2000 Lexus RX300

RESOLVING OIL SLUDGE REPAIR PROBLEM ON USED RX 300 WITH THIRD PARTY LEXUS DEALER--CAR BROKE DOWN ON 1200 MILE ROAD TRIP. LEXUS PAID FOR RENTAL CAR FOR RETURN TRIP. REPAIR IS UNDER WARRANTY. MY PROBLEM IS THE DEALER WE PURCHASED THE CAR FROM MUST HAVE KNOWN THIS PROBLEM EXISTED WITH THESE VEHICLES AND HAD AMPLE EVIDENCE OF LACK OF OIL CHANGES IN THE REPAIR HISTORY, YET DID NOT PULL THE VALVE COVER OFF THIS VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM EXISTED. ISN'T THAT STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ALL USED CAR INSPECTIONS? AM TOLD BY THIRD PARTY LEXUS DEALER THERER IS A MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE THAT REQUIRES THIS SLUDGE INSPECTION ON ALL V-6 TOYOTA ENGINES, YET DEALER WE PURCHASED CAR FROM SAYS THIS IS NOT REQUIRED.

TRAVELING 60 MPH ON MERIT PKY CONNECTICUT, THE FLUID LEAKED OUT OF A BLOWN GASKET IN THE TRANSFER BOX TO THE REAR WHEEL DRIVE. THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP AND CAR SKIDDED 150 FT AND SPUN. A MIRACLE NO CARS OR BARRIERS WERE HIT. MOTHER SUFFERED NERVE DAMAGE FROM BEING TWISTED. HAD CAR TOWED DIRECTLY TO DEALER. THE DEALER - LEXUS OF ENGLEWOOD NJ, MADE AN ATTEMPT TO PAY OFF LEASE AND LEASE A NEW CAR BUT DID NOT FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THEIR OFFER. THEY TREATED US HORRIBLY!!! THEY GAVE US NO INFORMATION ON WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TRUCK AND THROUGH A MIRED OF LIES AND NASTY PHONE CALLS FROM THEM, WE HAVE DECIDED TO BUY A MERCEDES ML350. I WILL NEVER DRIVE A LEXUS AGAIN AND AM CURRENTLY PROCEEDING WITH LITIGATION AGAINST LEXUS AND LEXUS OF ENGLEWOOD NJ. I'VE SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS BUT FOUND NONE. THIS INCIDENT, I BELIEVE WAS AN ORIGINAL DEFECT OR CAUSED BY THE INCOMPETENCE OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF LEXUS OF ENGLEWOOD. THE SERVICE MANAGER JOHN LOMANDO HAS DECEIVED, LIED AND BEEN DOWN RIGHT NASTY TO US. THE TRUCK WAS SERVICED ON TIME EVERY SERVICE WITH LEXUS OF ENGLEWOOD. *JB

MY WIFE NOTICED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AS SHE WAS DRIVING TO WORK. SHE CALLED ME ON THE CELL PHONE AND WE TOOK THE CAR TO LEXUS OF CLEARWATER. I RECIEVED A PHONE CALL SAYING THEY HAD DETECTED SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE FIXED. THEY TOLD ME THEY MIGHT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE BUT THEY WOULD CALL ME BACK. I ALSO CHECKED THE WEBSITE AND LEXUS KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND SAYS THEY WILL STAND 100% BEHIND THE CUSTOMER FOR 8 YRS AND UNLIMITED MILES. NO OTHER REQUIRENMENT IS LISTED. MELISSA THE SERVICE PERSON SAID SHE WANTED ME TO TALK TO MARK THE REGIONAL GUY FROM LEXUS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT GOING TO COVER IT AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE FROM 8K-12K!!!! I TOLD THEM THEY WERE CRAZY BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD EVERY MAJOR SERVICE REQUIRED BY LEXUS AND THAT OIL DOES NOT JUST BREAK DOWN IN A 3 YEAR OLD CAR. MARK TOLD ME HE HAD A HARD TIME COVERING THIS BECAUSE WE WERE OVERDUE BY 5K ON THE OIL CHANGE. I EXPLAINED IF THEY HAD KNOW OF A SLUDGE PROBLEM 8,000 MILES AGO WHEN THEY CHANGED THE OIL WHY DID WE NOT GET NOTIFIED. REGARDLESS I TOLD THEM A CARS ENGINE IS NOT RUINED BECAUSE A PERSON DRIVES A FEW THOUSAND EXTRA MILES. I TOLD HIM THE CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD AND WE WERE RETURNING THE CAR IN MARCH 28 AT THE LEASE EXPIRATION. HE TOLD ME HE COULD GET IT WAIVED FOR ME IF I SPOKE TO THE SALES MANAGER ABOUT PURCHASING ANOTHER LEXUS. I TOLD HIM I WAS NOT READY TO PURCHASE ANOTHE CAR AND DID NOT WANT THE PRESSURE OF HAVING TO BUY A NEW CAR TO GET SOMETHING FIXED THAT SHOULD BE FIXED FOR FREE. I THEN CALLED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NOTED A COMPLAINT. THE GIRL I BELIEVE DENISE TOLD ME SHE WAS GOING TO LOOK AGAIN OVER THE FILE AND ASK MARC FOR A CUSTOMER GOOD FAITH REPAIR. I CALLED YESTERDAY AND LEFT A MSG FOR MARC AND CALLED LEXUS AGAIN TODAY. SO FAR I HAVE NO RESPONSE. I WAS A LEXUS FAN BUT THIS HAS RUINED MY DAY

