bruceko

What were your symptoms? My car is at 11500 miles
My 08 has decided to randomly not start when I push the start button.
Maybe one out of 10 starts. The display goes black and nothing happens. If the window is open I hear a click coming from under the hook.
Replaced the remote battery to rule it out. Checked the car battery and it tests out fine.
Not in a good mood about spending a bunch of money on it. It also needs to have the control arms replaced. What next? I want my 2000 Gs back. Gave it to my daughter and it has 280000 with very few parts replaced.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like a short in the starter windings. Have your independent keep starting the car until it fails with the symptoms you describe. Then have them disconnect the heavy red cable from the starter relay to the starter motor. Measure the resistance from the starter cable to ground and you'll probably find a short. I'm betting you can get it replaced MUCH cheaper at an independent than the Lexus dealership.

bruceko

Thanks
The intermittent problem is no longer intermittent. Luckily it refused to start in my driveway.
towed off to the indy shop this afternoon.
Update
Got it back the next day. total cost $990 plus tax. Included labor, rebuilt starter and towing.

Jamier

I did it myself, Accord 2004 Sedan < the secret is taking the battery and the platform that holds it, out, that will give you ample space to maneuver (it is almost the same in other cars ) I do have an IS250 2008, and it is the almost the same (location, under the manifold)
I hope I could help you with this information
Br
Jamier

Doublebase

It's not all that common anymore, especially on a car with barley 100k miles on it. No one bench tests starters anymore, you just replace them.

peteybabes

$990 is a bargain compared to a Lamborghini i walked under where they were removing the entire engine in order to get to a burnt out starter...$15000 in that case! lol

LS2k

First time i hear about this issue, is this common with the '07 as well? Would it be cover under extended warranty?

Pamperme

A starter should NOT be going out on a Lexus. We had a 1989 Honda Civic, 319,000 miles, original starter. Lexus starters in the past have been extremely reliable.

LS2k

Agree but wonder how many people had the starter of their '07 replaced under warranty and what was the mileage?

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

On the 400 and 430 the starter for usually last to over 200k miles.

Doublebase

Funny you mention that, I have a 99 accord with 285k miles on it...original starter and alternator. Come to think of it most of it is original and I live in a place where it snows three months out of the year...original radiator, hoses, thermostat. The AC system is all original (even the condenser). Original tranny.

The only thing I've replaced is struts, brakes, ball joints, sway bar bushings and links, tie rods, cap wires and rotor. I did have to replace the vtec solenoid ($50) and evap solenoid ($50), gas tank rotted out at 120K ($250) and I replaced all the brake and fuel lines (they look like they need to be done again). The thing still runs - I'm planning on driving it during snowy days so I won't have to worry about cracking up my RWD LS 460 (although from what I've read if you have snow tires they aren't all that bad).

Wigalo

Maybe it's just me, but why would the starter last any longer because it's in a Lexus vehicle. In fact, it would seem to me that at least in the 600h, the starter would be more susceptible to wear based on the extra start cycles associated with the hybrid system.

Am I missing something?

Pamperme

Companies, like Lexus, which are known to design parts to last and are known to demand parts that last from their supplier get parts that last. Companies that don't care and are looking for the cheapest design to make a quick buck get parts that don't last and design parts that dont last, either caused by incompetent engineering, bad management, or just a lack of commitment to reliability. It's as simple as that. A part can be made to withstand usage or it won't be, and designing for such isn't beyond any engineer's pay grade. It's simply a matter of a company's COMMITMENT to reliability.

Starters can be made to last by design or they can be made not to last by design. Lexus owners expect the former.

Doublebase

Yup, 2.3 ULEV, vtec.

I actually just took the intake off the other day to clean the whole thing out because I had a code for the EGR valve...hopefully that will take care of it. It does burn a little oil now, but what do expect on an engine with almost 300k?

Devh

Starters can fall on all cars even Hondas. Some last the life of the car while others may require a replacement in it's life. It's not car make or vehicle make specific, it's just the way it is based on starter design. It's not a big deal really however for the Lexus design it might have a higher failure rate then the norm because of its placement where it may not get as much cooling. Still the failure rate is minimal at best than most of us will never encounter this problem.

The idea that the starter was installed wrong which lead to it's premature failure is a hard one to swallow. Either a starter is installed or it's not installed and I cannot see how it's even remotely possible that you can damage a starter by removing it.