HELP SOS: Car fell on it's front left
02-11-13, 11:57 PM
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HELP SOS: Car fell on it's front left
Hey everyone!
This is my first thread, let alone post on the ClubLexus forums. I've been following these forums and reading into things for the past few months but since I never personally owned a Lexus I never felt the need to create an account, well that's changed.
Around last August my coworker was looking for a new car since the transmission in her Chrysler 300 went up, being impressed with Lexus's build quality (best friend's mother having an ES300 with 284k miles and still running) I advised her to buy a Lexus. She bought a '98 GS400 with 120k miles on it for a very reasonable price. The car was in very good shape. We are close friends as well and I drive the car to pick up and watch her kids until she gets off work since I'm 19 and a college student so it's not like I have anything better to do.
Around a week ago we both noticed a shimmy I would call it when you hit the 60mph mark. New tires and an alignment was needed. On the Saturday that just passed I took the car to the Lexus dealership and the car received an alignment and has 17" Pirelli P6 All Season tires on it. The ride was very very noticably better and the car no longer shimmied. One thing that I noticed about the car that I wasn't sure if it was just me was the car didn't feel as ... grounded I would say as it previously did. It felt like at any given moment it would just spin out or loose control. She pointed out the wheel would pull left sometimes and other times pull right.
Due to our work schedules she nor I has had the time to take the car back to the dealership and tomorrow morning, Tuesday morning, this morning, I was going to take it to the dealership. Unfortunately about 25 minutes ago I was pulling into the parking spot outside of my building when the front left of the car fell on the tire and made a weird loud noise. I managed to get it into the parking spot but you can literally see the car is sitting on the wheel and when you move you can hear it grinding against something.
My first instinct is to call the dealership and tell them what happened so they can send a tow truck out in order to fix the car but at the same time she nor I feels safe driving this car anymore after something like that has happened. It surprises me that when trying to do the good thing by taking the car to the dealership to have it properly taken care of, something obviously wasn't.
I would just like to know, what would you guys recommend I do? I read a lady sued Lexus because of a similar problem this year with a simple Google search but would it be too out of the way to ask them to replace the car since neither of us feel safe driving the car after this incident? My mind is all over the place right now, thanks!
This is my first thread, let alone post on the ClubLexus forums. I've been following these forums and reading into things for the past few months but since I never personally owned a Lexus I never felt the need to create an account, well that's changed.
Around last August my coworker was looking for a new car since the transmission in her Chrysler 300 went up, being impressed with Lexus's build quality (best friend's mother having an ES300 with 284k miles and still running) I advised her to buy a Lexus. She bought a '98 GS400 with 120k miles on it for a very reasonable price. The car was in very good shape. We are close friends as well and I drive the car to pick up and watch her kids until she gets off work since I'm 19 and a college student so it's not like I have anything better to do.
Around a week ago we both noticed a shimmy I would call it when you hit the 60mph mark. New tires and an alignment was needed. On the Saturday that just passed I took the car to the Lexus dealership and the car received an alignment and has 17" Pirelli P6 All Season tires on it. The ride was very very noticably better and the car no longer shimmied. One thing that I noticed about the car that I wasn't sure if it was just me was the car didn't feel as ... grounded I would say as it previously did. It felt like at any given moment it would just spin out or loose control. She pointed out the wheel would pull left sometimes and other times pull right.
Due to our work schedules she nor I has had the time to take the car back to the dealership and tomorrow morning, Tuesday morning, this morning, I was going to take it to the dealership. Unfortunately about 25 minutes ago I was pulling into the parking spot outside of my building when the front left of the car fell on the tire and made a weird loud noise. I managed to get it into the parking spot but you can literally see the car is sitting on the wheel and when you move you can hear it grinding against something.
My first instinct is to call the dealership and tell them what happened so they can send a tow truck out in order to fix the car but at the same time she nor I feels safe driving this car anymore after something like that has happened. It surprises me that when trying to do the good thing by taking the car to the dealership to have it properly taken care of, something obviously wasn't.
