Hey guys,

So I just purchased a 2011 Lexus IS 250. It has about 104500 miles on it. I've had it for about 2 months now. There was previously an issue with the catalytic converter that the dealership which I purchased the vehicle from was able to replace, due to the vehicle still being under warranty. Additionally, the tire pressure light has been on since I purchased it. I thought that maybe the tires needed air but upon checking, it seems that the tire pressure is fine on all 4 tires. I've since disregarded this, since no other lights popped up on the dashboard. Today, I noticed that my steering wheel now requires significantly more effort to turn the wheel... especially for sharp turns. Additionally, the power steering light is illuminated. I drove it to work and back, about 20 min drive away, and it seems to be driving fine, however the steering wheel takes a lot of effort to turn.

My question is, is this related to the tire pressure issue, or is this independent? If so, what could the issue be?

 

Perhaps bad inner / outer tie end rods and/or front lower ball joints?

 

Take your car back to the dealer. Have them check the alternator, and battery. It could be a failing alternator.

If it goes out most likely it will be an expensive repair.

 

i keep reading about failing alternators. Is this becoming a common problem for 2IS? What are the symptoms and is there anything that can be done to help mitigate it?

 

There's not much you can do. They usually fail at around 100k+ miles. That's pretty impressive since that's the only second failure I've had to replace. The other being the evap purge valve.

Minus the normal basic tune up intervals.

You can read about it here:
It's mostly a DIY, but you can realize what other problems it could bring along.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...removal-2.html

 

As for mitigation, the first time one notices the engine cranking slowly during start up, that is a warning sign that potentially the battery is losing cold cranking Amps (CCA) and should be tested and/or replaced.

Warmer / Coldest climates will consume batteries quicker but a rule of thumb is to buy the best battery you can afford and plan to replace it every 4 to 5 years. More short trips = more batteries compared to a vehicle started twice a day logging 60 mi round trip.