Rattles
07-21-07, 06:33 AM
#46
Oilhead ...
I have an 07 with a rattle in the back that I noticed two days ago. It sounds like a ball bearing hitting the interior sides of a hard plastic cup; was the rattle you experienced similar?.
Unfortunately, it's sporadic so I can't test it. For example, the next day I folded down the rear seat backs to see if that had an effect on it. The rattle disappeared, but I don't know if it was a cause-effect relationship or just rattle fickleness.
Incidentally, the luggage cover has been stowed ever since I got the car.
I have an 07 with a rattle in the back that I noticed two days ago. It sounds like a ball bearing hitting the interior sides of a hard plastic cup; was the rattle you experienced similar?.
Unfortunately, it's sporadic so I can't test it. For example, the next day I folded down the rear seat backs to see if that had an effect on it. The rattle disappeared, but I don't know if it was a cause-effect relationship or just rattle fickleness.
Incidentally, the luggage cover has been stowed ever since I got the car.
07-21-07, 09:12 AM
#47
Oilhead ...
I have an 07 with a rattle in the back that I noticed two days ago. It sounds like a ball bearing hitting the interior sides of a hard plastic cup; was the rattle you experienced similar?.
Unfortunately, it's sporadic so I can't test it. For example, the next day I folded down the rear seat backs to see if that had an effect on it. The rattle disappeared, but I don't know if it was a cause-effect relationship or just rattle fickleness.
Incidentally, the luggage cover has been stowed ever since I got the car.
I have an 07 with a rattle in the back that I noticed two days ago. It sounds like a ball bearing hitting the interior sides of a hard plastic cup; was the rattle you experienced similar?.
Unfortunately, it's sporadic so I can't test it. For example, the next day I folded down the rear seat backs to see if that had an effect on it. The rattle disappeared, but I don't know if it was a cause-effect relationship or just rattle fickleness.
Incidentally, the luggage cover has been stowed ever since I got the car.
07-21-07, 06:46 PM
#48
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Well, about once a month on a Sunday I push gently and bang along the dash. I also take notes of any creaks I may have heard during the month. Then I literally proceed to seek them out. Most of the time I find them in the glove compartment area or along the steering column (both inside the passenger compartment and in the engine bay). For the latter it gets sprayed down with some carb cleaner and then I had some WD-40. Once a year I add a little grease to the column (timed when I change the PSF fluid (I use Mobil 1 ATF). Now with the glove compartment, I just start taking the area apart.
Thanks!
07-21-07, 06:58 PM
#49
Super Moderator
I have never had to take that piece off in my RX300, but the topic recently came up...not sure how it would apply to this generation of RX though, https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=290465
07-22-07, 08:19 AM
#50
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those rattles that u hear coming from the back or the clips the hold ur deck lid in place when extended all the way out. Open ur trunk on both side there r 2 clips that are right by the door as soon as u open it push the 2 clips in and ur noise should be gone.
07-23-07, 02:24 PM
#52
Good for you! I ended up getting the RX400H Grille, not as expensive, real cheap, I chanced upon it @ ebay, but a good change from stock. I am beginning to like it.
07-25-07, 06:05 PM
#53
Follow Up - Ceiling Creak
I have a searious creak coming from the roof in the area between the sun roof and the rear hatch. Have had legthy discussions with the selling dealer service manager and Lexus Canada. In order to fully diagnose, the headliner has to come down. To do that, most of the interior of the car needs to be dismantled. I am extremely concerned about the amount of work involved and the ability of whoever does it getting it back together again properly. My dealer uses a 3rd party trim shop who does nothing else than interiros. This includes custom work and high end cars like Lexus, Porsche. Benz, etc. At first I thought that wasn't such a good idea as they may not have the same concept of assembly quality as the dealer. However, after speaking with Lexus, a second dealer who doesn't have the luxury of a good local trim shop (but wishes he did) and my own delaer, we have made an appointment for next week. Apparently when this generation of RX was launched, they tried to source components locally. There were serious issue with the sun roof supplier and many "cartridges" (entire sun roof and mechanism) had to be replaced. This 3rd party trim shop did all that work for my dealer. The service manager tells me this small shop likely knows more about the re-assembly of the car than Lexus does. I guess we'll see next week.
. Did not require as much surgery as anticipated. In fact, the issue was a bracket right at the front of the roof. It holds some of the hardware around the sun roof motor in place. Apparently it had been assembled wrong. The trim shop pulled a small part of the headliner down and made the repair. Am quite happy now,particularly as they didn't need to dismantle as much of the interior as expected. 
07-25-07, 06:13 PM
#54
I feel the same way when you turn in your car to the dealer, will they put it back together the right way? Frankly I have had to re-work some of the things they have worked on. As simple as dirt, when they service your car, they end up messing something up. This is from experience. I kid you not.
