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Yes, explanation. A Lexus Diagnostic Specialist (Wichita Kansas), said that there will probably be a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin), eventually, to resolve the exhaust vibration issue. He said he wouldn't be surprised if were just a weight, welded or clamped on the exhaust system somewhere to counter balance the harmonic vibration that is maybe causing the exhaust vibration (he said a weighted exhaust pipe is not uncommon). With that in mind, one day I took an old combination wrench and ground the box end pretty thin so that it would fit on the existing bolt thread that protrudes out the Catalytic Converter/exhaust pipe ball joint connection. I shoved an old piece of fuel line up on the cut off open end of the wrench. With one Metric nut, I secured my homemade "Harmonic Balancer" on the threads - and lo and behold... it somewhat works! It's not a cure, but it does reduce the harmonics and vibration to a small degree. Of course, under warranty you cannot alter the vehicle. Am I onto something? Well at least I'm trying. After my car was diagnosed in Kansas (by driving the vehicle) and documented as having the vibration and noise that "Lexus is aware of the issue but has no remedy", every other Dealership would NOT document the issue. As a matter of fact, NO ONE has ever put my vehicle up on a hoist or a rack to see if a bolt was loose, or something obvious (the tire rotation/oil change man probably had it on a hoist, but he wasn't looking for the cause of our issue). I may try to find a Muffler Shop in the Phoenix Valley and see if they can't make some reinforcement muffler hangers to bolt onto my exhaust system to take out the vibration. It would have to be something that bolts on so I can remove it in case I have to take the vehicle into the dealership. I have even hooked some "Trucker" type bungie cords from the frame to the bolts on the catalytic converter but that did not work for me. I'm trying. I wish Lexus would "Try" a little harder other than Customer Service Personnel repeating to me over the phone that it is "Characteristic" of this vehicle, when they have not heard or experienced OUR issue with OUR few selected vehicles that have the problem.
Any ideas?... Walt
Walt, thanks for the explanation and also all the effort you have put into this. I'm also in the Phoenix area and have had the same experience with my dealer. Since the wrench attachment you engineered somewhat helped, maybe it is confirming that the exhaust is actually the problem. When I looked at your picture of the exhaust flange the one thing that popped into my mind was that the bolts to it look like they are spring tensioned. I wonder what would happen if the spring was removed and the flange was just bolted directly together so it would be more solidly mated. Don't know if the springs are there for engine movement or what and am sure removing the spring tension would void the warranty as you mentioned but it might be interesting to see if that would make any difference at all. If that flange is the problem you'd thing the fix would be fairly simple for Lexus to create and why they wouldn't have done so by now. But who knows how they think, and the comments that they are fixing the 2017's first could be correct. I was planning on going and driving a 2017 when they come out to see if they did indeed address the issue. If so then it will prove they know of the flaw in the 2016's whether they will ever admit it or not. If not, then Lexus has some idiots for engineers and also in management for letting this issue ruin an otherwise fine car.
I don't have a GOPRO, but I duct taped my iPhone to the underneath frame of the car, and filmed much articulation at the spring ball joint, so I don't think it could be hard bolted. I tried to attach the video here but it's too large (even though I trimmed it). Once, when the car was extremely vibrating and noisy, my friend helping me (35 year retired Chrysler Proving Grounds Driver/Mechanic) and I witnessed this spring loaded ball joint vibrating faster than our eyes could comprehend - like a hummingbird - unfortunately it was not caught on film. Driving some friends last night in the cooler temperatures, my car was embarrassing droning driving around our neighborhood. Somehow on this site I think we can send a non published direct message. If you know how, and would like to send me your text number, I could send you the short video of the articulation as we "brake torqued" the driveshaft in forward and reverse... Walt
Maybe one of us with a GoPro with a magnet, should see if they can capture this roaring Lockness Monster on Film???
Thanks! I've never posted on YouTube but I should probably do that. (It won't be tonight though.)
If you are in the Phoenix Area (I live in the Far East Valley), I just did an Autotrader search of 2017 RX 350, and I see several Dealerships have them, but they are not advertising them on their main Sales Pages, only the 2016. I may go out kicking tires tomorrow...
