Hello,

My GX470 2006 recently diagnosed with front strut oil leaking and dealer changing it as it is under warranty. Earlier other service location (local) told me all my struts were begin to leak...but dealer says only one on front (others are normal).

Have anyone faced issue with Struts GX470 ? Is it prone to failure ?

Soon my GX470 will be out of warranty - Somewhere i heard dealer charges $700 for replacing one strut..

Having faced this problem I was wondering I should consider getting an extended warranty. I am the 2nd owner and having it for last 9 months (I haven't had any bump.. I think this issue was there since I bought it earlier this year).

Also should i insist dealer to check the condition of other struts? By default I guess they don't want to...

Please advise.

Thanks

My only advice would be to have the other side replaced as well. Struts should be replaced in "pairs", not individually. Now, you'll have one side stiffer then the other, and on an SUV, that's probably not the greatest of ideas.

In the future, if the service is being done under warranty, then the dealership is the ideal place to go. But, if it's out of your pocket, it's the last place on earth you want to go, unless if you've got money to waste. $700 is a total fraud. Buy your parts from an online vendor, like www.parts.com, then take them to an indi mechanic for install. Will save you hundred$ of dollars.

Exactly I fully agree with NC on the struts replacement theory. If the dealer is saying one has to be replaced, he is taking you for a ride. That what they say and practice when tryin to replace something on warranty.

Right now my front RIGHT struts got replaced. So with your comment I guess my front LEFT also should be changed and no need to alter those on REAR ?

How better I can put forth my argument to dealer that pair should be changed ? - safety issue or any other supportive comments would convince them ?

I cant give any document, I know what lexus follows to replace a strut. That is attached for you here. But there is always a second possibility if and when a customer complains how effectively the dealer handles the situation. Following are the reason you can mention to them.
1. You are begining to feel the old strut which is yet to be replaced, is sometimes bottoming out on small pits. You get a hear a small kinda thud noise.
2. Sometimes you feel kinda bouncy at even normal roads when you ride from a give uphill and then a sudden downhill.
3. While applying your brakes firmly at higher speeds, your vehicle have a tendency to drift left or right to whichever the strut which is yet to be replaced.
4. When changing lanes quickly you say that your vehicle rock or sway more to the side sometimes.

All these contribute to handling characteristics of your vehicle and therefore the strut which is yet not replaced is not in sync with the other one replaced.

Thanks for your detailed reply. It's been a week since it got replaced. I can say that I feel 4 for pretty sure, 2 may be (have to watch out specifically to confirm). And also I feel mild pulsating when I apply breaks at or above 30m speeds along with very mild vibration from sides having old struts. I don't if this is due to break/rotor issue - but I didn't had this consistently before strut was replaced (the one last week). It is very consistently happens now that when I apply break, pulsating combined with mild vibration.

Does this lead to asking for replacing all remaining 3 of the struts or just the one on front left side (RIGHT one was replaced last week) ? I am wondering there is test to check shock absorbing quality of strut using some test and not just relying on whether it leaks oil or not ?

Dealer told me only when oil leaks then it should be changed ..but I believe there could be cases where struts looses its functioning quality (withstand/handle shocks) without oil getting leaked?