kdl001

Hey everybody

I noticed this problem with my GS4 the other day and I am wondering if any of you have had the same thing happen to you. The other day I pulled out in front of someone (accidently I might add). I was in the middle of straighteneing the car and had to punch it. I motor kicked in, the rear of the car got traction and the car started to accelerate.
Then I heard a clunk sound in the front end on the drivers side of the car also it sounded as if that wheel locked up of a second. I went to a side street after a mile or so and from a dead stop I accelerated hard several times and each time as the car took off I heard this sound for the same wheel.
Does anyone know what this is. I have an appointment on Monday at the nearest Lexus dealer to me which is Lexus of Nashville North.
Also have you guys ever encountered this. Janet ( is my GS4's name) has 60k on her, so its out of factory warranty, I did get an extended one from Warranty Gold but have never used it.

Anyway when I made my appointment they said their is a fee for each problem I want them to check out. It will be between 35 to 75 dollars for them to diagnos each problem. Has anyone else had their dealership hit them with this after their factory warranty had expired.

I got three things for them the look at so even if Warranty Gold pays for the repairs I still will take a $200.00 hit.

They need to look at the noise under hard accleration, the driver seat makes a noise when you turn a curve sometimes, its like its loose or something and she pulls to the right.

I had the alighment checked at my loacal Firestone and they said it was with in specs. Could it be that on Lexus can correctly align the car.

ShowGSLuVv

The rubber composition of the OE bushings is highly susceptible to wear and deterioration over time - hot/cold cycling, road salt and other extreme road conditions will accelerate this condition. This bushing failure problem can occur in as little as 30,000 miles and almost always by 70-80,000 miles.

Some symptoms of this deteriorated bushing problem are: Excessive tire wear; the inability to properly align the vehicle; audible "clunk" noises from floorboard area, especially when turning or backing up; wandering and/or unstable steering especially at higher speeds; unstable braking; vibration at higher speeds.

This is some information that I got from a website, I heard that clunk a few times when I was reversing and turning at the same time, was pretty loud too.

ShOwGS

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Might also want to check the motor mounts. I heard a loud clunking from the front passenger side and assumed it was a suspension piece (bushing or sway) that had broken loose. Dealer diagnosed the problem and found out that I actually had a broken motor mount :eek: . Glad didn't wait and drive around with the noise long.

May be psychological, but feels like I have a more torque and power after it was fixed.

ShowGSLuVv

well whatever it is goodluck and make sure after u find out the problem to post it here just for future reference, thanks

ShOwGS

doug_999

I have also heard of the upper strut mounts coming loose. Might want to check those.

I overheard one of the service peole at my "former" dealer saying the same thing about charging for checking into things on his early 90s LS400.

Part of me says this is bull and I question why everyone thinks Lexus service is so good and part of me (the business owner part) says that I bet they can burn a LOT of time trying to track things down and the only way to stop obsessive owners (like me!) is to make it a little painful for them to nit pick.

Doug

INHOCJP

Wow, I was going to start a new thread about this same problem. My GS is making so many clunking noises it's not even funny. But I hear this noise when applying my brakes. When I back up and hit the brakes, "clunk." When I driving at slow speeds and brake, "clunk." Thanks for the information guys, I'll have my dealer check out the problem.

kdl001

It turns out that the clunking sound was a broken motor mount. On Monday the problem was diagnosed but they had to order the mount it came in Wednesday and Lexus of Nashville installed it on Thusday with Warranty Gold paying for it.

Lexus did not charge me the fees they said they were for diagnosing the problems I wanted them to look at.

I must say both companies treated me as I expected to be treated and that is why I intend to stay with them in the forseeable future.

P.S.

Janet (my GS's name) is running like a scalled dog. America needs it own version of the Autobahn. Bring her back home at 70 mph was torture. I wanted to open her up and run about 100 or 110 mph but I just paid a 150.00 ticket last month that I got in her going to Memphis on I-40.

Yoda

I have a very similar problem. It usually happens after my car sits for a while. When I back out of a parking spot and hit the brakes I hear nothing. But when I go forward and hit the brakes for the first time I then hear a clunk. It sounds like it is coming from the front.

I have my 60K mile service on Monday and I will have them look into it. I'll let you know what I find.

TTurboPimp

iTrader: (12)

WTF!! I have heard numerous people on this board say that they had broken motor mounts. Whats the deal with that? Maybe its just me, but you wouldnt think that a motor mount would be something that breaks often.

gserep1

Hello,
I have heard some comments about broken motor mounts, and some other members expressing suprise at the fact that they break. The motor mount is a quality designed piece on this car, but like anything else, if it is abused, it will only take so much.

I have broken motor mounts in cars since I was a kid, and I can tell you that they break for one of two reasons that I know of.

1. Oil or grease that leaks on the rubber and is allowed to remain there for long periods of time. The mount will get soft, then separate, and one half will stay with the frame and the rest will go with the engine. This is most noticeable when starting off, or changing direction from forward to reverse, or vice versa. The engine jumps around and drops back onto the broken mount with a loud thump.

2. The MAIN reason for broken motor mounts is POWER BRAKING. Holding the car against the brakes and then launching the car over a period of time will result in a broken motor mount. This occurs mainly on the drivers' side of a car that has the engine mounted front to back (like the rear wheel drive cars like Lexus). The left side of the engine tries to lift up when you do that, and that rubber and steel mount catches hell tryng to hold that engine down.

The mount closest to the radiator will break on front wheel drive cars that have the engine mounted transversely. I have broken both types in my hotrodding days. I even remember breaking the long bolt that goes through the mount on some cars. Torque rules!

This is not rocket science. We are driving 300 hp cars with tons of torque...something has got to give if you do it long enough. I even broke them on my dad's 66 chevy pick up with 6 cylinder engine and 3 on the tree by revving the engine and popping the clutch repeatedly as a teenager. Dad knew what I was doing and made me change a few of them. Don't be suprised if they break in this instance.

Lexus will probably not redesign this part because they know what causes these parts to go bad.

Just my $.02

kdl001

Torque will break a mount. My other car is a 5 speed supercharged thunderbird. I have had my foot slip of the clutch and break one before. So IMHO they just break sometime.