I don't know if anyone can help me out here, I have an extended warranty on my car. The warranty company keeps insisting that I have shocks in the front when I know I have struts. There parts list says according to them that they are shocks. How can I get proof of that? This vehicle does not have shocks in the front but does have struts. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Typically struts refer to MacPherson struts, which only have lower control arms and the upper load is supported by the strut itself. The GS430 uses a double wishbone suspension geometry and uses shocks, not MacPherson struts.

So, the warranty company is likely correct.

Jeff

 

To build on what Jeff said above, you do have a coil/shock assembly up front that LOOKS like a MacPherson strut, but it’s not one. No upper bearing and pivot plate for steering and load bearing.

Here is what your front suspension looks like. This is actually a torque value chart and doesn’t show it fully in-place, and the supper wishbone is not shown in relationship. But hopefully it helps further clear the confusion.

 

I bought a lexus gs three weeks ago and in the morning time commuting to work it vibrates. I checked the motor mounts and a Machanic looked it over good yesterday. Machanic asked me about transmission fluid and I told him I don't know when the last time it was changed. Can anyone give me some advice about the drain and fill at this stage of the car? Is it wise? I'm at a point where I don't know what to do.

 

If you want the car to keep running, yes changing AT fluid is a requirement. It wears out. Aisin, the trans manufacturer, says to service them every 20k miles. That’s pretty aggressive; it can be less. I do 2x drain fills (4 quarts total) every 30k miles; that works well.

The pan is really small on these, ideally do about three pan drain/fills in one sitting, running it in-between to mix. Valvoline MaxLife is generally better IME (and that of MANY ofthers) than the factory Mobil fluid used. That’s a bonus as it’s cheaper and more widely available, use it with confidence. No filter change or anything is needed at this point, just get clean fluid in it and make sure it’s full; the fill is checked with the car running.

 

thanks . I forgot to add that the lexus has 159,000 miles on the car. Some people say leave it alone but i have a feeling that i shouldn't leave it alone.

 

Thanks for the response. I forgot to add the car has 160,000 miles on it and I hear that it's a toss up weather or not to do a drain and fill. This is my concern as to which way to approach this situation. Still trying to figure out had to make original post on this sight. Sorry guys. Thanks a million for the help. 👌