Threxx

I know this is **** and that's why I haven't even bothered to mention it since I bought the car 15k miles ago (now has 45k total miles, 99 GS400). But now that I've got everything else absolutely perfect, I'm really wondering about these things. I've watched carefully and it's the black hinges that connect from the door to the doorframe- front doors only. The passenger side does it significantly worse, but both of them do it loudly enough to make the usually silent Lexus door closing sound like a much cheaper car. I've tried WD40 and that didn't seem to help at all. Matter o' fact it doesn't seem to be a lubrication issue as much as it seems to be the actual hinge itself popping and slipping from its mounting the the door frame a tiny bit.

Anybody else experience this? If so what's the fix? Or is it just 100% normal and I'm being too ****? The only reason I've assumed it's not normal is that it's just so loud and the showroom GS's I've seen at my dealer don't do this one bit...

Sleepyboi

iTrader: (4)

thats definately not normal...i remember my bro's SC having that problem too...but his problem was the end of the door was actually rubbing against the fender and the popping sound was when the door and the fender would scrape past each other....

dunno about the hinge thing tho...if ur car is still under warranty i would definately take it back to the dealer and ask them to check it out

mooretorque

Is the hinge base plate moving (that attaches to the door frame)?

VVT-i

That's an easy fix. Just pry up the black plastic cover that cover the doot hinge and the body frame. Then use a torx bit #40 and tighten it up.

LS4fun

WD-40 is not a lubricant...more of a cleaner....you probably washed away all previous lubricant...i recommend that once you have found the popping noise you lubricate the door hinges again.

bam

I had the same "popping" noise on my car but it was on my is300. It was coming from the front-right-passenger side and it only happened when you opened the door to the max. I took it into the dealer to have them look at it and it turns out that they had to have body shop work on it. The service guy told me that it seems that some part of the welding came apart where the hinge is bolted to the frame of the car. I guess they had to take it apart and re-weld it. Everything seems to be working fine now.

Threxx

I'll try this tomorrow, sounds like that might be it because it does seem to be coming from right around that plastic cover rather than the hinge itself.

Threxx

I've heard this before but I can't seem to find anything else. I've heard Mobil Oil makes a lubricant... is this any better? What should I be using and where can I get it?

johnee78

iTrader: (4)

Get a can of white grease.Spray all your hinges and it will be a good lubricant.I've been using it on my car for years.It works great and you don't need very much.

Threxx

OK I spray the grease on there as well as tightened those bolts with the torx bit. The passenger side bolt was a bit loose so the popping got a little better, the driver's side was as tight as could be so that didn't help at all. Greasing them up didn't seem to do much either. I've looked more carefully and now it seems that the actual black rod that goes from the door frame to the door itself is rubbing against the top of its inlet into the door. It does this on both sides and now that I've looked at the back doors they are doing it to but to a MUCH less extent.

I told the dealer and though my car is about a week outside of its 4 year bumper to bumper factory warranty, he said he'd get them to look at it next time I came in for service.

Any ideas?

GSquicksilver

trust me man, it's the torque screw that needs tightening. use a rachet wrench or something to mount the torque bit to tighten it cuz if you use just a regular torque screwdriver, it WON'T turn. once u tighten it, pop noise is gone. i fixed this on my car 20k miles ago and no sound since.

don't even waste ur time at the dealer, they probably will make you replace the whole hinge assembly or something, knowing how dumb some dealers are.

RMMGS4

iTrader: (5)

I tightened my torx (not torque) screw on my car as well and the pop went away.

Better double check what we're saying. Could save you a lot of wasted time at the dealer. If that doesn't do it, I'd say the whole hinge might need to be changed.

AlphaJZS

iTrader: (2)

Okay, its about 1:01am PST, and I just scrolled passed this thread and it caught my attention, I thought it was completely normal for the hinges to make that popping sound, as if it were letting me know the door was opened all the way and popped into a "lock" position ...well not locked but you guys know what I mean...the door wont swing close on u ...but hmm....so this is not normal at all? okay well to the toolbox I go...

LexFather

WD-40 is everything. U can almost drink it. It works wonders.

LexusPride

WD-40 on ice w/ a splash of cranberry really gets you lubed up quick !