jimbug

I was hoping that my Lexus/Certified 6 year unlimited miles warranty would cover the A/C condenser that quit blowing cold air on our 2015 NX200t AWD. I was wrong. It is not covered because according to Lexus of Chattanooga the condenser has rock damage (holes) to it that caused the failure. So, it will be $1200 to replace. I’m no mechanic. For those here that are mechanical does it seem logical that the condenser is positioned in a spot that could get rocks impacting it?

I was just there last week to have the fuel sensor replacement. Makes a person wonder doesn’t it?

brook41

It’s possible, I just pulled a peanut sized pebble on the ledge in front of my condenser. On the other hand I have heard stories. You should be able to see the damage through your grill. Maybe get a second opinion?

jimbug

We’ve had such good luck with our previous two Lexus SUVs (both RX300), that I feel like I’m due for some bad luck. So, I’m going to trust them to repair it while driving their loaner. I asked them to save the condenser for me to look at, and I won’t be buying another Lexus Certified going forward. I have a good independent Lexus mechanic that I trust who will service this vehicle from now on.

n0v8or

You could have saved $400 - $500 by using your independent mechanic, rather than the dealer, to replace the condenser and recharge the system. A new OEM condenser costs ~$400 on OEM Parts Monster. Aftermarket ones will be less expensive, and some will come with equivalent service life warranties.

To the original question, virtually every passenger car sold in North America has the A/C condenser mounted just behind the grille, right in the path of road hazards, to optimize airflow. The NX grille is particularly large and has relatively large openings (about 1" x 3" on my 2019), both for styling reasons. So it may be more vulnerable to rocks than some other vehicles.
A rock leaves an impression distinctly different from an errant wrench or screwdriver ( ). It would be wise to have an experienced cooling system mechanic visually inspect it. If the refrigerant leak is on the rear side of the condenser, for example, the rock hypothesis is effectively negated.

mcomer

If rocks broke the windshield it would be your insurance not the warrantee that would repair it, right?
Submit this "damage" claim to your insurance agent not the car dealer.

brook41

That’s a great Idea!

n0v8or

Things will get interesting if the insurance adjuster says "What rock damage; I don't see any" .

jimbug

Thanks for those informative comments. I wasn’t in position to save the additional money. School is starting and we needed access to the loaner to get to work. I have other great service technicians to get our 2 Lexus autos to in the future. We know that Lexus dealerships often charge twice as much as other providers. It was a gamble to take it to Lexus hoping the L/C warranty would cover the cost. It didn’t work out this time. I have high deductibles on my vehicles so insurance isn’t an option either. I feel better thinking that it wasn’t just Lexus not wanting to cover the expense. Knowing that rock damage is a good probability helps with that.

I have been pleased so far with how dependable this new 4 cylinder Turbo engine has been. My daughter really enjoys driving it, and I have to say the Lexus dealer has been good to work with on the two recalls (parking brake & fuel pump) we have had on the vehicle. I see her buying another one in the future. Hope to get at least 200,000 miles on it before we trade. Only 70,000 miles to go!

brook41

It might be covered under your Comprehensive coverage which has a lower deductible. I would call your agent , it’s worth a try!

jimbug

Ok, I’ll see if my insurance will cover the amount above my deductible. Will let you know how it goes.

UPDATE: I sent the Lexus invoice in for the repair which described the hole in the A/C condenser and they notified me they will reimburse me for the repair minus my big deductible! Sweet! Thanks for the advice on this thread. I wouldn’t have thought to use my insurance on this repair.