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Intermittent loss of power
#32
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Darnit, I've got these symptoms now. Car feels like it's towing a trailer, really unresponsive, hesitant to downshift under throttle and holds the lower gear too long when I release the throttle. Feels like I'm driving a city bus. Strangely this dullness kicks in after about 10-15 minutes of driving, and it started immediately after filling the tank with fresh gas. Boca have you rectified this problem yet?
PS.....If someone out there finds a permanent fix, please post it!!!!!
#34
Lexus Test Driver
I had both knock sensors replaced and corrected the issue I was having. Lately though I'm getting some similar mild symptoms: acceleration just doesn't feel right, especially when the engine is cold, and I'm getting some pinging again. Sometimes it takes 5+ seconds for the trans to engage when shifted into reverse, which I'm not sure is related. All in all my car has new knock sensors, pre-cat O2 sensors, engine coolant temp sensor, MAF, and air filter, so I can't think of many items that are left lol. Being that the TPS is fairly cheap, I think it might be smart to just replace it anyways. The spark plugs have 60-70k miles on em and the awful Lexus dealer I was at recently said they needed to be replaced, but I don't trust them because they're notorious for misdiagnosing things and trying to sell me big dollar parts such as new cats and a trasmission.
#35
Driver School Candidate
I was hoping to find a solution in this thread, but....unfortunately.
My 2003 LS430 with only 76k miles and have been serviced at Lexus dealer since new; yesterday I was turning left from a stop sign onto the main road, the car suddenly lost power for a couple seconds, then it kicked in again.
A week prior to this symptom, I put a bottle of Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment and filled up the gas tank.
I am not sure if Sea Foam was the issue. I don't drive it much after that so haven't experienced the issue. Will try to replicate it this weekend.
My 2003 LS430 with only 76k miles and have been serviced at Lexus dealer since new; yesterday I was turning left from a stop sign onto the main road, the car suddenly lost power for a couple seconds, then it kicked in again.
A week prior to this symptom, I put a bottle of Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment and filled up the gas tank.
I am not sure if Sea Foam was the issue. I don't drive it much after that so haven't experienced the issue. Will try to replicate it this weekend.
#36
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 2
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Banging the pedal worked for me also
For about three years, my 2001 GS 430 has been having intermittent loss of power, usually at slow speeds (but not always), like the gas pedal was dead for short periods of time, never any warning lights. I had the local dealer keep it for several days at one point, but they had no suggestions. Recently, I noticed that it never did the behavior while operating under cruise control. I started thinking what would make the car not lose power when under cruise control. What system would not be in use, or might be ignored by the car, when the car was under cruise control? Here's what I came up with, like some others on this forum... accelerator pedal position sensor. I checked into it, and the best estimate I could get was to replace it for about $400. I did some research on that part and learned that it is potentiometer, a mechanical one. I remembered that years ago, I had an old Marantz receiver which had volume controlled by potentiometers that from time to time would start getting "dead spots". The cure was to manually rotate the **** multiple times, rather forcefully, to clean out whatever might be causing the dead spots. I usually worked! So, I climbed under the dash of the GS430 and forcefully banged on the accelerator pedal, about 100 times, thinking that it might make that potentiometer work correctly. Believe it or not, IT WORKED! No more intermittent loss of power. And it was FREE! Don't know if it would work in every case, but it worked for me. Good luck....
Update: 15 months later, no recurrence of the problem... Yea!
Update: 15 months later, no recurrence of the problem... Yea!
#37
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
PS. FYI....I did try that banging on the accelerator linkage thing. I too thought it was a miracle, but the problem did come back.
#38
Pole Position
Proof of the pudding is please report back in 12 months or longer and let us know how it is working out. My symptom sometimes disappears for over 6 months or longer and then reappears out of no where. Since it is quite intermittent and no one has found a fix for it, I live with. I'm sure Lexus will not come out with a fix for our anitiquated cars so we are going to have to live with it, or a genious with a "real fix" will come out before there are still owners "mostly on this forum" that even care. Good luck guys.
PS. FYI....I did try that banging on the accelerator linkage thing. I too thought it was a miracle, but the problem did come back.
PS. FYI....I did try that banging on the accelerator linkage thing. I too thought it was a miracle, but the problem did come back.
EDIT: Note that this is not a recall campaign and dealers are strictly prohibited from soliciting / marketing this CSP to customers.
Last edited by Tom57; 07-20-16 at 07:22 PM.
#40
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Boca and others with this problem, I strongly suggest that you take it to your dealer and insist to have it serviced under the special 3-year no mileage restriction "Customer Support Program" ("CSP") that Lexus agreed to in the class action settlement involving unintended acceleration. See attached Notice. The CSP expires in a couple weeks (August 7, 2016). The CSP covers all of what your symptoms are: Engine Control Module, Accelerator Pedal Assembly (including Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor), Throttle Position Assembly (including throttle position sensor and throttle body motor).
EDIT: Note that this is not a recall campaign and dealers are strictly prohibited from soliciting / marketing this CSP to customers.
EDIT: Note that this is not a recall campaign and dealers are strictly prohibited from soliciting / marketing this CSP to customers.
I just called Lexus Corporate and I have a case number. Someone will contact me and tell me what the next step is. One thing I know for sure is that I don't want to pay for diagnosis. It is a drive by wire problem, and one of those components is the problem. To be continued.
Last edited by Bocatrip; 07-21-16 at 10:11 AM.
#41
Pole Position
#42
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Spoke with Service manager about my issue with no acceleration at a stop and also when driving at highway speeds. Mentioned and showed your Economic Loss Class Action Settlement. His repsonse was, if no codes show up when the issue exists, there is nothing that can be done....... which is what I predicted. If our conditions are not ongoing and the dealership cannot replicate.. we are f....ed! I feel sorry for the future cars with much more technology and of course software and or electrical gremlins GALORE!!!!. Maybe I should find a nice Dodge Dart. lol
#43
Spoke with Service manager about my issue with no acceleration at a stop and also when driving at highway speeds. Mentioned and showed your Economic Loss Class Action Settlement. His repsonse was, if no codes show up when the issue exists, there is nothing that can be done....... which is what I predicted. If our conditions are not ongoing and the dealership cannot replicate.. we are f....ed! I feel sorry for the future cars with much more technology and of course software and or electrical gremlins GALORE!!!!. Maybe I should find a nice Dodge Dart. lol
#44
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
I had taken my car to JM Lexus years ago for this very problem and paid them the $99 diagnostic fee. They cleaned the MAF and found nothing else. End result I have the same intermittent problem. I believe with this customer support program we will still be liable for diagnostic fees even if they can't find anything.
#45
Driver School Candidate
Boca and others with this problem, I strongly suggest that you take it to your dealer and insist to have it serviced under the special 3-year no mileage restriction "Customer Support Program" ("CSP") that Lexus agreed to in the class action settlement involving unintended acceleration. See attached Notice. The CSP expires in a couple weeks (August 7, 2016). The CSP covers all of what your symptoms are: Engine Control Module, Accelerator Pedal Assembly (including Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor), Throttle Position Assembly (including throttle position sensor and throttle body motor).
EDIT: Note that this is not a recall campaign and dealers are strictly prohibited from soliciting / marketing this CSP to customers.
EDIT: Note that this is not a recall campaign and dealers are strictly prohibited from soliciting / marketing this CSP to customers.
So, if I have a 2003 Lexus LS430 with 77k miles; am I qualify to bring my car to Lexus dealer to have it check?
Do I need to print out this document and bring it to the dealer or all service people should know if I mention this "CSP"?
thanks