DrWLG

Could not compare the noise in video. My vehicle is 2017 RX 350. The noise at low speed acceleration seems to come from the Left rear area and associated with vibration. Others have reported a growling type noise with vibration. Anybody else noting this issue.

rxtimes2

snimren

Upon starting a cold engine in the morning, and shifting into drive while the foot is still on the brake, there is a rattle-like noise coming from the engine. It persists for about 5 minutes while driving (depending on the outside temperature), and then it goes away.
You can hear it here: This is recorded immediately after starting the engine. At about 0:02 the car is in drive mode, and you can clearly hear it until 0:04 when the car starts moving.
The dealer tells me most of 2016 and 2017 RX350s experience the same behavior and it is normal.

Has anyone else experienced the same?

ericsan13

Check your oil levels and ensure you have the right engine oil in your car. To me it sounds like not enough lubrication during startup, which could mean either low oil or wrong type of oil. I could be wrong, but that's the first thing to check if you haven't already.

snimren

Thanks for your reply.
Turns out there is a service bulletin that addresses this issue and it involves replacing the vacuum pump.

rxtimes2

ravenuer

……..and if it worked....

snimren

I am pretty sure it is this one: TSB #L-SB-0010-18

I will post an update after the work is done.

bverant

Just bought a 2018 350L and noted the droning sound peaking at 1500 RPMs. It almost feels like the engine is being lugged down at this RPM due to the ridiculous number of gears. Found this thread and had LSB 003-18 applied. Didn't make much difference and possibly made it a little worse. Applied the additional "Walt's weight" at the flange joint in front of the catalytic converter as per this thread. Maybe a slight reduction, but droning still present. Going to try removing the TSB weight and leaving "Walt's weight" since at least one poster stated that helped them. I also feel the engine idle in the steering wheel and center console while in park. I understand there is a new-design rear engine mount, but you are at the mercy of the dealership on whether they install it free of charge or not since there isn't an LSB. I also do not know if my vehicle (made 4/2018, Japanese) has the updated engine mount.

Exhaust configuration on the 350L is different from a normal 350. While my 350L was in having the LSB applied, I had a 2018 loaner RX and the droning was much worse stock than mine -- and it did not have the LSB center pipe installed from the factory. Build date on that care was 7/2018. So it appears that Lexus isn't applying these new center pipes by default. Seems to be the cheap way out, but I am hoping for a resolution. I will be sending a letter to Lexus corporate detailing my complaint and see where that goes (not hopeful for a better resolution going this route, but need to try).

Any other suggestions or ideas to try?

Thanks!

nextcar

It is shocking that Lexus still has not fixed this problem which as been present since 2016. I had assumed that a 2018 model that is built in Japan would not have the droning issue, since most reported cases were in earlier model years which were built in North America.

This is completely inexcusable. My impression of Lexus is now very unfavorable.
Just last week, I test drove a Tesla Model 3. What a revelation in how quiet and smooth a car can be!
My RX 350 feels so unrefined in comparison. I also dislike hearing my Lexus shifting gears all the time, with a change in engine note, up and down, hunting through the gears when driven in the city.

jugdish

Interesting side note.... I "had" a 2017 RX350 and just traded it in for an '18 RXhL. Man, what a difference. Anyway, I had been to the service department many times with no luck of fixing the drone or the hesitation issues. When I went back to the dealer to give them the lock nut key that I accidentally removed when cleaning out the trade in, the sales person remarked at how bad my car drives as she wanted to see if the issues I told her about were really that bothersome. I told her the service department told me "all is well," and good luck selling this beast with it's current issues.

bverant

Yeah, it's looking like this for me as well. It's gonna cost me a lot of money, but life is too short not to be happy with a car you drive everyday. I have come to realize that all car companies do not support their products post-sale. Sure, they have "warranties", but that doesn't fix poorly engineered products and design flaws that only show up after weeks of driving your new vehicle.

Never another Lexus, done with the brand.

ravenuer

Surprised you went with another Lexus after your problems.

rxtimes2

Please let us know how removing the TSB weight does, and also your efforts with Lexus.

bverant

I removed the TSB weight, leaving "Walt's weight" in place and the droning continued - no appreciable difference. This morning, I removed "Walt's weight" (so there are no weights at all), droning continued and is about the same. It does appear that with no weights the range of droning has slightly increased. Whereas before it would pretty much peak at 1500 RPM, it now seems to be from 1200 to 1700 RPMs with no weight. Tonight, I am going to put the TSB weight back on AND add "Walt's weight" as well next to the TSB weight and see what that does -- I am expecting it to be no different. It is absolutely LUDICROUS that I am doing this work on a brand new $64k vehicle that should never have had this problem to begin with. I have opened a customer support case, but I don't expect that to go anywhere.

It is clear Lexus is not doing any tuning or QC on their vehicles and just slapping random parts together and calling it a new model. This problem is on top of the dead spot/hesitation in re-accelerating from 5-10MPH (not going to detract the thread talking about this problem) . Very poor R/D work. This experience has shattered my image of Lexus as a brand.



I am likely going to be getting rid of this car, but I haven't decided on what to get yet.