Gs430 Steering Column Rake/tilt Failure

[PTE]

Hi I have had my 2005/55 GS430 for nearly a year and 20,000 miles. It has been faultless in that time. However following the disconnection of the Battery (by a bodyshop who was doing some work on the car) I have found that the rake/tilt no longer works and it is locked in its fully retracted position. :tsktsk: I had to reset the electric windows and the seating memory but that was straightforward. However nothing seems to happen with the steering column.

When I move the button to adjust it you can hear a relay or something clicking in the steering column but no motor movement.

I have taken it to Lexus who have investigated it and told me the motor has failed and that it will be £1300+Labour+VAT to fix. :o

Since this failed whilst it was in the car of the bodyshop I will present them with the bill. However this does seem incredibly expensive. And I wanted to know whether there is a known problem - and fix - that the dealer hasnt thought about? Or whether there is a cheaper way of sourcing the steering column motor mechanism.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

[wendle]

I had the same sort of a problem a few years back on a GS300, it didn’t stop working, but it did make a terrible grinding noise when the column went in and out. I took it to my local dealership and they told me that if it just needed lubrication then it would cost around £250, but if it needed a new motor & gearbox ( witch I think is all in one ) then it would be around £1000, so the cost you have been quoted unfortunately sounds about right. I don’t know how many miles you car has covered, my car was 5 years old and had 48k on the clock.

I rang Lexus costumer care, as I was not happy that something like this had gone wrong after only 5 years & 48k miles, lets face it the column only moves a few inches each time you get in and out the car, so if you drove the car every day, for 5 years, twice, it would only have moved in & out 3650 times. When I explained this to them they Surprisingly agreed with me & said although the car was out of warranty they would pay a part of the repair bill, the catch was that they would not tell me how much they would contribute towards the cost until I had, had the work done. I was lucky it turned out to just need lubrication, the total bill came to £244.86, and they asked me to pay £150.

I now this probably wont help you much, but it may be worth giving them a ring and see what they say…good luck

[PTE]

I had the same sort of a problem a few years back on a GS300, it didn’t stop working, but it did make a terrible grinding noise when the column went in and out. I took it to my local dealership and they told me that if it just needed lubrication then it would cost around £250, but if it needed a new motor & gearbox ( witch I think is all in one ) then it would be around £1000, so the cost you have been quoted unfortunately sounds about right. I don’t know how many miles you car has covered, my car was 5 years old and had 48k on the clock.

I rang Lexus costumer care, as I was not happy that something like this had gone wrong after only 5 years & 48k miles, lets face it the column only moves a few inches each time you get in and out the car, so if you drove the car every day, for 5 years, twice, it would only have moved in & out 3650 times. When I explained this to them they Surprisingly agreed with me & said although the car was out of warranty they would pay a part of the repair bill, the catch was that they would not tell me how much they would contribute towards the cost until I had, had the work done. I was lucky it turned out to just need lubrication, the total bill came to £244.86, and they asked me to pay £150.

I now this probably wont help you much, but it may be worth giving them a ring and see what they say…good luck

[PTE]

I had the same sort of a problem a few years back on a GS300, it didn’t stop working, but it did make a terrible grinding noise when the column went in and out. I took it to my local dealership and they told me that if it just needed lubrication then it would cost around £250, but if it needed a new motor & gearbox ( witch I think is all in one ) then it would be around £1000, so the cost you have been quoted unfortunately sounds about right. I don’t know how many miles you car has covered, my car was 5 years old and had 48k on the clock.

I rang Lexus costumer care, as I was not happy that something like this had gone wrong after only 5 years & 48k miles, lets face it the column only moves a few inches each time you get in and out the car, so if you drove the car every day, for 5 years, twice, it would only have moved in & out 3650 times. When I explained this to them they Surprisingly agreed with me & said although the car was out of warranty they would pay a part of the repair bill, the catch was that they would not tell me how much they would contribute towards the cost until I had, had the work done. I was lucky it turned out to just need lubrication, the total bill came to £244.86, and they asked me to pay £150.

I now this probably wont help you much, but it may be worth giving them a ring and see what they say…good luck

Thanks Wendle. I may try that option with Lexus Corporate. My car's just ticked over 60,000. When I try the button you can hear relays clicking and when you switch the engine off there is briefly the sound of a motor whirring and a very slight movement on the wheel. However since it is fully retracted there isnt anywhere for it to move to. I am sceptical that the motor has failed. It feels to me that it is an electrical glitch somewhere. But the dealer was largely disinterested. Disappointed with them really. I was expecting a bit more energy from them in their efforts to help rather than a dismissive...the motor's failed its £1300!!.

[dave1]

I take it that the car was not purchased from a Lexus dealer? If you have more than one Lexus dealer within reasonable travelling distance then it might be worth seeing if other Lexus dealers might be more helpful/sympathetic.

You say that it happened whilst in the care of a bodyshop which made me wonder whether the reason for it being there might be connected with the fault?

Have you tried to physically help the column to move whilst the whirring noises are present in case it has just become stuck?

[PTE]

I take it that the car was not purchased from a Lexus dealer? If you have more than one Lexus dealer within reasonable travelling distance then it might be worth seeing if other Lexus dealers might be more helpful/sympathetic.

You say that it happened whilst in the care of a bodyshop which made me wonder whether the reason for it being there might be connected with the fault?

Have you tried to physically help the column to move whilst the whirring noises are present in case it has just become stuck?

[PTE]

I take it that the car was not purchased from a Lexus dealer? If you have more than one Lexus dealer within reasonable travelling distance then it might be worth seeing if other Lexus dealers might be more helpful/sympathetic.

You say that it happened whilst in the care of a bodyshop which made me wonder whether the reason for it being there might be connected with the fault?

Have you tried to physically help the column to move whilst the whirring noises are present in case it has just become stuck?

Thanks for your reply. No it was purchased from an independent. I will check if there is another dealer nearby. I was also wondering whether the part was shared with something from Toyata (Landcruiser?). It might be cheaper to purchase the Toyota branded part versus Lexus branded?

The reason the car was in the bodyshop was to repair a dent in the boot...so it wasnt related. However the problem manifested at the bodyshop. I havent finished my conversation with them yet.

Yes, tried physically moving the column to help it but nothing budges.

[PQuist]

I will speak to Lexus Customer Car. Was having condensation in the front passenger headlamp unit and passenger wing mirror will not move in and out. when I spoke to Lex Cust care, I was told to take the care to my local dealer where the parts were ordered and fitted. I had to pay for the labour and Lexus paid for the parts or vice versa if I can remember

[PTE]

I will speak to Lexus Customer Car. Was having condensation in the front passenger headlamp unit and passenger wing mirror will not move in and out. when I spoke to Lex Cust care, I was told to take the care to my local dealer where the parts were ordered and fitted. I had to pay for the labour and Lexus paid for the parts or vice versa if I can remember

Thanks good info. I'll pursue this with Lexus and see what they say.

[PTE]

Thought I'd let you know how this finishes. Took the car back to the bodyshop. They took it to an independent (who didn't have the diagnostic equipment needed) and then to a different Lexus Dealer (Southampton). The dealer managed to diagnose some kind of control unit/relay failure NOT steering column as per Lexus Reading. Total repair price £650 and the bodyshop asked me for a £200 contribution which I was happy to pay considering that the bodyshop had taken responsibility for resolving the issue and persisted in getting it resolved. So in all my car is fully functioning again and great service from BP Rolls in Andover who handled this all very professionally!

[Purvesh]

Nice to hear a happy ending! :)