Lower corner of door panel separating
03-09-09, 09:15 AM
#1
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Lower corner of door panel separating
Anyone have this problem?
The lower edge of the front passenger door has scrapped parking curbs when opening the door. This has caused the door panel to pull away from the interior panel, leaving a gap and the door edge sticking out. I had a body shop take the interior panel off and do some kind of repair. That lasted several months, then it happened again. I applied some epoxy structural adhesive to the point where they attach and clamped it over night. That held for several more months. Now it is separated again.
Is there a more permanent fix for this problem? Like pulling the door panel in again and securing it with a sheet metal screw from the inside panel? Here is a picture of how it looks right now:
03-11-09, 03:06 PM
#3
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Just had this fixed last month. You have three options:
1) Live with it, I could not. (cheapest)
2) Have a body shop use putty or a combo of putty and glue to re-attach cladding to door. (tried this, it did not work, pulled apart from door in one day) If you can get this to work, do it and save the money.
3) Have Lexus order you a new one and either have them install it or a body shop. It cost me $500.00 total, for the driver side front door. Same door as yours?? There is also insulation or sound deadening behind this you might have to replace as well, I had to.
Bottom line, this piece is held onto the door with plastic pins, they break in two after catching the bottom corner of the door on something, which I assume yours did as the picture looks the exact same as my door did before repair. You cannot do anything but get a whole new piece for it to look correct. (or see option #2 above)
Stupid design to have this megga expensive piece of plastic attached with plastic pins! Stupid.
BE VERY careful not to catch your leg on that corner of the door, and have to do it again!
David
Still trying to get my windshield to shut up, and my drivers seat to quit squeaking.
1) Live with it, I could not. (cheapest)
2) Have a body shop use putty or a combo of putty and glue to re-attach cladding to door. (tried this, it did not work, pulled apart from door in one day) If you can get this to work, do it and save the money.
3) Have Lexus order you a new one and either have them install it or a body shop. It cost me $500.00 total, for the driver side front door. Same door as yours?? There is also insulation or sound deadening behind this you might have to replace as well, I had to.
Bottom line, this piece is held onto the door with plastic pins, they break in two after catching the bottom corner of the door on something, which I assume yours did as the picture looks the exact same as my door did before repair. You cannot do anything but get a whole new piece for it to look correct. (or see option #2 above)
Stupid design to have this megga expensive piece of plastic attached with plastic pins! Stupid.
BE VERY careful not to catch your leg on that corner of the door, and have to do it again!
David
Still trying to get my windshield to shut up, and my drivers seat to quit squeaking.
03-11-09, 06:23 PM
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Very interesting that a couple members have had the same problem. As Atl (David) explained the putty method works for awhile. The permanent fix is way too expensive, so I am still hoping someone has fixed the door by replacing those plastic pins with sheet metal screws. I guess as a last resort, I could drill a small hole in the door from the outside and install a stainless steel or chrome machine screw with a nut and washer on the inside. What do you guys think of this?
03-12-09, 02:49 PM
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Very interesting that a couple members have had the same problem. As Atl (David) explained the putty method works for awhile. The permanent fix is way too expensive, so I am still hoping someone has fixed the door by replacing those plastic pins with sheet metal screws. I guess as a last resort, I could drill a small hole in the door from the outside and install a stainless steel or chrome machine screw with a nut and washer on the inside. What do you guys think of this?
03-12-09, 03:02 PM
#7
This is unacceptable for a company that wants to claim it has a world class car. This leaves me with the feeling I have little side impact protection. I so hate to go crawling back to the German companies.
Does this effect the 04-06 LS too?
Does this effect the 04-06 LS too?
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03-12-09, 09:04 PM
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Don't crawl, head up high and give that nice Audi salesman a firm handshake! Or the nice BMW guy, but really, I'd go Audi. I am...........soon........soon as the world economy stops melting! Lexus are you listening? We are tired of your substandard parts, squeaking drivers seats, leather that feels somehow fake, dead gas struts for the boot and the bonnet, too much cheap feeling plastic in the cabin, noisy windshields we have to spend MORE money to fix at glass shops. Cooling seats that don't cool, crap stereos worse than in a Chevy, squeaking door rubber over small bumps, insane parts prices, etc. Passion for Perfection?? You're serious? Really? Really?
Love your engines though, and the nice muffins and coffee at the dealers.
Your customer/s
Last edited by Atl; 03-12-09 at 09:07 PM.
03-13-09, 11:31 AM
#9
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I've seen this issue before on another LS430. I agree with Atl. We are now starting to see how Lexus began to cut corners around 2001. The cars are getting worse and worse. The squeaks, rattles, noises, suspension issues, body fit and finish issues have convinced me I want my next car to be another brand. Lately, the LS430 forum looks like something you'd see on a Mercedes forum. How sad...
03-13-09, 12:37 PM
#10
I've seen this issue before on another LS430. I agree with Atl. We are now starting to see how Lexus began to cut corners around 2001. The cars are getting worse and worse. The squeaks, rattles, noises, suspension issues, body fit and finish issues have convinced me I want my next car to be another brand. Lately, the LS430 forum looks like something you'd see on a Mercedes forum. How sad...
Atl, I love your reply to my posting. I will take your advice. Thanks.
03-14-09, 10:53 AM
#11
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This is beyond sad. The very thing that brought me to Lexus will be the same thing that drives me away. I was a long time fan of Mercedes until they lost their way. Based on the experience of my friends I will likely next try Audi. After Audi I will just give up.
