grahamw2

It was LEXUS head office who told the dealer that they would NOT pay anything towards the steering coloumn change (yes the dealer did offer to forgo thier costs, but not the cost of the coloumn. Dealer nice, but hands tied etc. No one wanted to listen to me, so I post it here, as a warning to others.

I replaced my 6 x 4 door speakers (the speaker cones rot with age) with a pair from Halfords, cheap as chips, sounded a lot better than the rotted cones ML ones. I dare say new MLs would sound better, but if you are over 35, the top end of your hearing spectrum has gone anyway, so you wont notice.

Hi All, My 1999 SC430 was recalled some years ago, for a free check & subsequent replacement of the passenger air bag. Long story short. When they disconnected the steering column, the centre part slide down into the outer tube. You cannot get hold of it to pull it back up. Lexus told the dealer this sometimes happens to cars that have been in a crash. I had seen no evidence of a crash repair & none had been noted by the Lexus dealer. The end storey was, You have 2 choices. A pick up your car, which is in bits, or Pay for a new steering column (the dealer offered to fit for free) at a cost of around £1300. So, beware of the free repair on recalls. My advice is if the car is old and the recall does not stop it working or passing MOTs, leave it alone, because anything else they find will cost you many pennies.

Will I have solved my problem, sold the car and bought another one. Thanks for your help Steve.

Thanks Steve, I'll look into all of the under seat & steering wheel areas. My MOT guy said, he could not fail it for an Air Bag warning, if he “could not see it", so advisory only. You are very correct with the air bag going off warning. I had to oversee the testing for the passenger air bag on, what became known as "C-Max", it was just a number to us then. So much energy & in such a short time scale. High speed filming was the only way we could tell if it was deploying correctly & not throwing bits of plastic or metal at your face & eyes areas. Truly awesome. Thanks again Steve

My driver air bag red light is on all the time. the garage checked the fault code log. B1135, Half connection in Air Bag sensor assembly connector. any ideas etc. has one out of a pair become disconnected? where is the sensor assembly? MOT due soon, so I need to fix it asap. Not keen on Lexus dealer, they broke my steering coloum, cost me over £1300 to get my car back from the free passenger air bag recall. If all else fails, I'll have to disconnect the red light and just have an "advisory" on the MOT pass slip.

mine cost me £1300 for the free replacement of the sensor, see my posts elswhere on this subject.

I have a 2001 model, yes got the call, took it in. when taking the steering wheel off to remove dashboard, the centre of the steering colum fell in. ewnd result, I was offered, nicely, but read on. 1 would you like to give us £1300ish for a new steering column, or 2 when will you arrange a transporter to collect your car which is in bits. yes coughed up, now the speakers rattle behind the dash and since then driver airbag light is now on, and Levison sterio makes a deafening sound at random times, I do mean deafening, unsafe to drive loud. These may just be coincidnces and it has been a few months since the work was done (speakers rattlled staright away). I have an IS300 as well, but neither goes anywhere near a Lexus dealer now. If there is not an issue with your airbag, stay away.

Hi guys, i had a recal for the passenger air bag, nice IS 300 hybred curtisy car. BUT when they removed the steering wheel, the centre shaft fell down the outer. This means they cannot get it back, Toyota/Lexus head office say this often happens on a car that jhas had a shunt on the front. I know nothing of any accident, Lexus service by main dealer (the one doing the recall) had not said anything etc. Up shot of it all was, do you want to pay for a new steering column (£1300 ish), we will fitt it free or do you want to arrange to have your car picked up on a transporter in bits. Asked a bit nicer, but that was the only 2 options. Yes I coughed up, Now I have £1300 less in the bank, a dashboard that has rattles from the speakers it never had before (this is to be expected on an old car, but they don't warn you of it. May be just a coincidence, but know the diver airbag light is on and the Levison amp makes a deafing crackle bang sound, every now and again, keeps it up untill it blows its own internal fuse. This is reset when you turn off the ignition and the radio may, work ok, or another odose of deafening noise. You have to remove the 30 amp fuse under the bonnet to be safe. My advice is not to have the recal work down unless you DO have an issue. Not best pleased with Lexus cars ltd, love the cars, I also have an IS300, both do not go near a Lexus dealer anymore.