OK so I haven't had my 98 GS400 for very long and I'm noticing that when I apply the brake or at what I consider random times I hear a whirring noise coming from the passenger door it seems. Sometimes it lasts for a brief moment and other times about 2 seconds. It isn't terribly loud but this is supposed ot be a "luxury" vehicle and it is getting kind of annoying, any ideas as to what it could be.

Secondly, I noticed that there are levels under the hood by the headlights. If one of the levels is not uh level what does it mean and what should I do about it?

Seth

 

The little levels help you adjust your headlights properly. If one of them is not level, most likely your headlights are out of alignment and you may be blinding people on the road or pointing to the ground too much.

There are a few adjustment screws on each headlights which you can turn to level the headlight. Before you do this, make sure your car is on a level surface (not on an incline). By turning each adjusment screw, you can center the little bubble in the level and ensure your headlight is properly adjusted.

Good luck.

 

Any ideas on the whirring noise? I noticed that it comes from both sides of the vehicle.

 

The climate control system has small motorized vanes in the ducting that open and close in response to signals from the control unit, redistributing air flow thru the car to keep temps as even as possible.

Maybe you're beginning to hear them (this is occuring on the 99 RX and sounds like what you describe)???

 

It's the VSC/ABS system repressurising and is quite normal. The GS MK2 (not sure about MK1) has an electronic vacuum booster which uses a pump to build up vacuum in the brake booster as apposed to a normal car which uses some of the engine's vacuum to power the booster. Listen around where you put the brake fluid when the ignition is turned on (without the engine running) while an assistant pumps the brake pedal and you will hear the purring sound more. If you keep pumping the pedal to keep the pump running it will eventually trigger fault and the VSC/ABS/TRAC lights will come on with a buzzer. I've heard that GS's are prone to failure on their boosters and it's $$$$'s to get fixed (about $3500 for a new one) so hope yours is not going just yet.

It's one of those noises that while not deafening, is noticable, especially once you are aware of it cos then you are always listening out for it. Just crank up the stereo!

 

are the GS's reallly that prone to booster failure???

 

I dont think so.

 

thank god hehehehe

 

The faulty GS that I rejected before the one that I have now I later found out had to have the booster replaced. That one had covered 39,000 miles and I know of at least 3 other people on the UK site that have had failures.