Steering - Stange Popping Or Catching Feeling

[lvcruises]

I have a 2004 ES330. I have had it for 14 months and recently started feeling this strange popping/catching feeling when turning left or right at slower speeds. It does make a little noise that others in the car can hear if they are listening, it is a faint pop noise. Mostly you feel it in the steering wheel. No one else in the car can "feel it". I have an appt with Lexus next week but don't really want to spend $100 to have it looked at if it isn't an issue. Has anyone else had this happen? If so what was it and did you get it fixed? If it is something that will get worse but doesn't hurt anything I would rather wait to get it fixed. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

[lightflick]

I have a 2004 ES330. I have had it for 14 months and recently started feeling this strange popping/catching feeling when turning left or right at slower speeds. It does make a little noise that others in the car can hear if they are listening, it is a faint pop noise. Mostly you feel it in the steering wheel. No one else in the car can "feel it". I have an appt with Lexus next week but don't really want to spend $100 to have it looked at if it isn't an issue. Has anyone else had this happen? If so what was it and did you get it fixed? If it is something that will get worse but doesn't hurt anything I would rather wait to get it fixed. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

It could be the steering shaft assembly. Alot of the ES330's have a steering shaft issue. There was a TSIB issued a while back. It should be replaced for free if your car is still under warranty. The sound can get worse, but won't hurt anything if you don't get it fixed.

[SW03ES]

Very common problem, its the intermediate steering shaft. I had mine done, but my extended warranty covered it.

[lvcruises]

Thanks for the information. I found a TSIB that was for the 2007 models but it sounds exactly like the issue I'm having. My problem is very very mild at this point and I'm not under warranty anymore. I talked to Lexus and the fix is almost $400, not worth it at this point. They said it was a safety issue.

[lightflick]

I think they would've recalled those steering shafts by now if they were a safety issue. I haven't heard of anyone crashing due to a failed shaft assembly yet. I know that they're common because I've replaced alot of steering shafts in those cars in the past few years. If your Lexus dealership says its such a safety issue, they should replace it for free. It's a Lexus and that's a manufacture's defect. Why make the customer pay when Lexus knows about the issue.

I know you're out of warranty, but sometimes if you talk to the service manager, they're sometimes willing to work with you. Sometimes they pay for the labor, and you pay for the part. Or sometimes they pay for the whole thing. Can't hurt to put up a stink about the quality of that part in that Lexus. I'm sure Lexus doesn't want unhappy customers.

The TSIB number is ST001-05: Steering Intermediate Shaft Noise.

Models: '03 ES 300, '04 - '05 ES 330

[lvcruises]

I think they would've recalled those steering shafts by now if they were a safety issue. I haven't heard of anyone crashing due to a failed shaft assembly yet. I know that they're common because I've replaced alot of steering shafts in those cars in the past few years. If your Lexus dealership says its such a safety issue, they should replace it for free. It's a Lexus and that's a manufacture's defect. Why make the customer pay when Lexus knows about the issue.

I know you're out of warranty, but sometimes if you talk to the service manager, they're sometimes willing to work with you. Sometimes they pay for the labor, and you pay for the part. Or sometimes they pay for the whole thing. Can't hurt to put up a stink about the quality of that part in that Lexus. I'm sure Lexus doesn't want unhappy customers.

The TSIB number is ST001-05: Steering Intermediate Shaft Noise.

Models: '03 ES 300, '04 - '05 ES 330

Sorry, that was a Typo... Lexus said it WAS NOT a safety issue. Thanks for the reply

[Lexusfreak]

Did you get the problem fixed? Mine was just done a couple months back. The service manager called it the steering knuckle.