Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Lexus LS: Problems & Solutions

1…3536373840

Comments

  • chendchend Member Posts: 13
    On further exploration I found "Strut rod". Is this the same as "strut bar". Could you also tell me what other parts [ such as bushings etc. ] need to be changed at 80K at the same time I change the strut bars. Right now only the right side makes the THUD and not the LEFT side. Should I chnage BOTH or only the RIGHT.
    THANKS for your help. :)
  • bildowbildow Member Posts: 100
    It's always best to do both because when you start taking apart the front end you will probably find the other side is about ready to go also. Look in the yellow pages under auto repair and see if some one has a ad saying toyota and lexus repair this could save you money.
  • gwendolyngwendolyn Member Posts: 46
    I have the same problem after I replaced the strut bars or torsion bars....what else could cause this problem...my problem is the exact same one you're having....

    Also...another problem....

    I noticed a vibration around 60 mph, only when I press the accelerator....if I let off the accelerator, the vibration goes away....does anyone have an idea on this on...I replaced the transmission mount, but I have not replaced the motor mounts....

    Thanks,

    Gwen
  • chendchend Member Posts: 13
    I found a site http://www.lextreme.com/ [ look under V8 forums - suspension and handling tech ] I believe the
    solution is to replace the Strut Bar Cushion. I have not
    replaced mine yet. If you do, please post your results.

    Thanks :)
  • bildowbildow Member Posts: 100
    has any with an old lexus found that the lifters make noises such as a tappet type noise. The dealer wants 1100.00 dollars to adjust the valves I also have been told that a small noise is ok it doesn't hurt the engine to have noisy lifters I was also told that the lifters are solid lifters and when synthetic oil is used it makes them a little bit louder. I only notice one that is a bit louder than the rest and does anyone know if this is going to hurt the motor some lexus repair people said 7 yrs ago just run the car and not to worry so far after 100,000 miles the noise seems to be at the same level and the car runs fine. Does anyone know having loose lifters will it do damage to the motor it has 150,000 miles and seems ok I use 5-30 mobil one synthetic oil and drive long haul daily 100-200 miles any comments from some one who knows the lexus motor . I've been told its bullet proof and not to worry just drive it like h---. :confuse:
  • deadairdeadair Member Posts: 10
    I have an air conditioning problem with my 1995 LS. I had the a/c compressor changed last year and everything worked fine. But coming into summer, the air is not getting cold. I observe the compressor working and I added some 134. Now I notice that the clutch shuts on and off. The temp setting is set to max cold. It seemed to be cold as I was adding the 134, but no more. There is a slight cold, which would indicate that it’s not a leak. I read on some posts about the servos heat the air, even if the air is operating. Any troubleshooting tips before I take it to Lexus?
  • bildowbildow Member Posts: 100
    You can check your sight glass on the air conditioning out side of your radiator, when facing the engine look down to the left in a little cubby hole you will see a round glass that faces the front of the lexus have the air on and see if you see bubbles in the glass if so you need a charge if not then your system is full make sure you have the temp way down and the system blowing in the cabin before checking the site glass.Also almost any air conditioning shop can check it for you also in the winter always run the air once a week you can have the heat on just hit the a/c button for about 15 minutes the 134 freon need to be run through the system weekly it's not as friendly as the R12 we use to use. ;)
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Lexus has a dual mode pressure switch in the high pressure line side. If the pressure is TOO low that is an indication of the almost total lack of refrigerant and the controller will not run the compressor at all.

    The fact that the compressor cycles on and off is an indication that there is MORE than enough refrigerant to provide cooling at the (possibly too low) level the system is trying to provide it.

    The compressor cycles off once there is "TOO" much, enough, liquid refrigerant in the reservoir on the high pressure side.

    In the 92 models you can check the operation and/or position of the mixing vane servomotor by watch the push/pull cable position the hot water flow valve at the top center of the firewall inside the engine compartment.

    The how water valve should move from fully closed to fully open when you change the temperature setting from max cooling to max heating.

    Your 95 may operate the same way.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Unless the refrigerant contains a dye as some do you cannot tell the difference between an empty sight glass and one with liquid.

    The thing to do is watch the sight glass as the compressor comes on line. You should see the transition from empty to bubbles, bubbling flow, and then to a solid liquid flow.

    Once the compressor cycles off and as the stored refrigerant is exhausted via use the sight glass will transition in reverse, solid liquid to bubbling flow and then empty, and the compressor will, should, quickly restart.
  • mquickmquick Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a brand new 2005 LS 430 about 2 months ago (March 2006). I took it back to the dealer and left it there for them to check out the wind noise that occurs when the car exceeds 40 miles an hour. It is very loud at 60-70 miles per hour. The dealer had the car for 2 and a half weeks and said the District manager even road tested it and said it was normal.

