The G Man

So I've had my 06 GS300 for a few weeks now and it has several rattles. The dealer fixed a couple of them but there is still a persistent one on the left side of the steering column. So today, I arranged to take it in and go out for a drive with one of the techs to show him what it was I was concerned about. Of course, today happened to be a warm and sunny day and, guess what, there was not a rattle or a squeak or even a hint of noise to be heard. It's almost like the car knew what was going on somehow and thought it would make me look foolish. Are we sure the AI is just limited to monitoring the shift patterns......

Better get used to it moonrayker, its part of the GS's owner experience :)

Lexus windshield is about $1400, aftermarket about half of that price.

I have an 08 GX, but don't drive it aggressively enough to comment on its stability. However, I generally dislike all the ABS, ATC, and VSC systems. I learned to drive during winters in the Great Lakes region, and know how to control a skidding automobile, and how to brake and accelerate on slick surfaces. When these automated systems begin interfering with an experienced driver's normal reflexes, it would seem over compensation could be a problem. Designing an automatic system that compensates for a wide range of simultaneous driver reactions would seem difficult when the computer and driver are both trying to react to each other. Cars are being designed today for unskilled idiots. Does the owner's manual instruct the driver, when having lost control of the vehicle, to release the steering wheel, cover his/her eyes, scream loudly, and wait for the computer to take over?

Are you able to brake each wheel individually and cut torque to each wheel individually within milliseconds and monitor each wheel's rotation over 100 times a second? If not, then you cannot control a car better than the computer in an emergency.

I agree. If an idiot can roll a Enzo in Southern California, then he can roll anything. The problem here, like Gman says, is in an emergency situation, like driving down the freeway.

I nearly hit someone who pulled out in front of me this morning. I had to stand on the brakes in the Lexus to not smash into her rear passenger side. Had I been in the 4runner, not sure if I would have missed her. I told that btch off something fierce when I realized her child was in that back passenger side, and she was on the damn blackberry! Let's just say I probably won't be getting any christmas cards from her. What a VERY lucky idiot!

It never seize to amaze me that people are willing to risk their child life while driving on the freeway in order to answer a text. We should sent these drivers back to driving school and remind them of what the laws of physics can do to a moving object at 65 MPH.

So if you throw this car into a corner too fast, it skids. Is that a surprise to anyone? If so, what are they doing on the road at all? I know that the issue is the function of the traction/stability control, but no accessory or computer system is an excuse for driving like an idiot. No matter what systems a car has, ABS, VSC, traction control, or anything else, these are there to aid in driving, not to remove the responsibility from the driver or to save the vehicle in any situation.

The question I ask you and Toyoya is this: What if you are not driving like an idiot, just plainly trying to get out of the way of something. What if it is it a emergency maneuver?

I agree, a couple of months of positive sales growth doesn't dictate market share. However, a 30%+ sales growth right in the middle of a company's darkest hour, sure does say something extremely strong to me about a company and it's products. I also think it is extremely telling these figures are seen while we're still in the grips of one of the worst economic recessions of modern times, certain in our lifetime so far.

I don't know if they cut corners, or simply were going to fast to catch a computer setting error. I'm sure it's an easy fix to just increase the sensitivty of the stability control system to kick on earlier. Clearly though, you're right, something was missed and the truck should not be allowed to powerslide like the friggin' General Lee! That would scare the crap out of me!!! Our 4runner's system kicks on at the drop of a dime. I tested it a few times this winter in the snow. Even with awd, that system would beep and pull me back in line if I intentionally tried to get the rear to slide out even a few degrees.

Didn't CR say something similiar about the Isuzu Trooper / Acura SUV in the 90's too? I've seen two of those on the roof by just going a tad too fast around a roundabout in the street.

Like all my AWD vehicles, I took my 05 GX470 out to a empty parking lot on the 1st sign of snow to test what the AWD can do. I remember being amazing on how good the stability system works on the 05 GX, everytime I slide just a bit, the stability system cought the back end and put the truck back into a straight line, it was almost like its on rail.

I sure hope it is just a matter of programming the stability system to be more sensitive, but from my pass experience of how Lexus' stability programming always plays it safe, unlike German cars, I think there might be something more going on here. Perhaps they deleted one of the sensors, maybe they are using a cheaper vendor for some of the components in the stability system, I am just guessing at this point.

CR did give the Acura SRX and the Isuzu Trooper high roll over possibility warnings. I am very surprise the Rover LR3 is not on the list, I seen a few of those on its side a couple of times.

I don't know how they're losing customers, when their sales are up big time, as reported on Bloomberg a couple of weeks ago for March.

I would be curious to see a CR on a minivan that slides sideways like that as well and hits a curb too. I don't think there is an SUV out there that doesn't risk a roll over scenario if one of the tires comes off the rim and the rim digs into the pavement and acts like a pivot point. As Tim pointed out above, the GX didn't roll in it's skid. I'd like to see one of these new Jeep Commandos do that trick and not roll. Heck, I hit a curb in my 1987 VW GTI when I was a kid going about 45 mph hotdogin' it and nearly rolled it too. Again, another well deserved butt-kickin' from my dad. :whistles:

One or two months of increase sales does not mean they have regain all their prevoius customer's trust. Wait until the end of the year, my bet is that the numbers will be far short of the sales numbers from last year, even with the heavy incetives.

As far as I know CR perform the same test on the all newly design cars and SUVs and they did not assigned a dont buy warning for the Jeep Commando, so obviously, the Jeep pass the test. By the way, CR do not test SUV with one tire coming off the rim :). I use to owned a 05 GX470, I know how untsable that SUV is at high speed. I am just very surprise Lexus didnt improve the design to make it more stable. The funny thing is that my 05 GX's stability system works great, I have never been able to fish tail like the new GX in the video even in the snow. I wonder if Lexus actually cut some corners in the design of the new GX's stability system.

