comes from the seatbelt mechanism of the back-middle seat. It's to the ceiling of the trunk. I've noticed this come up every time I've had to put the seat down. I think there's a thread somewhere on here about opening up the area and spraying foam there to further insulate it.
Not sure if this is your rattle but it seems a bit similar.
I turns out there is a huge gap on the left and right side of the engine bay where the windshield meets engine bay area (below the cowl). You will need to pop the hood to see it. For me dried leaves, had gotten stuck there. I usually garage my cars but in Louisiana didn't have that luxury and there were some winter storms there. So leaves somehow lodged themselves. Its unbelievable that the rattle from the front made me think its coming from the side or the back.
I seem to have developed that annoying rattle. Seems like coming from drivers side - behind it or just to the side on the left. Where you able to get your rattle fixed? To me it seems like its coming from the power window controls because i can also feel air escaping through the buttons when I m driving above 40mph.
They took a look and said there was a clip that was not in place. They said it was fixed, but of course I can still hear it. I see skabei's reply about the belt clip. Interesting as that could be the area of the sound. I have to have my 8K service later this month, so they are going to check again. I will post if they are successful.
In the NX, this cover was not squeaking on its own while driving, but when I press on it, it was.
On my IS however, it was additionally making a buzzing sound while driving under certain conditions. Easy fix with the IS, and I've done it as a preventative measure on the NX.
They took a look and said there was a clip that was not in place. They said it was fixed, but of course I can still hear it. I see skabei's reply about the belt clip. Interesting as that could be the area of the sound. I have to have my 8K service later this month, so they are going to check again. I will post if they are successful.
Oddly, its January in PA, and this was the first time I have driven the NX in below 25F weather.
About 1/2 way to work (car sits in a garage that is usually 40-60F during the winter), the roof started making the worst sounds. It was sounds of sheet metal smacking and hitting, plastic being hit with something, and just various amounts of slamming. I am sure this is just thermal contraction, but mother of god.....
For $50k, I expected better. This is worse than my wife's '06 tC was in the coldest points of winter.
It was not metal on metal rattle.. more like plastic on plastic. It felt like some clip is loose. The leaves I found were big dried leaves..
halifax
My rattle seemed similar to yours but cause seems to be different. Did you open the hood and check the area I am mentioning? Once few small acorn seeds fell in to the cowl below wipers on my corolla and it annoyed me to no end. Won't hurt to check there. I would have never guessed to look in to that area because to me the sound was coming from the left of driver or to the back left.
Now only if I can figure out the annoying rattle I am getting in my new 15'RX from cargo/rear seat.
It was not metal on metal rattle.. more like plastic on plastic. It felt like some clip is loose. The leaves I found were big dried leaves..
halifax
My rattle seemed similar to yours but cause seems to be different. Did you open the hood and check the area I am mentioning? Once few small acorn seeds fell in to the cowl below wipers on my corolla and it annoyed me to no end. Won't hurt to check there. I would have never guessed to look in to that area because to me the sound was coming from the left of driver or to the back left.
Now only if I can figure out the annoying rattle I am getting in my new 15'RX from cargo/rear seat.
I did find some loose leaves a week ago in the cowl area but didn't look really deep in crevices. Was your noise consistent? Mine only occurs sporadically like a handful of times in a 15 minute drive.
RX - My past RX's rear seat rattled like there was no tomorrow. If it doesn't rattle with people seated, that's your issue. Also could be the removable small cover attached on the hatch that is creaking, something under your subfloor loose, etc. Check the RX forum there are a few threads we put up on this.
12-28-15 | 10:03 PM
