We got the truck back Thursday night and the noise in the steering is gone. After keeping it for a week and trying to figure what was causing it, they tracked down a bolt under the wiper cowl that connects the body to a support beam under the dash that was not tightened from the factory. If you here a thud from your steering over bumps that sounds like it is inside the truck, this would be the first place to look, as I doubt just one truck had the bolt loose since most of that is done with automated assembly. The tech said he could push up on the steering wheel and get the noise to show up, then they tracked it under the dash to the bolt (apparently the steering shaft is attached to the other bar). Anyway, the noise is gone, the wheel is still crooked and I still think it drives awful...but my wife likes it, so on we go...lol!

On the RX note, we have driven several since the purchase of the GX and the hybrid did grow on us after a week or so. It is very quick, as is the gas car, but I think I prefer the regular tranny over the CVT unit. We only saw a couple of mpg difference in the vehicles, so the cost of the hybrid would take awhile to offset.

 

Thanks for sharing this useful information, which may help others with a similar problem.

Your wife and my wife agree about the GX 460 ... and so do I. We just took turns driving a weekend road trip up the New Jersey Turnpike and down I-95. The GX 460 shows its best on highway cruising rather than "canyon carving" ... and the mileage on the highway is impressive.
Regards,

SaniDel


P.S. We gave up on hybrids after driving the RX 400h for over four years. We trade cars too frequently to see the payback for the "hybrid premium" and besides ... we like trucks!

 

We dropped the truck off this morning at a local shop to have the alignment checked (the owner is the best alignment guy in town) and it turns out that the alignment is actually perfect. This is good in that at least the tires will last, and bad that the odd handling is just a product of the vehicle.

 

Tell us more about the "odd handling". The part of the problem that was due to the loose bolt was solved when they found the source of the clunking. So, your alignment is perfect, the clunking has been isolated and solved, but the "odd handling" persists, right?

If by "odd handling" you mean it drives like a truck ... well, you are right ... that is a product of the design. Depending on what else you drive or were driving when you traded, that may be very obvious although I doubt former GX 470 owners will notice. Those who went all the way from plush sedans like the LS 460 will have a harder time adapting. We went from a RX 400h, which is a crossover SUV, but we were looking for the truck experience like our LXs.

On the way home from a concert in Philadelphia late on Sunday night with very light traffic we observed that the new GX is like our old LXs ... perfected! It is ideal for highway hauling, almost as quiet as a sedan and the seat comfort is the best we've driven ... but it remains a truck. Fortunately, it is easy to forget that other than on harsh or winding roads.
Regards,

SaniDel

 

Well, the main thing that I dislike about the handling is that it requires alot of steering input to maintain your intended course. My wife feels this way, too. We had a Honda Pilot prior to this one, but since it was a unibody vehicle it drove more like a car, a car that didn't corner well, but a car...lol. When you start and stop, there is alot of steering input needed to keep the truck straight. All the GX460s we have driven were like this, so I guess it's just the way they drive. I am not a truck person, and neither is my wife, so this may be the issue. I drive an '04 LS460UL and an '84 Volvo 244 turbo with alot of suspension mods, so I am used to "car handling".

The truck does do well in corners...staying pretty flat and feeling much smaller and closer to the road than it really is. I am impressed with the speed it can take some of the exit ramps near us.

 

May I suggest that you increase your tire pressure to 40 PSI?

Yes, that is a lot more than the 32 recommended by Lexus, but your tires are rated for a lot more than 40 PSI ... probably 54 PSI if they are the same tires as on our GX 460. Your ride will be a bit harsher, but the steering control will increase ... it will be easier to "keep it between the lines".
Regards,

SaniDel


P.S. Considering that your other rides are cars and not trucks, it seems unlikely that you will 'forget' that the GX 460 is a truck. For my wife and I who only own one vehicle for both of us, the GX 460 is the "new normal" ... and we love it!

P.P.S. Our 2010 GX 460 goes into the dealership on Monday morning for its 18 month/15,000 mile service, but with less than 14,000 on the odometer. As we will also have it detailed we have requested a loaner vehicle. I expect an RX "or less", which we will hate because it is ... well, not a truck!

 

So my wife and I were going to spend our day off together exploring areas near us that we have not been to yet and she wanted to take her truck....oh good, this should be fun. Well, I was thinking about your tire pressure comments and decided to check hers. All 4 tires were set to 37psi. This was done by the dealership, as the truck came with the NitroFill program. I checked the door and the plate shows 32psi as the specified pressure. I lowered the pressures to 32 and we drove around all day....and it rode SOOOO much better! The truck is alot less bumpy, even in the sport setting (ours is a premium) and is actually pretty nice on the freeway in the comfort setting. The twitchy straight line performance is also very much improved, with the truck staying in its lane with a greatly reduced amount of effort!

Long and short of it....if your GX460 has strange handling or rides really badly, check the tire pressures!!! It's still not my favorite thing to drive, but at least it doesn't annoy me within 5 miles now....oh, we also got 17.9mpg today over about 100 miles of mixed driving!

 

Very interesting! So, a premium version with suspension adjustments runs better at 32 PSI, but a base version without the suspension tricks runs better at higher pressure. Well, that would explain why we prefer 40 PSI in our base version. Thanks for your insight.
Regards,

SaniDel

 

Mine doesn't have air suspension either, and the ride quality is great at 34psi. I also believe the slightly increased tire pressure should give better mileage.

 

Ride quality was superb at 32 PSI, but control and directional stability suffered on our base version. For a considerable increase in the latter we paid only a small price in the former. Our preference is higher pressure, better control and a slightly bumpier ride.

You are right about improved mileage!

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...y-mileage.html

Regards,

SaniDel

 

I'm running 35 PSI in my premium and it doesn't have a harsh ride. I check my tires when they're cold...

 

I run 40 psi and it feels just right. (45 when towing)

Koz

 

i was running 40 psi, then checked it after riding. it went to 45 psi, above the recommended range, so i deflated it down to 42 HOT....

dont know if the tire pressure max is supposed to be checked at standstill or when hot after driving, but wont take a chance on tire rupture. i am sure it will get even higher with the heat..

 

Check the pressure in the morning after the tires have cooled overnight. The bigger risk is they may be under-inflated when cool.

One of our members posted a useful article about tire inflation from which I recall this ... tires are made with heat and with enough heat they will disintegrate! Tires with low air pressure flex more and get hotter than tires with high air pressure ... it is better to be overinflated rather than under-inflated, but don't exceed the maximum pressure molded on the sidewall.
Regards,

SaniDel


P.S. The maximum pressure for the Michelin Latitude Tour HP on our GX 460 is 54 PSI ... nowhere near worrying about tire rupture!

 

i have the latitude tours and the psi max is 44. wonder why the HP has higher?