In my personal opinion, there is a quality difference between Lexus vehicles built in Japan vs North America. However, I am unsure how many people have a Japanese built RX who have these issues. Would help shed some light on whether this is a design issue or quality issue. But as all service advisors have told me, it's how Lexus built them and is considered to be per spec, such a shame.

 

Regarding the question asked in a previous post asking if anyone thought it was a design or quality issue. Both. Poor design. Shouldn’t happen in the first place. But when it does it reflects on the lack of quality engineered and built into the car and the lack of responsiveness by the entire organization from the service centers up to senior management. THEY DON’T CARE. Poor engineering. Poor quality control. Poor customer service.

AND don’t get me started on how rough the transmission shifts up and down. When exiting a highway and with foot off the gas pedal, as the car slows on its own it begins to downshift and jerks and clanks while it is going through a couple of different gears. I took it in and demonstrated to them, they verified and confirmed it and initially came up with some lame excuse as to why it happened. I continued to squawk it every visit until a maintenance technician remarked that there was a SB to update the software. It improved it slightly but still shifts rough both shifting up and down, with power on or off the car, accelerating or decelerating. Pure junk. I hate this car and can’t wait to get rid of it. I have never had a car that clanked and jerked when down shifting with foot off the gas pedal. Ridiculous.

 

Your personal opinion is highly likely to be correct. I'm in Australia, our RX's don't have anywhere near the issues you guys have. Some hesitation due to the software mapping in normal mode but I can still drive it in my town (fairly level) without hesitation at all, just gentle throttle and it's extremely smooth. Vibration/harshness is not really evident, I keep reading all these bad posts and try looking for issues but if anything is there it's very subtle. All our Lexus are Japanese.

 

Wow, I've never had anything like that. Done 90,000 kms in 4 years and still drives like new. Do a very regular 800 km each way trip (10 or so per year) on a freeway where this car excels, extremely smooth shifts, some steep sections where the cruise control changes down gears and brakes, all without fuss at all. Love the car on freeways, feels a bit large/heavy when driving hard though in metro environments.

 

Initially I thought I just got a “lemon” but after researching it online and finding dozens of forums, I realized this issue affects hundreds if not thousands of cars. I go back to a comment about cars made in Japan versus America and therein might be at least some of the problem. However the decision made at a corporate level NOT to address these complaints and the numerous issues that affect a large number of cars, goes directly back to senior management in Japan. They just don’t care. Maybe it comes back to bite them some day.

 

I had 2004 Toyota Siena (since new, still going strong, almost 300K km), gave it away to my daughter, own 2010 Toyota Corolla (for 8 years, put on 160k km), 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid (for 8 years, 60K wehn bought and put on 200K km), which is great sedan, easily doing 6.5-7 L/100 KM (over 30 MPG)
These were trouble free, only regular maintenance, which I do myself. Therefore, based on my personal experience (not forming my opinion based on watching some YouTube videos or reading an Internet article), I like Toyotas.
Therefore, I decided to buy Lexus RX Hybrid. It seemed natural step up.

I do like it, mostly. I did 23K+ KM (15k miles) this year.
It's fastest vehicle I ever had, powerful, smooth, achieves 7.5-8 L/100 KM (approx. 30 MPG) in summer, 8.6 L/100 Km (approx. 27.3 MPG) average right now, winter. On highway it's effortless to pass. I like hybrid behavior, no shifting, just there, just moves this vehicle, totally seemless, no drama.
I added tow hitch (myself), tried to tow, launch and pull out of water friend's boat, no issues, (looking to buy my own fishing boat).
Also, I am glad I could support my country's economy (as you may know RX is assembled in Canada), (sentimental part).

As for droning, it annoys me however, not enough to hate RX outright. My wife does not hear it actually . I do plan to keep it for a while. Sound system in it is nice, so adding some volume helps.
I'll resolve this droning, one way or another. Now I am determined.

Having said this, I didn't expect these issues from Lexus. Most were dealt under warranty but still should not happen.
I read (not from experience though) about other brands also having issues, so I am not sure, if any are perfect. If not Lexus, not sure what else then.
I will try enjoy it for now. With my latest improvemnts, it's getting there...

