2016 RX 350 Excessive noise and vibration
10-01-23, 08:53 AM
#2131
RX 350 droning
If you accelerate slowly from a stop watch your tach, the 8 speed transmission up shifts to soon and the revs drop drastically. I've found that choosing the Normal or Sport mode helps alleviate this. Also a more aggressive application of the accelerator helps.
I'm no auto expert but these steps have reduced the annoying droning and poor performance for me.
I'm no auto expert but these steps have reduced the annoying droning and poor performance for me.
The following users liked this post:
jcg0324 (10-01-23)
10-02-23, 06:11 AM
#2132
I am new to Lexus & I noticed the droning/vibration in the steering wheel when I picked up my used certified 2021 RX350 base model. I turned off all the lane assist & still feel it sometimes but dealer said everything is fine. I test drove a new 2023 RX from a different dealer for 15 minutes and no droning/vibration . Don't know what to do?..
10-02-23, 06:48 AM
#2133
Lexus Test Driver
The following 3 users liked this post by mikemu30:
10-19-23, 03:17 AM
#2134
Going to try this fix this weekend. Wish me luck!
I am wondering if the flex joint is just too tight in the first place?
I am wondering if the flex joint is just too tight in the first place?
As noted in my earlier post, my Lexus Shop Foreman recommended removing the Catalytic converter and re lubricating the flex joints on each end. Did that today and initial indications are that the drone at ~1600 rpm has noticeably reduced - HOWEVER, I need more miles to be sure.
The exhaust system is a lot more flexible after lubing these joints. Just need to remove the bolts (I had to heat the nuts to break them free), the rubber hangers and the cat converter comes right out. The foreman said to lube the 2 gaskets with a high temperature copper based paste. They use Wurth CU800 but I used a similar Loctite copper anti seize that is rated for 1800F. I cleaned up the joints with solvent and put a thin coat on the gaskets being careful not to get any on the inside upstream end so that it will not foul the converter. He said to check the spring FREE length and ensure > 1.63" (41.5mm). My springs were all about 1.680". Clean up the threads on the bolts, a little anti seize and reinstall. Torque bolts to 32 ft-lbs.
Will update after more mileage but if someone else wants to try this, it would be good to see what happens to someone elses' vehicle..
Jim
The exhaust system is a lot more flexible after lubing these joints. Just need to remove the bolts (I had to heat the nuts to break them free), the rubber hangers and the cat converter comes right out. The foreman said to lube the 2 gaskets with a high temperature copper based paste. They use Wurth CU800 but I used a similar Loctite copper anti seize that is rated for 1800F. I cleaned up the joints with solvent and put a thin coat on the gaskets being careful not to get any on the inside upstream end so that it will not foul the converter. He said to check the spring FREE length and ensure > 1.63" (41.5mm). My springs were all about 1.680". Clean up the threads on the bolts, a little anti seize and reinstall. Torque bolts to 32 ft-lbs.
Will update after more mileage but if someone else wants to try this, it would be good to see what happens to someone elses' vehicle..
Jim
12-17-23, 08:55 AM
#2135
I just did the fix on post #1990 and it made a very noticeable difference in drone in my 2019 luxury edition. I can feel reduction in drone in light acceleration and down shifting. I have the TSB fix from the factory and it was still droning…Thanks to condor11! Cost is less than $60.
Last edited by hfahmy; 12-17-23 at 09:19 AM.
The following users liked this post:
GSFRX350 (12-17-23)
12-17-23, 01:51 PM
#2136
I just did the fix on post #1990 and it made a very noticeable difference in drone in my 2019 luxury edition. I can feel reduction in drone in light acceleration and down shifting. I have the TSB fix from the factory and it was still droning…Thanks to condor11! Cost is less than $60.
12-17-23, 07:50 PM
#2137
I just did the fix on post #1990 and it made a very noticeable difference in drone in my 2019 luxury edition. I can feel reduction in drone in light acceleration and down shifting. I have the TSB fix from the factory and it was still droning…Thanks to condor11! Cost is less than $60.
02-12-24, 11:20 AM
#2138
engine drone
Today I completed post 1990 suggested remedy for engine drone and so far so good. I only drove about 2 miles therefore I will up date if this is a "to good to be true moment".
The following users liked this post:
ravenuer (02-12-24)
02-27-24, 04:09 PM
#2139
Driver School Candidate
For what it's worth I own 2 RX 350s. 2020 and 2021.
2020 had a bit of a drone to it which was fully remediated by a single weight at the factory location. It is now totally drone free at any speed or rpm.
