2006 LEXUS IS 250 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

I ENTERED THE HIGHWAY AS I USUALLY DO ON MY WAY TO WORK AND HAD MADE MY WAY TO THE LEFT LANE. I AM IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED TO LOOSE COMPRESSION, IT STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 25 MILES (WHILE ON A MAIN HIGHWAY) AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VCS NOTIFICATION STARTED FLASHING. I IMMEDIATELY MADE MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO LOOK-UP THE CODE AND ALL IT SAID WAS TO TAKE TO THE LEXUS DEALER IMMEDIATELY, WHICH IS WHAT I DID. AFTER ABOUT FOUR HOURS OF WAITING, THE LEXUS DEALER DETERMINED THAT MY 2006 LEXUS NEEDED: VALVE SPRINGS, VALVE LASH ADJUSTER, UPDATED PISTONS AND RINGS AND POSSIBLY A SHORT BLOCK. YES THE ENGINE WAS BAD. *TR

Mileage: 125,000

FOR 3-YEARS WE HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP REGARDING THE MUSTY SMELL COMING FROM THE A/C VENTS. WE WERE ADVISED BY THE DEALERSHIP TO CUT OFF THE A/C BEFORE ARRIVING HOME TO ALLOW THE UNIT TO DRAIN. WE ALSO WERE ADVISED TO SPRAY LYSOL INTO THE OUTSIDE COWL VENTS WHICH DID IMPROVE THE ODOR BUT THIS A/C MUSTY SMELL HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE AND IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. ON 12/20/2011, WE NOTICED WATER WAS APPARENTLY ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE CARPET WAS WET AND THERE WAS EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND WATER UNDER CARPET. UPON NOTICING THIS PROBLEM WE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS ADVISED THAT MOST LIKELY, THE A/C DRAIN FLAP WAS STUCK AND CORRECTION FOR THIS DEFECT REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE DRAIN FLAP TO ALLOW THE DRAIN TO FLOW AND NOT BACK UP AND ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER STATED THIS DEFECT HAS OCCURRED BEFORE INVOLVING THE IS250. COST TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT WAS $240 BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE DROPPED TO ACCESS THE DRAIN LINE. REMOVING THE WATER/MOISTURE AND DRYING THE CARPET WAS ESTIMATED AT $2K. AGAIN, THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT IS ALL OVER THE NET AND APPARENTLY WELL KNOWN BY THE DEALERSHIP. ALL LEXUS OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED BY LEXUS SO ALL CAN AVOID THIS POTENTIAL HEALTH ISSUE INVOLVING MOLD AND THE HIGH COST OF REPAIR. IF THE WATER IS NOT NOTICED AND WATER CONTINUES TO BUILD UP IN THE A/C AND UNDER THE CARPETS SERIOUS MOLD RELATED HEALTH ISSUES COULD OCCUR. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG OUR CAR LEAKED OR BACKED UP WATER BUT A MUSTY SMELL FOR THE PAST 3-YEARS HAS BEEN NOT ONLY OFFENSIVE BUT DANGEROUS CONSIDERING THE HEALTH HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH MOLD HERE IN FLORIDA.I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. *TR

