is200 Newbie

One thing i have noticed which i think will have some bearing on the matter is that when first starting the car in the morning for a few miles under braking then its as smooth as a nut but after that the judder is back. But if i drive for a few more miles, 10 miles or so, the judder has gone when applying the brakes but then presents itself again a few miles down the road when applying the brakes again. It is as if when the discs are cold they dont have the feeling of being warped but as they are being used they are heating up and warping. When driving around not using them they are cooling down until used again? Does this point to warped discs or am i looking at other issues?

Thanks for the reply yes - new pads (Mintex) - New discs (Brembo) - New slide pins from Lexus (not cheap) tyres have been balanced and aligned and pressures are ok. So i am at a loss as to what could be the fault other than the discs but with them being Brembo which is a good quality part have no idea of what else i can do.

I am getting a bit depressed with this fault now When braking the steering wheel vibrates/judders - the feeling you get when the discs are warped. Having not long replaced old discs (approx 2000miles ago) with new Brembo ones the problem presented itself. I have changed and cleaned practically all the parts that i can on the caliper and cleaned all mating faces (hub to disc/disc to wheel) replaced the slide pins with new - re-greased all / checked calipers and everything is working as it should. The solution to the problem can be to replace the discs again but these should be good discs i am thinking? I have been told today that there could be other issues causing the vibration/judder under braking such as front hub bushes, track rod ends, tie bars, wheel bearings. Am i being fobbed off or could there be other causes that would replicate the feeling of warped discs? Anyone know of any links to any pages showing a step through of the work that needs doing?

Thanks Steve On the subject of brakes, i am having issues with a "vibrating/shudderring" steering wheel when braking. There are numerous posts on the site for what could be wrong and the diagnosis, if everything was to be replaced like everyone mentioned, would come into the 1000s of £'s I have had this problem for a few months and thought i had cured it recently by replacing the slide pins / bushes and dust covers on the calipers but after a short run found that there's been no difference. This vibration/shudder has come about as follows: I bought the car (is200) last year in August 2010. I noticed the discs needed replacing as they had had a good life and were worn quite a bit so when they started to go (i presumed they were going as they had the feeling they were warping) i initially changed these for a set from ebay which came with Mintex pads - thinking these were Mintex discs i installed them and they were good for a few 1000 miles but then started giving me problems vibtating when i was braking again. Thinking they were a bad set of discs i bought a set of Brembo discs from Brembo. These seemed, again, to stop the vibration under braking but only for a few 1000 miles. The vibrating is back again. I cleaned the calipers down again and checked all pistons were ok which they were but noticed two slide pins were a bit pitted and not sliding easy (one from the passenger side and one from the drivers side) so I ordered a set of new slide pins and having just fitted the pins this weekend and cleaned down all the caliper / braking system there is no change. I am at my wits end with the car - my last option has been to ask for a replacement set of discs as i am thinking it could be whats wrong - a bad set of discs or not bedded in properly? I am coming to the conclusion that when i have changed the discs in the past the problem has gone away for a few 1000 miles then come back. So thinking about it, when i have changed the discs in both instances and put brand new ones on, i have cleaned down, regreased the pins etc and installed the discs and they have been fine and you would expect everything to be ok as it's clean and as new. This time i have done the same, cleaned down but replaced the pins so these are ok but put my used discs back on which may have? a warp in them? Work i have done to try and eliminate the fault so far: Wheels balanced -ok Tyre pressures checked -ok Brake pads checked - even wear on both passenger and driver side - ok Caliper pistons checked and both are free and not siezed - ok Slide pins - two of these were looking a bit dodgy so i have replaced all 4 (passenger and driver side) - ok Slide pin bushes / dust caps/seals have been replaced - ok All mating faces from disc to hub and wheel to disc have been cleaned - ok There is no vibration / shudder under normal driving conditions - only at braking which is leading me to the fact that there should be a problem on the braking side of things. I am waiting for a replacement set of discs but should i be looking at other parts that could cause the vibration under braking. It definately feels like its the front brakes and i know the rear brakes dont operate fully under braking but should i look at the rear ones also? Would ball joints / bearings etc have any contribution to the problem i am facing (i realise i would notice if the bearings were on their way out but these seem to be ok) I am at a loss now with the car as to what can be wrong with it - I would rather repair myself as the nearest lexus garage is just under 30 miles away - The car's brilliant, best i have ever had and i want to keep it but my confidence in it over this is slowly going and i am getting a bit fed up with it. I know it's a lot to put to yourself but if anyone on the forum can help with this i would much appreciate it befor i give up and get a Vauxhall!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

I have noticed when replacing the caliper slide pins recently that the drivers side brake pads had no wire spring seperators (i dont know the proper description) on the pads. these are the wires that fit into the two holes on each pad. the passenger side has them - i think wneh the pads were changed last these "springs" were not put back on. Question is - would there be a big difference in not having this wire on one side - they should be there for a reason, granted, but why?

