Steering Vibration

[djwatts]

Hey everyone....New IS 300 owner here. I recently purchased a 2001 IS300 from a small dealer. After driving the car for a couple days I have noticed that the steering wheel vibrates slightly when cruising at 40 to 50 mph and has a slight pull when over 70. Is this simply an alignment problem or could this be a result of a previous accident the car was in. I checked the autos carfax report and it stated the car had been in a minor accident and found that the back passenger door had been replaced. Does the origninal manufacturers warranty cover alignment problems? The car has extreamly low miles and is still covered by the original warranty.

Thanks for any replys

[steviej]

sounds more of a combination balance and alignment problem.

The first thing I would do, is consult the dealership that you bought the car from. The car should have been checked over. Ask them to reimburse you if you take it to a quality tire shop for a balance and 4-wheel alignment. It shouldn't be more that $100. If they have tire service capability, then they may just do the work themselves. What kind of warranty did they give you upon pruchase?

Secondly, the balance and alignment will probably not be covered under Lexus warranty, but you never know until you ask.

Go to or call the Lexus dealership that you think you might use for service (if you go that route) and discuss the situation with the service manager. Explain that you are new and want to know if this is covered. Be totally honest and tell him where you got the car and that you are looking for a Lexus Service Shop for future service dealings. If the service manager wants to acquire another long term customer, they may right it off under warranty.

When in doubt, call 1-800-25-LEXUS and ask customer service directly.

It is hard to tell from just reading a post if the accident was just cosmetic or was it a major hit with frame damage. Do you follow me here?

steviej

[bartkat]

Lexus most likely will at least give your car, suspension, steering, etc a complete inspection and tell you if there's any real problems there.