bclexus

You act like all GS 350s pull to the left, which is not true. There is no issue associated with the GS 350 pulling to the left. Your GS 350 may have a pull to the left...

What have you done (e.g. alignment, tires, etc.) thus far to seek a solution to your problem?

DZI

I wasn't implying they all pull left...sorry. I have had new OEM tires installed as well as an alignment performed at a Lexus dealer.

bclexus

What does the Lexus dealership say about your car pulling left after the dealership installed new tires and performed an alignment?

DZI

They said the car is responding to the crown of the road but it only pulls to the left when I drive on the highway in the left lane.

Cwang

My fan whines and steering pulls to the left. If I fell asleep it would send me safely into the gutter but you'd be sent into oncoming traffic....That's definitely not normal.

ItzFilyO

I'm afraid the pulling is a factory defect and cannot be fixed by alignment. This happened to my 2014 GS and after 7x alignments by different shops and tires replacement, it only got a bit better but the pull was still there. The alignment specs on all 7 looked perfect but the car still pulls.

My 2019 doesn't have this problem though and I made sure of that. Now I make it a habit to check steering behavior when test driving a new car.

Aseweepay

I’ve had my car aligned twice, and as stated earlier, the dealer states that the GS model follows the crown in the road, implying that it happens to every GS. My brand new car has enough little issues that I wonder if it’s a “flood” car, or if the quality I’ve heard so much about (the reason I bought a Lexus) is bogus. My car still “pulls left” most noticeable on the highway. I had to “panic break” once on the highway and the car darted into the other lane because of the constant pressure required on the steering wheel. I’m not happy at all with how this car has been for me so far.

Aseweepay

Any idea what the “factory defect” is ? Is it a suspension issue, a frame issue ? Etc....

bclexus

Your car obviously has some type of problem, whether it is with some main part of the car itself or with possibly the tires/wheels is hard to say, but most likely [I think] the problem is very likely related to the steering rack and/or the electric steering. My best suggestion is to focus on the steering rack.

Early in the GS 350 production Lexus had an issue with the steering rack, which in one case that I'm vaguely familiar with resulted in Lexus finally agreeing to 'lemon law' the problematic vehicle after Lexus corporate kept the car for an extended period of time in which it surpassed the 'lemon law' time frame. Lexus bought the vehicle back from the owner and documented it with a 'lemon title'. After a few more months (as the car just sat at a Lexus dealership) Lexus corporate finally decided to replace the entire steering rack in the vehicle and it was sold at auction with a 'lemon title'. I presume Lexus felt it was best to replace the steering rack instead of doing nothing to the car before selling it at auction to sidestep any possible liability from a safety standpoint. It is my understanding that the car performed just like a new one after the steering rack was replaced without any further issues. Whether the electric steering and/or computer related controls/systems were replaced at the same time as the steering rack, I do not know.

This may be your problem too...or it may be something far different.

ItzFilyO

I never found out what the defect was, I just traded it in since my lease was done.

This happened to my old Camry too before I got the GS. Just my luck!

bclexus

Aseweepay - Just because a Lexus dealership's service center checked your car's alignment doesn't necessarily or absolutely mean that it is aligned properly. The technician may be new or not have proper experience with the equipment, or the equipment may be out-of-sorts.

There are some places, like Brakes Plus, that will check your alignment for free and only charge you if it requires adjustments to bring it within the specifications. You may want to have another Lexus dealer or another alignment shop check it for you. Just trying to think broadly...

Aseweepay

Thank you for the very informative post. It really is a shame, while another BMW or Audi would have been tempting (not really, their eliability is horrible) I really wanted the GS, and the fact that Lexus is supposed to be so reliable really was a bonus to me. If not for the constant problems, the pulling, the replacement blower unit also making noise, the lack of smoothness with the transmission.... it would be a great car.... I thought I would keep this car for a very long time, now, I’m not so sure.

Aseweepay

That could be true, they looked at it the first time and told me the toe-in and camber were way off, which seems odd for a car with only 70 miles on it when I bought it. The second time I brought it to them is when they checked it, told me it was within specs, and that the GS model follows the crown of the road, it’s just how it is.... it may come to me going elsewhere to get another opinion.....

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

Yeah that's how my car is if your going 30+ mph, it pulls slightly to one side of you take your hands off the wheel. With hands on the wheel I don't feel it pulling to either side just were I want it to go. Just the way the car is, not a big deal.

drgrant

What happens when you're in the right lane? If it subtly goes off to the right, this is "normal". Also, how severe is the pull? If it's of the "if I let go of the wheel on this smooth road I'll probably die pretty fast" variety then something is definitely wrong.

Also when we're talking pull, how much we talking here? I basically can keep my 2015 GS on the road with my index finger on a smooth road (not that I would advise driving this way for any length of time). Even if the car is following the crown it shouldn't take much effort to keep it on the road.

-Mike