2007 LEXUS RX350 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

THE VVTI HOSE (ENGINE OIL COOLER PIPE) ON MY LEXUS RUPTURED WHILE I WAS DRIVING WHICH THEN CAUSED A MASSIVE OIL LEAK IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. THIS WAS A FAULTY DESIGN BY TOYOTA, RUBBER PART WAS USED INSTEAD OF ALL ONE PIECE METAL PART. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. MY TOTAL COST OF REPAIR IS $367 U.S. DOLLARS AND I AM FILING A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA TO GET MY MONEY BACK. *TR

Mileage: 84,994

MY 2007 RX350 WAS IN FOR 50K MAINTENANCE SERVICE. I WAS INFORMED OF THE POWER STEERING OIL LEAKING. NO DROPPING OF OIL WAS NOTICED ON THE PARKING FLOOR AT MY HOME. TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE OIL RESERVOIR WAS ALMOST EMPTY. I WAS ASKED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING RACK. I WAS TOLD BY THE LEXUS TECHNICIAN THAT ABOUT 30% OF RX-350 2006 SEEM TO HAVE THIS ISSUE WITHIN 5 YEARS OF IN SERVICE DATE AND TOYOTA/ LEXUS ID NOT PAY ANY CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OWNERS. I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT I AM DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS RUNNING WITHOUT OIL IN THE POWER STEERING. PLEASE REVIEW AND ADVISE ALL OWNERS OF THIS FAILURE AND ENSURE LEXUS RECALLS AND FIX THIS ISSUE FOR ALL OWNERS. *TR

Mileage: 48,000

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK LATE AT NIGHT MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE SOUNDS IT SMELLED LIKE RUBBER BURNING. MY DISPLAY PANEL SHOWED NO TROUBLE LIGHTS WERE ON. I KNEW I HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED THE OIL LIGHT WAS NOT ON. I AM A 61 YEAR OLD WOMAN ON A DARK BACK ROAD WITH NO LIGHTS OR CARS AROUND ME I WAS NOT STOPPING. AFTER DRIVING 10 MILES FINALLY I WAS A BLOCK FROM HOME NOW THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON. MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE OIL AND SAW THAT THE OIL STICK WAS DRY. I CALLED WHERE I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND EXPLAINED AND THEY SAID TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THEM. ONCE THEY CHECKED IT OUT HE CALLED AND SAID MY OIL COOLER HOSE BLEW APART HE SAID THEY SEE THIS ALOT IN 2007 LEXUS RX 350 AND I SHOULD CALL MY DEALER. I CALLED THE LEXUS SERVICE DEALER THE SERVICE GUY SAID IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED IF MY MOTOR WAS RUINED WILL LEXUS FIX IT HE SAID YES TOYOTA WOULD HAVE TO EAT THE COST. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LEXUS I GOT A CALL FROM THE LEXUS SERVICE DEPT HE SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. HE SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ALMOST 600.00 TO HAVE A NEW HOSE INSTALLED. I WENT OFF ON HIM. MY CAR HAS 75000.00 MILES I HAVE OWNED CARS WITH 115+ MILES AND NEVER HAD A OIL HOSE GO BAD. THE SCARY THING IS THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN THIS HOSE BLOWS. THE DASH BOARD PANEL LIGHTS SHOULD INDICATE THERE IS A PROBLEM SERVICE IS NEEDED SOMETHING! FOR THE HOSE TO BLOW APART IN JUST A SECOND LIKE IT DID THE HOSE HAS A DEFAULT. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO DO A RECALL AT THIS TIME. WE NEED TO HAVE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. THIS IS SO DANGEROUS WHY IS TOYOTA NOT TAKING CARE OF THIS PROBLEM THEY WAIT UNTIL DEATHS OCCUR. *JS

Mileage: 75,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS SPILLING ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED DUE TO ALL OF THE ENGINE OIL LEAKING. THERE WAS A RUBBER HOSE THAT WAS FOUND TO BE FRACTURED AND LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE FAILURE BUT THE PARTS WOULD TAKE NINE DAYS TO ARRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

