2009 Lexus RX Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2009 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment with the check engine oil warning light illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the oil cooler hose was leaking due to a hole. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a different independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the oil cooler hose was leaking due to a hole. The vehicle was not repaired. A dealer was contacted and informed that there was no recall associated with the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer made the contact aware of the Limited Service Campaign Number: LSC9LH. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

Oil line ruptured spilling causing loss of most engine oil on road and potentially ruining engine. Vehicle currently is at Toyota dealership being rep[aired so is available for inspection. Oil on road of course a safety hazard. Oil line rupture was confirmed by Toyota service department. Vehicle had to be towed into repair shop. Rupture occurred spontaneously while drive at 45 MPH on road. No warning lamps on prior to episode and car was driving fine.

There is a known issue with the Toyota/Lexus 2GR-FE (w/ towing package). The engine is present in many V6 model year SUVs 2007-2011. The defect is with the oil cooler return lines for this engine equipped with the towing package. The issue is that a manufacturing defect with these hoses can occur slowly over the life of the vehicle or suddenly without warning. The rubber hoses used are susceptible to extreme and numerous hot-cold cycles due to a hot nearby catalyst. Over time or suddenly, the hoses will begin to deteriorate due to the hot-cold cycles causing accelerated wear on the defective rubber lines. This may manifest as a small amount of oil seepage at first, or may have no warning signs. When total failure of the hoses does occur, it is typically catastrophic and nearly immediate. Once these hoses do fail, oil will pour out of a low point in the oil cooler, emptying the engine of oil within 2 minutes. If the vehicle is driving while the failure occurs, within minutes oil pressure is completely lost from the crankcase, and catastrophic engine wear/failure will occur, sometimes within just seconds. Often, the engine oil light will not illuminate until several minutes after the hose has failed, typically too late to stop the engine in time. If a moving vehicle experiences catastrophic engine failure due to No Oil, the likelihood of a major safety issue is increased, due to the likelihood of a fire, hot oil pouring onto the roadway, and a loss of power steering control due to loss of engine power. Toyota released a TSB to address this issue, dated 2011, in which they acknowledged the poor design can lead to leaking and failing hoses. In most cases, the service is performed at the full cost of the customer (over $600). It seems millions of these vehicles have not been addressed, and are still on the road, Toyota should be compelled to resolve this defect and hazard at no customer cost under an extended recall.

Oil leaked substantially while driving on the Highway. As we were slowing down on WB I-94 due to construction, our red oil light was on, and then flashing. The car was driven for about 1.5 miles from the initial lit to a safe location (local Honda dealership) where it was determined that the vehicle was no longer drivable. Engine light and all other warning lights were also on as we arrived in the Honda service garage. Upon inspection, 4 quarts of oil were lost and Lexus service center later confirmed that the rubber oil cooler tubes were broken and had to be replaced by the metal ones. Both Lexus Service & Lexus Corp had confirmed that the defective parts for Lexus RX350 year models 2007 - 2011 were installed. They later issued a campaign to have them replaced with the metal tubes. The incident was quite a safety hazard to us (my wife and I) because had we maintained our normal highway speed, there could have been a catastrophic engine failure due to low or no oil. If this happened at night, we would have been stranded on the highway and in the worst case scenario, the engine would have blown up and could have caused fire. After filing a complaint with Lexus Corp and seeking reimbursement for the repairs, Lexus refused to accept the claim, saying that my car was out of warranty. They claimed that notices were sent out, but we never received such notices. The initial representative said the notice was sent out September 2014, but the case manager later said it was October 2015 (very inconsistent here). Meanwhile, I had another recall service done on April 4, 2016, which overlapped with their extended warranty campaign period (01.31.16 to 03.02.19) for these defective tubes, but we were never notified about this. The fact that Lexus did not issue a recall campaign for this is erroneous. Sudden catastrophic engine failures or potential failures is definitely a safety concern. This issue has been documented widely online and is prevalent within the Lexus community.

I have had my 2009 RX350 serviced regularly at Lexus of Maplewood. When I had it routinely serviced earlier this week, the service representative told me that I need to replace the oil cooler hoses with updated pipes and gaskets to prevent an oil hose failure that could cause major engine damage. The cost of this repair will be $595.90. In researching this problem online, it appears that this risk was identified early in the life of this generation of vehicle and the hose was replaced with another rubber hose. Now, the service rep is recommending replacement of the hose again, this time with a metal pipe. There are multiple reports online of 2009 RX350 owners who have experienced the leaks and loss of oil, oftentimes resulting in major engine repair. My vehicle only has 111,000 miles on it. I reported the problem to Lexus, but they claim the vehicle is beyond any extended warranty. A major spontaneous oil leak and subsequent engine freeze up while driving on the freeway could be catastrophic.

RUBBER OIL COOLER LINE DEVELOPED A LEAK CAUSING LOSS OF MOST ENGINE OIL WITHIN A DAY. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT TO LEXUS WHO REPLACES THIS PART WITH A METAL PART. HOWEVER, LEXUS HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH A LIMITED TIME EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES AND FIX THIS KNOWN DEFECT. TO FURTHER HARM THE CONSUMER, THEIR REPAIR BOOK TIME IS FIVE HOURS WHEN THE ACTUAL REPAIR TIME IS CLOSER TO ONE HOUR FOR ONE MECHANIC! MY REPAIR COSTS WERE CLOSE TO $1,000!!! LEXUS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES AND FIX THIS PART AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER.

