9.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,000
Average Mileage:
12,450 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (1 reports)
  2. replaced hinges, fixed damage to front fender (1 reports)
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problem #2

Dec 112016

ES 300h

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,602 miles

driver door hinge failure - wind damage

This is the third time the driver door has had a hinge problem during the last 18 months. It appears the door opening design is defective, at least in terms of preventing costly damage to the vehicle if the door is opened on a windy day. And, in this latest (!) occurrence, rendering the car undriveable, since the door would no longer latch, let alone requiring the driver to scramble over the console from the passenger side in order to get into the driver's seat.

It appears the `check strap', designed to prevent the door from opening so far that the door hinges are put under undue stress, is inadequate. Lexus service, on opening the door panel, pointed out that the terminal end of the check strap is a plastic element, which apparently disintegrated and the door then continued its travel and deformed the hinges. The suggestion that I should pay a second time to fix what I consider a design problem of the car, in that it is unable to handle routine weather without significant damage, was unwelcome and unsatisfactory. And, of course, once this latest damage is fixed, I am left with the probability that this car will again suffer the same kind of problem.

Will post resolution of the issue if/when that occurs.

- jebuck1, Toronto, ON, Canada

problem #1

Aug 012016

ES 300h

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,253 miles

Original fix by Lexus service to door misalignment from wind, about a year earlier, failed catastrophically. Car was in underground secure parking, all fine when parked the evening before. Next day, opening the driver door generated a familiar binding' sound and it was clear it was catching the front fender slightly when opening it. No sign or suggestion of any impact to the car while parked.<p>The problem rapidly worsened during the course of the morning while running errands and then it actually bent in the front fender adjacent to the door. Now not trusting Lexus service to fix the problem, I had a well-respected body shop (FIX AUTO LAKESHORE) repair the car (replace hinges and repaint door and front fender). They inspected thecheck strap' and saw no issues with it.

No issues with the car until, again, wind caught the door a few months later and, again, the driver door became unusable (wouldn't open more than 2-3" and would no longer latch. Car not safe to drive.

- jebuck1, Toronto, ON, Canada