    It is extremely loud. I am going to take it back again to see what the next level of review is. This is not a quiet car.
  • rgswrgsw Member Posts: 333
    When you go back to the dealer, I suggest you ask to drive another 2005 LS or a 2006 LS (which is the same) and see if they sound the way yours does. If they are quieter, then you have something to compare with. Good Luck.
  • famwaldfamwald Member Posts: 114
    I like the suggestion of driving one of the demos on the dealer's lot, to compare. You're sure you are hearing wind noise and not road noise? Some road surfaces cause a terrible roar.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    And the "wrong" type of tire can contribute greatly to the level of road noise you get. In my experience the LS series deserves nothing less than the Bridgestone Turanza "summer only" tires.

    Quiet and comfortable.
  • sailsail Member Posts: 17
    Why "summer only" ? I have these tires on my LS430 and MB300E best tires I have ever installed in my 76 years. Work fine in NJ, would use no other a lot to say from a former Michelin guy.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    There is no way you should be hearing any significant wind noise. I've had my LS up to 133mph, and the wind noise was not significant. Road noise, OTOH, can indeed be a problem. Especially if you have the 18 inch tires, and the road surface is bad.

    I agree with the above suggestions, about driving another one, and comparing. If you are truly hearing wind noise, something is wrong indeed.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    My LS does have one new issue - when the steering wheel retracts when the key is removed, it will squeal, sometimes rather loudly. This is a new development, and the hotter it is, the louder it is. Anybody have any experience with this? Is it easy for the dealer to fix? It's going in Wednesday for service, and to address this issue.
  • garyh1garyh1 Member Posts: 394
    My '05 LS has been problem-free (except for needing reprogramming of the computer to stop the occasional hesitation in acceleration).

    But now my wife has noticed that every time I release the brake pedal, there is a bit of a clunk as the pedal returns to the top of its range. I hadn't actually noticed it before, but now that she has pointed it out to me, I have to say it is definitely there. No matter how softly or gradually I release the pedal, the sound is still there.

    Has anyone else noticed this? Can it be remedied by something as simple as a strategically placed rubber pad?
  • rgswrgsw Member Posts: 333
    I believe I had that on my 2002 and they just lubricated it and did not have to replace anything.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    thank you. Glad to hear there is a remedy. You know, these cars are SO good, any little thing becomes a huge issue to us....
  • rl53rl53 Member Posts: 6
    Greetings,

    Took delivery of a 06 LS430 about a month ago with less than 900 miles on it currently. Lately, I have noticed that during cold start in the morning, i can feel a subtle shaking coming from the engine. It only happens during cold start.
    I have never experienced such shaking from a V-8 lexus before, be it a 1993 LS400 or a 2003 LS430. The shaking is very small but still noticealbe. Dealer said it's normal but I just want to see if anyone out there has similar experience. Thanks.
  • rgswrgsw Member Posts: 333
    Don't know how cold is "cold start". We have few "cold" days in NM. I've owned four LS430 in the past five or six years and have never experienced "shaking" when starting. I can hardly tell if the engine is running without looking at the tach, even from first starting.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Took my car into the dealer for service. The squealing remedy seemed to be replacing the universal joint knuckle in the telescoping device. Covered repair, of course. Total silencio now...
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    On occasion during warm up, I feel a very slight shudder for a few minutes, but it goes away. Hardly notice it, honestly. It seems to work out when the computer goes into open loop. I would keep driving. It'll either get better as the engine breaks in, or worse and the dealer can tear down your power module.... Hope it doesn't come to that.
  • rl53rl53 Member Posts: 6
    You described exactly what I wanted to say originally...thanks.

    I will just wait and see what happens as it gets broken in.

    But the car does become silky smooth once it's warmed up.

    A nicely engineered piece.

    Thanks all for your input.

    Rich
  • pjekoopjekoo Member Posts: 14
    Hi Gary. I too notice the brake pedal noise on my 05' LS430. I drive with the stereo off, and the AC blower on low. The most noisy part of the car is the brake pedal clunk. If you do take it in, let me know if this is normal or if there is a fix. I also noticed the hesitation on acceleration. How does the reprogramming work? does it affect gas millage?
  • garyh1garyh1 Member Posts: 394
    Hi Gary. I too notice the brake pedal noise on my 05' LS430. I drive with the stereo off, and the AC blower on low. The most noisy part of the car is the brake pedal clunk. If you do take it in, let me know if this is normal or if there is a fix. I also noticed the hesitation on acceleration. How does the reprogramming work? does it affect gas millage?

    I don't know when I'll bother to deal with the pedal noise myself, but if I learn anything, I'll certainly post about it.

