Seeking Advice on 2022 Lexus LC Issues: Black Smoke, Reduced Power, and Suspected Mixture Control Problem

Hey there! Sounds like you've got a pesky situation there. Your problem reminds me of what happened to my 2020 Lexus ES, kind of a cousin to your LC. I'm not a mechanic by trade, just a car lover with some experience playing around under the hood. Same symptoms – black smoke, check engine light, cold start issues, the lot. For me, the culprit was a Defective injector. Got the car over to my local garage where I usually have my greasy hands at work. Took them a while to diagnose the problem, but they're trustworthy guys and thorough with their jobs. Had the injector replaced, it cost me 515€. Not the cheapest fix, but it totally cleared up the issue. After that, the car was running smoothly, no power loss or jerkiness when accelerating, and the gas mileage even improved a bit. Though, I'm wondering about the exact model of your LC? Also, does it have a turbo engine? Knowing more details can help in further corroborating the injector theory, and I could share a bit more about my experiences. Cheers!

Hey! First off, thanks for chiming in with your experience. It's good to hear from someone who's been through the same maze. My LC is the 500h model, and no, it doesn't have a turbocharger. I have clocked approximately 85441 km on it since I bought it. Last serviced just before a road trip about two months ago. Your diagnosis theory about a defective injector sounds plausible considering the symptoms. I wasn't even thinking in that direction, to be honest! I'm definitely going to discuss this with my garage chaps. Yep, it's annoying, albeit a bit of a relief to possibly be getting closer to nailing the problem. The coin it's gonna cost is a bit of a downer though...but hey, if it stops my car from belching black smoke and acting all sluggish, it's certainly going to worth it! Thanks again for pointing me in a potentially right direction! Cheers!

Hey there! No problem at all, happy to share my experience with the same make. It is rewarding to see it might just help someone else out. Your Lexus LC 500h being non-turbo actually strengthens the injector theory. Turbocharged cars can have smoke problems due to the turbo itself, but that being ruled out kind of narrows it down for us. Your LC's mileage is also a factor to consider. Injectors can become clogged or defective after certain milestones, often around the 160,000 km mark, but it can occur sooner, especially if the vehicle isn't serviced regularly. It's definitely a sigh of relief that we might have found the issue. I completely get the cost concern. I felt the same pinch when I had to get my injector replaced. Hopefully, it won't burn too big a hole in your pocket. One thing I did learn was that sticking to regular service intervals and using good quality fuel can help prolong the injector's life. So, post the fix, might help to keep that in mind. Fingers crossed, hope we've hit the nail on the head with this one! Cheers best of luck with the fix!

Hey! Can't thank you enough. Your insights are really remarkable. You do have a point about the mileage. I sometimes forget that while it's a 2022 model, I've certainly put a hefty number of kilometers on it. I'll keep a keen eye on the service intervals and the fuel quality henceforth. That's some sound advice I'm definitely taking on board. Oh, and I reckon, as long as the fix gets my ride back on track, a little financial pinch wouldn’t hurt much, right? So, off to see the garage guys pretty soon with this new perspective. Let's hope your theory's spot-on, fingers crossed! I must say, it's good to have like you around who've got a solid handle on these things. Cheers to you. You're a lifesaver!