I would just like to know, what would you guys recommend I do? I read a lady sued Lexus because of a similar problem this year with a simple Google search but would it be too out of the way to ask them to replace the car since neither of us feel safe driving the car after this incident? My mind is all over the place right now, thanks!
02-12-13, 12:08 AM
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When I turn the wheel left and right the wheel does turn but as far as drivable? Absolutely not. It makes a grinding noise when you move it and I was really going against my love for the car by even letting it reverse into the parking spot, I wanted to leave it in the middle of the road because the noise it made was unpleasant.
Last edited by mikobangz; 02-12-13 at 12:19 AM.
02-12-13, 07:24 AM
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The front bumper is cracked because the cars front right wheel literally fell off while driving before and they had to replace something, now the almost same thing happened to the front left but this time the wheel didn't fall off. I'm trying to find someone who can fix the bumper for me but in the mean time that's how it looks and those pictures make me sad.
EDIT: Another thing, are all these problems coming from known parts that need to be replaced at a certain time? I'll try searching the thread to see the known things that need to be replaced with those model.
Last edited by mikobangz; 02-12-13 at 07:31 AM.
02-12-13, 07:39 AM
#7
The lower ball joint snapped. This is what happens when this kind of failure occurs. I can guarantee you those were the original ball joints. Did you notice any creaking, popping when you turned the wheel prior to this happening?
The parts you will need to replace is the lower ball joint, ABS wire, upper control arm, possibly the shock mount, new fender and now a new bumper. All from the lbj failing on you. It's unfortunate that you didn't join this site sooner. We all would've told you to get the ball joints replaced before you do anything else.
Sorry this has happened to your friend. Best of luck to both of you.....
The parts you will need to replace is the lower ball joint, ABS wire, upper control arm, possibly the shock mount, new fender and now a new bumper. All from the lbj failing on you. It's unfortunate that you didn't join this site sooner. We all would've told you to get the ball joints replaced before you do anything else.
Sorry this has happened to your friend. Best of luck to both of you.....
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02-12-13, 07:45 AM
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Thank you for your input, I really appreciate it. This sounds like a pretty expensive repair, I wish I would have joined sooner instead of spectating the site but how did I know that something like this would happen, then again it isn't my car.
On average how much do you think a repair like this will cost?
On average how much do you think a repair like this will cost?
The lower ball joint snapped. This is what happens when this kind of failure occurs. I can guarantee you those were the original ball joints. Did you notice any creaking, popping when you turned the wheel prior to this happening?
The parts you will need to replace is the lower ball joint, ABS wire, upper control arm, possibly the shock mount, new fender and now a new bumper. All from the lbj failing on you. It's unfortunate that you didn't join this site sooner. We all would've told you to get the ball joints replaced before you do anything else.
Sorry this has happened to your friend. Best of luck to both of you.....
The parts you will need to replace is the lower ball joint, ABS wire, upper control arm, possibly the shock mount, new fender and now a new bumper. All from the lbj failing on you. It's unfortunate that you didn't join this site sooner. We all would've told you to get the ball joints replaced before you do anything else.
Sorry this has happened to your friend. Best of luck to both of you.....
02-12-13, 08:03 AM
#9
Thats too bad man sorry to hear. U can save a few hundred buy buying the parts yourself and taking them to a suspension shop. I just took all my stuff to my friends rim/tire place since they also do suspension work. The dealer will rip her a new one on cost. The fender and bumper can always be fixed later if the money is a lil tight.
On a side note - sounds like ur a milf sniper lol j/k
On a side note - sounds like ur a milf sniper lol j/k
02-12-13, 08:13 AM
#10
Front right ball joint fails and they fix it...but they didn't replace the front left at the same time? What awesome mechanic did she take it to when the first ball joint failed? Sounds like they need a talking to.
This is actually a relatively easy do-it-yourself fix if you do your research and have any experience wrenching.
No..the car is not drivable until this is fixed.
