lee56

I bought a 2010 GS350 in 2016 with 122,000km. Since I bought from a Toyota dealer I had it serviced there. Should I have been taking it to Lexus? Anyway, this week when I took it in for an oil change and 55+ inspection (mileage 42,000km - I average 4800km/year) This car looks new! They tell me I need new engine head gaskets and front struts replaced because there's a coolant leak. Est. repair cost $6,996.81. Apparently there's a tech that has offered to buy it, not sure for how much. I'm so disappointed as I researched for so long. This was the best Used Car to buy and I would get well over 300+ km. I love this car and don't want to loose it. I'm a retired single woman driving my Lexus into the Toyota dealership for the past 4 years. The car drives great. Did they see me coming? I realize the parts are quite cheap and it's the labour that's costly. Just not sure what to do. I will be getting a 2nd opinion. Is this a common problem?

ibidu1

iTrader: (1)

Head gasket? did the water pump go bad on it? Bad water pumps are a common issue but most show up at 90k miles. A bad water pump can result to a bad head gasket. This is why I recommend many to replace their water pumps.

Does the car overheat at all? Maybe take it to an independent mechanic, and have them just look at the cooling system for any leaks. Dont tell them that the dealer told you the leak is coming from the head gasket, tell them you smell coolant. Also Its possible the car is leaking at the water pump and being so close to the head gasket it may have made it appear as if the head gasket is bad.

A new water pump is like $90 for an aisan brand on rockauto.com and labour is about 2 hours to replace so its not a big deal. If you cant find an independant mechanic take it to lexus. But make sure the coolant is full at the radiator cap, to check this you must pop off the silver engine cover by lifting straight up. Underneath there is a radiator cap, make sure the car is cold and open and check the height, if its low you can top it off with distilled water, until you take it to get it properly inspected.

PauloFR

No, head gaskets failure is definitely not common on GR engines. A second opinion will be interesting. Usually, if a car has this problem, the engine overheats and doesn't wait for you to go to the dealer to become noticeable.

MX73

Sounds like the tech was trying to buy the car from you just to turn it around.

Get a 2nd opinion from an independent shop. I'm not sure if you have an independent shop that specializes in Lexus, but go around and get a couple of opinions from reputable places.

chuckGS350

Wouldn't you see white smoke coming out of tail pipe if head gasket is bad?

GS460V8

It all depends where the leak in the gasket is and can show itself with a few different symptoms depending. It could show that, it could also show nothing and feel like it has a wee miss, or feel under powered, it could have milky coolant with the oil mixed in it.. really depends on where it fails. Sounds to me like someone's trying to take you for a ride but don't want to say that's definite from where I'm standing. Definitely recommend getting that second opinion.

LUX2006

I just sold my 06 gs300 to carmax. I would suggest the same. Mine looked brand new and second owner. However my last diagnostic check revealed that I had pricy repairs that cost more then the value of the car. Since I’m not working right now I just have it up. Yes I don’t have a car now I’ve worked something out with the family. When work picks up or I start a new job we share vehicles. I’m done buying cars. I know my brother hates when I say this line but....” when I win the lotto I’ll just go buy a brand new car cash and after 7 years or when I warranty expires I sell it. And only get a new one if it’s needed. With Uber and Lyft available and the questionable times we live in I don’t wish to put myself in this situation again. But yes wonder vehicle the 3rd gen GS’s are. The 4th gen is all tech but no personality probably why it was foreshadowed by the FWD ES line and discontinued this year. That’s too bad cause I likes s prefer the handling characteristics Of a RWD car.

Sweeks2020

Good advice above. Start with a 2nd opinion before doing any major.

Water pumps are cheap $110 .... and the KYB shocks for the GS are around $120 a side. Original Toyota shocks (which has the KYB stamp on them) are twice the price. Some argue that the KYBs ride harsher than the original Toyota shocks. I'm not disputing that.

Toyota and Lexus generally use the same parts in numerous vehicles. The GS, IS and Toyota Crowns and Mark X (non US market) carries the same suspension and engine parts so I see no problems servicing at the Toyota dealership except that the tech who wanted to buy your GS might be up to something.

Blaze876

iTrader: (1)

I changed my GS460 to KYB last weekend. As you may already know, the 460 had the adaptive suspension. The KYB is so much softer, actually kind of missed how stiff the stock 460 suspension is. It was easy to tell too, When I tried to shake each corner of the car I literally could only move it a few mm. Now I can easily get it to compress each side.

Back on topic though, OP you definitely should get a second opinion.

Lwerewolf

I've seen very few references to leaking GR head gaskets, and so far only on FWD vehicles (i.e. the 2GR-FE) - pretty much pinhole (a.k.a. just about no, if not outright no coolant level drop) leaks on the outside, valley or exhaust-side... At any rate, any engine can develop these over time, especially if consumables aren't changed on time (and/or properly - bleeding and all that). Still, 122k km is way too early for anything like that to develop, and it's a VERY rare thing on a GR.

Any symptoms whatsoever? Drop in coolant level, sweet-smelling exhaust, frothy & milky white oil, misfires (engine shaking - if the leak is in between the cylinders)... well, anything? I'd keep an eye on the coolant level & temperature gauge from now on. Differences due to coolant temperature are fine (i.e. obviously it'll be sliiiightly lower come winter time). Just check it in the morning before driving, preferably with the car parked in the same position as usual, to avoid "nonlevel" issues.

Struts are a wear item, along with just about everything else suspension-related.

As far as repairs costing more than the car is worth - it's not a corolla. Reliable doesn't have to mean cheap

verly6565

my 2010 gs350 has 177,000 miles on it , with not one item fail ,i did replace tires but to me something sounds a little shady to me ,take it to a lexus dealer

PauloFR

In fine, making sure the oil on the dipstick is between golden and black and the coolant is pink (or another color if it isn't Toyota antifreeze but with no milky deposit) would tell you whether it is a lie. Which at that mileage most likely is.

TruckerI5

That is just left over oil residue that gets hot and dries out, not sludge in your oil, nothing to worry about.

Seafoam, If you are using good gas, and doing regular oil changes with good oil, should not be necessary, Many will argue you should not be putting seafoam in newer vehicles. I would not put it in the crankcase, it will thin the oil out, why would you want to thin the oil out then run the engine for a couple of hundred miles like that? As for putting it in the gas tank once, I do not think it will "hurt" anything, but you may end up getting an engine light pop up if you do. A Lexus will often throw up a code, if I remember correctly it is maybe p0430 (you may have to double-check that) but it will be a catalyst efficiency below minimum code. I believe this is just from the seafoam being an oil that burns smokey and it throws off the sensors seeing this dirty stuff and thinking there is an issue with the converter. I experienced this when I put a can in my Lexus, but after the tank of fuel burned off and I put a new tank of gas in, the check engine light went away on its own. But I will not put it in my car again. I would say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But on my other older cars and my trucks, ya, I have no problem using seafoam. Just use good oil and do regular oil and filter changes, use clean quality gas and you should not ever need any products like seafoam regardless of the age of the vehicle.