dantampa

My steering wheel is intermittently (probably more often than not) no longer returning to the position that it was in when I last shut the car off. I don't mean this in the context of the steering wheel position with respect to the wheels. I mean this in the context of the steering wheel vertical position with respect to the driver.

Let me tell you exactly what I mean by providing you with a sequence of events:

1. Get in and start car
2. Steering wheel starts returning to the position that it was in last time I shut the car off (moving down vertically)
3. More often than not, the steering wheel does not return to the position it was previously in (vertically short of where it should be)
4. Press and hold driver position preference button #1
5. Steering wheel lowers further and then stops short of where it should be
6. Again, press and hold driver position preference button #1
7. Again, Steering wheel lowers further and then often stops short of where it should be
8. Again, press and hold driver position preference button #1
9. Steering wheel finally returns to the correct position
10. Drive wherever I'm going (enjoying the suh-weet 1UZFE engine and the overall amazingly smooth ride)
11. Arrive at destination, shut off car
12. Return to car, get in and start car
13. Same problem all over again

Also, for what it's worth, I often (maybe always?) hear a bit of a squeaking noise as the steering wheel moves toward the position it should be in when I'm pressing the driver position preference button.

I've owned the car for about 6 years now and this is a problem that I've never experienced before.

Thanks in advance for your help,
Dan

dicer

So maybe the gear is crapping out.

dantampa

It is a 1999 model.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Most likely the gear.

dantampa

Is that difficult to replace?

dicer

omarg

Hey Dan,

I think your problem might be different from the video. That fix is when the plastic gears wear out and the wheel becomes stuck due to the plastic gears not catching. Does your car make that buzzing noise? My 95 has had the same symptoms you describe for 5 years now. I haven't looked into fixing it because the motor always works when I adjust manually (with the toggle button). It's really the only thing that doesn't work like new on my soon to be 21 year old sedan. Not bad Lexus.

My sisters 94 didn't want to telescope reliably. It was like the motor got tired.

Maybe there is a loose connection somewhere, or maybe the memory seats computer needs new capacitors (just a guess I've never opened the memory seat ecu module)

Its easy to get annoyed by the little details because Lexus got so much right!

dicer

And it is a high mileage, old car so you can't expect it to be like a new one unless you rebuild everything on the car that can wear out. When it comes to the LS400 reputation I think everyone lives in a fantasy world when it comes to the major maintenance that is required to keep the car in good running condition, I think most people think it just runs forever and never needs work.