2009 Lexus RX350

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.

MY LEXUS HAS JUST 50,000 MILES ON IT GARAGE KEPT, JUST WAS TOLD MY RACK&PINION GEAR WAS LEAKING TO THE TUNE OF 1800.00 DOLLARS. I WAS LOOKING UP LEXUS FORUMS ON LINE, THERE IS QUITE OF LEXUS OWNER'S THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND IF YOU DON`T TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM IT COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS. I THINK LEXUS SHOULD REIMBURSE OWNER'S FOR THERE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES.

I TOOK MY RX350 FOR REGULAR SERVICE AND ASKED FOR THE STEERING TO BE CHECKED SINCE IT MADE NOISE AND DID NOT FEEL SECURE WHEN MAKING HARD OR SHARP TURNS AND WHEN PARKING IN TIGHT SPOTS. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT COULD BE HAZARDOUS IF NOT ADDRESSED. IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE LEXUS ESTIMATE WAS $2000! GIVEN THE AGE, I HAD LESS THAN 80K MOSTLY LOCAL AND HIGHWAY MILES ON THE SUV. WHEN I RESEARCHED COST ESTIMATES I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. I BELIEVE LEXUS SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REIMBURSE THE OWNERS WHO HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET! AFTER I SAVED UP TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR THE COST WAS $2058.11!

WHILE GETTING MY INSPECTION AT THE LEXUS DEALER, THEY SHOWED ME THAT MY STEERING RACK IS LEAKING WITH LESS THAN 32,500 MILES ON THE CAR. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DAMAGED OR DRIVEN RECKLESSLY AND GARAGED KEPT. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND INCLUDES RECORDS. MY VOLVO 240 RACKS LAST 20-25 YEARS. SHAME ON LEXUS/TOYOTA ON A COMMON, SERIOUS ISSUE INVOLVING A PREMIUM BRAND. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING COULD FAIL. THE LEXUS DEALER NOTED IT AS A "CAUTION TASK" WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. I HAVE WRITTEN IN THE DATE OF 14 DEC 2016 AS BEING OBSERVED. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED LEAKING SOMETIME THIS YEAR. *TR

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.

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.