denvergs4

Thanks for the help guys! Im going to check all the connections today and see if that helps. Maybe I'll buy a new battery too, seems the interstate in there now is a little old. Pluse Colorado winters have been brutal.

I really hate the fact I will need to spend close to1k on a starter. My old SC had close to 240K and never replaced the starter. Makes me a little upset.

I thought that's why you buy a Lexus, it just doesn't break down.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

It's little maintenance stuff. Nothing lasts forever

Imagine driving a benz right now. You'll be replacing a lot more things.

If you can find a local shop to do it, you can probably get the whole job done for about $600 and that's with a brand new OEM starter.

Scott1258

Hey Gsteg - thanks for your reply. One more question on this -- In reguards to the labor on this thing, is the labor to replace the timing belt some of the same labor to do the starter?

In other words -- if one is going to replace the timing belt should you go ahead and replace the starter at the same time to save on labor costs since you are in there anyway (if in fact you are in there anyway - I'm not sure if it's all in the same areas - that's what I'm asking)?

My 2000 GS4 has about 95K and this topic applies to me at some point from what I'm reading about them going out at around 100k, and I still haven't done the timing belt yet. Perhaps I could get both the birdies with the one stone - let me know. Thanks!

Scott

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I'm sure you can take take off an hour off of labor. After all, both install requires you to take out the throttle body and other little misc. items.

However, the timing belt install doesn't require you to take off the intake manifold.

dino

I concur. I had the same problems and made a thread about it. I lagged with replacing it and it died on me one day. Better to get it replaced sooner than later. And it ran 4 hours of labor + price of refurbished starter... $500 for me.

RedRider

My experience has been the same. I had to replace the starter on my 99 GS400 at 95,000 miles. Did it at the dealer for around $1,000. I also had to replace the starter on my 96 LS400 at around 100K miles. In both cases, as soon as I got the intermittent click-nothing, I got it into the dealer asap so I wouldn't get stranded.

fasted1953

Just had the starter replaced on my 99 GS400 at the Austin Lexus dealer... TWICE!! The first one sounded like a blender full of ice after the engine turned over. And they said they were surprised when I pointed it out. Second starter was ok. BUT, saw a few drops of coolant on the garage floor tonight so started looking around. There is a vertical pipe/hose at the rear, driver side of the engine. Right behind the intake manifold as far as I can tell. And its got a very slight coolant leak. Is that the crossover pipe I've seen refered to in the starter threads? Looks like they may have tried to patch it with some black goop of some sort. Anyone have some insight into the part I'm describing and what might have happened? I have to go back tomorrow to have them fix the key they broke, so I'd like to point this leak out to them too.

bigmemory

BTW the starter in the GS300 is supposed to be much less labor to replace....

Misha98GS4

I have a starter problem for about a year.
ABout once in 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 1.5 months (always different), the car will give me starting problems and then start perfectly. I will turn the key, it will click, but not even try to start, also I will turn the key, it will click, try to start, but just not start. This has been happening for about a year so I have been told it might not be the starter, maybe only a connection, because it would have been dead by now -- don't know how true this is. And I drive and start my car a lot. About 35000 KMin a year and a lot of very short trips, so a lot of starting. Now, my car has been in a garage for an oil change. The mechanic told me that while the car was just standing at the side, he heard it trying to start itself. No key was in it or anything. He then told me I need a new starter (only because it tried to start itself, he does not know I am having starter problems for about a year). I have never installed a remote starter, I do not have one on my keychain now, and am unaware if my car has one, maybe the previous owners put it on -- I doutb it though. Could anyone tell me if the problem with the car trying to start itself is related to the starter and I should indeed replace my starter, or it could be something else -- maybe electrical? And also someone tell me something about my starter problems which I have had for a year. Thanks !

Misha98GS4

ALso, everytime the mechanics try to reconnect the battery to the car, the car keeps trying to star itself on its own.

Misha98GS4

can anyone help?

FrankT

Replace or rebuild the starter asap.
The contacts in the solenoid are caught on the plunger. IF you can tap on the starter it may loosen it, but on the GS400, I do not think you can get anything to tap on the starter. Maybe tap on the bellhousing from underneath.

...here is a link that will help with your starter project and save you some money.
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Starter.shtml

good luck

MurdaInc

ALSO mine is doing the same thing....i work at toyota...and one of the techs said that it could be the starter contacts....which are common on toyota's...and they r cheaper than replacing the starter

denvergs4

Dude you should just replace the starter... I went back and forth with issues like you, once I replaced it no more problems.

You can buy the starter online for about $200, I ran an add on craigslist, found a mechanic that worked at lexus that was moonlighting on the weekends, he installed for 275. Total cost 475, it was worth it

Misha98GS4

SO as for the connections, you guys said replace the connections. I am gonna replace the starter, does it come with new connections, or is that something else I should buy from lexus. Also, all the wires - e.g. ground wire, might be corroded, do those come with the starter, or do I need to buy those sepaately from the dealer. Basically when I replace the starter I want to replace all the other little stuff (wires , connections) to be sure that everything is fixed.