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Lexus LS: 1UR-FSE 4.6 V8 Secondary Timing Chain Tensioner Rattle (LS460 USF40)

1UR-FSE 4.6 V8 Secondary Timing Chain Tensioner Rattle (LS460 USF40) is a common engine fault on the Lexus LS on the 2006–2012 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $2,800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 12 documented faults on the Lexus LS.

Vehicle
Lexus LS
Engine
1UR-FSE
Years
2006–2012
Fuel
petrol
Gearbox
auto
System
Engine

This page covers the Lexus LS as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Lexus LS faults12 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The 1UR-FSE 4.6L V8 in the LS460 uses secondary timing chains to drive each bank's VVTI sprockets. The plastic tensioner ratchet pawls wear and the hydraulic tensioners lose hold after cold soaks, causing a characteristic cold-start rattle lasting 5–30 seconds. The pattern is well-documented on the LS460 platform and mirrors the same issue on Crown URS, GS460, and IS-F with related engines. Full secondary chain replacement is labour-intensive on this RWD V8.

What you would notice

  • Metallic rattle from engine top on cold start, clearing within 10–30 seconds
  • Worse in cold ambient temperatures
  • VVTI fault codes P1349/P1354 in some cases
  • Oil consumption increase accompanying chain wear

How to check it

Where to look. Secondary timing chains on both cylinder banks, top of 1UR-FSE V8

Cold start only — rattle is absent once oil pressure builds. Listen at the front of the engine. Check oil change history rigorously; LS460s with extended oil intervals are higher risk. If a workshop inspection is possible: OBD-II scan for camshaft timing or VVTI codes.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Does it rattle at all when started cold, especially in the morning?”
  • “What is the documented oil change schedule?”
  • “Has any timing chain work been performed?”

Now check the Lexus LS you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Lexus LS buyer questions

Is 1ur-fse 4.6 v8 secondary timing chain tensioner rattle (ls460 usf40) serious on a Lexus LS?

We rate it major and common on the Lexus LS. The 1UR-FSE 4.6L V8 in the LS460 uses secondary timing chains to drive each bank's VVTI sprockets. The plastic tensioner ratchet pawls wear and the hydraulic tensioners lose hold after cold soaks, causing a characteristic cold-start rattle lasting 5–30 seconds. The pattern is well-documented on the LS460 platform and mirrors the same issue on Crown URS, GS460, and IS-F with related engines. Full secondary chain replacement is labour-intensive on this RWD V8.

How much does it cost to fix on a Lexus LS?

$2,800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Lexus LS years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2006–2012 Lexus LS. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Cold start only — rattle is absent once oil pressure builds. Listen at the front of the engine. Check oil change history rigorously; LS460s with extended oil intervals are higher risk. If a workshop inspection is possible: OBD-II scan for camshaft timing or VVTI codes. Look here: Secondary timing chains on both cylinder banks, top of 1UR-FSE V8