Mileage: 71,000

ON APRIL 23, WHILE DRIVING HOME THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD THOUGHT I HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE IN MY ENGINE. NEXT MORNING DROVE ABOUT A MILE FROM THE HOUSE AND KNOCKING NOISE STARTED AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND AFTER INSPECTION FOUND THAT MOST OF MY OIL HAD LEAKED OUT BECAUSE THE OIL COOLER HOSE ASSEMBLY/GASKET BLEW OUT. TOWED CAR TO STERLING MCCALL LEXUS BECAUSE OUR MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS A RECALL. AT STERLING THEY SAID THE RECALL WAS FOR THE OTHER SIDE OIL COOLER HOSE ASSEMBLY/GASKET WHICH THEY REPLACED. SO, THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $643 TO FIX THE IDENTICAL HOSE PARTS THAT WERE RECALLED ON THE OTHER SIDE. TOWING TO STERLING $168. TOWING BACK TO MY MECHANIC $86. - CHARGED DOUBLE AT STERLING FOR TOWING. OUR MECHANIC DID WORK FOR ABOUT HALF OF WHAT STERLING WANTED. PLEASE RECALL THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OIL COOLER HOSES. THEY ARE IDENTICAL AND BOTH WILL BLOW OUT CAUSING MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK DONE - PLEASE RECALL! *TR

Mileage: 65,647

LEXUS RX 350S HAVE DEFECTIVE IGNITION COIL PACKS. THEY ARE FAILING LIKE BAD LIGHT BULBS. WHEN ONE FAILS THE VSC AND "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHTS COME ON; DRIVE TOO FAR AND THE ENGINE STARTS TO SHAKE SO VIOLENTLY YOU SIMPLY CAN NOT DRIVE. TWO OF THE SIX IN MY CAR HAVE FAILED SO FAR. I AM TOLD TOYOTA USED THE SAME ENGINE IN THEIR '07 AVALONS WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THEY NEED TO RECALL AND REPLACE ALL OF THEM. *TR

Mileage: 72,230

THE OIL COOLER HOSE BURST WITHOUT WARNING, SPEWING OIL ALL OVER THE ROAD AND IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND GARAGE. IN ADDITION TO A SAFETY HAZARD, THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM. THE CAR IS A 2007 LEXUS RX350. THE HOSE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER A "CAMPAIGN," BUT NO PRIOR NOTICE OF THE PROBLEM WAS ISSUED. *TR

Mileage: 48,100

I HAVE 2007 LEXUS RX 350, WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2010, MY A/C LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND THEN GAVE ME "CHECK AIR CONDITION" SIGN. START TO SMELL GAS/OIL SMELL AND ALSO SAW SOME SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE. I PULLED OVER AND SAW OIL LEAKING BY THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SIDE. OPENED MY HOOK AND CHECK FOR OIL LEVEL AND I WAS ALMOST OUT OF OIL. I FIGURED MY OIL MIGHT BE LEAKING FOR A WHILE AND WHEN I GOT BACK HOME I REALIZED THERE WAS SOME OIL IN MY DRIVEWAY AS WELL. SO I THINK THIS PROBLEM STARTED A DAY AGO. I ADDED 3 QUARTS AND DROVE THE CAR BACK HOME (ABOUT 4 MILES). SINCE I HAD ADDED ADDITIONAL OIL, IT HAD MORE OIL TO LEAK OUT. WHICH MADE MY DRIVEWAY COVERED WITH MORE OIL. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT ON THIS CAR AND HAVE DONE MY OIL CHANGE VERY REGULARLY WHILE I WAS BROWSING THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I REALIZED THERE ARE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPORT SAME PROBLEM FOR SAME MODEL OF LEXUS ON DIFFERENT FORMS AND BLOGS. IT IS MY REQUEST FOR YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS AND SEE IF THIS IS MANUFACTURES ISSUES. THIS SITUATION IS VERY HAZARDOUS AND UNSAFE FOR THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP ON THIS. *TR