I'm shocked that the Lexus techs didn't notice this failing ball joint when it was just recently in for an alignment. Again....sounds like a bunch of numb nuts who shouldn't be anywhere near a garage.
Have all bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc checked by someone who will be honest with you about what needs to be replaced and when. Also, say a prayer of thanks that this didn't happen at 70mph on the highway.
As for cost: A lower ball joint is like $40. But if you're not going to fix it yourself you'll also have to pay for a tow and probably an hour of shop time. So you'll probably be in for $250 or so.
If you get bored and want to read all about this issue on second gen GS's.... https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...gs-owners.html
This is actually a relatively easy do-it-yourself fix if you do your research and have any experience wrenching.
No..the car is not drivable until this is fixed.
I'm shocked that the Lexus techs didn't notice this failing ball joint when it was just recently in for an alignment. Again....sounds like a bunch of numb nuts who shouldn't be anywhere near a garage.
Have all bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc checked by someone who will be honest with you about what needs to be replaced and when. Also, say a prayer of thanks that this didn't happen at 70mph on the highway.
As for cost: A lower ball joint is like $40. But if you're not going to fix it yourself you'll also have to pay for a tow and probably an hour of shop time. So you'll probably be in for $250 or so.
If you get bored and want to read all about this issue on second gen GS's.... https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...gs-owners.html
Last edited by mk2tmr2; 02-12-13 at 08:19 AM.
02-12-13, 08:35 AM
#11
Thank you for your input, I really appreciate it. This sounds like a pretty expensive repair, I wish I would have joined sooner instead of spectating the site but how did I know that something like this would happen, then again it isn't my car.
On average how much do you think a repair like this will cost?
On average how much do you think a repair like this will cost?
02-12-13, 09:03 AM
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Hahaha! I'm not a milf sniper! We're close friends and we work together as well and I see how hard it is being a single mom with all the responsibilities so when I can I help her out, not on things that involve my finances but watching the kids is something I don't mind.
Thanks everyone for their input.
Newest update, a mechanic that my mom knows came out to look at the car and he was about to move it up a little so he could lift it to look under it and as soon as he put it in gear and let off the brakes the wheel fell off the car. I called the Toyota/Lexus dealership I went to in order to get the work done and they're having a manager call me back immediately. They were not supposed to do an alignment on a car when they saw that the parts were worn or soon to give out, someone was not doing their job. I'm not a mechanic which is why I take the car to the shop to get the work done.
I'm going to get the car fixed then bring the receipt to them to get reinbursed and get them to look at the rest of the car and repair any worn or known parts to give out and I'm requesting the alignment gets redone. If they fail to comply, they will have a lawsuit on their hands.
Thanks everyone for their input.
Newest update, a mechanic that my mom knows came out to look at the car and he was about to move it up a little so he could lift it to look under it and as soon as he put it in gear and let off the brakes the wheel fell off the car. I called the Toyota/Lexus dealership I went to in order to get the work done and they're having a manager call me back immediately. They were not supposed to do an alignment on a car when they saw that the parts were worn or soon to give out, someone was not doing their job. I'm not a mechanic which is why I take the car to the shop to get the work done.
I'm going to get the car fixed then bring the receipt to them to get reinbursed and get them to look at the rest of the car and repair any worn or known parts to give out and I'm requesting the alignment gets redone. If they fail to comply, they will have a lawsuit on their hands.
02-12-13, 12:34 PM
#14
People say this all the time, but no one has provided PROOF of this statement. If you have it please post it. I never received any TSB that the 01+ lbj's were "beefed" up. I'm not calling you a liar or anything, I just figured if you are stating this, you have the facts to back it up. I would like to read it.
02-12-13, 12:38 PM
#15
People say this all the time, but no one has provided PROOF of this statement. If you have it please post it. I never received any TSB that the 01+ lbj's were "beefed" up. I'm not calling you a liar or anything, I just figured if you are stating this, you have the facts to back it up. I would like to read it.