2021 is a different animal. It was droning much louder than the other was at any time. I've started with one weight which made a slight difference but nowhere close to what it should sound like. Tried to move it around but it wasn't enough. So I added a second weight and currently I have both weights mounted on the same bracket at a factory location.. It did make a significant difference. Now I cannot hear any excessive noises at any speeds or RPM except 67-68mph. This speed in 8th gear is exactly the right RPM range and so if the engine is under a slight load you get a loud low humming noise inside. 1 mph up or down and it goes quiet.
It is not as bad as it was without the weights, meaning not as loud and at any other speed I can't really hear anything abnormal. My guess is that the weights reduced the resonating rpm range to an absolute minimum and so in the lower gears the car doesn't have a chance to stay within that range for enough time to annoy me.
So at this point I'm out of ideas and I don't know if I should try to add one more weight or try to move things around a bit.
I've booked an appt at the dealer, planning to remove the weights and see what they say. But I have no real explanation why 2 identical cars with the same mileage and same driver behave differently.
2020 had a bit of a drone to it which was fully remediated by a single weight at the factory location. It is now totally drone free at any speed or rpm.
2021 is a different animal. It was droning much louder than the other was at any time. I've started with one weight which made a slight difference but nowhere close to what it should sound like. Tried to move it around but it wasn't enough. So I added a second weight and currently I have both weights mounted on the same bracket at a factory location.. It did make a significant difference. Now I cannot hear any excessive noises at any speeds or RPM except 67-68mph. This speed in 8th gear is exactly the right RPM range and so if the engine is under a slight load you get a loud low humming noise inside. 1 mph up or down and it goes quiet.
It is not as bad as it was without the weights, meaning not as loud and at any other speed I can't really hear anything abnormal. My guess is that the weights reduced the resonating rpm range to an absolute minimum and so in the lower gears the car doesn't have a chance to stay within that range for enough time to annoy me.
So at this point I'm out of ideas and I don't know if I should try to add one more weight or try to move things around a bit.
I've booked an appt at the dealer, planning to remove the weights and see what they say. But I have no real explanation why 2 identical cars with the same mileage and same driver behave differently.
The following users liked this post:
FastFord (02-27-24)
02-27-24, 04:15 PM
#2140
Good on you for your continued efforts....more than I can say for Lexus when it came to this issue....
02-27-24, 09:58 PM
#2141
For what it's worth I own 2 RX 350s. 2020 and 2021.
2020 had a bit of a drone to it which was fully remediated by a single weight at the factory location. It is now totally drone free at any speed or rpm.
2021 is a different animal. It was droning much louder than the other was at any time. I've started with one weight which made a slight difference but nowhere close to what it should sound like. Tried to move it around but it wasn't enough. So I added a second weight and currently I have both weights mounted on the same bracket at a factory location.. It did make a significant difference. Now I cannot hear any excessive noises at any speeds or RPM except 67-68mph. This speed in 8th gear is exactly the right RPM range and so if the engine is under a slight load you get a loud low humming noise inside. 1 mph up or down and it goes quiet.
It is not as bad as it was without the weights, meaning not as loud and at any other speed I can't really hear anything abnormal. My guess is that the weights reduced the resonating rpm range to an absolute minimum and so in the lower gears the car doesn't have a chance to stay within that range for enough time to annoy me.
So at this point I'm out of ideas and I don't know if I should try to add one more weight or try to move things around a bit.
I've booked an appt at the dealer, planning to remove the weights and see what they say. But I have no real explanation why 2 identical cars with the same mileage and same driver behave differently.
2020 had a bit of a drone to it which was fully remediated by a single weight at the factory location. It is now totally drone free at any speed or rpm.
2021 is a different animal. It was droning much louder than the other was at any time. I've started with one weight which made a slight difference but nowhere close to what it should sound like. Tried to move it around but it wasn't enough. So I added a second weight and currently I have both weights mounted on the same bracket at a factory location.. It did make a significant difference. Now I cannot hear any excessive noises at any speeds or RPM except 67-68mph. This speed in 8th gear is exactly the right RPM range and so if the engine is under a slight load you get a loud low humming noise inside. 1 mph up or down and it goes quiet.
It is not as bad as it was without the weights, meaning not as loud and at any other speed I can't really hear anything abnormal. My guess is that the weights reduced the resonating rpm range to an absolute minimum and so in the lower gears the car doesn't have a chance to stay within that range for enough time to annoy me.
So at this point I'm out of ideas and I don't know if I should try to add one more weight or try to move things around a bit.
I've booked an appt at the dealer, planning to remove the weights and see what they say. But I have no real explanation why 2 identical cars with the same mileage and same driver behave differently.
