I wanted to give an update on my noisy struts... The service department got the parts in (new strut supports on front and rear sway bar bushings) and the noise and squeaks are gone. Best part, no charge.

 

Satsrx, I am glad you posted the update. I had my front struts replaced, can you tell me what they actually replaced on the front end? Are the black strut covers new when viewed from the outside of the car over the wheel and through the coil? Did they need to detach the strut from the post mount inthe engine compartment which might reveal a bit of activity there to replace the strut. How can you tell they were replaced?

You have the same year car as I, how many miles do you have. I have 44k.

rc

 

That's a good question, since I cannot tell if they were replaced. The outside looks the same and when viewed under the hood, I cannot tell either since I really didn't look before they replaced the strut supports.

I'll have to "trust" my dealership that they're being straightforward and not screwing with me. They've always been really good about service for my two RXs so I do believe the work was done as they indicated.

My RX has about 65k on it and runs perfectly.

Good luck.

 

It is interesting, mine appear the same as they always did. Nice of them to fix yours after 50K, eh??

We love the car too, best car I ever had, just need to get the numerous different rattles cleaned up if I can before the warranty runs out.

Would anyone with strut knowledge please please let us know what front struts will look like if replaced?

tia

 

To tell if your struts have been changed is quite easy really.....

Look in the wheel well, just above the inside edge of the tire, there will be found the bottom of the spring seat, the steel part of the seat is in fact the middle of the strut, if this looks new, then it probably is...
There is no way to tell from under the hood, as the only thing that will have changed are the studs in the three nuts on the top of the strut tower.
F.Y.I. the strut is the guy that runs from the top of that tower, under the wheel well of course, all the way down to the top of the lower control arm, it is basically a big shock absorber, that has the spring attached to it on the top and about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way down. The entire weight of the vehicle rides on these baby's.
The fix for the noise concerns a bushing gizmo at the top of the spring that allows the strut to turn and not make noise.....these go bad, make noise and they have to be replaced, under warranty for mine.....

Hope this helps

from the desk of Beaker

 

Parula, my RX is a certified pre-owned from Lexus so I'm good for 3 yrs. or 100,000 miles. I use this car as my weekend vehicle so I don't really put in all that much mileage.

BTW, Beaker is right about the whole strut thing. I believe what they replaced is merely the support and not the entire strut.

FWIW, I also believe the struts issue is a TSB so replacing the supports would be covered even if out of warranty, but I'm not sure for how long the TSB would apply.

 

Beaker and Satxrx: tks. Mine apprear dirty, nothing shiny or newish looking though it has been a while since they replaced something. The nuts appear untouched, oh well. tks again for the help.
p