IS200 Problems

[superchargedmorph]

i have had no problems,apart from alloys pitting slightly, but i am going to get them poder coated the same but a tougher stronger finnish

[Rob]

hi Jimbo, welcome to the club etc.

well they havent solved the wheel problems yet but are supposedly working on it. As for the gearbox they have redesigned it but are not advertising the point that the origanal one is crap, even with the new one i still get the occasional stiff gear but will give it a while to loosen up.

cheers

robbie.

[blackmagic]

Hi Masharp!

Well I can't really recommend it YET, 'cause I would like to see how long it lasts, but it does look good and no need to wax. Plus for £400 they do the interior (fabric and carpet seal etc). I got in touch with them at the Lexus dealer. Here are their details. Ming UK, Riverside View, Basing Road, Old Basing, Hampshire, RG24 7AL, Tel 01256 359814 email info@minguk.co.uk. Get them to send you a brochure or something..

[lexicon]

Well I had the "I don't want to start" thing this morning!

It's never done it before, but took 3 attempts to get going. It didn't spin fast like IS-PW's though.

I read in Autocar last week that their long term SportCross does it too. Very odd.

[TonyGoose]

I'm planning a dealer visit soon on my my01 se bought new last June and will mention the following for checking / fixing under warranty :-

1) Lacquer peeling off front bumper. It's obviously been half repainted (badly) at the factory coz i checked back as far as arrival in Denmark and no record of damage / paintwork.

2) Juddering clutch - while in traffic. Thought it might get better but not so at 7k miles.

3) Throttle surges. I can feel slight surges when trying to maintain constant revs in 2nd / 3rd for example. Also bucks when cold as fuel cuts off / on.

4) Wheel alignment. Tends to pull slightly across cambers etc. Think alignment is a bit out.

5) Occasional non-start problem. Very embarrasing as people stare at your quality lexus as it turns over and over like a knackered old ford :)

I've also noticed the following :-

Occasional creak from drivers seat.

Slight rattle in dash - around satnav screen / heater control area. Also had one at pass side dash which i largely cured by packing out the bottom of the A pillar trim.

Slight corrosion beginning to set in on wheels where painted surface meets machined faces.

My car has bridgestone tyres with a single ply sidewall. Wonder if i'll get a new set with twin ply sidewall free of charge like in US and Oz factory recall ?

Think that's about all .... bound to have forgotten somethiing !

L8r

Tony Goose

[IS-PW]

Tony

Do you find that your throttle surges mainly when you have the air-con switched on? I have experienced this, but i'm use to it now.

Phil

[Rob]

i thought i was imagining the surge when in traffic , but now someone else has mentioned it!

I seem to get it when im in 2nd and doing about 10 ish mph, havent noticed the difference if i have A/C on but then i dont have it on too often.

cheers

robbie.

[TonyGoose]

Regarding the surges ...

Haven't had aircon running for most of winter so that's not it ...

Here's a couple of examples of what i experience :-

Bucking when cold.

Notice this most when leaving off work. Start engine from cold (been standing since morning or lunchtime) and drive out of car park around extended hairpin in 2nd gear. Lift off throttle on approach to roandabout approx 200m further. Fuel shuts off and car jerks into deceleration. See r/bout is clear so apply light throttle. Fuel comes back on and car jerks out of deceleration.

In the event r/bout not clear, deceleration continues to about 1500rpm and fuel cuts back in - car surges (or rather stops decelerating abruptly) and i have to jump for the brake / clutch.

Probably sounds worse than it is and is a consequence of the higher (1500ish rpm) cold idle but that's not the point. My previous crx/mr2/bmw all managed not to do it so why can't this one ??

Surging.

Notice this most on long bends or big roundabouts. Holding revs at around 2-3k in 2nd or 3rd and i can feel slight surging. It's like somthing switching between 2 close but different settings.

Imagine the throttle works in whole numbers - i'm holding at position 8.5 and it can't decide whether to use 8 or 9 so switches between the 2 - does that make sense ?

Either that or it's TVIS switching back and forth between 2 settings or maybe it's really clever and trying to anticipate an acceleration request ... Nah ...