Atl, I love your reply to my posting. I will take your advice. Thanks.
Atl, I love your reply to my posting. I will take your advice. Thanks.
03-15-09, 06:41 AM
#12
That's pretty bad damage and we would hope that our cars would be good enough to take the abuse, but no one (including MB, BMW, or Audi) is going to build a car to be abused and live to everyone's expectations. Otherwise, the cars would cost double what they are now.
Whether Lexus has "failed us" with cheap material or not, and whether you see any value in Consumer Reports or not, take it for what it's worth but when MB was going bad in quality and reliability, it was reflected by both consumers and quality reports. In Lexus' case, it has not seen any drops in most reports and reports that have shown drops they have not dropped to the extent that MB has dropped.
Hey, if you all feel that Lexus has failed you, then they have failed you so maybe you should give the other makes a try and they just might be better... who's to know unless you try. For me, I've seen no quality issues and realiability for me thus far has been great so I'll stay with "ole reliable..."
Whether Lexus has "failed us" with cheap material or not, and whether you see any value in Consumer Reports or not, take it for what it's worth but when MB was going bad in quality and reliability, it was reflected by both consumers and quality reports. In Lexus' case, it has not seen any drops in most reports and reports that have shown drops they have not dropped to the extent that MB has dropped.
Hey, if you all feel that Lexus has failed you, then they have failed you so maybe you should give the other makes a try and they just might be better... who's to know unless you try. For me, I've seen no quality issues and realiability for me thus far has been great so I'll stay with "ole reliable..."
03-15-09, 12:06 PM
#13
That's pretty bad damage and we would hope that our cars would be good enough to take the abuse, but no one (including MB, BMW, or Audi) is going to build a car to be abused and live to everyone's expectations. Otherwise, the cars would cost double what they are now.
Whether Lexus has "failed us" with cheap material or not, and whether you see any value in Consumer Reports or not, take it for what it's worth but when MB was going bad in quality and reliability, it was reflected by both consumers and quality reports. In Lexus' case, it has not seen any drops in most reports and reports that have shown drops they have not dropped to the extent that MB has dropped.
Hey, if you all feel that Lexus has failed you, then they have failed you so maybe you should give the other makes a try and they just might be better... who's to know unless you try. For me, I've seen no quality issues and realiability for me thus far has been great so I'll stay with "ole reliable..."
Whether Lexus has "failed us" with cheap material or not, and whether you see any value in Consumer Reports or not, take it for what it's worth but when MB was going bad in quality and reliability, it was reflected by both consumers and quality reports. In Lexus' case, it has not seen any drops in most reports and reports that have shown drops they have not dropped to the extent that MB has dropped.
Hey, if you all feel that Lexus has failed you, then they have failed you so maybe you should give the other makes a try and they just might be better... who's to know unless you try. For me, I've seen no quality issues and realiability for me thus far has been great so I'll stay with "ole reliable..."
I am just learning about Lexus products, but Mercedes is a company I know very well with 20+ years of hands on experience. For me they started their decline around 1985 with the 124 bodied cars. I have been in their showrooms this year and have seen paint jobs that are completely unacceptable. Their customer service is much below that of my Lexus dealership. The finial straw for me was when Mercedes and BMW began to fall in side impact crash test. There will be exceptions to my experience but for me Audi has held my interests since 2004 based on one of my closest friend's trouble free ownership of a new A6 and A8. His A8 is built MUCH better than my LS but my customer service experience has been much better. The German seems to resist good customer service. I admit my LS is not an Autobahn quality car but I don't live in a country with an Autobahn. I live in a country with bad customer service so my pick has been right for me.
03-15-09, 01:25 PM
#14
Forums and threads like this are very good. I'm not sure if ClubLexus is affiliated with Lexus in any way, but I have been linked to ClubLexus by offical Lexus promos, so this forum definitely has the attention of Lexus in some respect. As long as we posts issues with our Lexus' and they are out there, then it's up to Lexus to listen, or lose customers to other makes.
Just like American makes and German makes that lost customers to the Japanese, if the Japanese don't listen and fall into the same pit as they did, then the Japanese will lose out to other makes. If those other makes do make better vehicles, then Lexus will lose customers that either will never come back, or will take a long time to lure back.
Just like American makes and German makes that lost customers to the Japanese, if the Japanese don't listen and fall into the same pit as they did, then the Japanese will lose out to other makes. If those other makes do make better vehicles, then Lexus will lose customers that either will never come back, or will take a long time to lure back.
03-15-09, 01:39 PM
#15
Forums and threads like this are very good. I'm not sure if ClubLexus is affiliated with Lexus in any way, but I have been linked to ClubLexus by offical Lexus promos, so this forum definitely has the attention of Lexus in some respect. As long as we posts issues with our Lexus' and they are out there, then it's up to Lexus to listen, or lose customers to other makes.
Just like American makes and German makes that lost customers to the Japanese, if the Japanese don't listen and fall into the same pit as they did, then the Japanese will lose out to other makes. If those other makes do make better vehicles, then Lexus will lose customers that either will never come back, or will take a long time to lure back.
Just like American makes and German makes that lost customers to the Japanese, if the Japanese don't listen and fall into the same pit as they did, then the Japanese will lose out to other makes. If those other makes do make better vehicles, then Lexus will lose customers that either will never come back, or will take a long time to lure back.