Steering TELESCOPE FAILING - 2004 LS430
06-20-11, 09:49 AM
#31
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Jabber - thanks for the clarification.
Because I don't hear any motor or gears moving when I try to manually adjust the telescope function, I beleive it may be the motor.
Caddy - I've seen other threads with pictures on how to fix the up/down feature for the wheel but nothing on the telescoping. If you have seen such a thread can you provide the link? I have no idea where the telescoping motor is.... or how much it costs.
I appreciate your help!
Because I don't hear any motor or gears moving when I try to manually adjust the telescope function, I beleive it may be the motor.
Caddy - I've seen other threads with pictures on how to fix the up/down feature for the wheel but nothing on the telescoping. If you have seen such a thread can you provide the link? I have no idea where the telescoping motor is.... or how much it costs.
I appreciate your help!
08-24-11, 11:01 AM
#33
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GRRRR! After about a year of owning my '05 LS430, I'm now starting to get that same faint squeak and intermittent failure of the wheel to fully extend/retract at start-up & shutdown. I first experienced the issue during the record heat of this summer, and noticed that it doesn’t happen when the car has been sitting in the (relatively cooler, shaded) garage - but it really acts up when it has been sitting in the hot sun all day long. The auto-tilt (up/down) function still works just fine. Classic symptoms of the very same issue that others have described in this thread - and a problem which seems to be fixable with just a little bit of grease, if it’s caught early.
My car is still under the Lexus CPO warranty. Sad as I am to see this problem developing on my car, it was the Lexus dealer's response to my recent phone call about the issue that bothers me most.
I asked if they would cover a simple re-lubing of the gear, under the certified warranty. (I want the exact type of grease used that Lexus specifies, and I am not comfortable disassembling the steering column of my car. I paid a premium for a car with the CPO warranty, so that I don't have to attempt stuff like this myself. I’m fairly handy, but I’m pretty sure that I would end up ruining it somehow - TRUST ME, that's just the kind of luck I seem to have).
The Lexus Service Writer said that if the steering column only fails occasionally (and if it doesn't actually happen when HE looks at it), then they WON'T cover a re-lube of the gear. His advice to me was to wait until the telescoping feature on the wheel quits working altogether(!!) At that point, he said the CPO warranty WOULD cover replacement of the cooked motor in the steering column. Am I the only one who thinks that this approach is wasteful?
I guess it's true what they say: "No good deed goes unpunished." I wanted to be proactive about this, and let them know about it at a point where just a little bit of grease and a few minutes of their time could fix the problem (rather than waiting until it requires a whole new motor), but they couldn't be bothered with that. This is my second Lexus CPO vehicle, and after more than 6 years as a Lexus owner, it’s the first bad experience I’ve had with them. It’s no money out of my pocket to let the motor in the column fry, but it saddens me to know that they may be starting to “handle” problems in much the same way that my crappy HMO does...
My car is still under the Lexus CPO warranty. Sad as I am to see this problem developing on my car, it was the Lexus dealer's response to my recent phone call about the issue that bothers me most.
I asked if they would cover a simple re-lubing of the gear, under the certified warranty. (I want the exact type of grease used that Lexus specifies, and I am not comfortable disassembling the steering column of my car. I paid a premium for a car with the CPO warranty, so that I don't have to attempt stuff like this myself. I’m fairly handy, but I’m pretty sure that I would end up ruining it somehow - TRUST ME, that's just the kind of luck I seem to have).
The Lexus Service Writer said that if the steering column only fails occasionally (and if it doesn't actually happen when HE looks at it), then they WON'T cover a re-lube of the gear. His advice to me was to wait until the telescoping feature on the wheel quits working altogether(!!) At that point, he said the CPO warranty WOULD cover replacement of the cooked motor in the steering column. Am I the only one who thinks that this approach is wasteful?
I guess it's true what they say: "No good deed goes unpunished." I wanted to be proactive about this, and let them know about it at a point where just a little bit of grease and a few minutes of their time could fix the problem (rather than waiting until it requires a whole new motor), but they couldn't be bothered with that. This is my second Lexus CPO vehicle, and after more than 6 years as a Lexus owner, it’s the first bad experience I’ve had with them. It’s no money out of my pocket to let the motor in the column fry, but it saddens me to know that they may be starting to “handle” problems in much the same way that my crappy HMO does...
08-24-11, 07:54 PM
#34
Just finished lubing the column. It was loud as hell when retracting into the 'parked' position. Now - silent. Thanks, Jlaws. I had tried a few months ago to get that cover off but didn't realize there were two 'hidden' screws. Easy. I lubed the jackscrew and the column, though I can see that the column might need to be relubed every year or two.
08-24-11, 08:11 PM
#35
Moderator
GRRRR! After about a year of owning my '05 LS430, I'm now starting to get that same faint squeak and intermittent failure of the wheel to fully extend/retract at start-up & shutdown. I first experienced the issue during the record heat of this summer, and noticed that it doesn’t happen when the car has been sitting in the (relatively cooler, shaded) garage - but it really acts up when it has been sitting in the hot sun all day long. The auto-tilt (up/down) function still works just fine. Classic symptoms of the very same issue that others have described in this thread - and a problem which seems to be fixable with just a little bit of grease, if it’s caught early.
