AJLex19

Couple of things:
I actually performed similar steps a few weeks ago when it first happened based on the recommendations in this thread/post but it did not resolve the issue (my AC/heating system was off when I changed my battery): https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...l#post10827324

Today, I also hooked up an OBDII scanner tool and saw that there were no codes being thrown and none in memory. I also just received the official letter in the mail for the customer support program. At least I have an actual copy of it with my VIN handy to take with me to the dealer.

I spent some time checking the AC temperature with a basic gauge I had and never saw the temperature go below 70 degrees (it was around 64 degrees outside at the time). When I got out of the car, it felt much cooler outside than inside with the "AC on" temps set to "LO" and highest fan speed.

Tomorrow, my personal mechanic will do a quick check to see if there is anything obvious (leak, pressure check, etc.)

Tentatively scheduled to go to the dealership on Friday.

AJLex19

Thanks for the heads up. I can hear the AC kick-in. At the moment I hear it, my RPMs jump up ever so slightly from idle.

bclexus

It's my understanding the A/C will not necessarily throw any codes when it just needs resetting (reinitializing) like when replacing the battery upsets it.

Unless there has been physical damage it is highly unusual for the refrigerant to have leaked out or be low (unlike Ford products that often have O-ring leakage in their A/C systems). Being a closed-loop system (like a refrigerator, home A/C, etc.) it should never need refrigerant to be added. There are a number of sensors, but rarely do they just fail. If the car's compressor engages and the refrigerant is okay the problem was likely triggered by replacing the battery, which should be just a resetting (reinitializing) of the A/C system. Hopefully your personal mechanic has what is needed to do that.

If your personal mechanic is unable to get things sorted-out you may want to check with both your Lexus dealer and also your local Toyota dealer to ask what price they would charge to reinitialize your car's A/C system - with the need for it to be reinitialized being that the battery was replaced and immediately afterward it stopped cooling. I suspect the Toyota dealer has the same reinitializing program that Lexus would use, and they may not charge a diagnostic fee so the charge could be a lot less. As I mentioned in a previous post a local auto A/C shop should also be able to reinitialize it too, so you have options...

thallium

I just got the letter yesterday. I have a 2013 manufactured in Feb 2012. I wish I'd gotten it earlier as I just had my car at the dealer a month ago and they could have checked for this issue without me having to pay for the diagnostic fee if they determine I don't have the problem. They could have checked it on their own but I have no recollection of them mentioning it or putting it on the work performed sheet.

I'm not sure if I have a servo problem as I don't notice any noisy servos however in the cooler months I was finding that in order to get warm air (I'm in Phoenix so coldest winter mornings were rarely lower than mid 30's when I got in car to drive) I had to turn temp up to 82-85 and I don't recall having to set it that high last winter. I have noticed other temperture anomalies that may or may not have been related to this as I didn't pay attention to remember the details, I just know that the temp settings I have to use to maintain a comfortable temp don't coincide with what I've had to use in other Toyotas. It seems to cool fine and if anything I have to turn temp up to keep from freezing with AC on such as 78-79.

bclexus

thallium - I don't think your Lexus dealership would have checked for this issue without a diagnostic fee just because your car was in for some other service. Typically a technician is not going waste time checking or addressing anything unless it's on the service order and the customer has specifically brought it up with the service representative. When you had your car in for service you had not received your Lexus Support Program notice yet, and [apparently] neither did you mention anything about your A/C not working properly.

I think you probably misunderstood the post by 'AJLex19' (in quote box below) in how [at least] his local Lexus dealership is handling customers that want their car's servos checked under the Support Program.

His Lexus dealership (maybe not all of them) is taking the stand that a diagnosis is required [first] to determine if one or more servos are faulty and need to be replaced. The dealership doesn't want customers to use the Lexus Support Program just to check their vehicle when there is no problem. The dealership's position seems reasonable IF a problem with the A/C system cannot otherwise somehow be determined easily and quickly. (For example, if the Support Program applied to a speedometer that fails to work - no diagnostic fee would be needed to determine its failure because it would be noticeable right away that it didn't work.) Keep in mind that some owners (keeping in mind that all 4GS owners received this notice from Lexus) will want their vehicle checked to see if the Lexus Support Program applies to their vehicle, so the diagnosis fee could be considered a reasonable bar (or filter) to separate owners that truly have some type of A/C problem from those that don't have a problem but just want their vehicle checked.

You may want to check with your local Lexus dealership to see if they [too] charge a diagnostic fee which would be waived if they do find a servo problem.

thallium

I brought up the diagnostic fee because the letter mentioned it. As you suggest, I think it's a bar to filter out people without problems. I'm paraphrasing but it said if you bring your car in to check for the problem and they deterimine you don't have a problem you may be subject to the diagnostic fee. If they find there is a problem, the fee would be waived and they would do fix free of charge. I was just saying I wish I'd known about this when I had my car in because I would have requested they check for this as I was already paying a diagnostic fee and if they said I don't have the servo problem I would not have spent any more money.

It might also be worth paying the diagnostic fee to deterimine whether I do or don't have the problem. Since this is only available to me until next January, I would hate to eventually have bad symptoms of the problem appear after I'm inelligible.

JayDiggy

Just wondering if this campaign applies to Canada as well, would be good to know. I haven't received any letters from Lexus regarding this, and it's still too cold up here too test out A/C, heater works pretty good though.

bclexus

Got it! Understand...

I'm not so sure that just because you were [already] paying a diagnostic fee for something totally unrelated (e.g. radio/NAV) would have saved you from paying a diagnostic fee for the A/C servo issue...which begs the question - what kind of issue were you already paying a diagnostic fee for?

