mafpolo

I agree with you....the level of expertise at the dealer is not all that good. I let him talk me into having my new tires aligned there (just out on new tires a few weeks ago). I asked why not my tire place (my tire guys are great - they've been in the business for a long time - family business 2nd generation). The owner races, and he is into tires - loves the business. He helps the customer when it helps him less - he really knows his stuff.

Lexus service writer wanted me to align there, "because we know LS430 alignment better than anyone else, and we can take another look at the air suspension - see if there's something we're missing." Well, dealer alignment was $150.00 (tire store $85.00), and the steering wheel's crooked. My tire guys said to bring it buy, and he will measure if they did it right or not.

p.s. my ignorance is showing - on your LS you list "PCS." What is PCS?

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

PCS = Pre-Collision System. Optional on the LS430 from 04'+

http://www.lexus.com/models/LS/featu...ystem_pcs.html

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

More complete BS, alignment is alignment, they are the same from a Yugo to a Bugatti, just camber and toe

I go to the same independent alignment shop since I started driving, from my 86' Nissan pickup truck, to my 02' Skyline GTR, to my 06' SC430.....the same guy did all those alignment perfectly, every car is the same.

jman-LS430

Hey BNR34, who do you use for your alignment?

As for responses to the OP's post, BNR34 has really sound advice, much of what I would have responded with.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

Clarence Brown Alignment
7996 Armour St # 102
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 565-2981

Ask for Al to work on your car if you do go there, he had been aligning my cars for 16 years, he is fast and dead on everytime, not to mention a very funny guy. He would adjust your car until you are happy, and let you test drive it, won't call it done until you are happy with it. No question and no complain.

They are an old school ruler and camber gauge type of place, which I think is the only way to go. None of those new laser guided + - 2 degrees "within factory spec" BS.

Another thing cool with them is, their lift is underground, so a car can have 0.25" of ground clearance and still won't scrape going on their lift.

Thank you

mafpolo

The district area tech rep told my service writer that my ulta is "supposed to be that way." WTF?

I guess my last one was defective - it never did that
I guess when my dad had an '05 LS Ultra - it was defective too - it never did
I guess for the first year and a half, this car was defective - it never did
I guess that for six months straight this year,the current ultra was defective, as it never squatted either.

And why is it supposed to squat according to Lexus? "Because the cars knows you got out, and are going to get back in." Huh? Okay, so I weigh 170 pounds, the squat is not consistent - the entire side doesn't squat just the rear, and as the driver I don't sit in the back, it still squats when multiple people are in the car, and if this logic actually had validity, spring coiled cars should ride down the road at angle, since they can't squat and counterbalance when the driver gets out & parks.

Well, this is a new theory from the "it's because your driveway is steep and turns right." The service writer also told me he couldn't do anymore for me, but I could call the Lexus tech people.

Called Lexus with my case number. Went through two people - each told me they needed to transfer me. Finally told I needed to talk to some fellow - "please hold." Then she said he was already on the phone, so he would call back. I asked when he would call, and I was told that Lexus policy was that he would call me back within two business days.

Isn't that great customer service. I am so impressed. I really thought Lexus would be better than this - both technically & customer service.

I need to get beyond the call center to the executive office. Senior managers in ivory towers don't like to hear stories like mine. Their reports tell them how grand everything is
Do you guys agree that the car is supposed to do this - we're talking an inch difference between the right & left rear.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

This is what I had been telling you all these time, all Ultra squats like that stock from the factory. I guess you didn't believe everything I said.

Lexus is 100% correct, the Ultra is supposed to be that way. Remember I told you, there is nothing Lexus can do for you, it is how the car was build, my car was that way stock and the 50 or so stock Ultra I looked it, squats the exact same way. That is 100% to factory spec. I believe it is a design flaw, it shouldn't be that way, but it is. The only way you can level it out, is adjusting the height sensor yourself. Lexus would never do that for you, because that would make it not to factory spec.

I do believe your air bags are leaking because you said the car lowered itself sitting for a few days.