My car is still under the Lexus CPO warranty. Sad as I am to see this problem developing on my car, it was the Lexus dealer's response to my recent phone call about the issue that bothers me most.
I asked if they would cover a simple re-lubing of the gear, under the certified warranty. (I want the exact type of grease used that Lexus specifies, and I am not comfortable disassembling the steering column of my car. I paid a premium for a car with the CPO warranty, so that I don't have to attempt stuff like this myself. I’m fairly handy, but I’m pretty sure that I would end up ruining it somehow - TRUST ME, that's just the kind of luck I seem to have).
The Lexus Service Writer said that if the steering column only fails occasionally (and if it doesn't actually happen when HE looks at it), then they WON'T cover a re-lube of the gear. His advice to me was to wait until the telescoping feature on the wheel quits working altogether(!!) At that point, he said the CPO warranty WOULD cover replacement of the cooked motor in the steering column. Am I the only one who thinks that this approach is wasteful?
I guess it's true what they say: "No good deed goes unpunished." I wanted to be proactive about this, and let them know about it at a point where just a little bit of grease and a few minutes of their time could fix the problem (rather than waiting until it requires a whole new motor), but they couldn't be bothered with that. This is my second Lexus CPO vehicle, and after more than 6 years as a Lexus owner, it’s the first bad experience I’ve had with them. It’s no money out of my pocket to let the motor in the column fry, but it saddens me to know that they may be starting to “handle” problems in much the same way that my crappy HMO does...
My car is still under the Lexus CPO warranty. Sad as I am to see this problem developing on my car, it was the Lexus dealer's response to my recent phone call about the issue that bothers me most.
I asked if they would cover a simple re-lubing of the gear, under the certified warranty. (I want the exact type of grease used that Lexus specifies, and I am not comfortable disassembling the steering column of my car. I paid a premium for a car with the CPO warranty, so that I don't have to attempt stuff like this myself. I’m fairly handy, but I’m pretty sure that I would end up ruining it somehow - TRUST ME, that's just the kind of luck I seem to have).
The Lexus Service Writer said that if the steering column only fails occasionally (and if it doesn't actually happen when HE looks at it), then they WON'T cover a re-lube of the gear. His advice to me was to wait until the telescoping feature on the wheel quits working altogether(!!) At that point, he said the CPO warranty WOULD cover replacement of the cooked motor in the steering column. Am I the only one who thinks that this approach is wasteful?
I guess it's true what they say: "No good deed goes unpunished." I wanted to be proactive about this, and let them know about it at a point where just a little bit of grease and a few minutes of their time could fix the problem (rather than waiting until it requires a whole new motor), but they couldn't be bothered with that. This is my second Lexus CPO vehicle, and after more than 6 years as a Lexus owner, it’s the first bad experience I’ve had with them. It’s no money out of my pocket to let the motor in the column fry, but it saddens me to know that they may be starting to “handle” problems in much the same way that my crappy HMO does...
08-25-11, 05:56 PM
#36
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Mine goes in on Monday for "motor replacement". I get a consistent moaning sound when the steering wheel retracts. The dealer lubed - no change. They "ordered motors" - repairs on Monday (CPO warranty).
10-04-11, 07:11 PM
#38
Racer
My steering wheel is not moving in or out, but the tilt feature works fine.
I opened it up, and applied the lithium grease ( there was lots there ) and noticed the telescoping gear rotates only a very little bit each way and then stops. It does move in both directions, but not enough to move the steering wheel. It does squeek every once in a while.
Any idea what's wrong. Is it possible that the telescoping feature has been turned off at the dealer ?
If you can offer any insight or assistance, I'd appreciate it.. Thanks !
I opened it up, and applied the lithium grease ( there was lots there ) and noticed the telescoping gear rotates only a very little bit each way and then stops. It does move in both directions, but not enough to move the steering wheel. It does squeek every once in a while.
Any idea what's wrong. Is it possible that the telescoping feature has been turned off at the dealer ?
If you can offer any insight or assistance, I'd appreciate it.. Thanks !
10-04-11, 09:49 PM
#39
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10-04-11, 09:57 PM
#40
Racer
You might try this
http://youtu.be/XgeIzc9Uga4
http://youtu.be/XgeIzc9Uga4
My problem is the threaded shaft won't turn ( well it turns a very small amount and stops )
And unless the threaded shaft keeps turning, the sterring wheel won't move in and out.
01-13-12, 07:40 PM
#41
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I found this thread to be very helpful, but it didn't quite solve my problem.
As many have also experienced, I had a faint squeaking noise. Thinking that I simply needed to lube the gears (specifically the one for the telescoping feature) I did so, but the squeak and operation of the telescope feature did not improve. In fact, it got worse...
When lubing the gear responsible for telescoping, I apparently pushed a small piece of worn rubber into the screw type gear that twists for telescoping. The rubber, pictured below, holds the metal receptacle, the 'nut', that the screw type gear 'pulls' in and out when telescoping. It turned out that this small rubber fitting had become quite worn and not only allowed the metal 'nut' to shift and bind, but had physically obstructed the movement and increased the work required by the telescope motor to the point where it periodically no longer worked.
