We bought a certified 2006 LS 430 from Lexus years ago, but since day one, trunk is very heavy to lift and can blow down in strong wind. A friend of mine recently suggested perhaps the pistons are worn out. My mechanic is ordering new pistons and will test to see if this resolves the problem.
Wondering if this is normal for the LS430, is your trunk heavy? Does it pop up when you release it from inside? Mine has to be lifted.
Thanks
djs

 

They don't pop up like any GM produt from the last 15 years. Not sure why Toyota stayed away from the self lifting trunk. I had to replace the struts on both my 2001 and the 2005. They do wear out, but make a huge difference in holding it open when they are strong.

 

Yah the trunk opening is super weird but its totally normal so no worries like stated above replacing the trunk struts can do wonders.

 

It is by far the heaviest deck lid I've experienced in 45 plus years of driving. Mine merely unlatches when remotely released, raising up less than an inch. It is a chore to fully raise it open.

 

Time for you to replace the struts (or way past time).

 

I don't know, jayclapp - the struts hold it fully open just fine. It's getting to that point that seems odd.

 

Here's a good test to determine if the struts are normal strength. Open the trunk lid to full open. Pull the lid down slowly. It should require a pull until the bottom of the lid is approximately 11 inch from full closure. At that point (ll inches open) it will start to close on it's own. That means that when opening the lid, it will require effort to open until the lid is higher 11 inches or so from the closed position.

If the struts are not OEM and are stronger than OEM, then the trunk will require excessive (uncomfortable) effort to pull the lid down from the open position. I ordered extra strong non-OEM and I really didn't like how difficult closing the trunk became with them.

 

My trunk deck operates the same way. Regardless if using the keyfob, the magic button on the bottom edge of the trunk lid, or the release latch at the driver's left knee, when initiated to open, my trunk raises maybe 3/4" from the fully closed position. I have to place my fingers in that dangerously precarious location of between the bumper and the bottom edge of the trunk lid. BE CAREFUL! The closing/latching motor doesn't care if your fingers are in an unsafe area!

It does take some effort to raise, but once in the raised position, it easily stays there. As a matter of fact, often times when I go to close it, I'll nudge it down with my elbow gently pushing it down. When I think it has enough momentum to close on it's own, I walk away....only to see the trunk a little more than 1/2 way closed. I don't think the struts have degraded since when I purchased in 2009.

 

The struts carry what looks like a KYB logo on a silver label that includes Japanese lettering. Don't know if they are OEM or not. To your main point - by the time the opening shrinks to 11 inches when closing it, gravity via the weight of the deck lid takes over and it readily falls to a position where the closer pulls it shut.

 

From what you all say, my trunk sounds like it's just fine. I must say I liked my Chrysler and Lincoln trunks better but having the Lexus checked out anyway, just to be sure.
Are struts the same thing as pistons? My mechanic has ordered pistons for me.

 

While the LS shares similarities with a Lincoln or even a Chrysler Cordoba aka couch on wheels, that's where the similarities end, thank God!

 

Yes, overall it's heavy, and one has to get the hang of it to avoid slamming--my wife used to always slam the trunk and I would tell her it closes on its own.

I believe it's the physics of it, the way the hinge is designed. imho it's to increase space by eliminating the spring/arms. This design seems to be gone, and even new premium cars are back with arms (you can still have gas struts and have a power close, think about SUVs). I saw a guy with a new generation S550 opening and closing his trunk repeatedly, so apparently something was off. It could close on its own from a full open.

Not sure why there is so much debate on what struts to get, I suppose on a forum we people enjoy kicking things around...but I would get Stabilus aka SACHS for the win. High quality, low price and OEM to the majority of cars including BMW = winning (Under $20 each)

http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4435518&jsn=3

p.s. my BMW also has struts, so I said the Lexus has a handle integrated in the trunk to pull it down, now why wouldn't BMW have done that? They did lol and I didn't know after having the car 10+ yrs.

 

When I got my LS, I saw the trunk just unlatched and went up half an inch, so I figured the struts were worn. I replaced my worn struts with aftermarket ones, stronger than OE. Now it still just unlatches but is easier to open -- you only have to lift 6" or so before it takes over and opens the rest of the way. Much harder to close though. Oh well. Next time I will get the Sachs.

 

New struts on trunk lid will help raise and hold when the lid is up about a foot or more from closed position, and will also safely keep the trunk open in wind or from partial closed position. The LS trunk lid does not pop up more than an inch at most and takes a lot of pressure to lift the first 12 inches or so.

Be aware that weak/failed trunk lid struts can be dangerous causing the heavy lid to suddenly fall when you may have head or limbs in the trunk opening.

Even more dangerous is weak struts on the hood. If your trunk struts have failed it is likely that hood struts are also weak. The LS hood is heavy and with weak/failed struts the hood can fall with no warning coming down hard enough to seriously injure a person's head/limbs/hands that may be working within the engine bay area. Test your hood struts by raising hood and then lowering several inches - it it falls hard from that point, it is time to replace hood struts asap.

Fortunately LS trunk and hood struts are easy and inexpensive to diy replace.

 

100% agreed....next time I would be a more demanding used car buyer....I noticed my hood fell when I did the test drive--should have had them fix it (not a big deal since they did the driver door actuator and the front brakes with the sale). The only pita with the original Tokicos is that the ball studs do not separate, so the ball studs must be removed and replaced. Every other car I have worked on, simply pop the old strut off, snap back in, no need to replace ball studs (LS430 this is only the hood, the trunk is integrated with the hinge). This is the only problem with Stabilus/Sachs, they don't give you ball studs. But if you've already replaced, then that's not an issue...