Hi everyone,

A couple of months back I noticed this noise that sounds like it's coming from the front left side. It sounds like a groan and only happens when there is very slight steering pressure to the right (as in going straight but due to road contours). When the opposite pressure the groan stops. slight "S" turns back and forth also bring up the noise; right steering, noise, left steering, noise gone. At speeds below 20 mph it is not noticeable but anything higher it is. Strangely, it does not increase with higher speeds. Took it to the dealer and they test drove it, checked everything and said it is "probably just resonance." They did say to bring it back in if the noise increases or anything else feels different as to steering, etc. Car drives straight and does not pull to one side or the other. Maybe front left tire? Anyone have an idea of what might cause this?

 

Sounds like your left front wheel bearing is going out. When you steer to the right, weight is transfered to the left and a bad bearing will make more noise with pressure on it.

If it is a bad bearing, you have time. It will get louder as the miles pass and after a while it will make noise when going straight.

I made it from Daytona to western NY with a bearing that sounded like a helicopter. It was under a one year guarantee with my local mechanic so I didn't change it.

 

Thanks Tenspeed, that is what I thought it might be too. I'm going to take it back to the dealership and ask them to replace the bearing.

 

I just replaced one under warranty on Thursday last week on the passenger side. It went all of a sudden with no prior warning.

I had a massive vibration with your exact symptoms, but on the opposite side. Steering towards the bad bearing at the slightest degree causes it to stop. But top dead center was making noise and you can feel it through the gas and brake pedals.

The resonance is not harmonic, it is your bearing. At speed it will increase stronger.

They replace bearing and hub assembly. I had checked Lexus inventory in North America, and believe I got the last passenger side bearing in (Canada anyways), I was told there was no inventory on driver side bearings.

There maybe some waiting for parts on this one.

I am also suspecting that my drivers side is also going, and am having it inspected later this week.

Initially when I lifted the car on a hoist, I could pull on the tire (on the defective one) , and it moves (where it should not have) about 1/2 and inch in play. So I immediately knew that the bearing was shot.

 

Thanks for the info Digger08. This is not good as from what I read when researching the IS F, the bearings and hub were heavy duty in order to ensure that they didn't fail during high speed turns, especially on the track. I guess mine isn't that far gone yet as I don't get any vibration through the pedals at any speed and the sound doesn't change as speed increases. I recall a couple of long term tests (40k miles) of the IS F and except for tires and brakes, nothing else broke which was a major plus in my decision to purchase this car. Oh well, maybe the replacements will be more durable.

 

The sound never changes (as in the speed of noise) it increases in intensity at speed (mine started at about 80 Kilometers). You do not have a vibration (yet), but you must certainly feel the grinding of the bearings when you feather the steering and start to put a load on that bearing.

Your symptoms were exactly the same as mine - car drove straight and never pulled. I think that your particular diagnosis is a bad response from the dealer and you should pursue it further.

 

May be the power steering pump/rack. If the car is stationary, can you still hear the "groan"? If so, it's in the power steering system.

 

I still had a brake pulsation (only) after the bearing was changed, and I did not think it was related.

Apparently my broken wheel bearing took out my passenger side rotor (warped). This seemed unusual, as the rotor was only 2 months old. Never the less both front rotors were replaced again under warranty and the vibration is now completely gone. The drivers side bearing is ok for now

 

Hey guys, hoping to resurrect this thread --

My F has a strange noise coming from the front passenger side wheel area. For those of you who have driven a front wheel drive car with a blown out CV boot, the sound on my car is very similar to that.

Anyy ideas?