Matty Slide pins changed on both sides of the car - top and bottom slide pin / caliper boot and bushes. This has stopped the vibration at low speeds. It made sense thinking about it that this was more than likely the cause as one pin was a bit "sticky" and another was a bit pitted hence making the braking uneven and vibrating as they were not moving freely. Job took an hour and cost £61 for all the parts. Hope this helps

Hi Matty I have the exact same problem ... i have changed the front discs as they did need doing anyway and put Brembo discs on and a set of Mintex pads. I cleaned all the parts in the caliper up also when doing the work and noticed one of the slide pins in the caliper housing was a bit pitted and sticking (the one with the rubber seal on the end) - this was very hard to get out but i managed to free it and get it out. it was rusted and pitted but i managed to clean it up as best i could without scratching the hell out of it (still a bit pitted but a lot cleaner) and i re-greased all the pins before putting all the parts back together. This was fine for around 2000 miles and then i noticed a vibration when braking at 40. i have cleaned the calipers again this weekend to check for any obvious problems - pistons were ok - pads / disc from what i can tell are ok (should be as they are new) but when i came to checking the slide pins i noticed they were hard to get out again and dry so this afternoon i have ordered a new set of pins from Lexus as i am sure this is the cause of the vibration. I will let you kno wthe outcome of this when i manage to re-fit them.

A nice person in a 4x4 decided to give my is200 a "nudge" in a car park - no real damage but i have noticed the rear passenger light has a crack in it and is starting to mist up. Would anyone know if a light from a W reg (which i think is a 2000 year) is200 will fit a 2004 model? thanks

Hi I have a big if wobble from steering wheel at 60 and alot when I brake. Did you have this with seized calipers This could be warped front discs. Had the same in mine - replaced with a new set of Brembo discs (£80 from web) and all good now.

I have had my is200 now for almost a year and put almost 18k faultless miles on it (lot of petrol money in it as well!!) I would like to start to mod it a bit - i got the car as i had always liked them and after seeing what can be done to them i would like to give it a go in "modding" it a bit. It is mechanically sound - had the belts changed / serviced etc and i am wondering whats the best thing to start with. I added a K&N lifetime oiled filter last year when i got it, the direct replacement type and that made a hell of a difference in drive (it is an automatic) An upper strut brace has been fitted and again i can feel the difference when cornering. I would like to get stuck into the car and get some things done to it but dont know where to start - anyone point me in the right direction? I am thinking the body (wheels / body kit should be done last?) The car is in silver (Kodiak Sky)

Thanks Rudus I will give it a go at the weekend if it's dry !!

Suns been out so i have been cleaning car as you do !! Does anyone know how to go about removing the rear parcel shelf - is there an easy way of doing this. I need to take it off anyway as i cannot get the brake light cover thats sitting on the shelf back on. It is the only think that i have had "problems" with since i had the car. I noticed it was not fitted properly but just cannot get it back on. Anyone have any ideas?

I know how you feel - happenned to me a few weeks ago when i came out of a shop to notice what can only have been a 4x4 that had scraped the paint from the rear bumper - due to the height and position it could only have been a 4x4 and it always happens in a prominent place that stands out !! People dont give a damn these days.

Thanks guys

I have noticed that when i turn the car off theres a small noise that comes from behind the dash board from the front passenger side. The car has always done this and i am guessing it is normal - does anyone know what it is. it sounds like a motor and comes on for around 3 seconds after the engine has been turned off. It's not giving me any problems but i am just wondering now what the noise is. I am guessing it is a motor that is closing the air con / cabin filter flap closed? - Car is a 2004 is200 LE.

This has been the best buy i have ever made - bought a 54 plate is200 LE - all the extras - bit heavy on fuel but worth the cost all things considered. Parts are very cheap. the car is easy to work on. Bought mine at 64k in August last year and have put almost 11k on it up to now - no issues at all. Have just got a squeeky wiper joint and thats it! Its a very good buy and highly recomended. I would recomend a cam belt change though. Recomended interval is 1000k or 6 years which ever comes first. Mines in next week to have this done and costing £280 and thats dealer prices which is very reasonable.

I have just had a fault develop on my car - first one since i bought it - its a 2004 is200. Last night the windscreen wipers started to make a squeeling noise - i must admit that with all the snow and rain we have had lately that they have taken a batterring. The noise seems to be coming from under the black plastic cover within the engine. I have had a quick look and have narrowed it down to this area. It is not the wipers on the windscreen as when lifted off the glass the noise is still apparent. It got dark too quick tonight to have a good look but it looks like it is coming from directly under where the wiper comes out of the engine bay in one of the rubber gromets - Are there any servicable parts there - i have sprayed for the time being with WD40 but no luck? Has anyone else had any issues like this ? thanks

Found the proper VIN plate - the above number is stamped on the firewall in the engine bay - it is also visible on a panel through the windscreen but the full details can be found on the front passenger door. Color code 1D2 thanks

I have a Lexus is200 LE 2004 Silver. I have had a look for details of the paint code for this model but cant find any - i have found codes for silver but believe there to be multiple shades of this color. the car color description in the lexus book is Kodiak Sky - i have the VIN number but it is 17 charachters long - does anyone know how to decipher the code to see what the paint code for the car actually is? thanks

I have just bought a 2004 Lexus is200 after owning Vauxhalls all my life - what a car, will never ever ever buy a vauxhall again!!! Just getting used to the new driving characteristics of the Lexus now. Filled tank up last week and took it to Scotland on a 340 mile journey and got there with a quarter tank to spare. Think i will get 400-450 out of a full tank. Does anyone know if this sounds about right for the car. Any tips for mods on the car to increase fuel ecomomy. Motorway driving is ace - around town it is quite heavy on fuel but i guess so is every other car. First impressions of the car are brilliant. Another question - were these cars manufactured with a stainless steel exhaust? thanks