2009 Lexus RX350 Engine Problems

UPON ARRIVING HOME AND PARKING IN MY DRIVEWAY, A TRAIL OF OIL LINED MY PATH. AS SOON AS IT WAS IN PARK, OIL BEGAN GUSHING OUT INTO A PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, IT WAS FOUND THAT LEXUS HAD ISSUES WITH THE OIL COOLER HOSE USED DURING MANUFACTURING, BEING RUBBER AND LEAKING OR BURSTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED DIRECTLY TO THE NEAREST AUTHORIZED LEXUS DEALER. UPON CONTACTING LEXUS CORPORATE IN REGARDS TO THE ISSUE, THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD ISSUED AND EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM, THAT EXPIRED IN DECEMBER OF 2018. SINCE THE ISSUE OCCURRED AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE, THERE WAS NO ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE. MY CONCERN IS, THAT THIS IS AND SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, WHICH I COMMONLY DO, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, ENGINE FAILURE, AND WORSE, A FIRE. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. IT IS ABSOLUTELY A MATTER OF SAFETY.

NHTSA ID

11234748

Incident

Jul 22, 2019

Mileage

132,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS RX350. WHILE AT A FUEL STATION, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY ANOTHER PERSON THAT THERE WAS OIL LEAKING UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD AAA TOW THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO LEXUS OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE (700 SUNRISE HWY, ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY 11570, (516) 665-0166) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A HOSE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

NHTSA ID

11217547

Incident

May 28, 2019

Mileage

92,000 mi

IN MOTION.I REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR THE PAPERWORK STATING THE FULL VEHICLE INSPECTIONS COMPLETED AND MY CONTRACT BUT FIRSTTX HONDA SALES REFUSED. RESPONDED BUT ALERTED THE SALES REP AFTER GOING IN PERSON FOR THE PAPERWORK. INSPECTION PAPERWORK TO MATCH THEIR WORD. FROM MY RESEARCH THIS COMMON ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR YEARS BACK PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE IN NOV 2017. OVER A WEEK AGO THE CAR SUDDENLY SPLASHED MASSIVE OIL EVERYWHERE WHILE DRIVING LONG DISTANCE (HAVE PIC). SPOKE WITH LEXUS AUSTIN DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT AND IMMEDIATELY THEY KNEW THE ISSUE BUT REFERRED ME TO CORPORATE OFFICE. RECALL DEPT ALSO IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AND ADVISED ME TO SEEK MECHANIC. BECAUSE THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT VZL FOR FREE REPAIR BY LEXUS EXPIRED FEB 2019 THIS YEAR. THEREFORE, IT'S NO LONGER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR THIS ONGOING COMMON PROBLEM WITH LEXUS RX 350 LEXUS I'M STRANDED PLUS, I HAVE A FINANCE CA THAT WILL ALSO NEGATIVELY AFFECT MY CREDIT RATING DUE TO THIS ONGOING COMMON PROBLEM LEXUS AND FIRST TX HONDA FAIL TO OWN RESPONSIBILITY. THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN AT ALL DUE TO LIFE THREATENING,. YET SOMEHOW, I'M PLACED IN THE POSITION TO PAY REPAIRS (WITH MONEY I DON'T HAVE) FINANCE NOTE FOR LEXUS AND/OR WHEREVER ELSE ERRONEOUS BEHALF. IT'S NOT MY FAULT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER THE FEB 2019 EXPIRATION DATE FOR LEXUS TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND REPAIR. HOWEVER N WEBSITE:HTTPS://CARS.USNEWS.COM/CARS-TRUCKS/LEXUS/RX-350/OWNERS STATING, ' LEXUS IS ALSO OFFERING FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE VARIABLE VALVE TIMING (VVT-I) OIL SUPPLY HOSE FOR 2007 THROUGH 2009 MODELS UNTIL DECEMBER 2021'. ALTHOUGH LEXUS IS UNAWARE AND STILL REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS ISSUE. THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF MANUALLY OVERRIDE TO REPAIR THIS ONGOING LEXUS FOR FREE. PLUS REIMBURSED TOW FEES, ANY OTHER COSTS PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE, ETC. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