THE OIL COOLER LINE IS MADE FROM RUBBER AND FAILED. THIS FAILURE LED TO THE LOSS OF ALL ENGINE OIL AND CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET.

NOTICED HUGE PUDDLE OF OIL UNDER CAR AFTER PARKING IN DRIVEWAY. HAD CAR TOWED TO LEXUS DEALER. FOUND OIL COOLER RUBBER HOSE RUPTURED. REPLACEMENT LINE IS NOW CONSTRUCTED OF METAL. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES AS EVIDENCED IN VARIOUS LEXUS FORUMS.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

The contact owns a 2009 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that the dashboard had started to crack, causing the dashboard to become sticky. Over time, there was a glare coming from the dashboard which obstruct the contact’s vision while driving. The contact stated that there was condensation in the headlight housings. In addition, there was a puddle of oil was discovered leaking from the vehicle while parked in a parking garage. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the engine oil cooler pipe was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that each of the failures had been covered under warranty; however, the warranties had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The engine cooler hose had been replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

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.

WATER PUMP FAILED ON 2009 LEXUX RX350 AT 61500 MILES AND JUST 4 MONTHS OVER THE POWERTRAIN WARRENTY. LEXUS DECLINED THE CLAIM. ENGINE OVERHEATING CAUSED HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND WARPED CYLINDER HEAD. 1.AS PER LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED WATER PUMP , THERE WERE INDICATION OF COOLANT LEAKING FROM WATER PUMP SEAL AND IT MUST BE LEAKING FOR QUITE LONG TIME, EVEN WHEN VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THERE WAS ENOUGH VOLUME OF COOLANT WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED, INDICATES THAT LEAKAGE WAS VERY MINOR AND MY NOT APPEAR ON THE FLOOR WHERE CAR WAS PARKED. 2.WATER PUMP IS PART OF POWERTRAIN AND HAS NO DIRECT INFLUENCE OF DRIVING PATTERN. FAILURE OF WATER PUMP AT 61000 MILES IS VERY PRE-MATURE AND INDICATE TOWARD INHERENT PROBLEM WITH WATER PUMP QUALITY. 3.SAFETY ISSUE: THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF WATER PUMP FAILURE UNTIL LAST MOMENT WHEN IT ACTUALLY GAVE UP AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME UP. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TIME BEFORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND FURTHER DAMAGE DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF IT WAS IGNORED FOR COUPLE OF MILES CAR WOULD HAVE CAUGHT INTO FIRE 4.POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS 70000 MILES OR 72 MONTHS, WHEREAS CARS MILEAGE IS 61000 AND TIME SINCE FIRST USAGE IS 75 MONTHS (JUST 3 MONTHS OVER THE WARRANTY). CONSIDERING CLOSE PROXIMITY TO WARRANTY EXPIRATION, LEXUS SHOULD CONSIDER THIS FOR WARRANTY EXTENSION. 5.THIS ENGINE SERIES ( 3.5L ) IS INFAMOUS FOR COOLING SYSTEM ISSUES AND SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED REGARDING IT. 6.SEVERAL COMPLAINS HAVE BEEN FILED ABOUT THE SIMILAR PROBLEM, WHERE WATER PUMP FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE DAMAGE

WATER PUMP FAILED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF FAILURE. I WAS GOING ON HIGHWAY AND ALL OF SUDDEN VSC LIGHT CAME UP . AFTER DRIVING A MILE ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP. SINCE NEXT EXIT WAS 3 MILES I DROVE THROUGH EXIST AND PULL CAR ON SAFE PARKING LOT. BY THE TIME I STOPPED VEHICLE, I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF ENGINE. I HAD TO CALL AAA AND GET IT TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC FOR PRIMARY DIAGNOSTIC BEFORE I TOWED IT OVER TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP 25 MILES AWAY. CALLED LEXUS DEALERSHIP BUT THEY REFUSED TO COVER UNDER LEXUS POWER TRAIN WARRANTY ( 72 MONTHS OR 70000 MILES ) JUST BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED 3 MONTHS BACK EVEN THOUGH MILEAGE ARE STILL UNDER THE LIMIT. DEALERSHIP ASKED ME TALK TO LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE. I CALLED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM ASKING THEM TO PROVIDE GOODWILL WARRANTY COVERAGE. LITERALLY , THE WORST PEOPLE I DEALT WITH . THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACCOUNTABILITY OF ISSUE AND ASK ME TO GO AND GET IT REPAIRED. MY BASES FOR ASKING WARRANTY COVERAGE WAS DUE TO 1. CLOSE TO WARRANTY EXPIRATION DATE ( JUST OVER 3 MONTHS AND STILL UNDER MILEAGE 61,000) 2. FIRE HAZARD DUE TO FAILURE OF COOLANT PUMP WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. 3. REPUTATION OF LEXUS BEING RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLE CAR UPDATED 09/14/15*LJ

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

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