    The re-programming of the computer was wonderful - it totally removed the hesitation problem, and actually improved my gas mileage to boot! If anyone has this problem at all, I can't strongly enough recommend having this done ASAP. Just refer your dealer to Technical Service Bulletin TC006-04.
  • clyde3clyde3 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 LS430 with 18,000 miles on it. Driver's seat cooling seems to stop working after driving about 30 minutes. I removed seat filter-makes no difference. Worked great last summer and earlier this spring. Any comments or suggestions before I take car to dealer where they'll test it for 5 minutes and most likely tell me it's working OK.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    No they won't, but I understand the sarcasm.... :blush:
    Those Peltier units (or their equivalent from
    Denso) only last a couple of years with heavy usage. I've had both of mine replaced once and may have to do so again. Take it in, they'll put in a new one no problem. ;)
  • jfodgersjfodgers Member Posts: 1
    My tach on my '97 LS400 quit working. Every once in a while it will spike up under heavy acceleration. Any ideas? I'm a long way from a dealer.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Do ya use it often?
  • tonym2tonym2 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2005 LS430. Recently the "Low Tire" Warning indicator came on, and I took it in to a gas station and did have to adjust the pressure ot the correct level. However the warnign light refuses to go off even now, when the pressure is OK. Been several days.

    On checking the Owners Manual I found mention in one place that one has to reset the Tire Pressure Monitoring System, howver, I CANNOT find out anywhere in the manual where this switch is located. Can anyone help?
  • vchengvcheng Member Posts: 1,284
    On the driver's side under dash, just above the top part of the accelerator pedal, there is a small panel with two buttons: one for the keyless access and one for the TPS. You will have to play nice with the car and get on your knees to find this one! Good Luck.
  • bobloveslexusbobloveslexus Member Posts: 10
    Just bought a '99 LS400 from a Lexus dealer. Super car, clean, 85k miles. On the ride home (Michigan) it started to rain. Car was a little "squirrly" on a slow curve. Got home and checked: The car is shod with Cooper M&S tires that were aired to 40psi. I lowered the pressure to 30psi. Is there an all-season tire that would be better for me? If so, any suggestions on brand and model. I love this car. It rides a little noisily which I guess must be the mud and snow tires. It's former life was in upper Michigan where serious snow falls. Thanks for any ideas.
  • lexkinglexking Member Posts: 10
    Great car, If you want to keep it along time start changing the trans fluid every second oil change, it takes 2 quarts when you pull the drain plug. You dont have to measure just add 2 quarts. Buy it from your local Lex dealer.Power steering fluid should be drained and changed with Mobil One Dex. This can get messy as you have to pull the return off the pump and have someone turn it over and shut it off it goes quick. Also when you pull the return line off fluid will come out so have a dixe cup handy. Put a pan under the passengers side of the radiator open the drain and remove the reservoir cap and the refill on top of the thermostat and let it drain. Refill the tank and the themo/ vent opening with Toyota antifreeze, the themo/vent is a hex fitting.The best tires for this car are Michelin MXV4 plus. could do a long post on just tires, these have no Nylon in them this makes a difference in flat spotting and those morning vibrations. Also others should think that when they go a test drive cars that really they are test driving a set of tires, it just doesn't make sense to test drive any car unless the tires are new. IMO Buy the way the timing belt can wait until 110K but not much more, the 2 Idler also will be bad I would change them both the water pump will look like new, might want to change it anyway. this job took me 7 hours.
  • bobloveslexusbobloveslexus Member Posts: 10
    As a new owner of a super LS400, I really appreciate your taking the time to give me some sound advice. Your tips will definitely help me keep this car a long, long time.

    I drove it this afternoon for the first time after lowering the air pressure in the tires to 30 psi. Wow! What a difference. The ride was marvelous. I think I'll keep the Cooper M&S tires until I need new ones. I'll definitely keep in mind your recommendation of the Michelin MXV4 plus tires. I never noticed until today, my wife's leased '06 Jetta also has mud and snow tires standard. It rides just fine (for a Jetta).

