'99 Lexus "shudder"

[erupert]

I have a '99 LX470 that has 118K on it. About 98K, it would occasionally "shudder" when accelerating from stopped with the front wheels turned. It gradually got more frequent and now it does it most of the time. The mechanic that services my Mercedes suggested that it looked like the driveshaft had never been lubed at the grease fittings (even though I did every factory service from new up through the 60K and then again at the 90K.

I have avoided taking it back to the dealer because I am thinking that it's in the transfer case and is related to the AWD. I know that the full-time AWD Jeep Grand Cherokees seem to have this problem.

Any thoughts? Maybe a change of the transfer case oil to an aftermarket product? Again, on the Jeep forum (I also have a Jeep), I read that certain aftermarket lubes could help.

Thanks in advance.

[Jim_Chow]

I presume the center diff lock is not locked? Unknowingly locking it and driving on dry pavement can damage the t-case.

[erupert]

I presume the center diff lock is not locked? Unknowingly locking it and driving on dry pavement can damage the t-case.

←

Nope, never locked the center diff. Think I used it once goofing around in a parking lot full of snow but that's about it.

[cfbrenton]

I had this EXACT same problem. It happened only when turning and accelerating from a stop. A non-lexus service center diagnosed as us needing a new tranfer case.

We went to Lexus, who had just done a mulitple fluid change a couple months earlier. They told us that someone (them) had put the wonrg type of fluid in. They flushed it and changed it. Now it is totally fine. I was afraid to go their too, because I was worried about the potential bad news.

It is easy to misdiagnose, so if they try to give you a big bill, tell them about me and ask them to give it a try. Some lexus dealers dont have many LX470s so they dont know much about the 4 wheel drive or especially the hydraulic suspension.