This is the last time I am going to try to get this point across. If you don't believe me, you can keep fighting Lexus, but they will never do anything for you, I guarantee it. Or you can sell the car.

jman-LS430

Thanks for the reply. I too have been using them since 1988, but I don't work with one particular person. I took my LS to them for the first time in December after getting my new wheels and tires on. The person who worked on it was Sean. He hadn't dealt with the LS air suspension. After making the alignment adjustments he called out the issue with the slight height differences between the right side front and left front side. He was reluctant to adjust the sensors. I take it Al has dealt with the sensor adjustment so I can tell Sean to work with Al when I take it back for readjustments?

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

Cool to see you go there too

I thought your ride height was all sorted out since you lowered it and got all the wheels on.......

Al never touch my height sensor, he just aligned my car. I adjusted the height sensors myself to make the car perfectly even before I let Al work on it. So I don't know if Al is willing to adjust your height sensor. I feel you are smart enough to do it yourself though, it is just a matter of turning a rod after loosening 2 set nuts. But if you are afraid to try it, I don't mind doing it for you if you are willing to drive down to my place in Del Mar. I had the experience from doing my car so I know what I am doing already. Just buy me lunch and let me feel how your car ride with the Dubs

jman-LS430

Thanks for the offer. My plan was to do the procedure myself this weekend (it doesn't look difficult from reading the thread). I had the same thought that I should get this done before I take it back to Clarence Brown for my follow up adjustments to the alignment (I didn't make it clear before that the technician Sean asked that I drive it around a while then take it back since he had to make a lot of alignment adjustments on the right side and wants to re-check things). I only ask if Al has experience with the sensor adjustment just in case when/if any re-adjustments are made to the alignment, will it affect the sensor reading, thus causing it to slightly unlevel again. If I read into what your experience has been, I shouldn't have that problem. Hopefully that is the case.

If I run into any issues in doing the sensor adjustments myself, I may take you up on your offer. Heck, I love how clean your interior looks in photos that we should hook up anyways regardless sometime so that I can see first hand how nice your car(s) appear.

One last thing. From the thread on the procedure for doing the sensor adjustments, it isn't clear to me whether or not it is easiest and best to keep the car running while making the adjustments? If you (and others are welcome) can help answer that question, I would appreciate it.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

Correct, changing the alignment setting won't affect the height sensor.

Feel free to ask any question.

I want to see your car too, that was one motivation for my offer. Plus it really is very easy to do, so maybe I can scam a free lunch out of it

I do like to meet up sometime though, I can show you my LS460L premium floor mats, that is the only mod I have

It can be running or not, it doesn't matter. Just remember the car would go up and down instantly if the car is running and you move the sensor. And it can come down FAST, so make sure your body is not under the car if the car is running and you go drop the sensor a lot. But when I was doing minor adjustment, I did it with the car running so I can see the new height instantly without having to keep turning on and off the engine. The ride height do not change if the car is off.

mafpolo

I measured the heights of each wheel well to the floor, and the each side of the rear bumper. They were all so close to each other (right rear tire to left rear, left rear bumper to right, etc.) in measurement that we can say that the car is sitting "square."

This is how my last ultra sat, and how this one did for the first eighteen months that I owned it.

If the above is the case, then why are all ultra's supposed to sit with the right rear wheel lower?

mafpolo

Second day in a row that the LS is sitting square. I hope it keeps doing it.

BlackUltra

After reading this thread I just went to my garage and measured each side of my 2006UL from the ground through the center of my rims to the top of my wheel well. Guess what I got? Left (drivers) side was maybe 1/4 " higher and the car has been sitting for two days. Temperature in Atlanta has been under 32F all day. So I don't understand what is this about one side being noticely lower/higher as spec?

Mafpolo, feel your frustration about your problems and I hope they are finally fixed. I can share your concern about not getting my car fixed and looking at a possible future big bill if there was a suspension failure. However, I love the ride that I get from my air suspension and I think it is a great ride feature.

Correct me if I am wrong but if this was a real problem wouldn't there be more people reporting problems? Do you really think this is prevalent? Would you dissuade someone from buying a UL?

airtime

I love the Ultra. The options with being able to raise and lower the car, and adjusting to sports mode is great. If I didn't get the UL, I would then go with bags, but it wouldn't be the same as a factory tuned suspension.