UptownGS

While driving in the rain today my car all of a sudden turned really stiff on me. I eased into a dip at about 5mph and I dont know if water got into it or anything but all of a sudden my steering wheel almost locked up on me. I then noticed that the red battery light on my instrument cluster was coming on. at times it was constantly on and then it would flash also at different times... I tried turning into a parking spot and the steering was just way stiff..... I'm guessing this is something to do w/ electrical system.

as the steering got very hard the car was still on, so the battery didn't seem like it died. I have no idea what is wrong and would like some advice... help!

ArmyofOne

the serintine belt/powersteering belt has bit the dust.

i think the GS3/4 has a serp belt. this would mean that, when wet, the belt is slipping, causing you to lose power steering until it gets a grip again. also, with the belt slipping, the alternator will not be able to turn at its proper speed, as such it will not delver the correct amount of power, thus you rbatter/charge light has come on.

change the serp belt and all will be well.

Cadd

The belt is cheap......but I think the labor is a PITA.

I think SC300Es replaced his belt on his SC recently. You should PM him if you want to ask about the level of difficulty of the labor.

RTIS250

iTrader: (9)

Its quite easy to change the belt on your GS... shouldnt take you more than 15-20 minutes tops!

UptownGS

anybody know the part #??? this would make sense because my cars been making this squeeking noise from the belts the past few weeks..... can I just go to pep boys and buy the belt?

ArmyofOne

the final test would be to turn your a/c on. if the inicator LED blinks inside the a/c button, then its the belt. the a/c light will blink when the belt slips. at elast on mine it does.

on the GS, the alternator should have a slider mechanisim on it. or does it have a tensioner RT?

UptownGS

cool that confirms it then..... .I had my A/c light on the actual button blink in the past.... i'd just turn it off and turn it back on... didn't know what the hell it meant but apparently I've been neglecting an ongoing problem. and now it has actually went bad. No wonder I've been having the squeeling noise....


so I'm off to change the powersteering belt this week....

RTIS250

iTrader: (9)

it has a tensioner... a 17mm wrench/ratchet will do the job

ArmyofOne

its actually called the serpintine belt. dont ask for a power steering belt at the auto parts store...they will look at you like "WTF are you on about?"

UptownGS

Okay so I was digging around the engine bay today.... and I noticed that I see belt slippage.... now the belt is like almost coming off of the pulley and originally I was thinking change the belt like everyone said.... but what would cause the belt to slip like this... could it be the actual pulley itself that is messed up? well take a look at the pic and judge for yourself.... THanks guys!!!

UptownGS

and I can't figure out how to loosen the belt.... the only bolt that the 17mm socket fits into is the far right pulley.... I tried cranking this but it just spun the belt.... am I at the wrong place???

ArmyofOne

well, my first thought is that the belt is too small. but i see that it fits all the other pulleys perfectly, so its not that. my next thought was that the pulley was too big. but it would have had to have been replaced, and with the wrong part at that. so x-nay on that one.

the gap is normal. the pullye used there is universal i think to a few modles of the lexus/toyota line:

Supra
IS300
GS300

and maybe another. not really sure though.

as far as the belt goes, it looks bad. the grooves on it seem to be worn.

and the belt seems to be wrapped arund those pulleys WAY to tightly.

i dont knwo about the pulley you indicated. it has a hose blocking whatever the pulley si connected to.

my first thought was that pulley was the powersteering pump, hence the hose, but the hose is too big, so that has to be the thermostat housing, unrelated to the pulley, which means that hose is a coolant hose.

looking at those photos...is there a gap on every puley? if so the belt is too thin.

UptownGS

So how do I loosen the belt so it does not wrapped around the pulleys so tightly.... because while feeling around I did feel that the belt was just way too tight.

I'm still trying to figure out how to loosen the tensioner to get that belt off.


so back to square one.... change out the serpentine belt... ???


PS.... no there is not a gap on every pulley.... just the one that is indicated in red.

ArmyofOne

regarding your PM:

no,there is no special tool involved. just loosen the tensoiner.

that should be it. the sure fire way to tell id if there is a hole behind it.does it look liek the pulley will slide when loosened? somebody put the tension wayy to high which caused premature belt failure.

if that is the tensioner (it looks like it is):

take a flathead screwdriver and brace the pulley against another one so it wont move. kindof like a wedge/lever, yuou knwo what i mean?

and then turn it.

otherwise, hit the pulley nut with PB Blaster, and have a friend pull on the belt in the opposte direction yopu are turning the socket.

UptownGS

Thanks.... .will try ASAP!!!