Intermittent Vibration

[7149capricorn]

Hello everyone

Being a Lexus nothing much seems to go wrong with it, but.........

Just occasionally in the last couple of weeks there has been a vibration which seems to affect the whole car - ie not specifically from the steering or brakes. It is reminiscent of the old Scorpio 'cattle grid' effect which some may have experienced, but I don't think it's anything to do with the gearbox - it has happened, so far, at about 40mph; accelerating or decelerating has no effect and it still does it at 20-30mph in neutral. ATF is pink and up to the mark.

The irritating thing is, it is so intermittent that it won't do it when my local mechanic is driving, and he is at a loss as to the cause. My gut feeling is that it is to do with the half shafts - maybe something is occasionally slipping out of true and causing this vibration, which, incidentally, usually only lasts for about a quarter of a mile, although the other day it was nearer two miles.

If anyone can throw any light on this I would be extremely grateful - my biggest fear is that it will decide to do it at 70mph, when it will undoubtedly shake the car into tiny pieces!

Thanks in anticipation - it's a great forum by the way!

Regards

John

[ROYT]

Are you sure its not a msfire problem i.e, loss of pwer on some cylinders for a time, causing uneven running?

[7149capricorn]

Are you sure its not a msfire problem i.e, loss of pwer on some cylinders for a time, causing uneven running?

Interesting idea, ROYT, but I don't think it is - once when it was doing it I stopped and gave the engine a rev or two and all cylinders seemed to be OK. But next time (?) it does it I'll check more thoroughly for misfiring. I don't know why or how it clears itself though - yesterday and today not a hint of rough running or vibration.

Anyway, thanks for the idea - I'll let you know.

Regards

John

[ManicMark]

Are you sure its not a msfire problem i.e, loss of pwer on some cylinders for a time, causing uneven running?

Interesting idea, ROYT, but I don't think it is - once when it was doing it I stopped and gave the engine a rev or two and all cylinders seemed to be OK. But next time (?) it does it I'll check more thoroughly for misfiring. I don't know why or how it clears itself though - yesterday and today not a hint of rough running or vibration.

Anyway, thanks for the idea - I'll let you know.

Regards

John

Ive put in a search & come to here. I have just started to have the same problem, Im thinking partly siezed driveshaft joint or a delaminating tyre. My vibration comes on after leaving the car parked overnight, drive 2 or 3 miles & get a vibration through the car for about 30 secs & then it dissapears completely, at any speed.

If you find it first let me know I will likewise. Mark

[7149capricorn]

Ive put in a search & come to here. I have just started to have the same problem, Im thinking partly siezed driveshaft joint or a delaminating tyre. My vibration comes on after leaving the car parked overnight, drive 2 or 3 miles & get a vibration through the car for about 30 secs & then it dissapears completely, at any speed.

If you find it first let me know I will likewise. Mark

Hi Mark

You have a PM from me - rather inconclusive I'm afraid.

John

[ManicMark]

Hi John mine has stoped doing it now, I am pretty sure the drive shaft uj must have partially siezed & has now freed itself after the motorway trip back from Wales.

I will look into re greaseing the joints when the weather warms up a bit.

Ta Mark

[jamesholden]

It's a long time ago so I can't remember specific's. But I do remember reading once about a problem to do with a bush that wears causing the transmission to ever so slightly sag causing a hint of rumble, at certain speeds. I recalled it saying you can leave it and it'll carry on like it for years without really causing a major problem.

[7149capricorn]

Hi James - thanks for the info. Though my vibration is most noticeable between 40-45 mph it is there at all speeds - when it happens, which is only about 1% of the time. I'm taking it to my local garage tomorrow and they are going to try to pump more CV grease under the rubber boot - I suspect that after 12 years and 213,000 miles the CV joints have dried out.

By the way, I rang Lexus Milton Keynes for advice and spoke to 'Wally' (whether a nickname or his real name I don't know!) - having explained the exact symptoms to him he suggested perhaps it was a tyre delaminating or a wheel needing balancing! So much for expert advice. I make no further comment, but ask yourself - 'would I take my Lexus to this garage?'

