2009 Ls460 Awd – Bad Ride Quality – Advice Please

[Ed Darte]

A week ago I traded in my 2001 LS430 for a 2009 CPO LS460 AWD and already I am experiencing buyer's remorse. I am hoping this forum can help me.

While I love the styling of the 460 (the one aspect of the 430 I was not thrilled with) and all the tech toys, I am having a real problem with the ride quality of the 460. I bought the 430 new and put 190,000 kilos (120,000 miles) on it over nine years without a single problem and I got to know what an LS rides like.

I know the 460 is a firmer ride and, for the most part, I appreciate that. However driving along, mostly in the 30-90 KPH (20-55 MPH) range, it often feels as if the transmission is in too high a gear and the car is almost about to stall. If I step on the gas the problem goes away.

If the road is level and I put the cruise on and set to 90KPH (55 MPH) you can feel a continuous, intermittent, mild hesitation.

Before posting I searched all prior posts for similar problems but nothing seems to match. I read some people have experienced what feels like drive-shaft vibrations but, IMO, my problem feels more like bad gear selection. I have also read that some people say the car wants to be driven hard but I have a hard time accepting this behaviour as "designed-in". I also tried using the "S6" gear setting thinking this might limit how high a gear gets selected but this gave no improvement.

I live in an area where e the road has numerous curves and low rolling hills (one that was very enjoyable to drive in the 430) but the ride in the 460 is most unpleasant.

I purchased the 96/160,000 kilo (96/100,000 miles) extended warranty with the car (it only has 11,000 kilos on it now) so I am hoping I have nothing to worry about.

I was hoping to find a TSB on this problem but no luck. It would be great if I could get some advice before I go back to the dealer so I don't have an uphill battle to convince them there is a problem and they don't have to spend a lot of time looking for a solution.

PS. Our driveway slopes down to the house and when backing out (i.e., up) the drive the car wants to roll forward between the time I take my foot off the brake and put it on the gas. I know I can use the auto parking brake (APB) feature but I don't recall this problem with the 430 which did not have APB. As I recall, the 430 did not roll at all (as if the idle speed alone was sufficient to keep it in place). Is my 460's behaviour normal?

TIA,

Ed

[lex460]

A week ago I traded in my 2001 LS430 for a 2009 CPO LS460 AWD and already I am experiencing buyer's remorse. I am hoping this forum can help me.

While I love the styling of the 460 (the one aspect of the 430 I was not thrilled with) and all the tech toys, I am having a real problem with the ride quality of the 460. I bought the 430 new and put 190,000 kilos (120,000 miles) on it over nine years without a single problem and I got to know what an LS rides like.

I know the 460 is a firmer ride and, for the most part, I appreciate that. However driving along, mostly in the 30-90 KPH (20-55 MPH) range, it often feels as if the transmission is in too high a gear and the car is almost about to stall. If I step on the gas the problem goes away.

If the road is level and I put the cruise on and set to 90KPH (55 MPH) you can feel a continuous, intermittent, mild hesitation.

Before posting I searched all prior posts for similar problems but nothing seems to match. I read some people have experienced what feels like drive-shaft vibrations but, IMO, my problem feels more like bad gear selection. I have also read that some people say the car wants to be driven hard but I have a hard time accepting this behaviour as "designed-in". I also tried using the "S6" gear setting thinking this might limit how high a gear gets selected but this gave no improvement.

I live in an area where e the road has numerous curves and low rolling hills (one that was very enjoyable to drive in the 430) but the ride in the 460 is most unpleasant.

I purchased the 96/160,000 kilo (96/100,000 miles) extended warranty with the car (it only has 11,000 kilos on it now) so I am hoping I have nothing to worry about.

I was hoping to find a TSB on this problem but no luck. It would be great if I could get some advice before I go back to the dealer so I don't have an uphill battle to convince them there is a problem and they don't have to spend a lot of time looking for a solution.

PS. Our driveway slopes down to the house and when backing out (i.e., up) the drive the car wants to roll forward between the time I take my foot off the brake and put it on the gas. I know I can use the auto parking brake (APB) feature but I don't recall this problem with the 430 which did not have APB. As I recall, the 430 did not roll at all (as if the idle speed alone was sufficient to keep it in place). Is my 460's behaviour normal?

TIA,

Ed

After owning 3 LS430's 2 LS 460's IMO you will come to like the 460 so much better. The issue you mention does not sound to be a ride issue more of a 8 speed transmission issue. Yes if Lexus didn't add the 8 speed you might be complaining about the gas mileage, this is the main reason for the 8 speed. It is the hardest thing to get used to but after awhile you while you will get used to it. I found that S7 works well for me when cruising below 60mph. the good news is the steering and brakes are so much better than the 430 and the looks are great as BMW and Mercedes copied the look from Lexus.You will note that the 430 feels heaver than the 430 making for me a much more fun car to drive. For some reason I miss driving the 460 and find myself having to just go for a ride, never had that with the 430..

[WEL1]

A week ago I traded in my 2001 LS430 for a 2009 CPO LS460 AWD and already I am experiencing buyer's remorse. I am hoping this forum can help me.

