hello,

I have been having a big problem with my SC430 latley, i hear bad metal noises from the front right wheel when i brake and turn slowly also.... while on the highway going about 60-80 mph the car sometimes pulls to either side really hard. i took the car to lexus dealer and they said the noises are normal and the reason the car pulls to the side is the run flat tires but it has never happend untill now iv put 10,000 miles on the car. Its scary it makes me want to sell the car if they say it is normal. I have been to the dealer for the same problem twice and no outcome what should i do?

jesh

 

Get a second opinion from another lexus dealer. The car should NOT be going left and right, regardless if it's normal or not. I doubt lexus would sell a $60k car and say this left/right sway is "normal". That's potentially hazardous.

 

Sometimes it could be the road your on. I know some roads here have these grooves or lines in them that cause the tires to make a noise and my car pulls all over.

 

The metal sounds when stopping or turning indicate a problem to me. I'd seek a second opinion.

Regarding the pull to the left and right you're experiencing, I'm going to start with a little bit of a lecture that may not be too popular here. You're running 20" wheels, and unless you have had your suspension designed and set up by a suspension expert, you're going to experience handling anomolies. While I'm sure that your 20-inchers look great, they can substantially alter the handling characteristics of your car, in a bad way. Not only are you dealing with a significantly greater rolling circumference, generally speaking, bigger wheels and tires generally are significantly heavier than their stock counterparts. Additionally, unless the offset is "just right," you're likely adding another component that the suspension's geometry is not designed to handle. Bottom line=bigger wheels and tires alone, without an expertly-designed suspension setup, will generally screw up your handling, reduce your braking capability, and slow your acceleration.

So, you ask, why am I only experiencing these problems now? Well, first it's possible that the strain of the added weight of the wheel/tire combo, along with, possibly, a suspension that's fundamentally out of whack due to the big wheels has worn some of your suspension components prematurely. More likely, though, your tires are just getting worn. When they were new and had ample tread, they more effectively masked the negative effects of the non-stock configuration. As they've worn--and this is actually true whether or not you have a stock setup--uneven wear and reduced traction from your older tires tends to magnify any handling abnormalities that were previously masked by fresh tires.

Also, as a general rule, the SC is prone to pulling to the left and right in tire ruts, even with a stock suspension. Again, this is something that's always present, more so in SCs with run-flat tires, but which is magnified by tire wear.

If you want to run 20" wheels, your best bet would be to first confirm that your tires are worn evenly. If they're okay, or after you replace them with new tires, have your SC's alignment adjusted professionally.

 

thank you guys for a quick reply also i have had my stock wheels on now for sometime my 20s are getting refinished and repaired, iv had the problem with both wheels. Also i am aware or the grooves in the road they can be bad but this happens to me everywhere regardless of the road..

jesh

 

The SC430 is one of the better Lexus's I have owned in reference to pulling. The GS400 was horrible until the TSB fixed it and my SC300/SC400 both experienced it as well. None were/are as bad as my Porsches and BMW's though.

I second the another opinion/another mechanic suggestion.

I would rather not speculate at this time what is may be on the limited information listed but it is not normal to be sure.