Main Dealer Service

[daxdax]

Hi everybody - my first post ! (from the UK)

Have 1999 LS400 AUTO SERIES IV - bought 2002 - 11K miles - now 26K miles.

PRESUMING MY SUBJECT MIGHT APPLY TO ANY LEXUS MODEL :-)

Nothing at all gone wrong - till this "B" 36K service last week at highly reputable local main dealer .

Only just discovered probs. - so havent yet contacted the dealer.

1, TIMING BELT CHANGE

2. AUTO TRANS FLUID CHANGED

Feb 9 - 11 ON FIRST USE :

Engine temp at normal running – is now SLIGHTLY HIGHER than usual

Slight increase in usual miles per gallon

Increase in idle revs - warm engine always sank to 650-700 now 800

Engine OR auto. transmission noise/ whine on acceleration – HAS ALWAYS BEEN NEAR TO SILENT FROM INSIDE CAR !

Lifted bonnet – engine ‘hunting’ on tickover - not normal sound – usually hardly any sound !

Revved engine to 5K – and it FALTERED - OR "MISSED"

SUSPECT PROBLEM WITH NEWLY FITTED TIMING BELT

NOTES AFTER FIRST USE

Both ENGINE & TRANSMISSION NORMAL CHARACTERISTICS HAVE CHANGED.

engine braking :

always use ‘ECT Normal’ - NOW - changing down to “3” from Cruise at 40 mph - USUAL BRAKING EFFECT NOW GREATLY REDUCED

changing down to “ 2- L” from cruise at 40 mph - USUAL BRAKING EFFECT AGAIN REDUCED

- NOT DOWNSHIFTING TO “2” – ALTHOUGH SELECTED.

in ECT POWER (which I never use) – braking effect is more noticeable !

IN QUEUEING/SLOW TRAFFIC –TODAY - gears ‘clunking’ between L + 2 - THIS ONLY SINCE JAN 30 TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGE

Checked Transmission oil level – hot engine running - flat surface-in park

THE NEWLY CHANGED GEARBOX OIL BARELY REACHES THE DIPSTICK “LOW LEVEL MARKER”

SUSPECT PROBLEM RESULT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE

Before I rush off and point out the error of their ways !

I would welcome any critical input whatsoever - on my interpretation of these problems that started ex the service.

Also please let me know if this post would be better suited in the "LS" section

Thank you.

[spacenase]

I'm no expert, but it certainly sounds like it needs checking out.

The transmission fluid sounds too low and could easily produce the problems you describe. I'd say the engine noises/hunting etc are unlikely to be caused by the timing belt itself, but more likely to be consequence of how the engine was put back together following the belt change.

For the transmission fluid alone I'd get it back to the dealer asap before it starts to cause real problems with the autobox.

Let us know how it goes...

[aztecbandit1]

Daxdax just moved it over to the LS section for you, and welcome to the club :)

Hope you get your problems sorted :)

[DJ Wozza]

^^^^^^^what he said^^^^^^^

[ManicMark]

Hi, welcome to the club

Take it back. really not what you would expect from a main Lexus agent, Oil level to low, as for the hunting could be a number of things, sucking air, a loose injector plug, Im sure they will sort it out.

Good luck & keep us posted.

[Haylands]

Hi

This could be because they have disconnected the Battery, this will have reset the engine and gearbox ecu's, they will relearn over a few hundred miles and the car should be as it was before....

Pete

[flotsam]

DITTO

Have just had a very similar experience. I have 2000 LS400. It was always silent, idled rock-steady at first mark under 1000 revs (about 800). After cam belt change at Lexus Hull, idled cold at first mark above 1000 revs. Noisy. Additional noise was caused by the fact that the cowboys didn't re-assemble the fan belt etc. properly so was rattling and squeeking. Took the car back and they fixed the fan belt problem (fingers crossed) and engine was running about right (maintenance manual says 650~750 at operating temperature). But it looks like they ran they engine to warm it up before I came to collect it.

Runs noisy when cold and at the higher revs than I remember. Used to be totally silent when waiting in traffic, now runs noisy. When I first bought this car, it was so quiet that I used to accelerate away and wonder why nothing happened (I used to put it into neutral whilst waiting at junctions).

I also get the whine when accelerating away as you say, when it was silent before.

Graham, the service manager at Hull initially told me the idle speed at the ECU cannot be changed, which is correct according to the manual. When I got to Lexus he changed his story, saying he wasn't sure. They claimed I needed a new fan belt but I'm not sure it's been replaced. Looks like they've simply put the fan belt assembly back together properly this time. After I picked up the car, they handed me a hastily typed up sheet of A4, claiming it was a bulletin. It referred to the air conditioning and they claimed it might have caused the idle problem if I'd had my air conditioning switched on which I haven't had (in the winter weather). They refused to tell me what they'd done which seems to be nothing more than running my engine until it'd warmed up. Not sure if they have the intelligence to work on modern cars. Their back-peddling and outright lies were totally cowboy.

As it's the cam belt, it could be serious. If the engine goes BANG, I lose control and mow down a group of kids at the bus stop, then it's new car for me that my insurance pays for and sues them for and it's up on manslaughter charges for Lexus Hull.

[CB1300]

Ive said it before about main dealers ... 5 star money doesn't = 5 star service

In my experience they may be factory trained ( well at least one of them) but they are certainly not what I deem motor mechanics.

As for Lexus, I bet they get very few LS400`s through the doors these days due to the age of the model now.

My LS400 has FLSH but from Nov it will be done by my man who I would trust over any Lexus "Quick fix fitter" hands down.

Its all plug and play these days "the computer says no" they order the part and fit it, keeping their fingers crossed it will fix the problem whilst charging a fortune to do so.

This thread actually validates my belief, as it appears neither cars where road tested.

[steve2006]

I try and do as much maintainance on mine as I feel confident to do ( fluids, filters, brakes, plugs, leads etc). Near to where I work I look after the independant garage guys TVs etc and they change my oil/filter when required ( I supply) they also changed my fuel filter.

A local independant garage near my home changed my cam belt, again I supplied the parts and they fitted them for £100.00 and the car has run perfectly since.

[flotsam]

Ive said it before about main dealers ... 5 star money doesn't = 5 star service

In my experience they may be factory trained ( well at least one of them) but they are certainly not what I deem motor mechanics.

As for Lexus, I bet they get very few LS400`s through the doors these days due to the age of the model now.

My LS400 has FLSH but from Nov it will be done by my man who I would trust over any Lexus "Quick fix fitter" hands down.

YEP! Lexus Hull are complete cowboys who didn't even put the components on the auxiliary drive belt back together properly, so were starting squeek and rattle after the first long journey. The cam belt's also not right and the car sounds like a four cylinder when previously it was silent.

It's only a matter of time before the Hull clowns kill someone.

[JellyBean]

It's only a matter of time before the Hull clowns kill someone.

That is a trifle OTT.