mediacb

Hey Guys -

So, I have a couple of 2015 GS F-Sport AWD vehicles. Recently, about two months ago, I started to notice a problem with one of them where, when I would enter the car and power it on, I would be presented with a red "POWER STEERING FAILURE" and light in my dash cluster. The car/engine would be fully turned on, I just wouldn't be able to maneuver the steering wheel at all. When it first happened, I thought there was an issue with the car, but when I turned it off and turned it back on, the light was gone and the steering functionality on the GS was perfectly fine. Chalking it up to a minor electronic glitch or other, I drove off and didn't worry too much about it.

Fast forward about a month ago, the same symptom happens from a cold start to turning the car/engine on, and its happening more frequently, but still intermittently from powering off to powering on. I brought this into the dealership to have them check out the problem while also undergoing some routine maintenance (tires, breaks, oil change, etc). Upon going to pick up my car at the dealer, they had told me they flushed out some error codes, and it was a glitch that has been fixed. Well, as you can guess, sure enough while turning my car on in the bay area of the service garage to drive off - it happened again. I immediately went and got my service advisor to show him, who brought out the tech who was working on my car.

They told me they would like to keep the car over the weekend, run some more diagnostics, and get in touch or put a ticket in with Lexus Tech/Engineers so they could determine the root cause of the problem. I obliged, and told them to let me know as soon as they had an update. Fast forward through the weekend and mid week - radio silence. I called the dealer/my service advisor and was told that Lexus has recommended replacing the electronic unit that controls the power steering - OK no problem. Well the problem is this part is not in stock, and is not expected to be in stock until September 6th.

It is a leased GS, they currently have me in a loaner GS (non F-Sport), but fortunately they had a comparable model, and I have now been without my own vehicle for 20 days as they state it is a hazard and that it wouldn't be ethical for them to let me off the lot with them knowing what is wrong with it. My question on this matter is what exactly is my recourse if I call up the day after labor day (Sept 6th), and they are giving me another month long estimate or an unknown ETA on when the part is going to arrive? Its nice and all that they put me in a loaner GS, but as enthusiasts and most of you on this forum know - its not the same as my own car. My tints are not there, I have loaner stickers all over the car I have been driving for the duration, its a non f-sport, and my personal lease is a crafted line - so there are additional aesthetic touches that I am paying my lease on, but not receiving in lieu of this loaner.

Some Facts:

2,000 miles outside of a Lemon Law Claim
No Additional Modifications Done Outside of Tinted Windows
Leased vehicle - not financed.

mrpartsman

Well sorry to hear that, but I have not heard nothing like that on So Cal, that is weird, at least they give another GS to drive its ok, but hopefully they will fix it and I wonder the weather has anything to do with it.

yardie876

You can try to recoup the month (or two) of lease payments you have paid while the car was in the shop, considering you're paying for a car you're not driving.

dchar

I doubt they would honor that...especially since they gave OP a GS350 for a loaner.

SW17LS

You're hosed.

Personally, I would just be happy with the loaner, or drive your other F Sport since you have two.

These things happen unfortunately.

Afrosheen

Take it up with Corporate. If anyone is able to give you back some lease payments, it's them, not the dealer. I would feel like they owed me something because you didn't sign a lease to drive a loaner that isn't your car for a month or two. But give them more time to get the part in first. How long is too long is up to you.

You mention that the car is leased, not financed. That sounds like financing to me, was it done through LFS, another entity, or did you buy it from Bob's Used Lexus Lot?

SW17LS

I tried to get Lexus to do exactly this when my LS was in the shop for 2 weeks when it was brand new, to refund me $500 for two weeks of lease payments. Let me just say, don't bother lol

jkeller

Make the most of your loaner, take a cross country road trip!

rjm

I would be happy they are doing all they can to fix your problem. I wouldn't be too upset about getting a non-F loaner. When my GS350 was in for service they gave me an ES to drive for the day . Another time they gave me an RX to drive. Oh, the horrors!

The best part about getting different models of loaners is that it convinced me I made the right choice in buying the GS. And I'd buy another one in a heartbeat, once they get rid of that atrocious fish-mouth grille.

mediacb

Unfortunately, corporate can care less, this will be my last lexus. Just out of curiosity, what makes you think the car was financed? It is 36-mo leased thru Lexus Financial, and I bought both brand new from the dealer, drove them off the lot with 15 miles. The only caveat here is I bought them from a dealer about 40 minutes from my house - so the service/warranty work is occurring at another dealer.

Loaner service is nice, especially in your case when you had to put up with an ES or an RX for a day or two. This is going on 20+ days in a loaner for me.

lol, Already put a crap load of miles on the loaner. Got the service light on Monday. It would be funny bringing this car in and having to get a loaner for a loaner!

SW17LS

What can corporate do? They've dispatched a specialist, they know what the issue is they're just trying to get a part in, and they have you in a like model loaner for your safety until they can get the part in. Even to the most reliable cars things happen, and unusual parts need to be replaced and that takes time sometimes. What would the difference be in the lease between a ordinary GS and your crafted line? It might be nothing since the Crafted lines were so hard to sell and I'm sure you got a great deal.

Lets say the difference was $80...what do you want? $60 of that? At some point it gets a little silly and you just need to swallow your pride, understand that stuff happens and let them fix it.

IMHO this is especially silly because you have TWO F Sports. If it pains you so much to drive a non F Sport GS, just drive your other F Sport

Haha! So entitled.

mediacb

I guess I just don't understand why they dont stock the part for a 2015 model car. If this were a 2007 or a 2008 I get it. It just seems irresponsible of Lexus to not keep these parts on hand somewhere in the US, especially when they have so many of them on the road.

SW17LS

Because its a very unusual part to have fail. This is the largest Lexus enthusiast forum in the world, this is the first such failure on here I have ever seen and I have been on here since the 4GS came out. The GS is also not a volume vehicle, there aren't that many on the road. Its not an ES or RX where they sell 6k+ of them a month.

They have you in a like kind loaner and you're pissed off its not the same trim level as your car....thats absurd sorry. I had a brand new LS I was out of for two weeks while they ordered a nav headunit, a car I was paying $250 a week to drive, so I paid $500 in lease payments and I had only driven it for 2 days. Yeah I was pissed off, I tried to get some sort of relief from Lexus but was never offered anything. Oh well. Had they given me an LS loaner, even a lower trim I'd have been less frustrated, and if I had another LS the same year at home I would just drive that.

I get that you're frustrated but you have to be reasonable too. They've got you in the best situation they can have you in for this unfortunate circumstance. Cut them some slack.

dchar

You want the dealer to stock every part of every model they sell? Do you know how much space that would take? Not to mention, your car is considered "old" now. Your statement makes no sense.

I would be glad if the dealer put me in a GS loaner; less mileage and wear and tear on my car, while basically driving the same car while they fix mine.

madrussian

100% with you on that one.

OP, As Jeremy Clarkson said, the fastest car in the world is a rental car, go have fun on some twisties.