franck

Hi. I had the same problem with my new, back then, 2000 LS400; dealer fixed problem with some kind of injection of foam or caulking. I still own this car and the moonroof rattle hasn't appeared since rix--knock on wood. The dealer who fixed the problem was Lexus of Concord, Lexus CA. (As an aside, I typically dislike, very much, Lexus dealers' attempts to rip the consumer off, in my experience, which could be a wrongful statement, but not in my experience.)

vfr: intermediate steering column shaft working well; no new clunk sounds.

For vfr: I replaced sway bar bushings; strut rod bushings; strut rods. All OEM parts. Work done by my independent mechanic. Talk to you after Monday next. For vft: I had the intermediate steering column replaced at a Lexus dealer. Remainder of clunk/rattle sounds were gone on the ride home. Im looking forward to seeing if they're gone today. The Lexus dealer, BTW, said the intermediate steering column was loose and noisy; he kept to his quoted price ($285 for the part; $300 for labor). I'm cautiously happy (until I drive car for a week and see if the clunks come back). Yesterday, after column repaired, the ride felt new and solid. Hope you have as good an experience addressing your clunk noises. Best, franck

For vfr: I replaced sway bar bushings; strut rod bushings; strut rods. All OEM parts. Work done by my independent mechanic. Talk to you after Monday next.

Hi amcdonal86, Have you had any luck getting rid of the intermittent clunking noise felt in the steering wheel? And, have you been following my attempts to get this issue addressed? Would like very much to hear how you're doing with the noise problem; I'll post after next Monday, once I get the steering column part changed. (As I posted before, 80% of the clunking noises have disappeared after having the struts changed, along with several pairs of frontend bushings.) Best, franck

I couldn't identify an "intermediate steering shaft" if one bit me in the !Removed!! In the years I've been using these forums, nearly 20 years of Lexus LS ownership and personally knowing quite a few LS400 owners., I don't think I've ever heard anyone mention replacing something they called an intermediate steering shaft. Also, there are no TSIBs on issues with something called an intermediate steering shaft. It seems quite a stretch that both your and vfr's 00 LS are having the same problem. I'd be more inclined to think that the problem has been misdiagnosed on vfr's car. The only steering column issue I remember offhand where a TSIB has been issued -- except for the tilt/telescope motor problems -- is the "groan" issue in which the flexible cable at the bottom of the steering column is replaced with a U-joint. I'm still hung up on the concept that a 00 LS with your car's low mileage is having these issues at all. Me, too. I am also greatly disappointed that this part could be a problem at all. $350 is the Canadian price - a US dealer in Buffalo quoted me approx. $250 for a part that dealers know as the "intermediate steering shaft". By the way, this problem has been steadily getting worse and is fast approaching my pain threshold. Franck, has anyone diagnosed this part as the culprit for your car? Followup reply to this morning's comments: I just found another Lexus dealer in my area who will replace the intermediate steering column shaft for $585 (part and labor), as opposed to the other Lexus dealer, who wants $1,075. I think there's a lesson to be learned in here somewhere about Lexus dealers, besides their typical gouging quotations. I'll keep you posted; we'll both know after Monday next if this part really does contribute to clunk noises.

I couldn't identify an "intermediate steering shaft" if one bit me in the !Removed!! In the years I've been using these forums, nearly 20 years of Lexus LS ownership and personally knowing quite a few LS400 owners., I don't think I've ever heard anyone mention replacing something they called an intermediate steering shaft. Also, there are no TSIBs on issues with something called an intermediate steering shaft. It seems quite a stretch that both your and vfr's 00 LS are having the same problem. I'd be more inclined to think that the problem has been misdiagnosed on vfr's car. The only steering column issue I remember offhand where a TSIB has been issued -- except for the tilt/telescope motor problems -- is the "groan" issue in which the flexible cable at the bottom of the steering column is replaced with a U-joint. I'm still hung up on the concept that a 00 LS with your car's low mileage is having these issues at all. Me, too. I am also greatly disappointed that this part could be a problem at all. $350 is the Canadian price - a US dealer in Buffalo quoted me approx. $250 for a part that dealers know as the "intermediate steering shaft". By the way, this problem has been steadily getting worse and is fast approaching my pain threshold. Franck, has anyone diagnosed this part as the culprit for your car? vfr: my dealer just quoted $1,075 to replace the intermediate steering column shaft, but first wants to assess if that's the problem causing the clunking sound through the steering column. My independent repair person, who has replaced several kinds of frontend bushings--which have about 80% of the clunking noises--believes the remaining clunking noise/rattle is coming from the steering column; but he doesn't do steering column repairs and doesn't know anyone he can recommend in the SF/East Bay area. He advised going to dealer. I'm checking cost options with another dealer. Hope this helps. I've been going nuts with the clunking noises for a year. 1990LS400 has a point about these noises being unusual, especially given my low mileage, although my independent mechanic thinks that the age of the car, plus the 50,000+ miles, plus the weight of the car, could be causes for the bushings being worn. The proof on his part so far has been the noise reduction and the better handling since he changed out the several bushings (this after he started with changing the 4 struts). My family and I have trusted this mechanic for over 25 years. Best of luck to you. Please let me know how things go for you. I'll be in touch as this problem gets more unwound,

I couldn't identify an "intermediate steering shaft" if one bit me in the !Removed!! In the years I've been using these forums, nearly 20 years of Lexus LS ownership and personally knowing quite a few LS400 owners., I don't think I've ever heard anyone mention replacing something they called an intermediate steering shaft. Also, there are no TSIBs on issues with something called an intermediate steering shaft. It seems quite a stretch that both your and vfr's 00 LS are having the same problem. I'd be more inclined to think that the problem has been misdiagnosed on vfr's car. The only steering column issue I remember offhand where a TSIB has been issued -- except for the tilt/telescope motor problems -- is the "groan" issue in which the flexible cable at the bottom of the steering column is replaced with a U-joint. I'm still hung up on the concept that a 00 LS with your car's low mileage is having these issues at all. Me, too.

