Mysterious Power Outage- Fusible Link?

[maxweenus]

I'm at the point of desperation. Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for looking.
I feel like I'm getting run through by the Lexus dealer.
Can someone please offer some advice.

2006 es330 75k miles

Here is all relevant information:
-A/C light was flashing the other week- i understand this may be a bad relay, i had not fixed it yet. It was just intermittent

-Friday night I drove the car to the grocery store- less than .25 miles. There was a "whir" from the engine? that increased in pitch as I accelerated. Not too loud, but I noticed it. Car started fine on the way back, same noise though.

-Sat morning, went to start the car. Completely dead. The only things that would work were electronics that would without the key. So hi beams and cabin lights. No radio, gauges, windows, no clicking, nothing. had to go away for the weekend.

-Monday AAA battery service came- tried to jump car didn't work. Tested battery 12.6V 381 Amps no problems. Tech looked behind my glovebox and saw some material/debris. Suggested maybe a nest and something chewed through a wire.

-Monday night towed to dealer

-Dealer- Did not look at car on Tuesday- looked today just got a call from them.
I left a note with everything that had happened up to this point.

I was told.
-The 120a Fusible link is broken
-Your battery is dead
-You possibly jump-started car backwards
-They didn't even look behind glove



I followed up with the following.
-AAA just tested the battery and entire charging system. How can you say battery is dead if they just told me the exact opposite.
-I never jumped the car, only a professional did, and the car died before anyone even attempted to jump it- how could jumping the car make this happen if it didn't take place until AFTER the issues
-I asked if they checked behind the glove box: no
-I asked if they took the noise I heard into account: no

They want to charge me almost $500 to change the fusible link 135 diagnostic and 363 for the fuse and install.

On top of that they didn't address the issue of what caused it, didn't look at the glove box or make any mention of the noise.

What can cause a fusible link to blow besides a backwards jump- which didn't happen, and is it really a $350 job to change one, from my brief research, it seems like a $20 part and 2 bolts hold it in.

Im just so frustrated. Thanks again to anyone who can offer anything.

[pj8708]

Hi Max and welcome to the Lexus Owners Club.

I'll try to give you some feedback on your situation, but with the caveat that this is not an area of expertise for me.

I have placed a link below from a search of the Clubs data base from postings regarding fuseable links. You can learn a lot more by doing a further search of your topic.

First of all, it is possible for a battery to show good at one point and low charge at another. It depends on where the testing points are placed. As you search the data base you will find the old pros tell you there is nothing such as a too clean battery terminal. If the test contacts are on the battery post directly, you should get a good read. The cable connecters can always have even a little corosion on them and throw off a clear contact.

The fuseable link on top of the alternator is as you said a 120 amp link. When you read the link below, you will find that the fusing of this link can be caused by a bad charging system, a short from the battery, or other problems within the electrical system. It is an inexspensive part, but replacing it is not quite so easy as you think, and can make bigger, more costly problems at the same time.

The price the dealer quoted is horrific. Unless it includes repairing the charging system. I wasn't sure from your post. The dealer probably dosen't know exactly what has caused the damage. A jump start could cause it. The battery could have taken a hit if the charge system shorted. It is not uncommon for mice or other little critters to make nest under the hood of cars, esspecially if you live near grassy country suburbs.

It appears that your 120 amp fuseable link went first, the jump start was second, (with the fuseable link already broken, where did all the excess voltage/amps from jump go). Unkown importance of chewed wires. Car towed to dealer, battery dead, (quite likely the battery was damaged as a result of whatever took out the fuseable link and damage to charging system).

The dealer is just to high on his price. Tell them you can only afford $400.

I hope I've been of some help. Unfortunately, When we own exspensive cars they have exspensive repairs.

Paul

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/22406-fusible-links/

[maxweenus]

Thanks Paul.

Heard from the dealer.

They put in a nwe fusible link.

Started the car, and it blew again.

They say its the alternator.

This is what they are charging me.

Diagnositic: $135

Alternator $392

Labor 2.25 hr: $301

Fusible Link: $25

Labor 2.5 hrs: 337

total: $1190

2.5 hrs of labor for a fusible link????!!!! is that crazy?