2009 Lexus RX350

LETTER FROM SENATOR NELSON ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT HIS 2009 LEXUS RX350. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS BREATHING CONCERNS RELATED TO BREATHING THE FUMES RELEASED FROM HIS MELTING DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER WANTED THE DEALER TO TELL HIM, WHAT CHEMICALS WERE USED IN THE DASHBOARD. HOWEVER, THE DEALER HAS BEEN GIVING HIM THE RUN-AROUND FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. *JB

I BROUGHT MY RX350 IN FOR A "FREE" YEARLY INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT MY RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED AT A COST OF $1800. THIS CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE, ALWAYS GARAGED, AND ALWAYS SERVICED AT A LEXUS DEALERSHIP (2). I WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK AND PINION PRESSURE WAS CHECKED EVERY TIME IT WAS BROUGHT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND IT JUST HAPPENED FOR NO REASON. I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH LEXUS AND HAVE RESEARCHED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE RX'S. SHOULD THIS BE PART OF A RECALL AS IT IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS NO WARNING. MY CAR WAS RUNNING IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THIS WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE "FREE" INSPECTION OF ALL TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS RX350. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, WENT OVER A CURB, AND DOWN A 7-8 FOOT STEEP EMBANKMENT AND OVER A HIGH CURB AT THE TOP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKED VEHICLE AND THEN ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000. UPDATED 08/05/16*LJ UPDATED 08/15/16.*JB

I SAW WHITE SMOKE IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR WHILE DRIVING ON A STREET. NO ENGINE LIGHTS APPEARED. I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY A FEW MINUTES EARLIER. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED MY LEXUS DEALER, WHO REGULARLY DOES MY MAINTENANCE. I HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER, WHO SAID IT WAS THE VVTI OIL COOLER HOSE AND IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. NEXT DAY, DEALER TELLS ME THEY REPLACED THE VVTI HOSE BUT IT WAS STILL LEAKING. IT WAS A DIFFERENT RUBBER OIL HOSE AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I AM NOT HAPPY. I SEE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA AND LEXUS SO WHY DIDN'T MY DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE VVTI HOSE DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND WARN ME ABOUT THE RUBBER HOSE PROBLEM, SO I COULD REPLACE IT WITH A METAL ONE BEFORE IT LEAKED. I HOPE THERE IS NO ENGINE DAMAGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS RX350 EQUIPPED WITH CAPITOL PRECISION TRAC II TIRES, SIZE 245/65R17. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOOK WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,375 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.

TOOK TO DEALER FOR REGULAR OIL CHANGE. THE 25 POINT CHECK - RIGHT SIDE RACK AND PINION LEAKING, RIGHT REAR STRUT LEAKING FRONT BRAKES LOW BATTERY FAIL TEST FROM A BATTERY I RECEIVED FROM LEXUS IN 2012. BRAKE FLUID FLUSH NEED 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE CORPORATION NEEDS TO DO A RECALL I'VE RESEARCHED TO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES ARE BEING CITED WITH THIS RACK AND PINION. THEY RECALLED PRIOR YEARS WHY NOT THE 2009 AND UP? I AM TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE WITH THE LABOR, BUT AS WE KNOW LABOR IS THE BULK OF CHARGES.

WHILE HAVE MY CAR SERVICED, THE SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING FLUID AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AT A COST (PARTS & LABOR) OF $1562. THIS SEEMS OUTRAGEOUS TO ME GIVEN THAT THE CAR HAS ABOUT 33K MILES ON IT. WHEN I CHECK THE BLOG ON ARFC.ORG, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHY HAS LEXUS NOT BEEN REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM?