Hello everyone.

Okay, as much as I love my GX, I'm sometimes thinking that I'm unlucky with the car I bought.

1) The steering vibration I have at 60-65mph is still not fixed and every shop refers to my "AT" tires. They are not even E rated and I don't believe the tires are the issue. They are brand new. TSB for dynamic damper looks like is not needed as my GX's vin falls into late models where the damper was factory installed.

2) This is the main issue for now and looks like it somehow connected to the first issue...
When I accelerate very very slowly as if I was keeping the speed (like when you drive a speed limit, but still accelerate a bit), the whole car starts to shake/vibrate very strong. I believe it starts at the front bottom, then it quickly feels like the whole car is vibrating and shaking strong. In order to eliminate it, I need to accelerate faster. It happens at just past 40mph, 45mph and close to 50 sometimes.
If I accelerate normally (city driving), it rarely happens or sometimes just a quick 3 sec vibration/shaking at speeds mentioned above, but not always it happens. If I accelerate faster than normal(highways) it does not happen.
If only I had a good Toyota/Lexus mechanic here... Really fed up with fixing my GX. Well, not really fixing, but trying to fix, when a car shop cannot find a problem(regarding issue (1).
I'm going to a shop and see if they can find and fix the problem. Just sharing here to see if someone before had the same issue.

Things I have replaced in the car:
CV axle joints
All rotors and pads
2 front wheel bearings
4 wheels and tires
Front U-Joints
Sway bar links and bushings

These I was told that are in a good shape:
Ball joints, Control arms, tie rod ends etc... 3 shops told me that suspension parts are good.

I'm leaning towards badly installed CV axle joints. Cause a private mechanic installed them with no lifting machine, using just a floor jack. And at the end he said that he hardly managed to install them.

I hope I will finally fix the 2 issues in the car and just drive it with reg maintenance.
Thank you.

 

The tires can be quickly ruled out by swapping another set of wheels/tires on and going for a test drive. Have you got a buddy with a 6-bolt Toyota (4Runner, Tacoma, 1st gen Tundra, etc) that you could swap with?

The 2nd issue sounds like it could be torque converter shudder, does the vibration stop if you let off the gas pedal? Or does it continue as you coast? Has the trans fluid ever been flushed?

 

1) I had the same vibration with old tires, which were not worn out, just old.

2) I believe the vibration stops if I let off the gas pedal. Will double check on the way home tonight. The trans fluid was replaced at 165k, when i just bought the GX. Now it's on 168k. Not sure if it was flushed. To be exact - performed transmission fluid and filter exchange - on paper. I was told that the condition of the fluid was fairly bad but good enough to replace it.

 

Were the old tires on the same rims you're using now? Maybe a bent rim? Have you tried having them roadforce balanced?

I've experienced the TC shudder on mine a few years back, I flushed the trans fluid and haven't had it come back (knock on wood). Felt like a rumble strip sensation inside the car.

 

1) The old tires were on stock rims, balanced many times(but not road force there) - vibration.
Then replaced with new tires on stock rims with road force balance this time - vibration - RF 26, RR 25, LR 15, LF 17. Rebalanced with 2 replaced tires - RF 14, RR 25, LR 15, LF 17. - vibration.
Then replaced stock rims with Sequoia rims, roadforce balanced - vibration.
Basically, replaced wheels and rims - vibration persists.

2) Yes, it really feels like 'a rumble strip sensation'. and it feels really hard. The whole car shakes.

Thank you. If a car shop confirms that, hopefully, I'll get rid of the shake by flushing my trans.

 

Possibly if you've already ruled/replaced everything there is to be replaced when experiencing this, then yes, move onto part of the "Drivetrain" which as IanB2 mentions, could be Tranny/TC shrudder.

 

CV joints are either properly installed (no leaks from front diff), or they're not. I can't think of anything that could be incorrect there besides failing to properly seat in the diff side which would cause a leak and be obvious right away. I've replaced mine using a floor jack and jack stands, nothing to tricky there really.

As for the rumble sensation, try lifting off the gas, or putting the trans into neutral next time it happens, it should be obvious if it ceases when the load is removed from the trans if that's your issue or not. There was an additive some people were adding to their trans fluid to ease the symptoms, I wasn't able to locate it without having to order online, so I didn't use it, and the fluid swap seems to have resolved the issue on my truck.

 

Thank you guys.
It is just weird for me that before I replaced those things, I did not have the steering wheel vibration.

As for the rumble, I don't remember when it started as before I though it was just an uneven road and did not give an attention to it.
Letting off the gas pedal and changing to neutral does not eliminate the steering vibration at 60-65mph.
I'll check if that will make any changes to the rumble.

Thanks agian.

 

Stumbled across this when searching for something else just now, the link has a lot of good reading for you:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...sensation.html

 

Thank you IanB2. This looks like the answer for my issue.
I wonder how much it will be to drain and fill 3-4 times the trans fluid in a shop. That must cost a lot. Anyways, I'll need to do that.

Thank you again! Hopefully, this will eliminate the issue.

Edit: I did not read the threat to the end. So... just a drain and fill not yet... reading...

 

You could try to DIY it.

There are plenty of threads, plus videos on YouTube as well.

 

Here's a few of the "Transmission Fluid Replacement" videos:

 

Okay, yeah. Looks like the trans fluid needs to be drained and refilled. But I replaced my trans fluid 5k miles ago. Did a shop do it wrong?
If I have the fluid flashed and replaced, will that be the same as drain and fill, but just one time? Or better to drain and fill 4 times?

Thank you for your help @IanB2 @Rygar470 ! I hope this will work!

 

Usually on older vehicles, you want to do a drain and fill 3-4 times. Reason being is, not all of the fluid will come out in the 1st, 2nd, or sometimes even 3rd Drain and Fill, because some of it, is always left behind in the Torque Converter. Some people like to do it, every other oil change, some people like to do it, every week until you reach your 4th fluid drain and fill. As you saw in the last video, some people swear by doing it within the same day. But either way you choose to do it, it is preferred(Again, on an older vehicle) that you drain and fill, rather than FLUSHING by a machine, due to the contaminants flowing/suspended and possibly plugging your direction of flow.

At least that has been my understanding. I'm sure, others will either promote, or debunk this.. YMMV.

 

Thank you, I've heard that too. Just wanted to confirm It looks like the previous shop just drained and filled, and not all the fluid was replaced at the time. Will do it 4 times regardless.