'01 LS430 vibration above 65mph

[Antharro]

I've done a pretty thorough search of this and the US OC forums and haven't found anything which quite matches the problem I have.

Car is a 2001 LS430 UL.

It's had new discs and pads front and back due to warped and incorrectly fitted discs, and four new Goodyear tyres on refurbished original alloys. It has now developed a vibration at speeds above 65mph, but only in one circumstance - when I'm steering slightly to the right. So as an example, I'm on a motorway, the road curves to the right slightly, i turn the wheel to the right slightly to maintain my position in the lane. The steering wheel vibrates and there is a droning sound from the N/S/F, which increases in pitch as the vehicle's speed increases and decreases as the speed decreases.

Braking is smooth and straight, steering is also straight. Changing the suspension from normal to high doesn't make a difference. Car drives perfectly in all other regards.

I've taken it to three different garages who have:

- Balanced the wheels (three times, each disagreed with the previous garage's balancing result!)

- Rotated the wheels from front to back and vice versa

- Cleaned up the mating surfaces on the wheel and hub in case the wheel wasn't sitting absolutely flush

- Checked the brake discs and pads are fitted correctly

No one seems to be able to come with a solution to this. I need to drive it to London in a week's time and need it fixed by then as I'll be coming back fully loaded with luggage and passengers!

I'm going to throw it at the main dealer this week and hope that they can come up with something. I wouldn't usually do this but it's been looked at at enough other places that if it was an easy fix it would have been done.

Anyone got any ideas?

[Titch LS]

David, it sounds to me very much like a defective front wheel bearing, especially with the droning increasing and decreasing as you turn the wheel slightly which is putting more pressure on one side, hence the noise. It's not an uncommon problem on the LS430. Might be an idea to get it verified.

[Antharro]

Thanks for the suggestion, Brian. I've had someone on another owner's club suggest the same thing so I think (hope) you're both onto something.

[The-Acre]

Wheel bearing is what comes to mind with me as well.

[Chasdad]

Sounds like it to me too 

[Antharro]

To all of you who suggested wheel bearing, you were correct! Give yourselves a gold star. :) My local Lexus dealership had a cancelled appointment on Friday, so replaced it. I picked it up on Saturday, all done! And they washed and hoovered it! :)

Thanks! :)

[The-Acre]

And dare we ask the cost?

[Antharro]

Just a little under £550. The bearing price was over half of that, and they did two road tests - before and after.

[The-Acre]

7 hours ago, Antharro said:

Just a little under £550. The bearing price was over half of that, and they did two road tests - before and after.

Glad you got it sorted, and it's good information for anyone developing the same symptoms regardless of model.

[GrahamG]

David, how many miles on the car? Just out of interest.