Mileage: 63,000

THIS COMPLAINT IS REGARDING THE VVT-I OIL HOSE ON A 2007 LEXUS RX350. EITHER THE CURRENT RUBBER HOSE OR THE "IMPROVED" RUBBER HOSE WITH LEXUS' SERVICE CAMPAIGN (9LH) DOESN'T ADDRESS THE SAFETY CONCERN ABOUT THIS HOSE. THIS HOSE ROUTES A HIGH PRESSURE FLOW OF HOT ENGINE OIL OUTSIDE THE ENGINE BLOCK. RUBBER DETERIORATES OVER TIME AND MILES AND CAN UNEXPECTEDLY BREAK OR RUPTURE CAUSING ENGINE OIL TO RAPIDLY DRAIN FROM THE ENGINE. DESPITE DENIALS BY TOYOTA/LEXUS, THIS IS IN FACT A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE RUPTURED OIL LINES CAN AND HAVE CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND FIRES WHEN SEIZED ENGINES AND/OR OIL SOAKED TIRES AND/OR BRAKE PADS CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR MOTORISTS TO BECOME STRANDED (POSSIBLY OUT OF CELL PHONE RANGE). I HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS TO PUT THE CORRECT FIX OF ALL METAL OIL LINE WHICH IT BEGAN INSTALLING IN TOYOTA/LEXUS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED DURING APRIL 2008 AND LEXUS REFUSED TO DO SO. I STRONG URGE NHTSA TO INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS ISSUE DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND MY CAR STARTED MAKING A TICKING NOISE. IT GOT LOUDER AND WOULD BARELY ACCELERATE. IT SMELLED LIKE IT WAS BURNING AND IT WAS SMOKING. ONCE I GOT IT TO THE MECHANIC, HE SAID MY OIL LINE BURST AND I ALL THE OIL GUSHED OUT. HE SAID HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES BEFORE. LEXUS SAID THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS ISSUE, EVEN THOUGH WHEN MY MECHANIC CALLED THEY HAD OVER 200 OF THESE PARTS IN STOCK! *TR

Mileage: 90,000

THE ENGINE IN MY 2007 LEXUS RX-350 BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND THERE WAS NO FIRE, BUT THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT HAD THE EVENT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY RATHER THAN ON A SURFACE STREET SINCE STEERING AND STOPPING THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WHEN THE ENGINE DIED. WHEN I STOPPED, OIL WAS DRIPPING OUT ONTO THE GROUND. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO WESTSIDE LEXUS IN HOUSTON, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A RUBBER HOSE ON THE OIL PIPE SUB ASSEMBLY (PART NO. LE15707-31030, I BELIEVE) HAD FAILED, CAUSING THE CRANKCASE OIL TO SPRAY OUT OVER THE ENGINE AND FIREWALL. THANKFULLY, THERE WAS NO FIRE--THIS TIME! FAILURE OF THE HOSE AND LOSS OF THE CRANKCASE OIL CAUSED A NUMBER OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURES TO OCCUR. FIRST, SINCE THE CAMSHAFT OR SOME OTHER VALVE TRAIN COMPONENT WAS SEIZING UP, THE TIMING CHAIN JUMPED TIME FROM ONE OF THE SPROCKETS, CAUSING AT LEAST TWO OF THE INTAKE VALVES TO BE STRUCK BY THE PISTONS, THIS NECESSITATED REPLACEMENT OF OVER $2750 WORTH OF PARTS UNDER WARRANTY, INCLUDING THE ALTERNATOR WHICH WAS APPARENTLY DIRECTLY HIT WITH A SPRAY OF OIL. I ASKED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED, BUT WESTSIDE LEXUS REFUSED, SAYING THERE WOULD BE NO REDUCTION IN ENGINE LONGEVITY DUE TO LOSS OF THE ENGINE OIL. THERE WAS NO OIL SHOWING ON THE DIPSTICK WHEN IT WAS CHECKED AFTER THE INCIDENT, BUT THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN, MR. TAM, REPORTED THAT THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED 2 QUARTS REMAINING IN THE CRANKCASE WHEN HE DRAINED IT AND THAT HE DIDN'T EXPECT "BOTTOM END" DAMAGE TO THE MAIN BEARINGS, CRANKSHAFT, AND CONNECTING RODS. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS TRUE OR NOT, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. MICHAEL LORCH, INDICATED THAT LEXUS HAD EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON OTHER VEHICLES AND THAT THE PART HAS BEEN REDESIGNED, BUT NO FORMAL RECALL HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN. WHY ISN'T THE HOSE METAL BRAID INSTEAD OF RUBBER? *TR