I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR A NORMAL SERVICE, AND WAS IMFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT I HAD A SLUDGE BUILDUP. THEY TRIED TO BLAME ME FOR IT BY SAYING THAT IT WAS DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR. I DISPUTED THIS SINCE I HAD RECEIPTS TO SHOW I HAD THE CAR SERVICED WITHIN THE NORMAL TIMEFRAME REQUIRED BY LEXUS. (HOWEVER NOT SERVICED AT THE DEALER) THEY TOLD ME THIS PROBLEM/REPAIR WOULD COST ME $6000. TO $12000 TO CLEAN OR REPLACE THE ENGINE. I FELT THIS WAS A DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE SINCE FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, OR KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. 6 MOS LATER I SPOKE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND HIS VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER AT NO COST. THE DEALER STATES THIS IS A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY ARE NOW WILLING TO COVER HALF OF THE REPAIR, THOUGH I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR OF APPROX. $2500. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETELY COVERED BY LEXUS AND NOT PUT BACK ONTO THE CONSUMER. ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AS REQUIRED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. I BELIEVE THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER UP A DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE, SINCE THIS WOULD BE A EXTREMELY COSTLY RECALL. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT YOU CAN NOT HAVE SLUDGE BUILD UP IF YOU ARE GETTING YOUR CAR SERVICED WITHIN THE REQUIRED TIMEFRAME, WHICH I DID. SO WHY DO I HAVE A SLUDGE BUILD UP? ANSWER: MUST BE A DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.*AK

EVEN THOUGH THE OIL ON MY RX 300 WAS CHANGED 2,700 MILES AGO, THE ENGINE DEVELOPED ENGINE SLUDGE IN THE 3.0, 6 CYLINDER. LEXUS IS TRYING TO BLAME IT ON ME FOR NOT CHANGING THE OIL AT THEIR DEALERS. THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $500.00 JUST TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE INTERNAL DAMAGE IS AND THEN ANYWHERE FROM A RE BUILD OF THE ENGINE FOR $6000 TO $8000 OR AN ENTIRE NEW ENGINE FOR $13,000.00 PLUS LABOR. I HAVE SINCE FOUND NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ALL CITING THE SAME ENGINE, SYMPTOMS ETC. ON TOP OF THIS, I WITNESSED THE LEXUS SERVICE MANAGER "RUSHING" TO TAKE DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE AND THEY QUICKLY DOCUMENTED AN "OWNER NEGLECT" FILE IN THEIR MASTER LEXUS RECORDS. AFTER TALKING WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE AND MECHANICS, WE NOW BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A COVER UP ON THE PART OF LEXUS TO AVOID WHAT COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST COSTLY RECALLS IN HISTORY. ANY HELP PLEASE.....?*AK

INSPITE OF CHANGING THE OIL WITHIN WARRANTY GUIDELINES, MY RX 300 DEVELOPED ENGINE SLUDGE IN THE 3.0 6 CYLINDER ENGINE. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET DISCLOSED THAT NUMEROUS OWNERS OF THE RX 300 AND OTHER TOYOTO CARS, LIKE THE SIENNA, HAVE DEVELOPED ENGINE SLUDGE EVEN WITH TIMELY OIL CHANGES..THROUGH THE INTERNET I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT " THE 3.0 LITER V-6 ENGINE FOUND IN THE LEXUS RX 300 WAS REDESIGNED IN 1999. IT WAS MODIFIED TO IMPROVE FUEL EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE POLLUTANT EMISSIONS. THIS MODIFICATION INCLUDED REDUCTION IN THE SIZE OF THE COOLSNT PASSAGE ON THE HEAD GASKET SO THAT CYLINER HEADS RUN AT EXCESSIVELY HOT TEMPERATURES. THE OIL IS LITERALLY FRYING, RESULTING IN SLUDGE." HTTP: PHILIP.GREENSPUN.COM/MATERIALISM/CARS/SIENNA.HTML. ALSO, FROM WWW.CARREVIEW.COM/REVIEWS/VANS_MINIVANS/PRODUCT_225.SHTML "...THE COOLANT SYSTEM MAY NOT BE OPERATING CORRECTLY OR THOROUGHLY ENOUGH TO KEEP THE OIL FROM FRYING AND SLUDGING UP ULTIMATELY CLOGGING THE PORTS AND BURNING UP THE MOTORS. SOME MECHANICS THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ALUMINUM HEADS WARPING...AND NOT JUST IN THE SIENNA, THAT ENGINE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS ON THE LEXUS 300.."*AK