Mileage: 81,182

HVAC EVAPORATOR DRAIN BLOCKAGE RESULTING IN REPEATED FLOODED INTERIOR AND CARPET MOLD. *TR

Mileage: 103,501

I HAVE A 2006 LEXUS IS250. I NOTICED "ROUGH" STARTS AND IDLE. THIS WAS AT OR AROUND 65K MILES. I ASSUMED IT WAS RELATED TO SUPER COLD WEATHER OR "BAD" GAS (AFTER THE CAR SAT UNUSED FOR 2-3 DAYS+) AT AROUND 84K MILES DURING WARM WEATHER - I EXPERIENCED BOTH A ROUGH START AND STALLING AT A STOP SIGN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE IT HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED. THEY DID AN EXTENDED DIAGNOSTIC (KEPT THE CAR OVER A LONG WEEKEND) AND ADVISED MY CAR WAS NOT "FIRING" 65-85% OF THE TIME AND THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE VALVE SPRINGS. THIS IS A $5,000 REPAIR. LEXUS CLAIMED BECAUSE THE ISSUE WAS OUTSIDE THE 70K MIKE WARRANTY THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE "PARTS" OF ROUGHLY $4,000 AS "GOODWILL" BUT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LABOR AT $945. I DID A SEARCH FOR RECALLS AND LEARNED THAT THE EXACT ISSUE IS UNDER RECALL FOR OTHER MODELS INCLUSIVE OF THE IS350 V6 - WHICH THE COMPANY REGULARLY REFERS TO AS MY CAR'S "SIBLING" AND HAS SHARED PREVIOUS RECALLS WITH. I'VE CONTACTED LEXUS DIRECTLY AND THEY HAVE ADVISED THE OFFER IS FINAL. THEY HAVE REFUSED MY REQUEST TO SPEAK WITH THE MANUFACTURING REP. I BELIEVE THIS "STALL" ISSUE IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN (PER THE RECALL NOTED) I'VE ASKED LEXUS WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE V6 250 FOR WHICH I'VE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. I BELIEVE THAT LEXUS WOULD HAVE USED THE EXACT SAME MANUFACTURER FOR THESE VALUE SPRINGS AND OR VERY SIMILAR DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS. IT IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT GIVEN THIS SPECIFIC DIAGNOSIS THEY WOULD NOT RESOLVE THIS IMMEDIATELY. I BELIEVE ABSENT A NHTSA INVESTIGATION LEXUS WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD CUSTOMERS HOSTAGE TO PAY FOR THEIR SAFETY ALTHOUGH EVERY INDICATION IS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING DEFECT FOR THIS MODEL AS WELL. *TT

Mileage: 84,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS IS250. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 78,000

A YOUNG LADY PARKED HER 2006 IS 250 LEXUS,EQUIPPED WITH A "SMART KEY" SYSTEM, IN HER ATTACHED GARAGE WHICH WAS ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF HER THREE STORY TOWNHOUSE. SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE WITH THE "KEY FOB" ON HER PERSON, BUT EITHER INADVERTENTLY FORGOT TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE OR PUSHED THE START BUTTON IN AN EFFORT TO DO SO BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE YOUNG LADY DID NOT REALIZE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AND AFTER ENTERING HER TOWNHOUSE FROM THE GARAGE PLACED THE "KEY FOB" ON A TABLE ON THE SECOND FLOOR. THE YOUNG LADY REMAINED IN HER TOWNHOUSE WITH THE VEHICLE RUNNING IN THE GARAGE UNTIL IT RAN OUT OF GASOLINE AND STOPPED. THE YOUNG LADY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND DEAD IN HER BATHROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR. THE DEATH WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AS A RESULT OF THE VEHICLE HAVING BEEN LEFT RUNNING IN THE GARAGE. THE VEHICLE LACKED A "SHUT-DOWN" SWITCH TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WHEN UNOCCUPIED AND INERT FOR AN INTERVAL OF TIME AND/OR LACKED AN ADEQUATE AURAL WARNING THAT THE "KEY FOB" WAS BEING REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS RUNNING OR THE OPERATOR HAD EXITED THE VEHICLE WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. *TR

Mileage: 37,000

MY LEXUS IS250 SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND CRASH. *TR