While I love the styling of the 460 (the one aspect of the 430 I was not thrilled with) and all the tech toys, I am having a real problem with the ride quality of the 460. I bought the 430 new and put 190,000 kilos (120,000 miles) on it over nine years without a single problem and I got to know what an LS rides like.

I know the 460 is a firmer ride and, for the most part, I appreciate that. However driving along, mostly in the 30-90 KPH (20-55 MPH) range, it often feels as if the transmission is in too high a gear and the car is almost about to stall. If I step on the gas the problem goes away.

If the road is level and I put the cruise on and set to 90KPH (55 MPH) you can feel a continuous, intermittent, mild hesitation.

Before posting I searched all prior posts for similar problems but nothing seems to match. I read some people have experienced what feels like drive-shaft vibrations but, IMO, my problem feels more like bad gear selection. I have also read that some people say the car wants to be driven hard but I have a hard time accepting this behaviour as "designed-in". I also tried using the "S6" gear setting thinking this might limit how high a gear gets selected but this gave no improvement.

I live in an area where e the road has numerous curves and low rolling hills (one that was very enjoyable to drive in the 430) but the ride in the 460 is most unpleasant.

I purchased the 96/160,000 kilo (96/100,000 miles) extended warranty with the car (it only has 11,000 kilos on it now) so I am hoping I have nothing to worry about.

I was hoping to find a TSB on this problem but no luck. It would be great if I could get some advice before I go back to the dealer so I don't have an uphill battle to convince them there is a problem and they don't have to spend a lot of time looking for a solution.

PS. Our driveway slopes down to the house and when backing out (i.e., up) the drive the car wants to roll forward between the time I take my foot off the brake and put it on the gas. I know I can use the auto parking brake (APB) feature but I don't recall this problem with the 430 which did not have APB. As I recall, the 430 did not roll at all (as if the idle speed alone was sufficient to keep it in place). Is my 460's behaviour normal?

TIA,

Ed

After owning 3 LS430's 2 LS 460's IMO you will come to like the 460 so much better. The issue you mention does not sound to be a ride issue more of a 8 speed transmission issue. Yes if Lexus didn't add the 8 speed you might be complaining about the gas mileage, this is the main reason for the 8 speed. It is the hardest thing to get used to but after awhile you while you will get used to it. I found that S7 works well for me when cruising below 60mph. the good news is the steering and brakes are so much better than the 430 and the looks are great as BMW and Mercedes copied the look from Lexus.You will note that the 430 feels heaver than the 430 making for me a much more fun car to drive. For some reason I miss driving the 460 and find myself having to just go for a ride, never had that with the 430..

[WEL1]

A week ago I traded in my 2001 LS430 for a 2009 CPO LS460 AWD and already I am experiencing buyer's remorse. I am hoping this forum can help me.

While I love the styling of the 460 (the one aspect of the 430 I was not thrilled with) and all the tech toys, I am having a real problem with the ride quality of the 460. I bought the 430 new and put 190,000 kilos (120,000 miles) on it over nine years without a single problem and I got to know what an LS rides like.

I know the 460 is a firmer ride and, for the most part, I appreciate that. However driving along, mostly in the 30-90 KPH (20-55 MPH) range, it often feels as if the transmission is in too high a gear and the car is almost about to stall. If I step on the gas the problem goes away.

If the road is level and I put the cruise on and set to 90KPH (55 MPH) you can feel a continuous, intermittent, mild hesitation.

Before posting I searched all prior posts for similar problems but nothing seems to match. I read some people have experienced what feels like drive-shaft vibrations but, IMO, my problem feels more like bad gear selection. I have also read that some people say the car wants to be driven hard but I have a hard time accepting this behaviour as "designed-in". I also tried using the "S6" gear setting thinking this might limit how high a gear gets selected but this gave no improvement.

I live in an area where e the road has numerous curves and low rolling hills (one that was very enjoyable to drive in the 430) but the ride in the 460 is most unpleasant.

I purchased the 96/160,000 kilo (96/100,000 miles) extended warranty with the car (it only has 11,000 kilos on it now) so I am hoping I have nothing to worry about.

I was hoping to find a TSB on this problem but no luck. It would be great if I could get some advice before I go back to the dealer so I don't have an uphill battle to convince them there is a problem and they don't have to spend a lot of time looking for a solution.

PS. Our driveway slopes down to the house and when backing out (i.e., up) the drive the car wants to roll forward between the time I take my foot off the brake and put it on the gas. I know I can use the auto parking brake (APB) feature but I don't recall this problem with the 430 which did not have APB. As I recall, the 430 did not roll at all (as if the idle speed alone was sufficient to keep it in place). Is my 460's behaviour normal?

TIA,

Ed

After owning 3 LS430's 2 LS 460's IMO you will come to like the 460 so much better. The issue you mention does not sound to be a ride issue more of a 8 speed transmission issue. Yes if Lexus didn't add the 8 speed you might be complaining about the gas mileage, this is the main reason for the 8 speed. It is the hardest thing to get used to but after awhile you while you will get used to it. I found that S7 works well for me when cruising below 60mph. the good news is the steering and brakes are so much better than the 430 and the looks are great as BMW and Mercedes copied the look from Lexus.You will note that the 430 feels heaver than the 430 making for me a much more fun car to drive. For some reason I miss driving the 460 and find myself having to just go for a ride, never had that with the 430..