GS400: I'm starting to hate it already (kinda long)
03-14-06, 05:46 PM
#16
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I am pretty sure you need the two front tires balance. It only cost $5 each tire NYC here!
The main thing cause the starter going bad is to let the starter always getting hot!!
The reason you can start the car again on the next day because the starter get cool down already. All your problem you have now is a very common starter problem.
ps. In order to take good care of the starter or make it last longer, the best thing is to let the car run 30 seconds to 1 minute before you shut down you car, ecspecially after you turn on the A/C !!!!!!
The main thing cause the starter going bad is to let the starter always getting hot!!
The reason you can start the car again on the next day because the starter get cool down already. All your problem you have now is a very common starter problem.
ps. In order to take good care of the starter or make it last longer, the best thing is to let the car run 30 seconds to 1 minute before you shut down you car, ecspecially after you turn on the A/C !!!!!!
03-14-06, 08:22 PM
#17
Originally Posted by auto228 V8
ps. In order to take good care of the starter or make it last longer, the best thing is to let the car run 30 seconds to 1 minute before you shut down you car, ecspecially after you turn on the A/C !!!!!!
Thanks for the advice. I really hope that's the problem. Then again, one time i tried to start the car in the morning at 60 degrees (I did not drive prior to that), and it still didn't crank until the 2nd or 3rd try.
Maybe I can get lexus to just replace the contacts instead of getting a whole new starter.
03-14-06, 08:47 PM
#18
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GS4 for a student, barely able to afford it, 18, and not a mechanic by trade???!!! tsk tsk lol. I had a 89 civic hatch through college. Once i graduated and was able to afford it, then i got me a gs3. good luck man!
03-14-06, 09:21 PM
#19
I can afford maintainance on the car, but the money I have is suppose to be for something else. I guess I can dig into that funding for now.
I am pretty mechanically inclined. On my old car, I am able to take out the intake manifold (designed just like the GS4), cylinder head, etc to fix my headgasket. This was without any help from a service manual. basically I started ripping my car apart
From the looks of it, it's equally as tough as the GS400's engine bay. No doubt I can do the job, I'm just lazy right now. heh.
I don't know why everyone is doggin' me for buying a GS400 at this age. I can definitely afford it, I guess I just wasn't expecting problems just two weeks after getting the car
And besides, I really like(d) this car. Everyone says to wait until after college to get it. By then, GS400s will have 35345245 miles on the engine and then everyone will say why do i have to buy a car with such high mileage.
UPDATE: just now my car starts up fine. I'm going to get Lexus to replace the starter contact instead of the whole starter.
Thanks for lending an ear to me
I am pretty mechanically inclined. On my old car, I am able to take out the intake manifold (designed just like the GS4), cylinder head, etc to fix my headgasket. This was without any help from a service manual. basically I started ripping my car apart
From the looks of it, it's equally as tough as the GS400's engine bay. No doubt I can do the job, I'm just lazy right now. heh. I don't know why everyone is doggin' me for buying a GS400 at this age. I can definitely afford it, I guess I just wasn't expecting problems just two weeks after getting the car
And besides, I really like(d) this car. Everyone says to wait until after college to get it. By then, GS400s will have 35345245 miles on the engine and then everyone will say why do i have to buy a car with such high mileage. UPDATE: just now my car starts up fine. I'm going to get Lexus to replace the starter contact instead of the whole starter.
Thanks for lending an ear to me
03-14-06, 10:00 PM
#20
Originally Posted by GSteg
As some of you know, I got my car two weeks ago. It's a black on black GS400 (fav. color combo). It's a nice car and all, but I'm already starting to have problems with it.
Last weekend when it was raining here in socal, my car wouldn't start. I was stuck at my grandma's house until the car started back home. Next day I diagnosed the car myself and the battery was leaking so I thought that was the problem. I replaced it with a brand new battery and the car started up fine.
This morning, I had the same problem again. I would turn the key and the starter would "click" and that's all. It wasn't until the 3rd time that it fired up. Pass forward a few hours when I was about to leave from school. The car wouldn't start (still have that clicking noise) until the second try.
This is pissing me off because I was without a car for half a year because I wanted to get the one I really want (blk/blk). The car also vibrations coming from the steering wheel around 70mph, and I suspect it's the bushings, but will wait out on that until I get the starting problem fix, if I even get it fix at all.
Mind you, I am only 18 and i JUST quit my job last week so i can go to school full-time and I still owe money on the car and insurance (i borrowed $$ for the car from my relatives). They told me they will only lend me money if I get a reliable car. After endless talks of how reliable lexus are, I cannot face them with my problems. I can definitely not tell my parents because because they will freak out at the cost of a starter replacement.