I love Lexus and this may be the wrong place to write this but my snooty dealership told me they don't discount GX's at all. They did me a favor because I have been trying to buy a new GX.I called all over the place and the majority of the people I talked to acted the same way. I think people will have changed views about Lexus and maybe it will bring the people that run the dealerships back to reality.

You really luck out, you would have been stuck with a $60000 mistake. I would sent your Lexus dealer a thank you card :)

Could be a bearing in your water pump or AC compressor about to go as well, but as mention above, I would check the belt 1st.

After reading and listing to all the crap about the GX 460, watching the video, the car did not roll over. I would like to see CR do some test on some of the mini monster trucks on the road. I had a lifted truck, about 4 inches, taller tires, I know that wasn't safe. I see much worse on the road, I worked on and lifted trucks, short box Chevys, 6 inch lifts, body lifts and 40 inch tires. If I had the money, I would buy a GX 460. This media crap is stupid.

Tim

CR does not test modified cars nor do they test work trucks. The GX460 in question is in factory form. What CR say was that due to the skid, if there have been an object in the skid path such as a sidewalk curb, the GX would have flip over. There are two schools of thoughts out there now, some would logically say, let Toyota work out all their safety and quality problems before buying one, and then there are people who just want to save a few bucks and take a risk and buy one now. Either way, Toyota is losing some customers.

state your year of vehicle and what you experienced with vsc.

I had a 05 GX470 and the stability system in that car is top notch. I have never spin out in that car even in snow. There is definitely something wrong with the new GX, the way it spun out, it almost seems like the ability system was not on during the test.

Here is the video of the skid for those of you who havent seen it. It looks like the Lexus was going about 40 to 50 MPH and it skidded like the stability system was not on.

http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/04/13/n_toyota_lexus_gx_460_suv_skid.cnnmoney/?cnn=yes&hpt=C2

Yes, I believe they are factory tires, 6/32 remaining after 39,000 miles that were on a car from a three year lease.

They are NITTO NT850 PREMIUM 235/55/18 104R, so these are probably the OEM tires?

Bill

I dont believe Nittos are a OEM tires for Lexus, amybe thats is the reason for the higher speed reading.

I have a 2006 with 26k miles, my warrenty is up this month. I am wanting to know if $2625 for 50k or 4 year worth the money. This is a Lexus Platinum. I just bought the Rig on October with 20K on it.

Momster, that price is way too high. Check out this site, this guy will you a 7 year 100000 mile Lexus platium warranty for less than $2600.

http://fd-warranty.com/

Didn't the Gov. test this vehicle before it was released to be sold in the U.S.? Did they not catch this? Is consumer reports 100% correct all the time? What was redesigned on this vehicle from 2009 model? The whole platform of the vehicle or bigger engine or cosmetics?

Tim

The Feds really doesnt road test roll over risk, they use a math calculation to determine how much roll over risk each vehicle has. The 2010 GX460 is brand new, everything in the 2010 is different from the 09. I am assuming the center of gavity is higher as well, hance the higher risk of roll over.

I heard this on the morning radio show today. Toyota/Lexus better get there sheet together

Toyota had the same problem with the 4runner 2 generations ago as well, lets hope it is something they can fix with some stability system re-programming.

Consumer Reports has given the Lexus GX 460 SUV a rare "Don't Buy" warning, saying a problem that occurred during routine handling tests could lead to a rollover accident in real-world driving.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Consumer-Reports-calls-Lexus-apf-2415389625.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

TV Maven, are you still driving on the factory tires?

WORD!

Although it might cause some marketing issues if they sold cars that didn't accelerate. ^_^ B)

Cars that doesnt accelerate, cars that cannot stop accelerating, picky, picky :) :)

SmilingBoognish, thanks for that informative post. :)

Did the Lexus dealer tell you that this relay is the problem?

Maybe she just need to get use to parking the new RX.

This just happened to me in my 2004 GX470. Straight road; snowy conditions, not speeding (37mph), and hit a pothole on the right front tire. We immeditaely went into a skid - traction control, or ABS, or whatever else kicked in and we shot sideways down the road and then into oncoming traffic, then sideways again into the right lane and continued to skid off the side of the road, hit a pole that was at least 20 feet off the road, and sent us back onto the road and then finally slowed down and I was able to regain control. I have been driving in Colorado weather - ski trips and all for 20 years and have had my share of skids and "driver error". This was entirely different. We shot back and forth across that highway and I had zero control over that vehicle. There was no beep indicator - I've heard that when it kicks in to get me up my slippery driveway. There was no warning - and it all started when we hit the pothole - no turning, braking or accelerating on my part. Luckily we came out with just a smashed up right rear bumper. The vehicle is at Lexus now and they are running full diagnostics on it. The loaner car they gave me has a button with the traction slide indicator on it and "OFF" - I am wondering if newer models enable you to disable the "take over when your are sliding on ice" feature?

BTW - brakes and tires were confirmed by dealer to be in good shape.

coloradokp, I am glad you and your passengers are ok. It sure sounds like one of your brake lock up, its either a mechanical or electronic failure. The new stability system off button is for drivers who are stuck or in some of the sport sedans, for driver who wants to drive pass the limit of the stability system. When you are sliding on ice, you really dont have time to push that VSC off button and if your VSC is working properly, you really dont want to shut it off anyways. Please let use know what the dealer find.

HHRP, your new Lexus sure have a lot of rattles, was it a Canadian built RX?

Hi, I'm looking for 19" all chrome wheels. Any suggestions on a reputable distributor since Lexus is not selling the all chrome wheels?

Thank you.

Try this place, its in Waltham, MA.

http://www.rimandwheelworks.com/