07-25-07, 06:35 PM
#55
I'll echo that. My one beef with the dealer where we bought is the lack of attention and QA effort on behalf of the technicians. They left my wife's car full of glass fragments after replacing the windshield...and screwing that up so badly we had to have it done a second time. (This is a subbed out job, so while I can't blame the dealer for the specific work, I do blame them for not recognizing it.) While my RX was in for the XM install they put a ridiculously large dent in the shift ****. As I explained to the service advisor, I wasn't upset at all that it happened, but was disgusted that they tried to give me back the car without replacing it. I wish I had a picture of it - it was actually funny watching the guy walk around showing it to people. The fact that they had one in stock was great, but it's just painfully obvious that they rush through jobs with little regard to QA and the effort required to resolve the problems they create.
<End rant...sorry.>
<End rant...sorry.>
07-25-07, 07:36 PM
#56
Do not get me started on this very sensitive topic. There is a reason why Lexus is highly regarded as GOOD Customer Service. But dealers are not created equal. Also, even TOYOTA dealers have not been able to re-create Lexus' success....because there is a serious lack of customer satisfaction. Keep in mind, every time the dealers fills up a warranty service, they collect from Lexus.....
07-25-07, 07:59 PM
#57
I had a nice dialog with the GM at the store where I bought. Semi-tongue in cheek I asked him if the technicians screw up on purpose so the sales and service admin/management staff can look good in fixing them. Never before have I experienced such egregious foul-ups followed by such polite, cordial, and thorough efforts to resolve them.
Mandyfig, I totally get your point, although auditing efforts across the board have made dealer abuse much less prevalent. Unfortunately, it's also made dealers of a number of manufacturers less willing to be advocates on warranty repairs. A family friend is the service manager at a local GM store and some of his stories of having to justify warranty work are maddening. Not at all to defend the practice, but it's easy to see why some dealers take the easy road and simply deny claims...I guess it's sometimes easier to argue with and potentially lose a customer than it is to fight the manufacturer.
Mandyfig, I totally get your point, although auditing efforts across the board have made dealer abuse much less prevalent. Unfortunately, it's also made dealers of a number of manufacturers less willing to be advocates on warranty repairs. A family friend is the service manager at a local GM store and some of his stories of having to justify warranty work are maddening. Not at all to defend the practice, but it's easy to see why some dealers take the easy road and simply deny claims...I guess it's sometimes easier to argue with and potentially lose a customer than it is to fight the manufacturer.
07-25-07, 08:20 PM
#58
I wonder how much of the quality of service is affected-dictated by the SERVICE MANAGER? Or is he a titular position? Definitely your inclination to purchase from the same maker is mostly affected by your NEED to visit the dealer for claims (or lack of, in case of a perfect car). Once you see the dealer though...the whole experience from the time you call in for an appointment up to the time you get your car will influence your impression, whether you spent money or not. So, if I were the OEM, I would spend money on the way service is rendered, rather than fancy showrooms and bloated sales comms, etc.. Hence, when I leave with the car from a service appointment, and find out that they mis-handled the car...it upsets me till I am blue.
07-25-07, 10:50 PM
#59
Totally agreed. I also mentioned that in my conversation, and the general manager said I wasn't the first person to comment. My premise was that if the technicians were half as good as the advisors, they'd generate tons of repeat business...both in sales and service. My experience with a number of other brands holds that it's usually the technicians with more common sense and service commitment than the advisors.
You're absolutely right though - the service manager is the true gatekeeper. S/he dictates the satisfaction of the customers, and...what is often overlooked...the technicians. My long-time neighbor was a wrench at a Ford dealer. When a new service manager came aboard and mandated a zero-overtime policy, a number of technicians balked. Instead of caring about a job book-rated at 3.5 hours, they'd rush through it in two and call it a day, for example. When you look at the whole picture it's no wonder why there are so many customers who won't touch a dealer service department for anything but warranty work, and at that it's anticipated with as much joy as a colonoscopy. (Which often it is....sorry.)
You're absolutely right though - the service manager is the true gatekeeper. S/he dictates the satisfaction of the customers, and...what is often overlooked...the technicians. My long-time neighbor was a wrench at a Ford dealer. When a new service manager came aboard and mandated a zero-overtime policy, a number of technicians balked. Instead of caring about a job book-rated at 3.5 hours, they'd rush through it in two and call it a day, for example. When you look at the whole picture it's no wonder why there are so many customers who won't touch a dealer service department for anything but warranty work, and at that it's anticipated with as much joy as a colonoscopy. (Which often it is....sorry.
)
07-26-07, 05:38 AM
#60
They put me in fantasyland when I have a colonoscopy, so it's painless (except during that one session when I woke up four times).
So far I've had excellent service at my dealer, Dorschel Lexus in Rochester, NY. That's a good thing because they're 165 miles away; it's not a place where I would just pop by. I'm surprised that some have service problems with the deaers in California. There are so many of them, you'd think they'd fall all over themselves trying to please their customers.
So far I've had excellent service at my dealer, Dorschel Lexus in Rochester, NY. That's a good thing because they're 165 miles away; it's not a place where I would just pop by. I'm surprised that some have service problems with the deaers in California. There are so many of them, you'd think they'd fall all over themselves trying to please their customers.