I know there is the contact replacement kit for the starter, but I cannot repair it at my house because my parents will know. I can't even go to a friend's house to do it because sometimes my parents will need me right away and I can't make up excuses. On my old car, I've taken out my intake manifold before, which is very similar to the GS (actually, old car seems harder to take out). I just cannot devote time to cars anymore. If I do any repair work soon, my parents will yell at me and more problems will arise.
I seriously don't know what to do now. I can't afford a starter replacement since I'm already in debt by a few grand. Maybe the car wasn't worth it at all
If you guys dont see me post around for awhile, that's because I'm in hell 
Thanks for listening to my rant
Last weekend when it was raining here in socal, my car wouldn't start. I was stuck at my grandma's house until the car started back home. Next day I diagnosed the car myself and the battery was leaking so I thought that was the problem. I replaced it with a brand new battery and the car started up fine.
This morning, I had the same problem again. I would turn the key and the starter would "click" and that's all. It wasn't until the 3rd time that it fired up. Pass forward a few hours when I was about to leave from school. The car wouldn't start (still have that clicking noise) until the second try.
This is pissing me off because I was without a car for half a year because I wanted to get the one I really want (blk/blk). The car also vibrations coming from the steering wheel around 70mph, and I suspect it's the bushings, but will wait out on that until I get the starting problem fix, if I even get it fix at all.
Mind you, I am only 18 and i JUST quit my job last week so i can go to school full-time and I still owe money on the car and insurance (i borrowed $$ for the car from my relatives). They told me they will only lend me money if I get a reliable car. After endless talks of how reliable lexus are, I cannot face them with my problems. I can definitely not tell my parents because because they will freak out at the cost of a starter replacement.
I know there is the contact replacement kit for the starter, but I cannot repair it at my house because my parents will know. I can't even go to a friend's house to do it because sometimes my parents will need me right away and I can't make up excuses. On my old car, I've taken out my intake manifold before, which is very similar to the GS (actually, old car seems harder to take out). I just cannot devote time to cars anymore. If I do any repair work soon, my parents will yell at me and more problems will arise.
I seriously don't know what to do now. I can't afford a starter replacement since I'm already in debt by a few grand. Maybe the car wasn't worth it at all
If you guys dont see me post around for awhile, that's because I'm in hell Thanks for listening to my rant
My GS cost me 18k out the door, or $300 a month with the loan I have. That's AT LEAST $400 a month (remember, new cars also need oil changes and tranny fluid fills etc, so thats another cost in addition). I'm in college and know what you feel like, it sucks to have things go wrong, but I had options - I could have leased a Kia
. To me, being 21 and having a GS4 is ****ing sweet, even with all the odd jobs I have to come up with (being a comp sci major helps here) during the school year for repairs. It makes it totally worth it when I take a ride in my old Maxima (which my younger bro now drives) or some other POS I could have easily afforded, even with tons of repairs - they just don't compare.
So, suck it up, explain to your relatives that its a machine with moving parts - things go wrong. Tell your parents the truth, don't be sneak around their back (and don't get stranded with a bad starter
) - they may appreciate the honesty and the will to save money by doing it with a friend. I still live at home until schools done, but my parents always give me crap for repairing the car - "just bring it to a mechanic", until I tell them how much mechanics charge for the things I've done. I've done the starter myself - 6 hours with a friend and some patience, + $350 or something for the starter (probably cheaper from a CL vendor). A mechanic would easily charge $1k for that (intake manifold, fuel rails etc have to come out). Anyway, good luck and if you really are passionate about the car, keep with it, get a job again and do what you have to do to keep driving a Lexus (or give up and drive A KIA).
03-14-06, 10:49 PM
#23
Originally Posted by GSteg
thanks for understanding nicola!!
I think I might just attempt the job myself. Anyone have a service manual for the gs400? It'd be nice to have.
I think I might just attempt the job myself. Anyone have a service manual for the gs400? It'd be nice to have.
Another option - http://techinfo.lexus.com/. Make sure to print out everything you need, as you only get 24hrs for $10. Very useful though and has saved me $$$ and then some.
03-15-06, 02:08 AM
#24
GSteg,
Everyone that gave you advice about being upfront with your parents has given you the best advice so far and I sure hope you take it. Understandably, no one expects to have problems with a car they just bought, but face it, it is used. Be honest with your parents; yeah you may get a bit of slack about it but being a man and dealing with it is a step in the right direction. Hey you said you can afford the car so save where you can and hope that this is just a blip on the radar. Good luck!!
