I have a 2000 gs400 67k, bought the car in july and ever since the more i drive it the more problems i had. First the ball joints then it was leaking, change the valve cover gasket, replace spark plugs. Now everytime i pull into my drive way and slowly brake as i go into my garage there's this clicking sound when i would press on the brake, thing is my brake pad's still good.

 

i think your brk pads are loose>it happend to my honda accord when i hit the brk's there's a click to it..but idk mayb lexus is diffrent but wouldnt hurt to try and check if they are loose..good luck

 

Some cars are just like that. No matter how good a Lexus really is, or how well it was built, just some cars start falling apart, and become problem cars. I had a Maxima that looked great and I enjoyed. But the damn thing started falling apart too quick and could not afford to change the entire damn thing so I just sold it AS IS and got my GS.

***Knock on wood*** the only word I had done to my GS which was mechanical was oil change and change of brake pads.

 

Sorry, but no sympathy here. Fix the issues or sell the car.

Your talking about a ten year old car that sounds like it was not maintained properly and possibly abused. Everything you mention are maintenance issues except the brake noise.

I'm not sure if you are asking for help or just coming on here to vent.

 

The brake clicking is normal. It's the pad shifting back and fourth when you change directions(forward/reverse). All GS have that sound, most people just don't notice it.

 

If the ball joints had never been replaced, then it was definitely time.

I had my valve cover gasket replaced this past January also, so you are not alone.

An older car with a few things that needs to be fixed is still going to be cheaper than buying a new car with payments. With that being said, /thread.

 

Thanks for all the advices guys and FrankT not every 19 year old have 8 grand to buy a car and then spent another grand and half fixing it.

Btw when i took my car to be check out today, the mechanic said i need new upper control arms and if i keep driving it can collapse?? what do you guys think?

 

if its the upper wishbone you mean,then he is right i know because it happened to someone i know ,driver side collapsed and im tellin you it wasnt a good site the front fender hit the wheel and bent it all and it also caused the abs sensor to get damaged and lower ball joint had to be replaced

so get it done if i was you

 

Do yourself a favour and order the parts needed from Sewell lexus or Carson toyota. they will give deals to CL members and hopefully save you a little bit on the repairs.

 

how about this? has anyone ever tried mevotech? I dont want to be cheap but i kinda have to be since i don't have 800 just for the parts at Sewell
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1283915

 

I have that noise too and figured that was the case. I feel much more reassured hearing that from you.

 

^ +1

Haha. Every time I run into what I think is a problem and Jeff tells me not to worry about it I feel much better.

 

Ah, so that's what it is. In my garage when I pull out in the morning or back into my spot at night I can hear my pads grab the rotor, and it's louder than my other cars, by a considerable amount.

 

It could be the pads shifting a bit, but more likely, it's the pin that the caliper floats on clicking inside the caliper holder bore that it fits in.... each caliper floats on 2 pins... (only) ONE of the pins (lower/rear-most on the fronts) on each caliper has a rubber band like oring on the end of it whose sole purpose is to keep the 'click' noise from happening... over time, with multiple pad changes, the rubber band can come off or get hosed up, and the techs generally chunk it and regard it as not necessary.... which it really isn't necessary, unless the 'click' gets on your nerves, like me.... I just changed the pads on my 430, and one of the floating pins was frozen, so after I drove it out, the rubber band was all disinegrated... I called my long time (15 year) Lexus master tech buddy and he told me to chunk it, and take a zanax if the click bothered me.... I took the zanax , but went ahead and ordered a new pin and oring from Sewell.... think it was less than $10 for both, pulled the old pin back out, cleaned out the holder bore with a gun cleaning bristle brush and solvent/oil, slid in the new pin with oring and the click is GONE!! Just thought I'd pass this tidbit on...

Brian
02 GS 430, Nav/ML, 17's, Black Onyx

 

Should have thought of this before you bought the car