Mileage: 15,000

I OWN A 2006 LEXUS IS250 AND THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT I CANNOT SEE TO HANDLE NOR THE DEALER CAN HANDLE. THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IS THAT WHEN I'M GOING OVER 60 TO 65 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS AND THE VSC LIGHT COMES ON. THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE AND JUST THE RPM WOULD GO UP. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY IN HAND ON 4 NOW 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND EVERYTIME I'M HEARING DIFFERENT STORIES. HERE IS THE LIST. * MAY 22, 2009: 60,000 MILE SERVICE DONE.* SEPT 6, 2009: TOOK THE CAR IN FOR "CHECK VSC & CHECK ENGINE". NEXT DAY THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR.* OCT 10, 2009: TOWED CAR TO DEALERSHIP. "CHECK VSC & CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN.PULLED OVER ON THE HIGHWAY 3 TIMES TO RESET BUT THE LIGHTS DID NOT GO AWAY. PULLED OVER TWICE EARLIER THAT DAY, TWICE THE DAY BEFORE ALSO.* OCT 14, 2009: (LEXUS TOLD YOU THAT THE ISSUES WERE RESOLVED BY SWAPPING THE ENGINE COILS THE DAY OR TWO BEFORE. NO CHARGES.) I REQUESTED AN EMISSIONS TEST BEFORE I CAME TO PICK IT UP. LEXUS CALLED BACK AND TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN DURING THE EMISSIONS TEST. STILL LOOKING FOR THE PROBLEM.* OCT 18, 2009: LEXUS CALLED, TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE IS BECAUSE OF THE CARBON BUILDUP. THEY WERE GOING TO COVER THE VALVE SPRINGS BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE CLEANUP WHICH IS $ 960. NOT COVERED BY EXT. WARRANTY. 2 OTHER DEALERS TOLD ME THAT THE CARBON BUILDUP CLEANUP WAS AN INJUNCTION SERVICE AND IT IS SUPPOSED TO ONLY COST 190 DOLLARS. THE FUNNY THING IS THAT THE DEALER WROTE THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY "CARBON BUILDUP CLEANUP?" WITH A QUESTION MARK. TOOK THE CAR AND HAD THE INJUNCTION SERVICE DONE. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER LEXUS DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT WHILE THE OTHER DEALER WAS DOING THE COIL SWAP THEY CRACKED THE COVER FOR IT AND NOW GAS WAS LEAKING. HAD TO GET IT FIXED AND ALSO DID THE CARBON BUILDUP CLEANUP (INJUNCTION SERVICE). FEB 2010 SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. *TR

Mileage: 63,000

I WAS OPERATING MY 2006 LEXUS IS250 AWD AT VERY LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE. I COULD NOT BRING THE CAR TO A STOP USING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND COULD BARELY KEEP IT FROM CREEPING FORWARD. I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE REALLY BEGAN TO ROAR, REVVING VERY HIGH, BUT I WAS THEN ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND TURN IT OFF USING THE STOP/START BUTTON. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR IT OPERATED NORMALLY AND THE PROBLEM DID NOT RE-OCCUR. THE FLOOR MAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM, AS IT WAS A FACTORY MAT HELD IN PLACE BY THE LITTLE HOOKS, AND WAS NOT THE ALL WEATHER MAT. THE MAT WAS IN PLACE AFTER THE INCIDENT. I REPORTED THE OCCURRENCE TO MY DEALER, WARNOCK LEXUS, IN LIVINGSTON, N.J. THEY CHECKED THE CAR OUT AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING WRONG IN THE COMPUTER'S MEMORY. THE PROBLEM DID NOT RECUR AND THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO LEXUS AT THE END OF THE LEASE. I NOW HAVE A 2009 IS250 AWD AND AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T FEEL THE FLOOR MAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. THE DATE BELOW IS APPROXIMATE, BUT LEXUS SHOULD HAVE A RECORD OF THE INCIDENT FROM THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH, SLOWED DOWN, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND SBS LIGHT CAME ON (ITHOUGHT IT WAS AN OXYGEN SENSOR). BOOK SAYS TO TAKE TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK IT IN, THEY DID A CHECK, TOLD ME IT WAS A 'LOOSE GAS CAP'. A MONTH LATER - SAME THING HAPPENED. I TOOK IT BACK, THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR TWO WEEKS - TOLD ME THE VALVE SPRINGS WERE NOT THE CORRECT LENGTH AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 42,000

I PURCHASED A 2006 IS 250 IN OCTOBER, 2005. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR 2,500 MILES. AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP, SMOKE AND A BURNED SMELL COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN A SECOND TIME AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE VALVE COVER ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING THE OIL TO SMOKE AND BURN. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND I AM BEING TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEY HAVE NO PARTS TO USE FOR REPLACEMENT SINCE THE DESIGN IS SO NEW. THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE HIGH OIL PRESSURE MAINTAINED BY THE ENGINE ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. THE ENGINE IS COVERED WITH PLASTIC PANELS AND I HAVE ADVISED THE DEALER THAT CONTINUAL LEAKAGE OF OIL ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WITH A PLASTIC COVER ON TOP OF THE ENGINE COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE FIRE. SMOKE IS VISIBLE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. *JB

Mileage: 1,000