Everyone that gave you advice about being upfront with your parents has given you the best advice so far and I sure hope you take it. Understandably, no one expects to have problems with a car they just bought, but face it, it is used. Be honest with your parents; yeah you may get a bit of slack about it but being a man and dealing with it is a step in the right direction. Hey you said you can afford the car so save where you can and hope that this is just a blip on the radar. Good luck!!
03-15-06, 12:34 PM
#26
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So, I might want to put in my 2cents as well
I bought an imperial Jade green gs4 used as well. I was rather frustrated a few months after I bought it as well -- it turned out the evaporator core was cracked and needed to be replaced. After talking to Lexus and having a 1000 dollar estimate, the problem still wasn't isolated. After all my 1700 dollars in labor, they fixed the part for a $4 seal around the core.....
Anyhow, after that fix, the car has been rock solid. Spend the money if you can (from your parents??) and you will be more then happy, honestly.
I bought an imperial Jade green gs4 used as well. I was rather frustrated a few months after I bought it as well -- it turned out the evaporator core was cracked and needed to be replaced. After talking to Lexus and having a 1000 dollar estimate, the problem still wasn't isolated. After all my 1700 dollars in labor, they fixed the part for a $4 seal around the core.....
Anyhow, after that fix, the car has been rock solid. Spend the money if you can (from your parents??) and you will be more then happy, honestly.
03-15-06, 01:37 PM
#28
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intermittent no start, weird clicking noise?
consider changing the starter relay, located in the fuse box.
i had the same problem you did-- changed the starter-- still wouldn't start.
changed the starter relay-- a $65 part that pulls like a fuse-- and it fixed everything.
...i have a long thread about it somewhere...
g'luck.
consider changing the starter relay, located in the fuse box.
i had the same problem you did-- changed the starter-- still wouldn't start.
changed the starter relay-- a $65 part that pulls like a fuse-- and it fixed everything.
...i have a long thread about it somewhere...
g'luck.
03-15-06, 02:58 PM
#29
you know what. I think I will change that instead of the starter (for now).
If it fixes the problem, then yippy, i saved myself a lot of time. If it doesn't work, then oh well since I want to get it done anyways (so I dont have to be stranded just because of a relay).
I was thinking of the relay before the starter. Looks like I'm back to square one. Thanks for the heads up!
If it fixes the problem, then yippy, i saved myself a lot of time. If it doesn't work, then oh well since I want to get it done anyways (so I dont have to be stranded just because of a relay).
I was thinking of the relay before the starter. Looks like I'm back to square one. Thanks for the heads up!
03-16-06, 12:24 AM
#30
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Originally Posted by GSteg
lexus just quoted me $780 for labor.
My car is working fine right now. It turns on everytime so I will be temporarily working on getting the motivation to do the job myself.
My car is working fine right now. It turns on everytime so I will be temporarily working on getting the motivation to do the job myself.
i was having the same problem with starting my car as you, until the starter finally did die completely. here's something that helped me when my starter was in its last days: while your keys are turned and youre trying to start it, turn the steering wheel at the same time back and forth like crazy...i dont know why, but it helped my car start--several times. and ya $800 was about what i was charged for my starter, but luckily i was under an extended warranty (whew)...and if you're really pissed, since you bought the car only 2 weeks ago and you're running into problems already, i think you can still take your car back to the dealership you bought it from and demand it to be fixed. or, make them take the car back and refund your money or threaten to report them to the BBB for selling a faulty product...
but hey at 18 and driving a lexus, that is quite an accomplishment in itself...congrats on that!!
and when people say "wow you drive a lexus?" and you're able to say, "yep i earned it," you get a lot of respect for that, and it goes a long way. like you, i took a year off from school to gain experience in the work force (pharmacy for me). with the money i earned, i sank it into my gs400. i too ran into the starter problem, and the ball joint problem is also currently creeping up on me, which sucks because nowadays i'm in pharmacy school and dont work full time. but you know what, in the long run i dont ever regret buying my car. its not just a car for me like if i were to settle for a civic or a corolla. to me, my gs4 is a symbol, a reminder, of my character--hard work, persistence, patience, and even pleasure. i mean, everytime i hit the auto start and those blue lights and yellow fogs turn on and i hear the v8 fire up, i still feel excited to step into my lexus--and thats almost 2 years later. if you think about it, when you're out driving, look around and you'll see that our cars are nicer than easily 3 out of 4 cars on the road. so dont regret the gs4 so soon. our cars are awesome! give it a chance! good luck!
Last edited by GQD_GS4; 03-16-06 at 12:37 AM.