NHTSA ID

11217213

Incident

May 24, 2019

MY CAR NEVER LEAKED OIL, AND NO SENSOR LIGHTS WERE ON. REGULAR MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE CAR. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON CRUISE CONTROL ABOUT 70 MPH (2,000 RPM) ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO 3,000-3,500 RPM. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITHIN 0.25 MILES, THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR CAME ON AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS AWAY FROM THE EXIT RAMP TO REACH A SIDE STREET AND BY THEN THE CAR WAS BARELY MOVING, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, AND SEVERAL OTHER SENSOR LIGHTS WERE ALSO ON. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE GARAGE THAT TOLD ME THE OIL COOLANT LINES HAD LEAKED CAUSING THE LOW PRESSURE CONDITION IN THE ENGINE. AFTER THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE OIL COOLER LINES AND PERFORMED AN OIL AND FILTER CHANGE THEY FOUND "LARGE QUANTITIES OF METAL SHAVINGS IN OIL FILTER CARTRIDGE INDICATING INTERNAL DAMAGE OF ENGINE." SEVERE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED AND ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IN MY EXPERIENCE, IT SEEMS THAT A LARGE QUANTITY OF OIL WAS LOST VERY QUICKLY, AND IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE CAR COULD HAVE SEIZED UP AND I COULD HAVE GOTTEN IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11118970

Incident

Aug 3, 2018

Mileage

103,000 mi

I JUST BOUGHT CAR AND 5 DAYS LATER THE OIL COOLER LINE FAILED AND I LOST ALL OIL. IF THIS WAS HANDLED AS A RECALL (I SEARCHED FOR RECALLS BEFORE PURCHASING CAR) IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF ALREADY, AT THE VERY LEAST I WOULD HAVE KNOWN TO GET IT DONE. LEXUS EXTENDED WARRANTY IS 150,000 MILES UNFORTUNATELY MINE HAS 152,400, SO THEY ARE DENYING COVERAGE.

NHTSA ID

11114535

Incident

Jul 28, 2018

Mileage

152,390 mi

OIL COOLANT MANIFOLD. RUBBER HOSES WHICH ARE HIGH PRESSURE HOSES BURST. ENGINE ISSUES AFTERWARDS DUE TO IMMEDIATE AND EXTREME OIL LOSS. DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY. LEXUS DEALER STATED THE REPLACEMENT PART IS ON "NATIONAL BACK ORDER, MORE THAN 3,000 UNITS". I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FIXED AS IT IS A PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR MY FAMILY. LEXUS STATES THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE UNLESS IT IS FIXED AT A LEXUS DEALER....THOUGH THEY DO NOT HAVE THE REPLACEMENT PART! NO LOANER WAS OFFERED. COST $321.00 FOR AFTERMARKET PART. THERE IS A SERVICE CAMPAIGN ON THIS ISSUE; SCZLC AS OF 08/01/2014, OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE AWARE OF AN ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11020754

Incident

Aug 27, 2017

Mileage

132,500 mi

THE OIL COOLER MANIFOLD WHICH HAS RUBBER HOSES LEAKED COMPLETELY OUT. THE NEW PARTS HAVE A SOLID METAL HOSE, NOT RUBBER! I BELIEVE LEXUS OBVIOUSLY KNEW THE RUBBER HOSES WERE A CHEAPER METHOD OF COOLING, THOUGH THEY ARE "HIGH PRESSURE" AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN METAL AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURING THE VEHICLE! I HAVE SEEN BLOG AFTER BLOG OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. OIL ALL OVER MY DRIVEWAY AND AGAIN, I BELIEVE THE MOTOR HAS BEEN DAMAGED DUE TO DRIVING HOME (UNAWARE THERE WAS AN ISSUE) UNTIL I SAW THE OIL EVERYWHERE UNDERNEATH AND ON THE SIDE OF THE MOTOR.

NHTSA ID

11020133

Incident

Aug 27, 2017

Mileage

133,245 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL COOLER PIPE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 06/01/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WARRANTY. UPDATED 10/18/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10956604

