HoleinOne

I noticed some annoying squeaks and low crackling noises coming from the passenger side window of my 2002 LS430. The dealer made several attempts to resolve the problem, including replacing the whole door panel; but, the problem persisted. Now it is also coming from the driver side. I was finally able to deduce that the noise is coming from the rubber window seals because it went away temporarily after I applied some lubricant; but, the noise would return after it dries.

Has anyone else experienced the same problem? Any solutions?

Beside the annoying noise, it seems that the body of the LS is not very rigid. The noise tends to occur when the car experiences some torsional stress, such as going over speed bumps or going onto a driveway diagonally or driving on a bumpy road.

BrickHead

My girlfriend's LS430 had a similar problem recently. The dealer added some felt behind the door panels and lubed the door seal. Haven't heard the noises again.

tech237

silicone spray.

HoleinOne

Thanks for the replies. I've tried silicone spray before. The problem was that it only lasted a couple of months before the noise would come back. In addition, the lubricant left ugly smudges on the glass.

flkey

'03 LS430...........COCOON
creaking noise when resting arm on driver side door sill, complained to dealer, great response, removed door panel, proceeded to isolate panel from inner door skin. Isolators were 1" x 2" x 1/8" foam patches, maybe 15 in all, stuck-on where contact between the two surfaces occured.
Dealer located Ft. Myers, FL.

Leeladisky

Same problem here '01 LS430... dealer has replaced seals on drivers side, no effect. I have used lubricants galore, and the only ones that seem to work (again for short times) are the "dry" type silicon lubes. Use the dry type, lube the seals, wipe clean and it should take care of the problem for a while... please note, dirty windows and seals will make the problem worse. The precision with which an LS430 is engineered, specifically the tolerances, make this a problem - the seals are VERY tight. Make sure you clean the windows regularly and the seals as well - use a rubber cleaner, not anything with alcohol or similar solvent to avoid drying the rubber and eventually accelerating the aging process (i.e., cracking). Also, whatever you do, do NOT use anything like Lexol or oil based products - ESPECIALLY cheapa$$ Armorall... hope this helps!

L

HoleinOne

Thanks for the advise. What would you suggest for the dry silicon lube?

Maybe it is the hot dry weather in So Cal. The problem is getting worse. I have noticed that the right rear door seal is making the same noise. I have had 11 different cars in the last 20 years and have never had this problem on any of them.

Leeladisky

There's a 3m drylube that you can buy at most hardware and auto parts stores... seems to work well. You can also contact your dealer and buy a can of what they use, directly from them (mine sold to me). Hope this helps!

L