As you say it might be worth paying the diagnostic fee to determine whether your car does or does not have the servo problem.

bclexus

Good question.

Call (800) 255-3987 - Lexus Headquarters - Plano (Suburb of Dallas), Texas (Located just 5 miles from me.)
You can also Call (800) 331-4331 - Toyota Motor North America, Inc. - Plano (Suburb of Dallas), Texas (Same physical address as Lexus Headquarters - Huge facility)

My suggestion is to give them a call and ask. It would certainly make sense that your Canadian outfitted 4GS model would have the same Lexus Support Program as U.S. outfitted 4GS models.

thallium

I'm not entirely happy with the Lexus dealership I took it to and how they handled my issues. A year ago I took it to them to replace the spiral cable/clock spring (a funny aside, when I talked to them about replacing it I called it a clock spring as many here call it and I think it's a common term in automotive world but the service manager acted like he'd never heard the term and didn't know what I was talking about - they call it a spiral cable or some such) b/c it was squealing. They replaced it and fixed my noisy issue.

In Janaury I had turned off my AFS with the underdash switch and when I brought my hand back it was oily. I took a picture under the dash and there was oil that appeared to be coming out of the switch and I could see other oil on parts of plastic. I also saw what appeared to be oily spots on the steering column which was almost directly above said switch. Nobody had done anything to the car but me since they replaced the clock spring. As it was still under their warranty for replacing that I scheduled an appointment for them to look at it and find out where the oil was coming from and wanted them to check a couple other issues. Passenger mirror will not move horizontally and driver seat makes a popping sound sometimes when changing positions, which I later determined was the mid seat back pivot moving.

They looked at it and did not tell me where the oil was coming from other than to say that they thought it was the failing steering column and to replace it for $2000.00. They looked at the mirror and said it was a failing actuator and to replace it for $800.00. They looked at the seat noise and said it was failing motor/gears and to replace it for $3000.00. I was not too surprised by this and I got the impression that they did not look at any of the items but just suggested replacing and not fixing. While I was there I thought I'd have my diff oil changed and check the alignment. I know changing the diff oil may not be that important and its cheap and realtively easy to do but since I was there I had them do it.

After I got it home I took out the driver footwell panel to inspect the oil which is what I should have done from the beginning but I foolishly thought they might help me out to find out the source but taking it to them was useless. I pulled out the panel and disconnected all the switches and honestly could not tell where the oil was coming from and my best guess after cleaning it all up was that someone's hand or rag that was oily touched the switch area as I could not see any oil ingress from above. It appeared to be new, clean motor oil color or other general lubricating oil.

All in all, with those recommended replacements and other maintenance as I'm at 90k ex.: replacing spark plugs, coolant, brakes, brake fluid the total estimate to do all of that was close to $10,000.00 which is so ridiculous that I just had to shake my head and hand it to them for being so audacious at their pricing and suggesting replacing a perfectly good driver seat and steering column.

bclexus

I can't blame you one bit. I'd feel the same way... I'd be looking for a quality independent garage/shop that specializes in working on Lexus and Toyota vehicles.

thallium

I try to do most things on my own and don't mind doing them so much if I have the tools, space and the know how/ability to find a DIY or procedure to do them but as I get older and have more disposable income I find some things I just don't want to deal with anymore and to leave more complicated Lexus specific things to the dealer. They did seem to replace the clock spring well and I had no complaints except for the price about $1100.00 but as the best price I could find on a clock spring was about $270.00 from Dubai or about $670.00 in the States, I thought it was worth letting them deal with it and get a new, reputable part since the steering wheel airbag was involved. I was also a little nervous about tackling the whole thing but since have seen enough vids taking apart of the steering wheel etc that I could have done it myself but all in all I would have only saved $300-400 and if I'd screwed anything up I'd have to pay for the fixes.

I know you don't think the transmission fluid needs changed but I did change mine at about 70k miles and did several drain and fills along with the filter. I also did not use WS but Valvoline Synthetic and for what it's worth have had zero issues with transmission and shifting and now have 90k miles. I also may need rear shocks replaced as they're leaking slightly but still seem to function ok. I guess I'm just telling you this so you know where I'm coming from and am not afraid to get my hands dirty.

bclexus

I understand. Thanks for sharing...

bclexus

AJLex19 - What did your personal mechanic have to say about your A/C yesterday? Did he have what is needed to reinitialize it? And, are you still scheduled to have the Lexus dealership look at it tomorrow?

AJLex19

Unfortunately, he was working OT yesterday and the next few days and won't be able to look at the car before I have my appt with the dealership tomorrow. My gut feeling is similar to yours, that my specific problem may not be due to a servo malfunction, but due to an electrical malfunction as a result of changing the battery. That's why when I first noticed it, I tried to disconnect the battery in an attempt to get the system to "reset."

But after I saw the campaign, I thought it might be related as well. At this point, i'm not sure how it will all go tomorrow, but I won't know until they perform their diagnostic analysis (which I imagine isn't much different than that useful vid you posted). They are willing to give me a loaner as it appears they are busy and it may take them some time to get it all sorted out based on their schedule.

I certainly don't mind if they fix it under the support program, but i'm not trying to cheat them either. If they say it doesn't align with the servo motor campaign and they need to recalibrate the system and it takes 15min, great and i'll pay the diagnostic fee plus whatever they up-charge to do the recalibration. If its something more involved and they want to charge me thousands, i'll decline the service, pay my diagnostic fee and potentially seek out time from my personal mechanic.