Incident

Jan 29, 2017

Mileage

70,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10807426

Incident

Nov 24, 2015

Mileage

107,000 mi

T-SB-0201-11 FROM TOYOTA/LEXUS STATES "SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2GR-FE/FXE TOWING PACKAGE ENGINES MAY EXHIBIT AN OIL SEEP FROM THE ENGINE OIL COOLER PIPES." THIS TSB AFFECTS TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES GOING BACK TO AT LEAST 2008-PRESENT. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE, AND I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A RECALL INSTEAD OF A TSB DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE ISSUE IF/WHEN THE PIPE BREAKS. I RECENTLY ELECTED TO HAVE MY VEHICLE REPAIRED ON MY OWN JUST SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS ISSUE HAPPENING TO ME OR MY WIFE, AND THUS BLOWING UP MY LEXUS RX 350'S ENGINE CAUSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGES. SEEMS PRETTY BAD THAT A RECALL CAN BE ISSUED FOR FLOOR MATS AND ACCELERATOR ISSUES, BUT NO RECALL IS ISSUED FOR THIS ISSUE WHICH CAN DRAIN THE OIL FROM YOUR ENGINE IN A MINUTE, BLOW UP YOUR ENGINE, AND THEN POSSIBLY WRECK YOUR VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S ENGINES ARE NOW BEING DESTROYED, AND THIS IS SHOWING UP IN DIFFERENT ONLINE FORUMS. I FEEL THAT THE NHTSA NEEDS TO FORCE TOYOTA/LEXUS TO REPLACE ALL OF THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE OIL COOLER PIPES WITH THE NEWER METAL ONES THAT THE TSB ADDRESSES. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE FORCED TO REIMBURSE ALL COSTS TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT EITHER NEEDED TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE, OR DECIDED TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE AS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON THEIR OWN BEFORE THOSE PIPES BURST ON THEIR OWN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676422

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

89,000 mi

VEHICLE STARTED LEAKING OIL AND WITHIN 50 YARDS LOST ALL ENGINE OIL. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOUND OIL COOLER PIPE HAD LEAKED AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE OIL COOLER ASSEMBLY - PARTS NUMBERS - 15767-31020, 11496-31010, 15785-31010. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652676

Incident

Oct 20, 2014

Mileage

57,725 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN THE VERY BUSY FREEWAY, THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING OR ANY SIGNAL. UPON LEXUS DEALER INSPECTION, THE CAUSE WAS , BOLTS USED TO SECURE THE VARIABLE VALVE TIMING CONTROL DEVICE CAN BECOME LOOSE, ONE OF THE BOLTS CAME OUT AND CAUSED THE TIMING CHAIN TO BREAK AND IT BROKE THE ENGINE HEAD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP WHILE BEING DRIVEN. LEXUS HAS NOT RECALLED THE RX 350 MODELS, HOWEVER ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 LEXUS HAS RECALLED IS 350, IS 350C AND GS 350 VEHICLES FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT LEXUS DEALER. ACCORDING TO LEXUS SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ME TO PREVENT THIS OR TO KNOW. THE SUDDEN STOP OF THE VEHICLE IN THE FREEWAY AS THE RESULT OF THIS ENGINE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT WHICH WAS VERY LIFE THREATENING. THESE ENGINES HAS TO BE RECALLED FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR BY LEXUS. LEXUS DID NOT ACCEPT THE FAULT EVEN THOUGH THEY ACCEPTED TO PAY PARTIAL PART OF THE COST OF THE REBUILDING THE ENGINE AS A COURTESY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10561350

Incident

Dec 2, 2013

Mileage

108,000 mi

WHEN THE SUV SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2RD GEAR THE ENGINE REVS UP ABOUT 1000 RPMS AND HESITATES 2-5 SECONDS BEFORE THE SHIFT TAKES PLACE. I CAN'T RELY ON POWER WHEN NEEDED BECAUSE OF THIS. IT'S NOT CONSTANT, ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME IT OCCURS. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. THE DEALER, KENDALL LEXUS OF EUGENE OREGON (RICK STRONG-SERVICE MANAGER) IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SAYS "TOYOTA WON'T PUT OUT A NEW CHIP TO FIX THE PROBLEM". RICK STRONG ALSO SAID" I TOLD THE SALESMAN HE SHOULD INFORM POTENTIAL BUYERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THEY PURCHASE A VEHICLE". THIS PROBLEM IS ONGOING SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10373067

Incident

Nov 1, 2009

Mileage

500 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 2009 LEXUS RX 350 DOWN A MAJOR SURFACE STREET WHEN MY POWER BRAKES AND STEERING WENT OUT. I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AGAIN AFTER MOVING TO A SIDE STREET, AND MY STEERING AND BRAKES WENT OUT 2 MORE TIMES, I THEN HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY LEXUS DEALER. THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE REASON FOR THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10371103

Incident

Dec 14, 2010

Mileage

21,000 mi

SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK THE ENGINE IDLES FAST ON START UP AND LASTS FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE WEATHER AND THERE SEEMS TO BE NO IDENTIFYING FACTOR WITH WHICH IT CAN BE ASSOCIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10310254

Incident

Apr 1, 2008