acarapella

Hello,

2003 es300 64,000 miles

When I turn at low speeds (parking lot) or at a stop, there is a slight clunk I can feel in the wheel. It will do it a few time when turning lock to lock. Before I could it, I shoved the wheels around with it on a lift looking for play but apparently overlooked this.

I was wondering if someone could tell me where I should start investigating

speedkar9

Have someone turn it while you listen outside the car. If its coming from the top of the strut tower, its the strut mount.

If its coming from the bottom end, it could be a loose tie rod end, stabilizer linkage or ball joint.

acarapella

Strut tower could make sense. It kind of reminds me of the noise of a spring not properly seated in the strut but I doubt it's that.

A ball joint would be a cheap fix. I diagnose that by jacking the tire a inch or two off the ground and prying up on it to see if there is play, right?

A tie rod end gone bad would allow the tire to have side to side play when jacked right?

Sway bar links, if bad, would feel physically loose when tugged on right?

.... I will check all of those things tomorrow (hopefully).

Could it also be an inner tie rod? How about sway bar bushings? I have heard that job is nasty on these.

Also, I know the transmission mounts in these fail. Mine feels like it has play when it shifts at high rpm/load. Which mount is the one that usually goes bad? Where on the car I mean.

Thanks for all your help everyone

lostape45

Yes you are correct on all your checks for loose parts. You will be able to tell if you have play. I don't think it would be your sway bar bushings because you said the sound only came during turns. Those bushings typically make noise when going over bumps, not so much turning. Unless of course you turn through a bumpy turn. As for the mounts, the top dogbone engine mount and rear engine mount are most likely to fail. I am unsure of the transmission mounts.

san1728

Try this
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...ing-noise.html

acarapella

Thanks guys

It's more of a feel than it is a noise… Does that make sense?

acarapella

I have white lithium grease in the garage, I'm tempted to go try it with that. Just so you guys know, higher-end cars like Buicks and Cadillacs had actual grease fittings on the steering columns. Sometimes, more than one. Brake pedals, gas pedals, and clutch pedals also had grease fittings. I'm talking about the 1940s and 50s cars. Everyone thinks today's cars are better, and in many, many, many ways they are, especially the fact that they do a tuneup for themselves (timing, air / fuel mix) thousands of times per second instead of once a month and 20 or 30 minutes, But little things like this are so annoying about new cars. I had a 1999 Camry, and the steering wheel Would lock while I was driving, and the solution was to pour some old motor oil on the steering yoke every time I change the oil. A simple solution, but whatever happened to the days of chassis lubrication when the oil was changed? Apparently, it still needed

acarapella

That seemed to work. Wow. I simply put a garbage bag to catch drips and used lock lubricant. It's like wd-40 in that it cleans and penetrates, but it leaves behind graphite lube