Mileage: 39,500

THE ENGINE IN MY 2007 LEXUS RX-350 BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND THERE WAS NO FIRE, BUT THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT HAD THE EVENT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY RATHER THAN ON A SURFACE STREET SINCE STEERING AND STOPPING THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WHEN THE ENGINE DIED. WHEN I STOPPED, OIL WAS DRIPPING OUT ONTO THE GROUND. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO WESTSIDE LEXUS IN HOUSTON, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A RUBBER HOSE ON THE OIL PIPE SUB ASSEMBLY (PART NO. LE15707-31030, I BELIEVE) HAD FAILED, CAUSING THE CRANKCASE OIL TO SPRAY OUT OVER THE ENGINE AND FIREWALL. THANKFULLY, THERE WAS NO FIRE--THIS TIME! FAILURE OF THE HOSE AND LOSS OF THE CRANKCASE OIL CAUSED A NUMBER OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURES TO OCCUR. FIRST, SINCE THE CAMSHAFT OR SOME OTHER VALVE TRAIN COMPONENT WAS SEIZING UP, THE TIMING CHAIN JUMPED TIME FROM ONE OF THE SPROCKETS, CAUSING AT LEAST TWO OF THE INTAKE VALVES TO BE STRUCK BY THE PISTONS, THIS NECESSITATED REPLACEMENT OF OVER $2750 WORTH OF PARTS UNDER WARRANTY, INCLUDING THE ALTERNATOR WHICH WAS APPARENTLY DIRECTLY HIT WITH A SPRAY OF OIL. I ASKED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED, BUT WESTSIDE LEXUS REFUSED, SAYING THERE WOULD BE NO REDUCTION IN ENGINE LONGEVITY DUE TO LOSS OF THE ENGINE OIL. THERE WAS NO OIL SHOWING ON THE DIPSTICK WHEN IT WAS CHECKED AFTER THE INCIDENT, BUT THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN, MR. TAM, REPORTED THAT THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED 2 QUARTS REMAINING IN THE CRANKCASE WHEN HE DRAINED IT AND THAT HE DIDN'T EXPECT "BOTTOM END" DAMAGE TO THE MAIN BEARINGS, CRANKSHAFT, AND CONNECTING RODS. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS TRUE OR NOT, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. MICHAEL LORCH, INDICATED THAT LEXUS HAD EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON OTHER VEHICLES AND THAT THE PART HAS BEEN REDESIGNED, BUT NO FORMAL RECALL HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN. WHY ISN'T THE HOSE METAL BRAID INSTEAD OF RUBBER? *TR

Mileage: 39,500

I PURCHASED MY LEXUS RX 350 DEC 2006. I HAVE 35, 500 MILES ON MY CAR. MY CAR IS USED FOR PERSONAL USAGE. MY TRANSMISSION WAS RECENTLY REPLACED MARCH 2009. NOW I RECENTLY HAD ENGINE FAILURE ONE MONTH AFTER TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING. THIS PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED AFTER ENGINE FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 35,503