eptigers

I've searched the forum, the FAQ and the manual, can't seem to find any info on my issue. 2006 ML, 77k miles. No history of any maintenance issues whatsoever.

Yesterday and again this morning I shift the car into drive and nothing happens - car won't move. Power brakes seem to lost power/pressure as there is a great deal of resistance on the petal. No reverse either. On the dash the Check Engine light and the battery light comes on. I can turn the car off then restart and everything returns to normal. Power steering seems a little tighter since yesterday but I can't be sure since I just got the car from a Lexus dealer last week.

I stopped by AutoZone last night hand had them pull codes - nothing. I have an appointment with my Indie Monday morning.

Unrelated I believe, my Master Warning LIght (red triangle) and "Maint. Required" text appeared this week as it's been just over 5k since the last oil change.

Thanks in advance, ep

caddyowner

If you just bought the car from a Lexus dealer last week, I'd take it back and ask them politely to address the problem for no charge.

BTW, Welcome!

eptigers

Unfortunately I live in Dallas and bought the car in San Antonio, 300 miles away. Doable, just not easy. I've started a dialog with the dealership, dropping it at the local Lexus dealership and cross billing the service charge to San Antonio seems reasonable.

caddyowner

Suggest Sewell in DFW.

jay33

definitely take it back to Lexus dealership. taking it to independent mechanic at this point would be a bad move and might give Lexus opportunity to void the limited warranty i'm assuming u got with the car.

eptigers

Thanks everyone,

I heard back from the GM at North Park Lexus in San Antonio within an hour of leaving him a message and they indicated they want to take care of the issue at their cost - "if we sell you a car, it should last more than a week". They asked if they could send a driver up with a loaner car but I really didn't want to put 600 miles on the car if it turns out to be a simple fix. Or have it on the side of the highway if it is more serious. It was dropped at Sewell Lexus this afternoon and all repair charges will be cross billed back to North Park. I'll post again when we know the issue. Could be an issue between the CPU and the transmission.

caddyowner

Sounds promising. Please keep up posted.

eptigers

Update...Sewell in Dallas had the car for four days while I was out of town. They were unable to replicate the problem while starting the car 20 or 30 times along with light driving and having a tech take it home. But they did address a low tire pressure that I raised at the time of purchase - I had a concern about service records indicating multiple instances of leaky wheels. I was assured the issues had been addressed, but upon arriving in Dallas from San Antonio three of the tires were down 10 lbs or more. In subsequent days I refilled the tires to 35 PSI only to have them drop three to five lbs in 48 hours.

Last Friday I picked the car up and five miles from the dealership I get a low tire pressure warnings. I get to the office and put a digital gauge on it - 37 lbs left side, both right side tires at 25.5 or 26. I'm told to get the car back to the shop a.s.a.p. Later that day I'm told they will likely get me two new rims considering the documented prior issues. Final approval for the installation of two new wheels would come from the Service Director returning tomorrow.

Today I check back, and I'm told my battery was nearly dead, that's what was causing the car not to go into Drive or Reverse and throw the check engine light and battery light (Both of which did go out when the car started up and shifted in to drive). This doesn't make sense to me and seems completely unrelated- the car starts strong, but intermittently doesn't go into D or R three of last six times I start it and it’s because the battery is dead? But starts for the shop 20 or 30 times last week? Can this be possible? I don't doubt the battery was dead, checking service records it might be the original battery.

As for the Maintenance required message with the Red Triangle indicator, it was determined that an oil change was down at 72,500 and then again at 76,500 in the make ready service, but the techs did not reset the service indicator. I get that, my Audi Indie never reset mine in 10 years and I do recall it coming on at 77,500.

But I'm told the reason my TMPS warnings went off last Friday was because the system was calibrated incorrectly when the tires were refilled. But I reminded the SA that I checked the pressures with a digital gauge, and they were definitely down, it wasn’t a false warning. If the car left the shop with 35PSI, they dropped 10 PSI within 20 minutes, regardless of I'm told they brought all tires back up to 35psi and are monitoring pressures with light driving. The Service Director returns tomorrow. Again, I’m appreciative of all the assistance, the re-cutting of the wheel beads and the new battery, but I’m not sure we are getting to the root of the problem. I've suggested putting the tires in a tub of water to look for leaks, I think it might be damaged valve stems corrosion on the rims

Does this make any sense? Any feedback based on prior experience is appreciated.

eptigers

The new battery and getting the tires' bead recut seems to cured everything. Over the course of four days last week I spent 20+ hours doing paint correction, detailing, and refreshing a few things.

Thanks for the feedback and the support, looking forward to learning as much as I can about the car. Lunch hours for the next week or so will be spent in the parking lot with the manual.

Here's my detailing steps...


Paintwork:
Citrus Wash (2x4 method)
Uber Blue Medium Clay and Mequiars QD
Meguiars Ultimate Compound (much easier to work than M105) and Orange pad
Meguiars M205 and White
P21S paint cleanser and Blue
Adams Car Wash
Power Lock sealant with LC Black pad, waited 20 hours, did a second coat.

Headlights:
Meguiars 105 on yellow pad
M205 on White Pad
Meguiars Headlight Protectant

Wheels:
Meguiars Chrome Polish
Adams VRT

Interior:
Leather Master Rapid S Cleaner, Protection Cream and Vital
1ez Cockpit spray

Glass:
Glass Science Glass Scrub followed by Rain Clear

Other corrective measures..
New cashmere floor mats
Replaced tarnished chrome tips with new OEM tips
Replaced all gold badging with chrome emblems
Replaced generic, blank center caps with OEM Lexus caps.

john339

So, was it the battery?

Playdrv4me

A low battery or a problematic alternator or voltage regulator can wreak all kinds of seemingly unrelated havoc on vehicles due to their complex electrical nature. It sounds like the new battery resolved all of his major issues.

eptigers

No issues since then.

Jabberwock

Great looking LS.