I'm in Australia, we only get Japanese made cars here and the problem is near non existent. I never felt/heard it until I read this thread years ago, I listened for it and I know it was there, but very subtle. I added two weights, opposing each other around the factory location and there is nothing now, beautifully smooth and quiet. Australia did not receive the TSB to have the weight added as the cars here just are not affected greatly. It would appear that it's partly a design problem but in Canada something else is going on. Maybe different metals, maybe slightly different torquing of fasteners, who knows.
Good luck with Lexus, I doubt they will do anything, some dealers say there's no issue at all, that's how they are, people push them further and they acknowledge there's a TSB and get that done, to varying degrees of success. Apparently TSB's when completed are paid for by Lexus at a lower rate than normal, so the dealers are not always keen to do them, so keep quite about them. My dealer is fantastic, insisted I get the vacuum pump replaced under the TSB, it was only a noise problem, I wasn't too concerned about it when they explained the repair procedure, $5,000 job normally, but they said I should while it's free. But my dealer is not a massive super-franchise, they only sell 100 odd cars a year, very small.
.
03-01-24, 05:59 AM
#2142
For what it's worth I own 2 RX 350s. 2020 and 2021.
2020 had a bit of a drone to it which was fully remediated by a single weight at the factory location. It is now totally drone free at any speed or rpm.
2021 is a different animal. It was droning much louder than the other was at any time. I've started with one weight which made a slight difference but nowhere close to what it should sound like. Tried to move it around but it wasn't enough. So I added a second weight and currently I have both weights mounted on the same bracket at a factory location.. It did make a significant difference. Now I cannot hear any excessive noises at any speeds or RPM except 67-68mph. This speed in 8th gear is exactly the right RPM range and so if the engine is under a slight load you get a loud low humming noise inside. 1 mph up or down and it goes quiet.
It is not as bad as it was without the weights, meaning not as loud and at any other speed I can't really hear anything abnormal. My guess is that the weights reduced the resonating rpm range to an absolute minimum and so in the lower gears the car doesn't have a chance to stay within that range for enough time to annoy me.
So at this point I'm out of ideas and I don't know if I should try to add one more weight or try to move things around a bit.
I've booked an appt at the dealer, planning to remove the weights and see what they say. But I have no real explanation why 2 identical cars with the same mileage and same driver behave differently.
2020 had a bit of a drone to it which was fully remediated by a single weight at the factory location. It is now totally drone free at any speed or rpm.
2021 is a different animal. It was droning much louder than the other was at any time. I've started with one weight which made a slight difference but nowhere close to what it should sound like. Tried to move it around but it wasn't enough. So I added a second weight and currently I have both weights mounted on the same bracket at a factory location.. It did make a significant difference. Now I cannot hear any excessive noises at any speeds or RPM except 67-68mph. This speed in 8th gear is exactly the right RPM range and so if the engine is under a slight load you get a loud low humming noise inside. 1 mph up or down and it goes quiet.
It is not as bad as it was without the weights, meaning not as loud and at any other speed I can't really hear anything abnormal. My guess is that the weights reduced the resonating rpm range to an absolute minimum and so in the lower gears the car doesn't have a chance to stay within that range for enough time to annoy me.
So at this point I'm out of ideas and I don't know if I should try to add one more weight or try to move things around a bit.
I've booked an appt at the dealer, planning to remove the weights and see what they say. But I have no real explanation why 2 identical cars with the same mileage and same driver behave differently.
03-01-24, 06:21 AM
#2143
It has been less than a month but I did Condor IIs post #1990 exactly as he described and so far have been pleasantly surprised at the results. So far the droning and moaning have been totally eliminated on my 2020 RX350. Thanks Condor II..
03-24-24, 06:43 PM
#2144
1st Gear
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rx350 vibrates only at 1600 rpms then behaves normal
Hi all, my 2019 rx350 is acting a little strange. In eco mode, from idle and slowly accelerate to about 1600 rpms the car vibrates for about 1/2 a sec then everything is normal. If I accelerate quickly I don't notice the issue or if I put the sport mode on I don't feel the vibration. I'm a newbie, what would be the possible cause of this? ( Oil change was done last week, trans fluid service is booked for next wk). Thanks
03-25-24, 07:07 AM
#2145
Racer
Hi all, my 2019 rx350 is acting a little strange. In eco mode, from idle and slowly accelerate to about 1600 rpms the car vibrates for about 1/2 a sec then everything is normal. If I accelerate quickly I don't notice the issue or if I put the sport mode on I don't feel the vibration. I'm a newbie, what would be the possible cause of this? ( Oil change was done last week, trans fluid service is booked for next wk). Thanks
