TwincH

hello all,
I own a 98 GS400 and I just noticed that I hear a clicking sound coming from my center console when I apply the brakes. It goes "click" right as the brake lights come on. Does anyone else exhibit this behavior?
thanks,
Michael

chunkymonk

I had simular behavior when I removed my 3rd braking light.
Check all the braking light bulbs are working.

varcity64

iTrader: (2)

does this "click" come when the car is in park?? i know that when you press on the brakes, while in park, the shift lock is deactivated when you press on the brakes and that is the "click" that you hear... hope that helps

EDIT: o yea, and WELCOME TO CL!!!... i hope you have a never ending supply of money

sung35

I actually brought it into the Lexus dealership one day (still under guarantee), and they told me that the click came from the delay. It should happen to all GS. The mechanic told me that the new 2003 also has that noise. Anyway, that click sound is very minimal. Since I know it was the delay, my sub-conscious brain no long heard the click. . Strange, but true. Our car is so well insulated that any noise inside the car becomes noticeable.

TwincH

Yep, it must be the shift lock disengaging because I don't hear the click once the car is in drive. Thanks for all the feedback! My second post as I've been a lurker for around a year now.
thanks, Michael

mmarshall

This is not something that is exclusive to Lexus. Virtually all new vehicles, with the exception of a few Chrysler products, have this mechanism. It has its roots in the infamous Audi 5000 runaway-acceleration case of the mid-1980's. Supposedly people were putting their cars in gear and jumping forward or backward suddenly and hitting things in front of or behind them. So now your foot has to be on the pedal before the lever can come out of PARK...it activates a little release lever in the shift linkage that you hear as a "click" when you press the pedal. Thank the lawyers for this...like so many other things.