Thomp2

Hello all,

I have a 2006 IS 250 AWD.

Last Couple days iv noticed a minor whine, sounds like straight cut reverse gear, but i could hear it in park and neutral, and when in drive up to like 3500 RPM. it was minor and she is due for a service soon so i thought i would get mechanic to look at it when she goes in. Probably should have not waited...

Was just pulling into my parking space and when i put it into reverse to back into a spot, i lost power steering. car still SOUNDED fine, just a btch to turn the wheel. got it in, turned the car off, now it wont start.

im loosing my mind. Im in a tight financial spot right now and really hope that im not in for a giant bill.

If anyone could shed some light on this and maybe help me figure out the problem i would be very appreciative.

Thanks in advance.

Bichon

My guess is bad alternator.

Thomp2

Just went out to try to start my car and it started fine. No warning lights on dash. Power steering back. Still has a whine noise though

Thomp2

So i took it to the mechanic, got a tow. When i got there as soon as i put it in reverse again the power steering went out again! Wouldnt start again so mechanic jumped it. power steering back on, but the battery warning light came on. He drove it to the back and said that all the warning lights came on, abs, P/S, battery, etc.

So if anyone knows what type of repair is needed and how much it wil be?

Thank you.

darkdream

Bad alternator or bad battery.

MikeFoxx

iTrader: (8)

This... check both. Always a good idea to check both when one goes out.

InThaMakin

iTrader: (1)

I had the same issue, and it turned out to be the alternator as I expected. I followed this great diy and replaced it with a new one and works like normal again.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-2nd-gen-2006-2013/752435-picture-diy-lexus-is350-alternator-replacement-or-removal.html

whitebeast

iTrader: (5)

It's your alternator fail. If the battery is fail, you won't have any problem other than starting the car.

Thomp2

Thanks for the reply.

Thomp2

thanks everyone for the replies, I appreciate it. Im nervously awaiting the call Tuesday morning. i will update with prices if anyone else is interested.

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

I agree...bad alternator, and perhaps a bad battery as well now too.

Soulfire7

So I have a 2011 Lexus IS 250 that I just purchased used from a car dealership back in March since I purchased this car I have also had multiple including the initial repair was the entire braking system almost except for the front pads which I still need to replace and are in need. However the issue you are having with your loss of power steering, is not the battery or the alternator. I am just learning this *** up today being this is the exact same problem that I've been played with since I bought the car. I was going to purchase an alternator or have one rebuild this afternoon and the gentleman at the shop asked me again before he agreed to sell me an alternator, what car it was I was driving and he immediately told me not to purchase the alternator but to come back in the morning because he said it is not either of the two. He said I needed to keep looking further but to bring it in in the morning and he would look over it first to be sure that he isn't telling me incorrectly.
I have done denture research and made multiple repairs and replacements to try to resolve this issue without having to spend thousands at the dealership. I did notice that there are recalls on many cars and many years but not my 2011 IS250 for certain issues that seem to describe exactly what it could be causing this power steering problem. But after replacing the 80 amp fuse under the hood, zip tying the four-way retaining clip underneath the car on the rack and pinion, checking the serpentine belts, water pumps etc, although the fix would last for a day or two, it's still comes back every time my car seems to get warmed up. Now I'm not a rocket science but first and foremost it seems to me just common sense just telling me that some of our issues may be related to the covers underneath and over top of our motors because they're getting too hot, but even with that, temperature doesn't seem to be the deciding factor on when this occurs. Nor does the timing as sometimes it takes a little while for my car to be idle or that's in traffic and warm weather before the power steering warning light will come on check engine light and then battery, but just in the last week I literally started the car and but then just a matter of minutes even with cool temperatures and it not having time to get too warm underneath the hood, it has started trying to make the power steering hard again. However this time there is also a new indicator, and it popped up in my gauge console that it said check headlight system, and as I looked up I noticed my headlights were out. This is a first for me, but immediately following my car lost the power steering all of the lights and my dash my backup camera my GPS inside and out all lights begin to flicker and flash until they finally went out all together, and also almost immediately so did my car. I also noticed this time that even though I shut the car off and will it shut off on me but after letting it sit for a few minutes it would not restart. It actually ended up taking almost 6 and 1/2 hours of my sitting on the side of the road in the middle of the night by myself before it would even begin to resume power of any kind but it still would not start. I called my fiance to come bring jumper cables and although he tried he was with me for another hour and a half with jumper cables before it would actually jump the car off. Now it's saying that I have a dead battery if I take it to any anywhere and let them read the code, but the first time that I actually caught it and was able to put it on a diagnostic reader it said that it was the crankshaft sensor.
So I'm sorry to say that it wasn't the alternator at least so far with mine nothing that I've tried hasn't helped or actually eased the problem. I know that there's a recall on the electrical system and a lot of the cars that we all have but whatever this issue is it is not throwing a code for me that is consistent it does not happen all the time under certain circumstances or environment, nor has any of the different areas of approaching the electric power steering no problems, well let's just say none of it is working. Anyone else been able to find out what exactly it is causing these problems, or should I just reach out to Lexus at this point six months in and I have done everything except replaced the ECU, what's your according to the mechanic is perfectly fine? Can anyone help me with this please? Thank you I would greatly appreciate it!

amts

Soulfire7,

Sounds like the alternator to me. When the symptoms occur, you should have got it checked. Now you will need to charge or change the battery and have the alternator checked with the engine running.

Bichon

Soulfire7, I agree with amts; you have the classic symptoms of a bad alternator. You should be able to take the car to AutoZone and get your alternator and battery load tested for free -- I'd absolutely do that first.

Reading the codes should not be your first step -- electronic control modules in the car require a good source of power to operate properly, and can go wonky and record spurious DTCs when they aren't getting it.