The attached pictures are:
1. The worn rubber grommet (part # 45768-60011)
2. The "nut" that is held in place by the grommet that telescope motor screws in and out to telescope the wheel
3. the two pieces together as they appear on the side of the steering wheel (without the clamp that goes over them [held in place by two 10mm bolts])
4. The lexus parts diagram showing the breakdown.
I replaced 45768 (45768-60011 -- less than $3) and there is no longer a squeak, no binding and the telescope works perfectly again. I think that lubing the gears may help avoid the binding and malfunction that a worn grommet causes, but that may not fix it in the long term (although hopefully I'm wrong on this for those that aren't having any more problems!)
Thanks for the great thread, never would have figured this all out on my own...
As many have also experienced, I had a faint squeaking noise. Thinking that I simply needed to lube the gears (specifically the one for the telescoping feature) I did so, but the squeak and operation of the telescope feature did not improve. In fact, it got worse...
When lubing the gear responsible for telescoping, I apparently pushed a small piece of worn rubber into the screw type gear that twists for telescoping. The rubber, pictured below, holds the metal receptacle, the 'nut', that the screw type gear 'pulls' in and out when telescoping. It turned out that this small rubber fitting had become quite worn and not only allowed the metal 'nut' to shift and bind, but had physically obstructed the movement and increased the work required by the telescope motor to the point where it periodically no longer worked.
The attached pictures are:
1. The worn rubber grommet (part # 45768-60011)
2. The "nut" that is held in place by the grommet that telescope motor screws in and out to telescope the wheel
3. the two pieces together as they appear on the side of the steering wheel (without the clamp that goes over them [held in place by two 10mm bolts])
4. The lexus parts diagram showing the breakdown.
I replaced 45768 (45768-60011 -- less than $3) and there is no longer a squeak, no binding and the telescope works perfectly again. I think that lubing the gears may help avoid the binding and malfunction that a worn grommet causes, but that may not fix it in the long term (although hopefully I'm wrong on this for those that aren't having any more problems!)
Thanks for the great thread, never would have figured this all out on my own...
01-14-12, 09:10 PM
#42
I had noises, etc. I just went to dealer to disable steering wheel moving back and forward when you turn on/off ignition. I just set it the way I want it, save it in the setting. Since I am the only driver and no adjustments are needed, problem is resolved. Dealer did the programiing for free as curtesy,
At the same time I have asked them to disable DRL as I didn't like them being on (because of color). I replaced the small 194 there with LED, so when driving with lights on, I have a nice white light in those reflectors instead of yellow as well.
At the same time I have asked them to disable DRL as I didn't like them being on (because of color). I replaced the small 194 there with LED, so when driving with lights on, I have a nice white light in those reflectors instead of yellow as well.
03-16-12, 09:09 PM
#43
First of all, thanks for the excellent pictures of the rubber grommet! I had the same problem with my 2002 LS. I replaced the grommet, just as you did, including the small metal clip from the old one onto the new one. Also replaced the flexible drive cable with the new u-joint as per the TSB. Wiped off all the old lube, very oily, and re-sprayed with white lithium grease spray (steering column as well as screw drive). Thought for sure I got it, but the improvement was only slight. Screw gear still seems to bind, and motor has a "chirp" sound to it when starting to rotate. Is it possible that the white lithium grease is not "wet" enough? Or could something else be bent or binding? My grommet wasn't nearly as bad as yours, by the way, but both parts only cost <$10.00.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
03-19-12, 07:52 AM
#44
Driver School Candidate
the motor is probably going bad and lack of lube. the parts are all availble at the dealer. there is also an updated shaft from the motor to the drive gear. and its easy to repplace
03-25-12, 10:38 AM
#45
Hey everyone, How difficult should it be to pull/push the wheel manually with the motor physically disconnected??
My wheel had been squeaking for a while and it finally stopped telescoping out. I give it a pull manually while the motor is trying to position it and that helps move it into place. So I took everything apart as fencera did a few posts above. My rubber grommet is worn like his but additionally, my wheel requires quite a bit of pull/push strength to move it now that the motor is no longer connected. I have been spraying and working white lithium grease into the sliding metal tubes (45870 and 45082) trying to make the motor's job easier. What do you think? Closest Lexus dealer is over 100 miles away! Can a Toyota or other garage reprogram it to stop tilt/retract upon exit feature?
My wheel had been squeaking for a while and it finally stopped telescoping out. I give it a pull manually while the motor is trying to position it and that helps move it into place. So I took everything apart as fencera did a few posts above. My rubber grommet is worn like his but additionally, my wheel requires quite a bit of pull/push strength to move it now that the motor is no longer connected. I have been spraying and working white lithium grease into the sliding metal tubes (45870 and 45082) trying to make the motor's job easier. What do you think? Closest Lexus dealer is over 100 miles away! Can a Toyota or other garage reprogram it to stop tilt/retract upon exit feature?