1999 Lexus GS300 charging issues
11-11-17, 07:26 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: TX
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1999 Lexus GS300 charging issues
Ok guys, i really want to help other lexus owners out there, lexus gs300 1998-2005. Ok, so i had a charging issue, it started when i cranked up my car one day, and the battery warning light flashed briefly, like 2 or 3 seconds. I then started driving, turned on a/c, and it would not get cold. The ac light was flashing, the actual light on the ac button.
So i got a little worried. In the days to follow, this kept happening. Now, sometimes at high speed on tbe freeway, the ac would work. After about two weeks, the car started over-heating. Ac nit working, just flashing. Battery warning light would come on. I replaced battery, with a brand new one, still no luck. Got a new alternator, no luck. Then took it to Lexus dealership, paid $100 diagnostics, they checked it ou and they said my brand new alternator is faulty. They could change if for me but qouted me $900.
I swapped my alternator again with a new one, but no luck. Got a mechanic, he said the last 2 new alternators were bad, we got a 3rd brand new alternator again and still no luck. All these alternators, none of them was producing the required charge of about 14v. At this point inwas about to give up. By the way, the car was also vibrating a lot, the engine. And it was just rough idling too. Overheating. Ac not working. I barely drove it at this point. One other thing, i had over 320,000 miles on it.
so i posted it on the internet just to sell it as is, at a give away price, but one day i just ran into some friend who had this kind of car. He said he had the same issue, and it was "Harmonic Balancer". Thats the culprit. All i know is, he got it for me on ebay, replaced it, and parts and labor he charged me $200. This was the fix. This was it. He said the HARMONIC BALANCER had split apart. It is some kind of spinning thing kind of a pulley. It affected the engine speed, hence a/c and charging issues, and the overheating issue. Changing this thing fixed everything. I hope this wull help most people with lexus's. Iwent through a lot of stress before figuring out the issue.
Please respond and let me know how it goes for you.do not waste your money on fixing ac, or other unnecessary stuff. Thanks !
So i got a little worried. In the days to follow, this kept happening. Now, sometimes at high speed on tbe freeway, the ac would work. After about two weeks, the car started over-heating. Ac nit working, just flashing. Battery warning light would come on. I replaced battery, with a brand new one, still no luck. Got a new alternator, no luck. Then took it to Lexus dealership, paid $100 diagnostics, they checked it ou and they said my brand new alternator is faulty. They could change if for me but qouted me $900.
I swapped my alternator again with a new one, but no luck. Got a mechanic, he said the last 2 new alternators were bad, we got a 3rd brand new alternator again and still no luck. All these alternators, none of them was producing the required charge of about 14v. At this point inwas about to give up. By the way, the car was also vibrating a lot, the engine. And it was just rough idling too. Overheating. Ac not working. I barely drove it at this point. One other thing, i had over 320,000 miles on it.
so i posted it on the internet just to sell it as is, at a give away price, but one day i just ran into some friend who had this kind of car. He said he had the same issue, and it was "Harmonic Balancer". Thats the culprit. All i know is, he got it for me on ebay, replaced it, and parts and labor he charged me $200. This was the fix. This was it. He said the HARMONIC BALANCER had split apart. It is some kind of spinning thing kind of a pulley. It affected the engine speed, hence a/c and charging issues, and the overheating issue. Changing this thing fixed everything. I hope this wull help most people with lexus's. Iwent through a lot of stress before figuring out the issue.
Please respond and let me know how it goes for you.do not waste your money on fixing ac, or other unnecessary stuff. Thanks !
11-12-17, 10:59 AM
#3
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: TX
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So, my fix i mentioned about the harmonic balancer, is after checking all cables, wires, aletrnator, battery, fuses, relays, connectors, fuse links, everything. Believe me, do not waste a lot of money. Once you realize alternator and battery are good, it is the harmonic balancer. It causes a chain reaction of things. I almost salvaged my car only because of harmonic balancer. Most mechanics cannot even figure it out. I hope i will help or have helped a lot of people with this. It is a rare problem.
11-15-17, 06:53 PM
#4
Driver School Candidate
So, my fix i mentioned about the harmonic balancer, is after checking all cables, wires, aletrnator, battery, fuses, relays, connectors, fuse links, everything. Believe me, do not waste a lot of money. Once you realize alternator and battery are good, it is the harmonic balancer. It causes a chain reaction of things. I almost salvaged my car only because of harmonic balancer. Most mechanics cannot even figure it out. I hope i will help or have helped a lot of people with this. It is a rare problem.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post