LS400 too much road noise?!

[markls4000]

Dear friends

To give you a quick background, I’m new to these forums, and have owned sever cars in the past like a Mercedes W140 S600, Toyota Cressida, 1991 LS00, Lexus IS etc. I am capable of doing general small repairs etc on my own and am generally technically minded.

I just purchased a 1998 LS400 last month with 97,000 miles on the clock. I am based in the UK and the weather is generally cool/cold over here.

Here are my problems, hope someone can be kind enough to help diagnose my issues-

1.     1.  I hear a lot of road noise in the car from the front right of the car. The noise is similar to tyre noise when driving any car on a worn old road. I had to change the front two tyres anyway after I purchased the car since they were old. The new tyres have made no difference. My friend a mechanic has checked out the front bearings and he says that they are fine with minimal play. The road noise starts from 10mph onwards all the way to highway speeds and increases with speed. Me shifting the car left or right at speed makes no difference to the increase/decrease in sound. Brakes are good and not sticking or anything like that. My 1991 LS400 had no road noise and was much quieter in this regard. One more thing, the noise increases and becomes much apparent on new/smooth roads. The mechanic friend cannot hear anything unusual but I am sure something is not right given my experience with these cars.

2.     2.  After driving the car for 10-15 minutes from cold, I get a creaking sound from the rear left suspension. I greased the sway bar bushings but this noise still occurs. The noise disappears after after the car has not been driven for day/two and reoccurs 10-15 minutes after the car has been driven. Do the LS400s suffer from bad struts? Given the car has only done 97,000 miles surely the strut should be ok? Or does anyone have any other hints?

 

 

Hope someone can help so that I can get the car in order.

 

Thanks

[TrevC]

Hi Mark...welcome to the Forum

I too am based in the UK and did you know there is a UK based Lexus Forum (part of this Forum) http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/

The noise you describe does sound like a wheel bearing and the fact that your mechanic stated that there was minimal play suggests that when the weight of the vehicle is on the bearing it will load up on the bearing play and generate the noise.

As for the creaking suspension...I also own an Alfa Romeo and it creaks worse than my old bones until everything is warmed up. Can't find any play in the joints and bushes but the rubber parts creak unless I spray Silicon spray on them...which lasts for a while and works a treat.

Good to have you onboard !

Cheers   Trevor.