 

Read any and every forum out there and you'll find these threads where owners are complaining about one thing or another. I have a Japanese built RX and it has some droning but not nearly annoying enough to be bothersome. The car has been trouble free for the first 50k miles. At the end of the day, if you hate your RX or any other car for that matter, move onto something else. My daughter's brand new Audi Q5 blew a turbo at 5k miles. My bosses MB GL63 blew two turbos at roughly 10k miles. Oh well.

 

I have read a lot of threads on all the cars in this class. And NONE have this number of complaints on one single issue, namely the droning, literally thousands of complaints going back more than 5 YEARS, on numerous social media forums. Couldn’t stand it any longer with the engine droning, gas tank rattle, rough jerky shifting, squeaking front end, all on a 3 year old car with less than 20,000 miles. Yesterday, I traded this overpriced POS in on a brand new car from a different manufacturer. Got more options for less money than a comparable new Lexus. So long Lexus. So long Club Lexus. Buyers beware.

 

Excellent. Good luck with your prize which you'll probably be calling a POS in a few months.

 

There is no known droning issue with the RX 450h. Go drive a RX 350 & it’s a completely different & sometimes very annoying vehicle. Not all have the droning issues. The hybrid doesn’t have it because it’s a different transmission & different RPMs.

 

How do you know? You may own one that does not have it. However, have you personally driven them all to prove that others don't have it?
Don't be so dismissive of what others experience and report.
Instead, read this thread and you'll find mentions of 450h having it.
Moreover, I own and drive one, 2017 RX 450h, Canadian Executive, with drone, which I mitigated quite a bit by installing the second weight. Look at my picture I posted yesterday, #1861.
I am not an engineer but believe that drone has to do with exhaust, not engine or transmission.

Again, look at my picture I posted yesterday of exhaust of my RX and see on the very left, 1/3 down on the left, a factory weight installed, with blue dot. That is factory mount.
Why would Lexus do that, install useless weight, unless they were trying to mitigate drone?
That is what they did for 350, to mitigate drone, by installing that round weight, see MC-10164911-9999.pdf (nhtsa.gov).
IMHO, that is why weight is there but I am not an engineer. Look under your own SUV, if you say you have it, try to explain why it is there.
As others said, sometimes it does not help or makes it worse. I personally tried removing that factory weight and it makes no difference in my case.

 

You have a whopping 7 posts to your name. No, I’m not an expert, but I have driven a lot of RX. There is a TSB for the 350. There is not a TSB for the 450h. Read this entire thread (I’m betting you haven’t). 99 of 100 450h’s do not have a drone issue. That is how I know. I’ve been on here since late 2016, or early 2017. How about you? How much time have you spent with the technicians in the service bay? How many dealers have you had service with? I’m not saying you don’t have some kind of issue, I just don’t think it’s the same issue as those with the 350 are having. I’ve heard the issue with several 350s and NONE on a 450h. Is that good enough for you? What has your dealer said about your said drone?

 

Wow. You are really friendly fellow here. I feel really "welcomed" here by you. So, having only 7 posts here makes me less than nothing? OK, thanks.

BTW, I did read all posts in this thread. That is where I learned about weight, from Walter, thanks Walter, and that is where I learned about 350 TSB.

I thought you said quite categorically, "There is no known droning issue with the RX 450h." but now I see it is "99 of 100 450h’s do not have a drone issue". I guess we don't know what we don't know. BTW, Lexus heard it too, even if you didn't.



Please tone down your replies. I am in no competition with you, about anything. Just trying to post my findings, as I believe this forum is to share information and opinions among all fellow Lexus owners, in respectful manner.
Thanks, and have a good evening.

 

I believe you were the one questioning me. So moving this along, what is your dealer doing with your case? I don’t doubt there is something that you & your dealer heard. Is it the dreaded droning issue? I’m not sure. How about an olive branch? Make some recordings so we all can hear what you hear. There’s a decent chance someone on here has heard what you are hearing. Did you buy your 450h new? If not, do you have the service history. Has your car ever been wrecked. I ask, because I had a wreck in another car & after it was repaired, I had creaking & groaning noises that I never had before. I’m throwing out some off the wall possibilities, since your issues is a rare one. Fair enough?

 

Can't we all get along?