i've been noticing every time i go to the gas station, i start filling up and the pump shuts off when it's only half-full... i tell the attendant it's only half-full and he has to fiddle with it to start filling again... then it fills up well past "F"... this happens at almost every station i go to...

anyone else have this issue?

on a similar note, i occasionally smell gas around the car (not at a gas station) and my mileage isn't what i'm expecting... i get around 16-17 mpg in mixed 60/40 city/hwy driving... shouldn't the ls get better than that?

could there be a gas leak or a gas tank issue?

 

There was, at one time, a TSB regarding that issue. I have a 2004, and it happens to me. The TSB replaces a part in the filler neck of the tank to correct the problem. As I recall, though, it will only be performed within the cars warranty period ..... I missed out on that.

Walt

 

FUEL TANK DIFFICULT TO FILL -2004 Lexus LS 430 Page 1 of 2

FUEL TANK DIFFICULT TO FILL

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN

Reference Number(s): EG012-06, Date of Issue: May 25, 2006
LEXUS: 2001-2005 LS 430
GROUP:ENGINE
Related Ref Number(s): EG012-06

ARTICLE BEGINNING
INTRODUCTION

Some customers may experience difficulty when attempting to fill the fuel tank. The
fuel filler nozzle may click off before the fuel tank is completely full. Improvements
have been made to the fuel filler inlet pipe to correct this condition.

APPLICABLE VEHICLES

z 2001 - 2005 model year LS 430 vehicles produced BEFORE the Production
Change Effective VIN shown below.

PRODUCTION CHANGE INFORMATION

PRODUCTION CHANGE INFORMATION

MODEL PRODUCTION CHANGE EFFECTIVE VIN
LS 430 JTHBN36F#65037924
PARTS INFORMATION


PARTS INFORMATION
MODEL
YEAR
PREVIOUS
PART NUMBER
CURRENT PART
NUMBER
PART NAME QTY
2001 - 2005 77201-50080 Same Fuel Tank Inlet
Pipe Sub-
assembly
1
WARRANTY INFORMATION

WARRANTY INFORMATION

OP CODE DESCRIPTION TIME OFP T1 T2
EG5050 R & R Fuel Tank Inlet Pipe 2.0 77201-50080 9A 99




FUEL TANK DIFFICULT TO FILL -2004 Lexus LS 430 Page 2 of 2

Sub-assembly 77201-50130
APPLICABLE WARRANTY

This repair is covered under the Lexus Emissions Warranty. This warranty is in
effect for 48 months or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicle's in-
service date. Warranty application is limited to correction of a problem based upon a
customer's specific complaint.

REPAIR PROCEDURE

1. Add fuel to vehicle to confirm that the fuel tank is difficult to fill.
2. Remove the fuel tank cap from the fuel filler inlet pipe.
3. Remove the fuel filler shield by removing the four (4) Phillips head screws and
one (1)14 mm nut.
Fig. 1: Removing Fuel Filler Shield

4. Remove the left rear wheel.
5. Remove the left rear wheel house liner by removing the nine (9) 10 mm nuts, two
(2) hex head screws, one (1) 10 mm Phillips head screw, and one (1) plastic clip.
6. Disconnect the fuel tank inlet pipe sub-assembly from the fuel inlet hose and the
fuel tank breather tubes.
7. Remove the fuel tank inlet pipe sub-assembly by removing the bracket with two
(2) 12 mm hex head bolts and then the clamp with two (2) 10 mm hex head bolts.
Fig. 2: Removing Fuel Tank Inlet Pipe Sub-Assembly

8. Install the NEW fuel tank inlet pipe sub-assembly.
9. Add fuel to the vehicle to confirm that the difficult-to-fill condition is eliminated.
10. Reassemble in the reverse order of disassembly.

 

thank you very much... i bought the lexus platinum warranty, so i'm hoping this is covered...

 

Your welcome. Good luck.

 

My car is well out of warranty. I just turn the gas nozzle upside down and slowly fill it that way.

Frankly, I think Lexus does itself a real disservice to the brand by not fixing ALL cars with the problem since it is clearly a manufacturing problem.

When I spoke to the dealer they said the above TSB procdure was $600.

This is my only negative feeling about Lexus.

 

Maybe you can get the parts and make a DIY.
Let me know if you need the pictures.

 

If buying an 04 or early 05 from a Toyota or Lexus dealer, it would make sense to negotiate this TSB (and all others) to be performed as a condition of purchase.

 

Good idea but you do not know you have the problem untill the check has been cashed , the vehicle has been "tripped" and you fill up YOUR car for the first time.

My point is that Lexus should man-up and do the right thing. This is clearly a manufacturing problem and maybe even a serious enough issue to warrant a recall.

To have the guts to tell a customer who bought because of the brand that there was a "gotcha" moment out there whne you went to fill up your gas tank fo rthe first time.

But we will ONLY charge you $600 to fix our engineering problem.

 

If the car has not had the TSB done and it has this problem, would it be evident every time you fill the tank? Most every used car I've ever driven at a dealership had less than 1/4 tank of fuel, so a stop at the gas station while on a test drive could be an easy test. Take the salesman along with his credit card. Heck, one short LS430 test drive I had was to and from a gas station. I wish I would have known about this problem then so I could have observed the fueling.

 

Get real.

Who is going to test for something that no other car has a problem with.

Again, IMO Lexus should take care of this problem not stick unsuspecting buyers of pre-owned vehicles with this annoying manufacturers mistake.

 

New pdf.....

 

nice job toantran!

 

The dealer I went to wanted $97 for the parts and $400 for the labor.

I can continue to turn the pump upside down for that money.

And as you can see this is not an easy fix.

 

The redesigned new fuel filler pipe works perfect.