Superstition Springs has 7
Lexus of Chandler has 4
Arrowhead has 6
Bell in Scottsdale has 7
I was at Lexus of Chandler today. Great People. Test Drove a 2017 FWD RX 350 with my wife. Very Nice! Drove a 2016 FWD. Also very nice. If they would have had some "Decked-Out" 2017 AWD, I would have traded in my 2016 RX 350 with 11,000 miles, just to Self-Resolve my Drone issue. Superstition Springs 2017 AWD Looks pretty fully loaded:http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...ear=2017&Log=0
I was at Lexus of Chandler today. Great People. Test Drove a 2017 FWD RX 350 with my wife. Very Nice! Drove a 2016 FWD. Also very nice. If they would have had some "Decked-Out" 2017 AWD, I would have traded in my 2016 RX 350 with 11,000 miles, just to Self-Resolve my Drone issue. Superstition Springs 2017 AWD Looks pretty fully loaded:http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...ear=2017&Log=0
Good Luck!
does the drone happen at 1k rpm? So you like the FWD model better?
So No done, no Hesitation on the fwd model?
i bought a 450h b/c I didn't want the hesitation or the Ac noise. But this car like to stay in the
1k rpm range that makes some kind of drone noise.
My 2016 FWD RX has an unacceptable vibration and noise, at times (cooler weather especially), off-idle around 1,100 to 1,400 RPM.
Today, we drove to Lexus of Chandler to see about buying a 2017 RX 350, just to relieve ourselves of the stress of our situation, even though it would be a big expense to us. First off, all the people at Lexus of Chandler have been great to us. The atmosphere there reminds me of the good, friendly people of Kansas! The FWD 2017 had a smaller vibration (lesser than ours) too (same off-idle RPM as mine), but not so much that it made a noise though. We also drove a 2016 FWD and it was pretty smooth. We decided to do nothing today.
The Good People of Chandler of Lexus AZ are trying to help me resolve our issue. They printed out the exhaust parts diagram for the 2016 RX 350 FWD to compare against the 2017 RX 350 FWD. I was hoping to find that the 2017 had changed or improved some parts, and maybe I could have those new parts installed/replaced, but the observation is that the 2016 and the 2017 are identical.
Where the front of the Catalytic Converter (#17420) bolts to the forward wye pipe (#17403) with the spring bolted connection... that's where I see articulation and vibration in my car.
In my mind, I think maybe everyone's small or unacceptable drone noise/vibration may be caused by the harmonic frequencies created during the Atkinson/Otto Cycle change over - but I have no expertise or real knowledge in this area. Maybe Lexus just needs to Re-Flash a timing/value setting, slightly??? Maybe Lexus has two or more different suppliers for the exhaust components. Maybe one supplier is using a slightly different metal composition when manufacturing parts and the synergy of their components is slightly different thus causing a few of us to have unacceptable results.
Maybe an additional harmonic absorbing hanger/bracket is all that is needed in the area???
Any thoughts... Walt
Last edited by Walt1953; 10-02-16 at 12:23 AM.
Reason: I changed a couple of words for clarification
Please continue to call your Service Manager and keep asking if there has been a TSP yet to remedy the 2016 RX 350 Drone Noise Vibration Issue. Also call Customer Satisfaction and tell them you are not satisfied. We have a Warranty, we have a problem, Lexus does not have a repair, what are we suppose to do? What are they going to do for us? If you are not satisfied with their reply, request to initiate a Lexus Buy Back Program. It's pretty easy. They FedEx an acknowledgement that you want to do a Lexus Buy Back. You send them copies of your purchase, diagnosis, repairs, etc. You wait 6 weeks, and in my case they disappoint you and say No. But there is an old saying: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease". The more we make Lexus aware that many of us have this issue, the more likely they will wake up and address this for their loyal customers.
I'm looking forward to an amicable resolution... Walt
Last edited by Walt1953; 10-02-16 at 08:25 AM.
Reason: Corrected Grammar
Walt, would really love to see that video. I hope you can figure out how to put it on YouTube so many of us could see it. For kicks, my wife has a 2015 Lexus NX and I looked at its exhaust system and everything on it is bolted up solid. Of course, it is a different engine with a turbo. It seems odd to me that Lexus would want an exhaust joint like this to move that much, but then with all the engineering and issues with engines, timing and the like, its over my head these days. Kinda disappointing too that the 2017 RX you drove seems to still have the same issue (maybe less?) that says Lexus maybe hasn't addressed this issue. Makes me wonder if it may be an issue that is not with this exhaust joint? Keep up the great work.
Sad to see so many affected by this. But it sounds like a few different issues afflicting everyone. I picked up my new rx awd base on Thursday and have a problem as well. Getting a vibration throughout car when I'm between 55-85mph. Going to dealership tomorrow and will report back. Really.hoping its just a wheel balancing issue. Service desk admitted that this isn't an uncommon issue (excessive vibration)
09-29-16, 08:40 PM
