Help! Car Died!

[Lexus_EX01]

Ohh dear

Some unknown object got flicked up by a truck and smacked the front left hand side of my Lexus GS430, it has caused the car to stop working!

The item struck my centre left and felt like it also went under the car and bounced HARD the thud was huge. There is a mark from the strike but not broken panels.

I drove a further 60 miles before an alarm sounded, and every single item that could flash did, even the centre stereo, needles on the Speedo all warning lights.

I pulled onto the hard shoulder of the motorway and the brakes were not assisted, neither was the power starring available and the stability manager was gone as I braked the car wobbled all over the place.

Finally got it to my Lexus dealers (Bolton) and they can’t look at it for 2 days and have no hire car, I travel 80 miles to work so really need my car, anyone have any ideas where to start? Or what might be the issue?

Tough call I know but I’m starting to think this might be a big bill?

[ColinBarber]

is the Battery in one piece?

[tameracingdriver]

is the battery in one piece?

This.

Failing that, it must be an electrical problem somewhere along the line - maybe even main fuse?

[TigerFish]

As above or maybe alternator belt snapped/cut or main Battery power cable shorted?

[tameracingdriver]

Do you live in Bolton? I'm in Stockport - although I'm not sure I could get over to you this weekend...

[Lexus_EX01]

Hi guys thanks for the reply's, after calling the AA at 5:30pm from the hard shoulder of the M61, at 8:45pm I finally had to leave the car on the M61 services over night.....

At 11 am the next day I actually got an AA man to take the car to Lexus Bolton...... How annoying and rubbish are the AA?

Lexus Bolton changed the Battery and couldn’t find a fault with the car, they don’t have any idea why the car did what it did, so I have it home and did about an hour’s drive in it, so far all is ok.

So to recap, hit by a UFO front left leaving a mark from the bottom of the bumper diagonal to the headlight about 30 i'sh centimetres.

Drove a further 60 miles and all of a sudden loud alarm in the car followed by every single electrical item in the car flashing on and off, stereo to needles on the Speedo/revs all alarm lights you name it. Also the Power steering failed, brakes and ESP.

Battery changed so far all seems ok, no faults showing on the car according to Lexus Bolton, alternator was checked as well and is fine.

Never had a Battery fail while driving and should I lose control of everything like I did?

[dave1]

I wouldn't have thought so. Why could the AA not recover your car until the following day? Did the AA not check battery/alternator etc?

[Lexus_EX01]

I wouldn't have thought so. Why could the AA not recover your car until the following day? Did the AA not check battery/alternator etc?

The AA after over an hour sitting on the hard shoulder sent a local garage to move me off the motorway, he did..... to the services...

A further 2 hours of being told I would be getting an AA mechanic to investigate the problem and he would decide if I would need a recover, then another local garage turned up (Sent by the AA) at 8:40pm and he said “No I’m not a mechanic mate I’m just here to recover it, Lexus Bolton is shut now and no place to leave your car there. We will have to store the car for you £24 and arrange to redeliver it for £150”.

As you can imagine another heated call to the AA who said “We will have to tow it tomorrow if you’re not prepaid to pay the fee” Witch I was not, why am I paying the AA £300 a year?

So I had to get my wife and my 14 week old child to drive 50 mins to collect me from the services and drive the 50 mins home, and then take me back in the morning to meet the AA, who had arranged to meet me at 11am and called at 9:50am to say “I’m here where are you? I’m going to have to leave if you’re not here (50 mins drive)”

So apart from not renewing my AA membership I still am none the wiser as to why a failed Battery would cause the problems I had?

[TigerFish]

Most of the systems are electronic, those systems require a minimum voltage to function. If the Battery fails, or the alternator stops charging, etc, then as the voltage begins to fall, the systems begin to fail.

[ROYT]

I'm with tigerfish, Battery complete failure.

Nearest I had to this was in a Ford Granada, the alternator belts were slipping

and when the voltage dropped right down every light on the dashboard came on.

[steve2006]

I had a problem a few months ago with a Citroen Belingo van when the alternator failed and I decided to try and drive it home.

As the Battery gradually flattened the warning lights started to come on but I made it home, not the same vehicle I know but a faulty or low charge Battery seems to cause some weird things in modern ECU controlled vehicles.

Is the Power steering electric in the GS430? Is the power assistance for the brakes electrically pump driven? If so this may explain the problems here as a result of a failing Battery.

I have to agree regarding the poor service from the AA. I was left stranded by them at Manchester Airport after I broke my foot on holiday and was the only driver in the party. Most other companies will transport the car home if this case arises, the AA do not, It's the same old story profits and shareholders come before customer service.

[dave1]

I wouldn't have thought so. Why could the AA not recover your car until the following day? Did the AA not check battery/alternator etc?

why am I paying the AA £300 a year?

£300 a year?? That is a ridiculous amount. RAC charged about £125 last year for full UK personal cover for my wife and I but we got offered same cover through Green Flag/Churchill for £82 in April when we were due to renew our breakdown cover so we are back with Green Flag this year. Even when we had European cover it was under £200 a year.

[dave1]

I had a problem a few months ago with a Citroen Belingo van when the alternator failed and I decided to try and drive it home.

As the battery gradually flattened the warning lights started to come on but I made it home, not the same vehicle I know but a faulty or low charge battery seems to cause some weird things in modern ECU controlled vehicles.

Is the Power steering electric in the GS430? Is the power assistance for the brakes electrically pump driven? If so this may explain the problems here as a result of a failing battery.

I have to agree regarding the poor service from the AA. I was left stranded by them at Manchester Airport after I broke my foot on holiday and was the only driver in the party. Most other companies will transport the car home if this case arises, the AA do not, It's the same old story profits and shareholders come before customer service.

Just seems a strange "coincidence" for it to happen just after being banged by a foreign object.

[TigerFish]

Is the Power steering electric in the GS430?

There is some electronic wizardry with the power steering, but if the engine has stalled due to power failure, then the belt driven pump would stop also.

Is the power assistance for the brakes electrically pump driven?

It has an hydraulic brake booster (with the nitrogen accumulator), rather than the more traditional servo assistance, the pump for it is electric.