Need Help Bad With Issue On 2008 Ls460L Exec Package

[NetLexus]

Hello,

I have somewhat of a sticky issue that I am hoping I can get some insight into.

Back in 2010 I bought a 2008 LS460L with executive package, a CPO with 27K miles on it. It worked just fabulously until I started hearing what sounded like water fall behind the front dash, it mostly happens when I accelerate from a full stop or from a slow down and subsequent right turn (yes kind of weird). The first time I took it to the dealer was in March 2012, the local dealer heard the sound, kept the car for 7days and 100 miles later they said they changed the water pump. I started noticing many issues right after this supposed repair was done, as follows:

(a) Coming out of a right turn (notice I keep mentioning right turns, it is sort of whacky as it does not do the same on left turns) it feels like that the engine will accelerate but the car does not seem to be move in unison but will lag behind it. Many times I can hear the engine revving but not so much as moving equally fast.

(B) I feel jerkiness in the car’s movements coming out of a full stop, accelerating on a uphill road, and just in general – not smooth at all.

© A few times the car actually shuddered while going uphill at about 35 – 45 miles per hour speed, and twice I have smelt something burning under the hood.

(d) I can still hear the water fall intermittently, it is starting to be more frequent and again it will happen most often after a cold start in the morning, then intermittently. Many times you can actually hear a soft water trickle behind the dash while the car is stopped say at a stop light. The real water fall as in a gush of water can be heard occasionally when accelerating from a stop or slow down. The tough part is that two times I have taken it in to the dealer, the car refuses to do it – murphy’s law and real spooky. Now the dealer is starting to think that I am delusional and they refuse to do anything about it.

(e) The performance on the car isn’t what it used to be at slow city stop and drive speeds – the issue is not noticeable at high speeds. I know it is behaving a lot differently after the so called water pump repair, in terms that it is choppy and jerky. The dealer says there aren’t any error codes showing up in their diagnostics.

It seems like the water fall problem was never resolved by the water pump replacement, the performance on the car is come to an unacceptable point for me personally, the dealer thinks otherwise. Any insight on this is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[1990LS400]

Is it AWD? A low speed "shudder" or vibration has been reported on this and other Lexus forums. You are not delusional - at least about this. Your dealer should definitely know about it but service writers at Lexus dealers - mine at least - can be notoriously clueless. Do a Google search on LS460 AWD vibration. I noticed the low speed shudder/vibration when I test drove an LS460L with air suspension in 2011 - weird on a brand new car.

[James Horning]

The water rushing sound is a air pocket in the cooling system, it needs to be bled, there is a process some times it works some times not .

When I worked for Nissan the maxima was the hardest car to bleed.

A) have a health check done at the dealer , see if there are any programming updates available.

B) Have idle learn reset, I have found if it is not correct if affects the driving feel of the car and the shift feel. There is a simple process I found in the manual.

C) AWD vehicles feel weird, they bind, wiggle and do not feel smooth.

D) tires are very easy to flat spot .

E) Find a tech that cares, we are getting rare, give him time, lots of in depth information and he will fix the car.

F) it is always a good idea to drive a like model, do a comparison, with your chosen tech, sometimes " it" is normal.

G) I have clients that have been with me for 25 years, they are customers and friends, I treat there cars like my own, you just have to find that commited, passionate tech.

This profession has become extremely difficult not everything has a instant fix . JH/ Lexus Master.

[lenore]

Good advice James...Hope poster finds such a caring person.

[NetLexus]

Thanks JH. Will pass on this info to the dealer folks... hopefully they'll know what to do.