ElliotB

Get the dealer to take care of this issue - the dealer will still help you with 'bigger' things down the road as well.

Just curious... have your vehicles been trouble free otherwise?

lexus600hl

No.. I won't ask them to do the hinges for free.. Because I don't consider to it to be a "manufacturing defect".. its a part of the aging of the car.. I posted elsehwere that for one of my cars, the steering control joint next to accelerator is rusting for one of my cars. Now, that should not happen. I asked the dealer to look into it and see if there is a recall for it. The part inside the car should not be rusting. Its just surface rust and probably is not an issue at all!
The cars have been completely trouble free. The pcs light was on - probably because my wife touched the button with her shoes accidentally.

Typical probem for these cars is that mark levinson amps will almost always fail. I think it has been replaced on one or both of the cars. The amp does not fail after replacement. I have a total of four of these cars and I think it failed in 3 or all 4. I don't remember.

I can't think of any major repair issue. The gps was giving trouble and they had to replace antenna. Even though it was out of warranty, they replaced it free, as a courtesy.. because that should not have happened.. Strangely, I got the antenna problem, right after they updated the maps.. I can't help but suspect, someone did something accidentally. I find that what goes in does not come out as is, with the dealers - any dealer - mercedes, lexus.. Some idiot grease monkey woould do something small and stupid.. leads to more untraceable problems! I hesitate to send the car in for service, other than oil changes.. Untouched by grease monkeys, these cars work very well!

lexus600hl

I looked more into it. This is a major job. I think they have to actually remove the door to install the hinges.. because its not easy (is it even possible) to remove some of the bolts from the door post.. The bolt on the door is easy but not the other side.. Also, the bolts on the door post seem to have been painted after tightering (at the factory, I assume..).. I am going with using the super lubricant.. I don't think the super lubricant has solved the problem.. may be very minimally. I will wait for the summer.. hopefully, the lubricant would penetrate better, in hot summer?
I boutht both Super Slick Slick Stuff and Blaster Chemical/11 oz. penetrating catalyst
Tried both..
I think I like the blaster better.. It seems thinner and seems to stay on the hinge better..
Unfortunately, they (stupidly), don't give the straw with the blaster!

The door is usable and not too bad.. I don't want to put on new hinges... eventually, the super lubricant should get in and it should be fine.. The joint seems almost sealed.. but I think there is a chance that the lubrican would go in eventually, in summer. Once it goes in, all would be well.. because the hinge is very strong - no wobble!

Shibumi1

i sat and watched my painters tech swap both front door hinges (after he painted them) it took less than 2hrs to do both doors.(not including paint time which he did the day before). THEY DID NOT TAKE EITHER DOOR OFF.. they opened the the door fully an removed the hinges from the jam 1 at a time while the extended end of the door was supported by a floor jack and a 2x4.. the hinges will eventually fail.. but lube on if u see fit to.. i did so for about 6 months hoping the dealer would remedy the issue. they didnt so i did..

as for it being a random occurrence, doubtful because 3 of my 4 doors needed to be replaced..

lexus600hl

The bolts on the door post side - in my car, they are painted. How are they, on yours?
Hinge failure within 4 years is inexcusable for a Lexus!
Also, is it $80 for each hinge or for a set of 2 hinges per door? Do you remember?
Did you buy from the dealer or did you order from sewell?
I assume each door has a different hinge.. front/back/left/right?

Shibumi1

the bolt are also on the post.. the hinges are 80 ea not for the set.. from the dealer.. an they come unpainted as its a body part which is the reason lexus said they wouldnt fix it...

lexus600hl

Yes, I was referring to the bolts on the post. They are painted in my car. If they are removed, they would lose paint and even if re-installed, they won't have the paint.. Not a big deal.. Curious how your guy did it. How much did they charge for labor?

lexus600hl

ALeX300

iTrader: (3)

I've had my front passenger door hinge fail on me completely and at the worst possible time. I have the car for almost 2years and both front doors were very tight. Driver side became more or less normal after a few silicone sprays but passenger didn't(no use of front, since wife was riding in back with infant). I kinda gave up on passenger door being so tight that wife was straining to open/close it, until this July when top hinge snapped clean off while i was opening door to put my pizza take out. Had to happen right before my Canada road trip(can't take loaners across the border), i was beyond pissed. Since knowing hinges aren't covered by my extended warranty i calmed and collected myself and made a call to corporate before even taking the car to dealer.
in the end i still couldn't get an answer to "how can a door hinge snap off causing the door to fall on your flagship (Lexus) car with 55k miles?" Dealer and corporate took care of me so the only inconvenience i had is that i drove my friends new es350 for 4days to Canada and back.
i'll add pictures if i find them.

ElliotB

Does anyone know if there is any special maintenance that can be done on the hinges to prevent premature failure?

lexus600hl

Silicone spray worked on your driver's door enough to make it operating normally? I am concerned that the hinge is so tight that nothing will penetrate.. I am still trying the lube.
As a preventive, I guess I should spray all doors of all my cars?
You are correct.. its kind of silly for door hinges to fail that miserably! Lexus should voluntarily replace the hinges, when failures occur.. without us having to ask for it! I dislike asking the dealer for such small stuff.. I would rather save the favors for higher cost failures! lol.

lexus600hl

I bought the hinges from Sewell lexus of Dallas. Their prices are very low!
Someone said in the prior posts they were charged $80 each. It was half the price at sewell dallas!

They have special deal for club lexus members..
I would encourage you all to order parts from them! Its not easy to find the parts page but once you do, its very easy to order.. If you can't find your part, just email them and they would send you a link!

HINGE ASSEMBLY, FRONT DOOR, UPPER RH - RIGHT / PASSENGER SIDE
6873030180 $42.24
HINGE ASSEMBLY, FRONT DOOR, LOWER RH - RIGHT / PASSENGER SIDE
6873030160 $37.93
BOLT, WASHER BASED H 9010510315 $0.74 4 $2.96
BOLT, W/WASHER 90119A0125 $0.47 8 $3.76
Subtotal: $86.89
Tax: $0.00
Ground Delivery: $11.21
Grand Total: $98.10

Shibumi1

[QUOTE=lexus600hl;7657337]I bought the hinges from Sewell lexus of Dallas. Their prices are very low!
Someone said in the prior posts they were charged $80 each. It was half the price at sewell dallas!

$80 each is the retail price... i paid about the same prices you quoted because i have corp acct with lexus an didnt expect everyone to get the same pricing so i posted retail... glad to see Sewell takes care of CL members..

lexus600hl

Glad you didn't end up paying $80 each Shibumi1.. Btw, thanks for your posts.. they have been informative.. the ways the hinges were changed.. I am going to have an extra set painted and will continue to try the lube on the hinges.. Eventually, I will have the hinges changed..
I found out about sewell lexus, on this forum. When it comes time to replace the battery on my ls 600, that's who I am going to order from..
I hope more and more CL member would buy from sewell.. We need them to continue the incentive!
Here is the link for the hinges

http://lexus.sewellparts.com/oem-cat...S460-2008.html

Shibumi1

Glad to help...is was really frustrated (not too mention embarrassed) with the doors for a long time.. anything to help someone from having to deal with that issue