Hi. Thanks for your response and thinking through the clunk issue. Yes, I've caught a few rattles from your approach over the years. My mechanic also did the stethoscope ride with me. See conclusions next paragraph. Re. the front end clunk: 80% of them are gone after replacing front strut rods and bushings, plus sway bar bushings. Now I'm thinking about lower and upper control arm bushings, as well as thinking about the response from vfr about intermediate shaft in steering column. My mechanic doesn't think it's a bushing problem anymore; he thought it was a steering column noise before vfr's response. Do you have any thoughts about vfr's comments? Thanks again for thoughts. franck

Anyone have this problem, besides myself and one other poster? Thanks.

Hi. I've been away for awhile and am just now catching up with posts; yours sounds intriguing. Does the intermediate steering shaft quote of $350 come from a Lexus dealer? Thanks.

Please let me/us know if you find a fix. Also, has anyone ever said anything about a joint or part in the steering column that might make the clunking noise when car goes over some bumps?

Thanks for the feedback. I, too, was thinking about cartalk and will contact them once I replace the lca bushings and that doesn't work. Please tell your wife that I've been saying "WHAT?!!" for weeks now. I told my mechanic I thought I had a late-blooming lemon; he said he thought it was the age of the car, regardless of the miles. And so it goes. Thanks again.

Thanks again for replying. I'm not used to web-based communication, having been cautioned about the possible crazies on the internet, but I'm feeling desperate--however. I'm grateful for your interest and your long-time relationship with the site and your apparent experience with the LS. I am the original owner of this LS400 Platinum edition. My indie mechanic and his assistant did research on the TSIB steering column issue, which didn't seem to be the proximate cause (I still have the original cable mechanism in the steering column, which got stuck a few times, and got unstuck a few days after each time, the last being a year and a half ago, and which got unstuck as the Lexus service person came out to see it, ironically--hasn't stuck since). Long story short, I'm thinking I'm left with two diagnostic approaches (don't know if you watch "House," but this car issue feels like a "House" episode): lower control arm bushings, or finding out if, as my mechanic thinks but won't/can't do, there's a joint/part in the steering column mechanism that can make a clunk sound and needs attention. What do you think? (I'm leery of Lexus service departments. I've tried two of the closest to where I live over the 9.5 years I've owned my LS 400. 90% bad experiences. One even left my engine compartment with hard-to-remove grease stains on a very clean under-the-hood area, which I wipe down every time I wash the car, given that I'm an OCD when it comes to cars and my house.)

Hi. Does anyone know if there's a steering column joint or part that could make a clunking noise sometimes when car (2000 LS400) goes over some bumps or dips? Assuming all suspension parts are ruled out in noise causing analysis. Thanks.

You're probably right. Only trouble is, both the Lexus dealer and indie mechanic said the strut rods and bushings needed replacement. Replacing them, the struts, and the sway bar bushings cut out 80% of the clunk noises. What's left is the clunk noise coming up through the steering column, which I can feel when the noise occurs, which is far less than before the other work was done. Indie mechanic says I need to check with Lexus about any kind of joint in the steering column which could be making the noise--a joint, perhaps, between rack and pinion and tie rod assembly, and up through the steering column. Do you know of anything like that? Oh, do you think the rack and pinion and tie rod assembly bushings might be contributing to the now occasional clunk noises? My mechanic's assistant says that is probably the last suspension, nonsteering, component that could be a cause. Thanks.

Thanks for the steering column TSIB information. My car has 54,000 miles. Both my Lexus dealer and my indie mechanic diagnosed strut rod bushing problems; the strut rods and bushings have been replaced by my indie. He, his crew and I looked at all the visible suspension parts and they all seem to be fine. Since the struts, strut rods and bushings and lower control arm bushings have been replaced, the number and frequency of the original clunk/rattle sounds have been reduced by my guess about 80%. I'm just left with the clunk/rattle coming from the steering column--or so it sounds like--20% of the time when I'm driving. Your thoughts much appreciated.

Thanks for your interest. It happens at any speed and only over certain bumps an dips. Less noises since having some bushings changed, but still the noise in the steering column. Strange as it may seem, it will make the clunking noise over one bump and then not do it going over the same bump. On turns, it only happens over certain bumps and dips (sometimes when turning slowly into a driveway). It can happen when either front wheel goes over a bump or dip, and not as frequently since some of the aforementioned bushings were changed. Thanks again.

I've been reading on the site about mounts (engine and transmission). Would you tell me please what mounts do besides address vibrations? Don't they also address other kinds of noise problems? Thanks, franck

Hi. I'm new to the club and not very savvy re. cars I am getting clunk noises in steering column after having all 4 struts changed, plus front strut bars and bushings, as well as lower control arm bushings (correction: sway bar bushings; lca bushings not changed) to address similar clunk noises, which have now been silenced. My mechanic, whom I trust, says I now need to take car to Lexus dealer for diagnosis and repair for steering column noises. I'm uncertain about how to proceed. Truth be told, I have had bad experiences with Lexus dealers (2 in my area). I really need help; I never thought I would have a problem like this with a Lexus. Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks. From what I've been reading on this site, it seems like a great place for help.