Think that's about as good an explanation as i can do - sorry if it got a bit 'way out there' :)

L8r all

Tony Goose

[NotoriousREV]

Hmmm, never noticed any surging when warmed up, but yes, the throttle is choppy when cold, but clears once warm.

[lexicon]

Same as NotoriousRev, quite choppy when stone cold, but fine after that.

BTW Tony, it's a good idea to run the aircon for a few minutes regularly (every couple of weeks or so) - stops the seals drying out.

[IS-PW]

The surging on my car is so slight that it is'nt worth worrying over. It only happens occasionally when in higher gears between 50 and 70 mph when the aircon is on. I have never had any problems in lower gears.

My car is not very smooth when cold either.

Phil

[javadude]

I've just had a problem with wheel alignment fixed by 4 new shocks, all under warranty - http://www.teamlexus.co.uk/forums/viewthread.php?tid=247

(There was another guy there when I arrived - he was busy telling the service manager all about his creaking seat.)

[brn7y]

I think all you guys with creaking seats maybe need to drop a few pounds!:smilegrin::smilegrin:

[Rob]

ooohhh cheeky ! we're not all porkers you know :P LOL

cheers

robbie.

[superchargedmorph]

well I am just less than 15 stone ( not much fat though) and my seats dont creak, mind you I levetate to stop them getting dirty!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wallace]

Tony Goose- the engine problem you describe sounds very similar to the one i and many other owners had with their Corollas, it even made Top Gear last year. You couldnt drive round a roundabout smoothly, if you let your foot off it slowed and if you touched the throttle it sprinted. Toyota said it was "an engine characteristic" and was not a fault. I though it was a pain! Funny how there is a Toyota badge on the engine!!! Makes you think.

[IS-PW]

Well, I had my new replacement wheels fitted today - so the car is back to it's best (for now...).

The dealer has oiled my folding mirror which has been juddering. No improvement yet, but he said to give it a week or two. I see a full replacement coming on!

They told me that there was still no cure for the starting problem, so i'll will have to put up with it for now.

Also, I mentioned some very slight noises coming from suspension (thanks Javadude for the info), so they have ordered 4 new gas shocks for the car. These will be fitted next week. This should help the ride, which has become more crashy recently.

Phil

[Rob]

Hi, just wondering how many IS owners have had noises form the front area?? i think it might be an anti roll bar bushing or something like that, i noticed it as i was turning into a side road at about 25mph click ,click etc :o:P:( also those of you that know my saga with the gearbox, well the 2nd gear prob has come back again on the new gearbox, but only when the car is cold thru to 1/2 up to norm operating temperature. when its hot it doesnt really do it. and as my dealer is about 70miles away it doesnt do it then!!!!

anyway have got it booked in next week for a few days so they can find the prob.

[ricky_is200]

Mine seems to make strange noises from the front (not sure if it is brakes or suspension). Its a quiet knocking noise which you only notice at low speeds when turning the wheel/applying the brakes. It was much louder but after 5 visits to the dealer it is now much quieter although its still there. I've given up chasing the dealer about it. Its probably my main criticism with the car (other than the alloys!)

[Steve]

Check you CV joints are not dry....

a small bit of clicking may apply to the CV joint.

[weltmeister]

corision on disc break, is normal isn't it. I guess that every car has corrioson on disc breaks after you have driven in the rain....

[Jimbo]

Got small knocking noises coming from the front of mine , it goes in for a service soon so i`ll tell them then.

[Canter]

I also get this noise, coming from the front right.

Normally only once a loude cracking from the front right part (perhaps suspension) when braking, turning left or at ground waves.

If the noise comes from the middle part, is not loud and occurs often, it might be the display of the navi. You can check it by closing the display, and it will get less.

[Rob]

the clicking noises i was experiencing was as it turned out to be the brake pads moving in the calipers slightly -as stated occurs when turning and applying the brakes etc., i took the pads out and applied a bit of copper slip to the backings and the contact faces and the sound has gone away.

[vic]

Ive just noticed that my front passenger door makes a loud cracking noise when it's opened!! Is this the pin thing?

& my drivers side wiper makes a loud knocking noise like it's hitting the pillar when on fast! anyone else had this one?