Regards

John

[bazgtr]

Hi James - thanks for the info. Though my vibration is most noticeable between 40-45 mph it is there at all speeds - when it happens, which is only about 1% of the time. I'm taking it to my local garage tomorrow and they are going to try to pump more CV grease under the rubber boot - I suspect that after 12 years and 213,000 miles the CV joints have dried out.

By the way, I rang Lexus Milton Keynes for advice and spoke to 'Wally' (whether a nickname or his real name I don't know!) - having explained the exact symptoms to him he suggested perhaps it was a tyre delaminating or a wheel needing balancing! So much for expert advice. I make no further comment, but ask yourself - 'would I take my Lexus to this garage?'

Regards

John

In respect I can see after reading your first reply they would say check your front balancing on the alloy as wheel weights do fall off. What you can try is drive at 30mph and then at 70 mph and let me know. Also get upto 50mph and brake hard and let me know if the sterring shacks at all.

Another thing is there a thump in the box when you change to D and when you press down to engage the kickdown on the box. You get a thump as the box kicks in?

[7149capricorn]

Well, it went in to the garage yesterday and they 'stripped and regreased the rear cv joints'. How much stripping went on I don't know - I think they probably took a circlip off one end of the boot and squeezed some cv grease under the lip. So we wait and see - no vibration yet but it's early days. I'll let you know!

What 'Wally' didn't understand was that the vibration was 'intermittent' and only happens '1% of the time' - however, as instructed, I have driven it at 30 and then at 70 (no vibration), I have gone at 50 and then braked hard (no vibration or shaking - the steering wheel has never shaken anyway), and the gearbox is as smooth as the proverbial, whatever you do with it.

So, touch wood, (or wood effect plastic in the Lexus' case) we may have found a cure. Thanks to all those who have given advice.

Regards

John

[bazgtr]

Well, it went in to the garage yesterday and they 'stripped and regreased the rear cv joints'. How much stripping went on I don't know - I think they probably took a circlip off one end of the boot and squeezed some cv grease under the lip. So we wait and see - no vibration yet but it's early days. I'll let you know!

What 'Wally' didn't understand was that the vibration was 'intermittent' and only happens '1% of the time' - however, as instructed, I have driven it at 30 and then at 70 (no vibration), I have gone at 50 and then braked hard (no vibration or shaking - the steering wheel has never shaken anyway), and the gearbox is as smooth as the proverbial, whatever you do with it.

So, touch wood, (or wood effect plastic in the Lexus' case) we may have found a cure. Thanks to all those who have given advice.

Regards

John

I can't see how some grease in the rear CV joints will cure vibration and braking from the front. Could if one was missing as that would upset the balance on the one side, But then the problem would always be there until replaced.

Let me know when the vibration returns.

On a lighter note you say you have a vibration about 1% of the time. It's not when you go any vist some friends in the country and end up driving over a cattle grid? Hehe.

[Mybikesacx500]

Well, it went in to the garage yesterday and they 'stripped and regreased the rear cv joints'. How much stripping went on I don't know - I think they probably took a circlip off one end of the boot and squeezed some cv grease under the lip. So we wait and see - no vibration yet but it's early days. I'll let you know!

What 'Wally' didn't understand was that the vibration was 'intermittent' and only happens '1% of the time' - however, as instructed, I have driven it at 30 and then at 70 (no vibration), I have gone at 50 and then braked hard (no vibration or shaking - the steering wheel has never shaken anyway), and the gearbox is as smooth as the proverbial, whatever you do with it.

So, touch wood, (or wood effect plastic in the Lexus' case) we may have found a cure. Thanks to all those who have given advice.

Regards

John

No, it actually is wood!

[7149capricorn]

Just a quick update - it's been two weeks now since the regreasing of the cv joints and ......... no vibration! So if you are suffering from an intermittent 'cattle grid' effect, which is not coming from the front of the car but which vibrates the whole thing, maybe it's your cv joints as well! Thanks again for all suggestions.

Regards

John