jamesga

Well where to start.
I have had my IS250 RWD since November. I bought the only car the dealer had in stock which was demo with 1700 miles. Once I became comfortable with car i started to notice a slight, but very annoying vibration in the steering wheel between 70-75 mph. I took it to the dealer a total of 5 times.

The first time they rebalanced the tires.
The second they told me i had 2 bent rims (the front 2)-we all know how heavy and solid those factory rims are...I would have known if I hit something. The told me that it would be $200 dollars to straigten the rims (I paid half $100)
The third time they said the newly re-bent rim wasn't balanced correctly
The forth time balancing again
The fifth time the supposidly replaced the front wheel with a PDI car.
I have been driving the car this way for about 1-week and the problem is now more in the 75-80 mph range.
What should I do? Anyone have this problem or are your cars smooth in the wheel at all speeds. When does lemon law come into play or does it with this type of issue?

-- I relize this a supposedly a sports car and I can tell the differance between road feedback and a odd vibration. Thanks for repsonses in advance.

Payam

I have the 350 and had the car up to 140, no "odd" vibrations anywhere in that range...

Kermee

iTrader: (1)

I've had mine well over 80 MPH also and the steering wheel is silky smooth and crusing 75-80 MPH in 70 MPH speed limit areas. So it's definitely not normal. At this point, I would be writing/calling Lexus Corporate to complain. Five times is way too much.

Only other thing that might be of consideration is the quality of the roads you drive on but it sounds like it's not.

Cheers,
Kermee

Bichon

See if your dealer has a road force tire balancer. More specifically, see if they have a Hunter GSP 9700. From what I've heard, it's nothing short of amazing at finding and solving difficult tire and wheel vibration issues.

If they don't have one (my Lexus dealer does!), use this finder to locate a shop in your area that does. http://www.gsp9700.com/pub/search/findgsp9700.cfm

P.S.
My IS350 has no vibrations at all up to triple digit speeds.

Kermee

iTrader: (1)

Whoah. I'm bookmarking that for when the time comes. Thanks!

Cheers,
Kermee

EDIT: Looks like Lexus of Seattle, my dealer, owns one.

shaolin

iTrader: (2)

Go get your wheels re balance.

If the steering wheel slightly vibrate around 60 mph or up, balance at least 2 front wheels. If your whole car or even your rear are feeling vibration, get all four wheels balance.

When the tire shops are balancing your wheels, please ask them to show you once the wheels are on the spinner. Make sure your wheels are not wobbeling. Maybe you bent one or two of them.

shaolin

iTrader: (2)

There are special ways to balance wheels. For our wheels we have to use stickers weights. YOu don't have to use the newest or the best balancer to balance your wheels.

mcfly

Sorry campers, but if a dealer can't manage to balance wheels, which is a monkey's task, then you've got bigger problems.

Threaten lemon law litigation. That should get them fired up.

shaolin

iTrader: (2)

Bring it to local wheels and tires shop and tell them what's going on. See if they can do it. If they can balance the wheel, bring the receipt to the dealer and show them what's up.

jamesga

They have balanced my original set of wheels 2 times. Then they re-bent my "bent rims" (yea right) and balanced them twice. As a last resort they replaced the wheels. Problem still exists. I guess I am going to send Lexus Corp a email.
Thanks for the comments.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

did they give you two new front tires, ive seen a few posts where people had balance problems and the tires were replaced and it went away

Bichon

Yes, but you do need to use a roadforce balancer to diagnose wheel and tire problems that are not due to improper balance. Things like a tire with too much variation in sidewall stiffness, or a wheel/tire with excessive runout.

The place where I go for my tire/alignment work told me that the Chrysler dealer used to send over Caravans with vibration problems they couldn't solve, and his GSP-9700 would sort them out on the first try.

Given the amount of grief the OP has been through, I'd definitely give roadforce balance a try.

mcfly

The chances of a Lexus dealer NOT having a roadforce balancer are slim to none. If you do a search for shops with them in your area, you'll see that just about everyone has one (or at least they do around me... and 90% of those places I'd never bring my car to).

clubfoot

With two bent wheel rims, I would look at a four wheel alignment and suspension components as well, besides replacing the tires.

shaolin

iTrader: (2)

Not every rim or tire shop has road force machine. I've used once at a alignment school.