    Thanks,

    Bob
  • lexusnexuslexusnexus Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a 97 es300with 100k. Do you have any suggestions as far as NECCESSARY repair and service? It was serviced regularly by 1 owner at Santa monica lexus up till 84K. DO YOU HAVE THE PHONE # of VTECH and what can I expect to pay for 90k service(does it include replacing the timing belt?) Thanks very much, JE
  • bildowbildow Member Posts: 100
    you can call them in Lake Forest Orange County CA 949-206-9108 you will find their work just great along with good prices they only do honda and toyota family cars which includes lexus.
  • kyleakylea Member Posts: 1
    This is not a solution, but another question. I just purchased a lexus 400ls and the cd button doesnt switch the radio to the cd player. I can hear the 6 disc changer flip through the cds in the trunk but the only buttons on the deck (am, fm, tape, cd) that switch anything are the am and fm. (the tape might work if you had a tape to put in it, but i just want the cd player to work). any help is appriciated.
    thanks,
    kyle
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    It will not complete the switch to CD unless it finds a playable CD in one of the slots. Look and be sure you have mounted the CDs right side up. For the early trunk mounted units it is too easy to mistakenly put them in upside down.
  • slexy1slexy1 Member Posts: 38
    On 3/17/06 I posted this "I personally have had great "lower cost" with "quality, clean work" experience with Pratt Automotive ( 817-249-0800) in the Fort Worth area of Texas, and Davenport Motor Company (972-612-3377) in the Dallas area of Texas.
    These Lexus Service & Repair independents were started by former Master Lexus Mechanics, and are sorely needed in the DFW, Texas area, in my opinion. Daniel Davenport and Jerry Pratt=(Jerry has 16 years Lexus experience) both let you go out by your car and get an education, while watching and talking to the mechanics as they work on your car. For me, that's a "value added" experience."

    How many Lexus owners in this forum like myself who have had many years of dealing with Lexus dealers (since 1990, for me) have found them to be getting harder to deal with, while more and more independent Lexus service shops are eager for your business, and a lot less expensive. I find I get the truth about things (good and bad) versus the "corporate speak" line on many things. I know you have to judge each dealer and independent individually, but overall, outside of warranty work, why would you not develop a relationship with an independent? Mine lets me bring my own parts, and shows me around my car on the lift to point out exactly what is wrong. Someone else said the same thing on another Lexus forum about their independent!
  • cneumancneuman Member Posts: 55
    Great post slexy,

    I have only recently purchased a 2002 Lexus. I found an independent shop through cartalk and have yet to have a reason to visit him, other than to meet him and have him take a look at the car. At no charge. I hope that my experience with him will be as good as yours seems to have been with your independent. It would be great to share more on this subject in this forum.

    cn
  • n16ueln16uel Member Posts: 7
    Can anyone recommend a reliable independent (non-dealer) Lexus service facility in the Princeton, NJ area? I have a 1991 LS400 and a 2002 LS430.
  • n16ueln16uel Member Posts: 7
    If memory serves, problems many years ago with synthetic oil for airplane piston engines were related to its poor ability to suspend lead salts, which was causing lead fouling. Airplane piston engines still burn leaded fuel (100LL, which stands for 100-octane low-lead, the "low" being in comparison with earlier full-lead avgas). Since autofuel is lead-free, this airplane angle has no bearing on the debate about synthetic oil for cars.
  • slexy1slexy1 Member Posts: 38
    Just Google "Independent Lexus Service & Repair Shop in Princeton, NJ.
  • cneumancneuman Member Posts: 55
    n16uel
    Although slexy1's suggestion to google is a good one, when I was looking for a mechanic I wanted some recommendations, not just a name. No one responded with a name for my area on this forum, but I did get a suggestion to go to cartalk.com for suggestions. That's how I found the mechanic I intend to go to. Can't say if it's going to work out, because I haven't had him do any work so far.

    cn
  • huckleberry1huckleberry1 Member Posts: 12
    Today the speedometer was stuck on 0mph, even while going 30mph. Then when I hit higher speeds it jumped up into place.
    It's never done this before. What are my options?
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Your speedometer is driven by the engine ECU, if the car drives normally otherwise then the ECU "knows" how fast you are going but something is wrong between its output and the speddo needle.
  • bobloveslexusbobloveslexus Member Posts: 10
    I live in Michigan. Just bought a '99 LS400. I've only driven it in city traffic. Engine is 290hp and 300 lb ft torque. Powerful. First tank got 16.9 mpg. I love the car so much I'd keep it if gas was $5 a gallon and I only got 10 mpg. It's so easy to press the accelerator for that great launch at a red light. Probably with slower takeoffs and less goosing the gas pedal I could get 18mpg.

    Curious: The car has the Cooper Trendsetter SE tires. In even the slightest rain the rear end comes around 6" on a turn. A lot of LS400 owners have gone to the Michelin MXV4 plus. What tires do you have?

    Bob
  • todd2004todd2004 Member Posts: 18
    Bob-- I have a 2003 LS430 Ultra with 41,550 miles. We purchased Michelin MXV Plus tires around the 30k mark and have been extremely happy with them. The ride is much improved and the handling , especially on wet pavement is much better. We had OEM Dunlop tires and they were terrible! They only lasted around 30k and were noisy , as well. I am a real fan of Michelin tires , having just replaced a set on a GMC Denali with 72k on them. I have them on all my vehicles and feel very confident in recommending them to you. Good Luck!
  • bobloveslexusbobloveslexus Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for your input. I'm leaning toward the MSV4s with additional siping.

    Bob
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles