Cooling fan recall
01-28-16, 07:31 PM
#166
I lost a bolt, on the secondary fan a few years back.. Eventually the motor got loose and caused the blade to get lodged + burn the motor out..
Good thing it happened in the cooler months.!!
I was probably one of the first to see the failure happen.. I unplugged the secondary fan unit, until I had the time to fix it..
One of the reasons are those cheap *** oem bolts that go on dry with no Loctite at the factory..
The same new bolts are now installed with Loctite..
Mine new solution, as shown above, is a permanent fix..
~ Joe Z
Good thing it happened in the cooler months.!!
I was probably one of the first to see the failure happen.. I unplugged the secondary fan unit, until I had the time to fix it..
One of the reasons are those cheap *** oem bolts that go on dry with no Loctite at the factory..
The same new bolts are now installed with Loctite..
Mine new solution, as shown above, is a permanent fix..
~ Joe Z
So is it the three screws mounted triangularly that come loose? If so how haard is it to see the bolts without removing anything?
02-01-16, 10:45 PM
#168
RE ISF Recalls
Talked to my dealer last week because in the wonderful state of California they are hold my registration hostage till I get the recalls done - (I can't wait to get out of this F--ing state - They advise they do have the parts for both recalls so I am not sure what your dealer is talking about - I would not have either recall done but the state is holding me hostage - my 08 only has 1600 miles on it !
02-02-16, 07:26 AM
#169
Talked to my dealer last week because in the wonderful state of California they are hold my registration hostage till I get the recalls done - (I can't wait to get out of this F--ing state - They advise they do have the parts for both recalls so I am not sure what your dealer is talking about - I would not have either recall done but the state is holding me hostage - my 08 only has 1600 miles on it !
Yea time to GTFO of that state. Kudos on Low mileage 08!
I take mine to Lexus of New Orleans next Wed. to have the bolts and ELF recall done since Lexus of Mobile doesn't want to answer their phones (service).
However I've been waiting over a year to have the Dash replaced in my GX470 that's low mileage as well. You look at everything outside and the leather inside and you see nice but as soon as you sit in it and look out the windshield you see this 1 million mile old looking dash staring you in the face.
03-02-16, 12:49 PM
#170
had new bolts installed and fan still has vibration
so i took my F in some time ago and had the fan bolts replaced , and now after about 8 months the fan is vibrating like crazy , so back to the dealership, i was told yes( the fan is damaged) however, after seeing the recall had done , they told me it would not be covered, so if you still need to have the recall done , make them replace the fan, could save you some trouble down the road, i have a open case with lexus right now ...........wish me luck
03-02-16, 06:28 PM
#171
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so i took my F in some time ago and had the fan bolts replaced , and now after about 8 months the fan is vibrating like crazy , so back to the dealership, i was told yes( the fan is damaged) however, after seeing the recall had done , they told me it would not be covered, so if you still need to have the recall done , make them replace the fan, could save you some trouble down the road, i have a open case with lexus right now ...........wish me luck
Speak with your Service Dept manager if you don't think you're getting the correct assistance..
Joe Z
03-03-16, 07:19 PM
#172
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03-03-16, 07:59 PM
#173
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Yes that's right.. I clarified that today.. Unlimited miles and 12 months warranty on repair or craftsmanship...
You just have to prove the case that the blade or motor went bad before / after it was touched or improperly reinstalled after the recall work was done.
Not sure why the big deal, all they have to do is reopen the same RO with Lexus and replace the parts covered by the warranty work for the recall.
Joe Z
You just have to prove the case that the blade or motor went bad before / after it was touched or improperly reinstalled after the recall work was done.
Not sure why the big deal, all they have to do is reopen the same RO with Lexus and replace the parts covered by the warranty work for the recall.
Joe Z
03-12-17, 03:12 PM
#176
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I have had this recall done, and now 15 months later, I am sitting in the car and notice a weird vibration. I shut off the engine, and the vibration continued with a really ugly sounding noise. I wasn't sure WTF was going on, but thought I'll restart and see if it persists. It did not. I went on about my business, then drove to a couple of destinations without any issues. I came home and decided to go run errands, so off to the supermarket, and once again, I go to shut off the engine and hear this ugly noise - it persists after shutting off the engine, so I popped the hood to see if I could see anything, and I see the fan shroud shaking like a bad washing machine with an off balance load.
I remember JoeZ having the fan screw issue years ago, and he said the entire radiator had to come out to get to the fans. I decided I would check the fans first, then if I had to remove them, figure out how best to do it. The primary fan - driver's side - wobbled like a weeble when I grabbed it. Not knowing if it was screws or actual motor bearing failure, I decided to remove the fans. TIS says you have to remove the radiator, and their process to complete this is ridiculous. Bumper comes off, radiator support comes off - basically disassemble the entire front of the car. F that. I'm going to get this thing out without removing the radiator.
So, I drained the radiator down enough to remove the top hose (can't get the shroud out with this hose in place), then removed the airbox, coolant tank, the two top bolts for the fan shroud, and the two lower bolts holding the transmission coolant lines in place. Push the shroud back a little, remove the wire harness clips from the back side, and the assembly lifts out (with a little wiggling - it's snug, but not impossible). I took the fan motor off, and checked the bearings - on the front there is a ball bearing cassette as you would expect. In the back, there is a simple phosphor bronze solid bushing, not a real bearing, and of course this thing is completely ruined along with the motor shaft being scored and galled. It wouldn't be impossible to find or make a new bushing, but with the shaft damage, there's not much to say except buy a new motor. And since I am already here, I ordered two motors (these things are $300 each from MyLParts with the CL discount) not just one, and I'll put the used one that is still working on my spares shelf in case of a failure down the road.
I did not seriously consider aftermarket motors, and a quick look online showed no one has an aftermarket unit they recommend for our application. The original part number for the motors has also been superceded. The new part number is 16701-38040, and I make no assumptions about it, but suspect they've done something because the original parts were less than stellar from a reliability perspective. It would have been nice to know the motor was in bad shape when the fan bolt recall was done, as I would have had them replace it then. Pics below. I wish I had a lathe at home, I'd just make a new bushing and run with it - I cleaned up the shaft with a 3M red Scotchbrite pad and it's not damaged at all, it just looked like it as you can see in the picture.
I remember JoeZ having the fan screw issue years ago, and he said the entire radiator had to come out to get to the fans. I decided I would check the fans first, then if I had to remove them, figure out how best to do it. The primary fan - driver's side - wobbled like a weeble when I grabbed it. Not knowing if it was screws or actual motor bearing failure, I decided to remove the fans. TIS says you have to remove the radiator, and their process to complete this is ridiculous. Bumper comes off, radiator support comes off - basically disassemble the entire front of the car. F that. I'm going to get this thing out without removing the radiator.
So, I drained the radiator down enough to remove the top hose (can't get the shroud out with this hose in place), then removed the airbox, coolant tank, the two top bolts for the fan shroud, and the two lower bolts holding the transmission coolant lines in place. Push the shroud back a little, remove the wire harness clips from the back side, and the assembly lifts out (with a little wiggling - it's snug, but not impossible). I took the fan motor off, and checked the bearings - on the front there is a ball bearing cassette as you would expect. In the back, there is a simple phosphor bronze solid bushing, not a real bearing, and of course this thing is completely ruined along with the motor shaft being scored and galled. It wouldn't be impossible to find or make a new bushing, but with the shaft damage, there's not much to say except buy a new motor. And since I am already here, I ordered two motors (these things are $300 each from MyLParts with the CL discount) not just one, and I'll put the used one that is still working on my spares shelf in case of a failure down the road.
I did not seriously consider aftermarket motors, and a quick look online showed no one has an aftermarket unit they recommend for our application. The original part number for the motors has also been superceded. The new part number is 16701-38040, and I make no assumptions about it, but suspect they've done something because the original parts were less than stellar from a reliability perspective. It would have been nice to know the motor was in bad shape when the fan bolt recall was done, as I would have had them replace it then. Pics below. I wish I had a lathe at home, I'd just make a new bushing and run with it - I cleaned up the shaft with a 3M red Scotchbrite pad and it's not damaged at all, it just looked like it as you can see in the picture.
Last edited by lobuxracer; 03-12-17 at 04:03 PM.
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imp0rted1 (03-15-17)
03-12-17, 07:37 PM
#177
I have had this recall done, and now 15 months later, I am sitting in the car and notice a weird vibration. I shut off the engine, and the vibration continued with a really ugly sounding noise. I wasn't sure WTF was going on, but thought I'll restart and see if it persists. It did not. I went on about my business, then drove to a couple of destinations without any issues. I came home and decided to go run errands, so off to the supermarket, and once again, I go to shut off the engine and hear this ugly noise - it persists after shutting off the engine, so I popped the hood to see if I could see anything, and I see the fan shroud shaking like a bad washing machine with an off balance load.
I remember JoeZ having the fan screw issue years ago, and he said the entire radiator had to come out to get to the fans. I decided I would check the fans first, then if I had to remove them, figure out how best to do it. The primary fan - driver's side - wobbled like a weeble when I grabbed it. Not knowing if it was screws or actual motor bearing failure, I decided to remove the fans. TIS says you have to remove the radiator, and their process to complete this is ridiculous. Bumper comes off, radiator support comes off - basically disassemble the entire front of the car. F that. I'm going to get this thing out without removing the radiator.
So, I drained the radiator down enough to remove the top hose (can't get the shroud out with this hose in place), then removed the airbox, coolant tank, the two top bolts for the fan shroud, and the two lower bolts holding the transmission coolant lines in place. Push the shroud back a little, remove the wire harness clips from the back side, and the assembly lifts out (with a little wiggling - it's snug, but not impossible). I took the fan motor off, and checked the bearings - on the front there is a ball bearing cassette as you would expect. In the back, there is a simple phosphor bronze solid bushing, not a real bearing, and of course this thing is completely ruined along with the motor shaft being scored and galled. It wouldn't be impossible to find or make a new bushing, but with the shaft damage, there's not much to say except buy a new motor. And since I am already here, I ordered two motors (these things are $300 each from MyLParts with the CL discount) not just one, and I'll put the used one that is still working on my spares shelf in case of a failure down the road.
I did not seriously consider aftermarket motors, and a quick look online showed no one has an aftermarket unit they recommend for our application. The original part number for the motors has also been superceded. The new part number is 16701-38040, and I make no assumptions about it, but suspect they've done something because the original parts were less than stellar from a reliability perspective. It would have been nice to know the motor was in bad shape when the fan bolt recall was done, as I would have had them replace it then. Pics below. I wish I had a lathe at home, I'd just make a new bushing and run with it - I cleaned up the shaft with a 3M red Scotchbrite pad and it's not damaged at all, it just looked like it as you can see in the picture.
I remember JoeZ having the fan screw issue years ago, and he said the entire radiator had to come out to get to the fans. I decided I would check the fans first, then if I had to remove them, figure out how best to do it. The primary fan - driver's side - wobbled like a weeble when I grabbed it. Not knowing if it was screws or actual motor bearing failure, I decided to remove the fans. TIS says you have to remove the radiator, and their process to complete this is ridiculous. Bumper comes off, radiator support comes off - basically disassemble the entire front of the car. F that. I'm going to get this thing out without removing the radiator.
So, I drained the radiator down enough to remove the top hose (can't get the shroud out with this hose in place), then removed the airbox, coolant tank, the two top bolts for the fan shroud, and the two lower bolts holding the transmission coolant lines in place. Push the shroud back a little, remove the wire harness clips from the back side, and the assembly lifts out (with a little wiggling - it's snug, but not impossible). I took the fan motor off, and checked the bearings - on the front there is a ball bearing cassette as you would expect. In the back, there is a simple phosphor bronze solid bushing, not a real bearing, and of course this thing is completely ruined along with the motor shaft being scored and galled. It wouldn't be impossible to find or make a new bushing, but with the shaft damage, there's not much to say except buy a new motor. And since I am already here, I ordered two motors (these things are $300 each from MyLParts with the CL discount) not just one, and I'll put the used one that is still working on my spares shelf in case of a failure down the road.
I did not seriously consider aftermarket motors, and a quick look online showed no one has an aftermarket unit they recommend for our application. The original part number for the motors has also been superceded. The new part number is 16701-38040, and I make no assumptions about it, but suspect they've done something because the original parts were less than stellar from a reliability perspective. It would have been nice to know the motor was in bad shape when the fan bolt recall was done, as I would have had them replace it then. Pics below. I wish I had a lathe at home, I'd just make a new bushing and run with it - I cleaned up the shaft with a 3M red Scotchbrite pad and it's not damaged at all, it just looked like it as you can see in the picture.
03-12-17, 08:11 PM
#178
Tech Info Resource
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I disassembled the good motor as well. The bushing in it measures 7.95mm ID. The bad motor's bushing measures 8.72mm. I'd call that totally worn out. What is sad is, everything else in the motor is in fine shape. If I could purchase just the bushing or the back plate, I'd have a perfectly good motor again. Pretty sad.
Worst of all, when you research these Denso motors, they're used in bus air conditioning systems, other automobiles for cooling fans, and other air conditioning systems. I saw one online vendor selling a bus version of this motor for $52. That's a whole lot cheaper than $300+ Lexus wants. The problem with the cheaper motors is, they're not built identically. The frame size and mounting is the same, but the electrical connectors and the backplates are not.
Worst of all, when you research these Denso motors, they're used in bus air conditioning systems, other automobiles for cooling fans, and other air conditioning systems. I saw one online vendor selling a bus version of this motor for $52. That's a whole lot cheaper than $300+ Lexus wants. The problem with the cheaper motors is, they're not built identically. The frame size and mounting is the same, but the electrical connectors and the backplates are not.
03-13-17, 06:58 AM
#179
I have had this recall done, and now 15 months later, I am sitting in the car and notice a weird vibration. I shut off the engine, and the vibration continued with a really ugly sounding noise. I wasn't sure WTF was going on, but thought I'll restart and see if it persists. It did not. I went on about my business, then drove to a couple of destinations without any issues. I came home and decided to go run errands, so off to the supermarket, and once again, I go to shut off the engine and hear this ugly noise - it persists after shutting off the engine, so I popped the hood to see if I could see anything, and I see the fan shroud shaking like a bad washing machine with an off balance load.
I remember JoeZ having the fan screw issue years ago, and he said the entire radiator had to come out to get to the fans. I decided I would check the fans first, then if I had to remove them, figure out how best to do it. The primary fan - driver's side - wobbled like a weeble when I grabbed it. Not knowing if it was screws or actual motor bearing failure, I decided to remove the fans. TIS says you have to remove the radiator, and their process to complete this is ridiculous. Bumper comes off, radiator support comes off - basically disassemble the entire front of the car. F that. I'm going to get this thing out without removing the radiator.
So, I drained the radiator down enough to remove the top hose (can't get the shroud out with this hose in place), then removed the airbox, coolant tank, the two top bolts for the fan shroud, and the two lower bolts holding the transmission coolant lines in place. Push the shroud back a little, remove the wire harness clips from the back side, and the assembly lifts out (with a little wiggling - it's snug, but not impossible). I took the fan motor off, and checked the bearings - on the front there is a ball bearing cassette as you would expect. In the back, there is a simple phosphor bronze solid bushing, not a real bearing, and of course this thing is completely ruined along with the motor shaft being scored and galled. It wouldn't be impossible to find or make a new bushing, but with the shaft damage, there's not much to say except buy a new motor. And since I am already here, I ordered two motors (these things are $300 each from MyLParts with the CL discount) not just one, and I'll put the used one that is still working on my spares shelf in case of a failure down the road.
I did not seriously consider aftermarket motors, and a quick look online showed no one has an aftermarket unit they recommend for our application. The original part number for the motors has also been superceded. The new part number is 16701-38040, and I make no assumptions about it, but suspect they've done something because the original parts were less than stellar from a reliability perspective. It would have been nice to know the motor was in bad shape when the fan bolt recall was done, as I would have had them replace it then. Pics below. I wish I had a lathe at home, I'd just make a new bushing and run with it - I cleaned up the shaft with a 3M red Scotchbrite pad and it's not damaged at all, it just looked like it as you can see in the picture.
I remember JoeZ having the fan screw issue years ago, and he said the entire radiator had to come out to get to the fans. I decided I would check the fans first, then if I had to remove them, figure out how best to do it. The primary fan - driver's side - wobbled like a weeble when I grabbed it. Not knowing if it was screws or actual motor bearing failure, I decided to remove the fans. TIS says you have to remove the radiator, and their process to complete this is ridiculous. Bumper comes off, radiator support comes off - basically disassemble the entire front of the car. F that. I'm going to get this thing out without removing the radiator.
So, I drained the radiator down enough to remove the top hose (can't get the shroud out with this hose in place), then removed the airbox, coolant tank, the two top bolts for the fan shroud, and the two lower bolts holding the transmission coolant lines in place. Push the shroud back a little, remove the wire harness clips from the back side, and the assembly lifts out (with a little wiggling - it's snug, but not impossible). I took the fan motor off, and checked the bearings - on the front there is a ball bearing cassette as you would expect. In the back, there is a simple phosphor bronze solid bushing, not a real bearing, and of course this thing is completely ruined along with the motor shaft being scored and galled. It wouldn't be impossible to find or make a new bushing, but with the shaft damage, there's not much to say except buy a new motor. And since I am already here, I ordered two motors (these things are $300 each from MyLParts with the CL discount) not just one, and I'll put the used one that is still working on my spares shelf in case of a failure down the road.
I did not seriously consider aftermarket motors, and a quick look online showed no one has an aftermarket unit they recommend for our application. The original part number for the motors has also been superceded. The new part number is 16701-38040, and I make no assumptions about it, but suspect they've done something because the original parts were less than stellar from a reliability perspective. It would have been nice to know the motor was in bad shape when the fan bolt recall was done, as I would have had them replace it then. Pics below. I wish I had a lathe at home, I'd just make a new bushing and run with it - I cleaned up the shaft with a 3M red Scotchbrite pad and it's not damaged at all, it just looked like it as you can see in the picture.
03-14-17, 08:03 PM
#180
Tech Info Resource
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**UPDATE**
The fan motors are no longer available separately. You buy the entire shroud with two new fan motors for ~$300 from Lexus. I assume this is because they had the screws back out and now they don't want anyone replacing a fan motor separately because they can't be sure it won't have the screw backing out issue.
I will say this, removing the screws after the update has been done is a real biotch. I had to use a 1/4" drive with a #2 phillips Apex bit and the screws still got damaged coming out. They really don't want anyone ever removing those motors once they are attached to the shroud.
The fan motors are no longer available separately. You buy the entire shroud with two new fan motors for ~$300 from Lexus. I assume this is because they had the screws back out and now they don't want anyone replacing a fan motor separately because they can't be sure it won't have the screw backing out issue.
I will say this, removing the screws after the update has been done is a real biotch. I had to use a 1/4" drive with a #2 phillips Apex bit and the screws still got damaged coming out. They really don't want anyone ever removing those motors once they are attached to the shroud.