I have an LS460L and have been and have been traveling the last few months for work. Sometimes the battery has died and needed a jump to get going again. While this last time was more serious. It takes me three or more tries to start my car by pressing the button. I get a "click" sound when trying to start it but will not start. The Lexus dealer says it is the intermittent starter issue and cost for new starter installed is $1600!!! Dealer says it is not the battery but I have heard of dead cells in a battery that can prevent starting.

Could it be a bad battery, relay, fuse or something else....

see my attached video please!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaffer502/12897513053/

 

Leaning towards starter could be bad solenoid sticking, back in hay days when that happened people would hit the solenoid with a pole or piece of wood and it started. However this is technology day and that car has more plastic then most celebrities, so that is impossible .I would definitely get that fixed ASAP, eventually you will be left with a complete no start, and 10/10 it will happen when its an emergency or you just paid all your bills. Keep us posted.GL

 

Take your car to Advance Auto or AutoZone and have them test the battery (free) or another mechanic for a second opinion. I would do this immediately as you risk being stuck with a no start situation. No one here can tell you what's wrong with your car without doing some testing.

 

Your post is confusing. You said "sometimes the battery has died and needed a jump". This is clearly an issue with the battery and therefore needs replacement (unless you left lights on or something to deplete the battery).

You then go on to say that it takes three or four tries to start it sometimes, which is a completely separate problem and has no relation to a battery condition. This is likely starter related (likely a solenoid sticking or dead spot in the starter motor itself. A replacement Nippondenso starter on Ebay is only 138 dollars. Heck, for under 250 bucks, you can have a new battery and starter and be completely at easy knowing all is well......plus the shop fees to install if you'd rather not do it yourself. An indy shop will charge you a third of what Lexus does. The job to do a starter on these vehicles is not an easy one.....let me rephrase that, it's time consuming but not difficult. The starter is located behind the intake manifold on the rear of the engine.

Let us know what happens!

 

I agree with having your battery checked as a first step, but I doubt that is the problem. There is something going on, or not going on as it were, between your START button and the starter motor. It seems to me like I read about this issue, but I'm not sure if it was in Club Lexus or another forum. I'll try to see if I can find it.

As an aside, I've been on various car forums since 1999. Over the years I remember so many guys with a problem posting what their car sounds like. They would have trouble describing it, and readers would have trouble envisioning it. Now look at how the technology has evolved, you can just post a video of it. Freaking amazing!

 

Indeed you did, sir! Ronshaft, I am no expert, but from your video, it sounds to me like a starter issue or, hopefully, a bad start/stop switch instead. See the attached TSIB.

 

So what did you end up finding out about your LS? I'm starting to have that problem too! One click and she won't start! After I try it a few times sometimes it will start. $1600 for a starter replacement is steep!

 

If the car starts after 3 or 4 attempts, it's probably not the battery, but get that checked at any battery store that can do a CCA load test. The dealership should be able to diagnose the problem correctly, if they can reproduce it.

 

It is still $1600 + for a new starter. Since mine gave me no notice, I was stuck at the Toyota dealer. (no Lexus dealer for 60 miles).

 

GaBill, are you saying the Toyota charged you $1600?

 

Unfortunately, the $1600 is just the Toyota dealer's charges. it does not include towing, etc. The starter itself cost $800 from Lexus.

 

I read a post yesterday, similar symptoms. Turns out the connector plug to the starter is a poor design and can work loose giving intermittent starting symptoms that can be confusing. Some shops/mechanics are "parts changers" and will happily replace a starter before reaching up to the unseen area above the starter where that connector is to check for a firm connection. Apparently the right tire must be removed along with other items to just get at the starter.

 

Here's that thread.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...read-this.html