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Warning Lights, Loss Of Brakes And Power Sterring


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Thought it might be worth sharing a recent experience with my 2006 GS430, 84K, full history.

Driving to work and I get the Check VSC, PCS, traction control lights come on. Car continued to drive for next couple of minutes then I get the brake lights and some other warnings (the dash was lit up like the proverbial Xmas tree) coupled with power assisted brake failure (pedal got stiff). Another 30 seconds and the power steering failed (flipping 'eck it's tough without!) and the Battery light came on. Parked up and turned engine on/off and this cleared everything but as soon as I put it in drive the same thing happened. Major problem???

Phoned my specialist garage who said it's probably an alternator or Battery. Turned out to be the alternator, in particular the rectifier. Alternator refurbed and rectifier replaced and it's as good as new. Perhaps more surprisingly I've noticed a couple of other things. The gear-change is notably smoother (not that it was bad, just noticeable, now hardly at all). The heated seats get hot much, much quicker and the rear defrost is more effective (but still not great).

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Must admit, with everything that was happening, it looked and felt like a major failure with the car having to be recovered to the garage (first time I've ever had that happen). Just goes to show how dependent these cars are on the electrics. Apparently, when starved of power, the on-board computers start selectively shutting stuff down (engine last) which makes it look a lot worse than it really is.

Alternator repair was less than £100 plus labour. Wonder how much it would have been at a dealer? New alternator probably...

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I still repair electronic equipment down to component level, it's a dying trade in this throw away society of today.

Manufacturers don't help, I had a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) the other day where both the component and print side had been encased in epoxy resin just to prevent it from being repaired.

For sure Lexus would have replaced the complete alternator, probably not a brand new unit but a reconditioned item, your old one in turn would have ended up on someone elses car after going through the same process.

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Exactly the same thing happened on my GS300 just after I'd bought it. Lexus quoted me over £600 for a new alternator, but I got the old one reconditioned for less than half that.

Your £100 + labour looks like a good deal.

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  • 1 month later...

I have just had a very similar experience in my 97 mk1 sport

Was driving home from work and when i flashed somebody through noticed the headlights dipped a bit

Thought nothing of it

Got home parked up for 20 mins then went to get a takeaway

As I parked up noticed the headlights weren't on

Then all the dash lights came on, I didn't bother turning it off

Then on my way home i drove with the main beam on only

These then failed

Put hazard lights on and the engine start conking out

I literally coasted it on to our drive with no power what so ever

Although the power steering was working??

I just went back out then

Started it started perfectly

Turned it around and then left it idling for a bit put the lights on again and dash lit up again then could hear the ending start to struggle

Turned it off and now it won't start??

Battery is fairly new and a Bosch one and usually you notice weakness in the Battery before they go.

Are we saying it's the alternator ?

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