caddyowner

I noticed that my steering column extend / retract is no longer working. I hear it clicking, but it doesn't move. It goes up and down OK, though. (I have the auto-retract disabled, so it's no big deal that this doesn't work.) I will probably have it fixed on my next service visit. Any ideas how much this will run me?

honeygee2

It should cost you nothing. There is a TSB out on the steering columns on the car (at least my year 03). just had mine done two weeks ago. I can get you the TSB number if you like but it was titled "Universal joint and telescopic slider support".

caddyowner

Thanks for the info. I see this has been discussed before once I searched.

m8554

honeygee2, can you give me more info on the TSB for the telescoping steering wheel? I have a 2003 LS with the same problem and while at the dealer recently they said there was no warranty coverage for it.
Thanks

honeygee2

Reading right off the repair order dated 03/18/2010....

Cause. Insufficent torsional strength of the telescopic steering cable.

Correction. Replace steering shaft universal joint and telescopic slider support per TSB#ST001-04


That's the info. My car is under CPO but I believe a TSB should cover the repair.

ayonnebay

The steering column TSB is for a creaking noise when wheel tilts up/down when key is put in or out of ignition. The following is my old post here from when I had that issue with my '04 LS. (I am told it will only be performed at no cost while vehicle is still under warranty.)

Walt


Took my '04 to Lexus today regarding creaking noise when steering wheel raises and lowers while turning key on/off. They performed TSB on that very problem (which was mentioned on this forum in 2004).

It includes installing a part ( part #45767-50010), and was done quickly.

STEERING COLUMN NOISE - ST001-04
Number: ST001-04
Bulletin Date: 1/7/2004
Applicable VIN Range: ’02 – ’04 LS 430 JTHBN30F#20059627 to JTHBN36F040141419
Summary: Some LS 400 and LS 430 vehicles may experience steering column noise due to insufficient torsional strength of the telescopic steering column cable. The cable has been replaced with a universal joint to prevent steering column noise.

honeygee2

Thanks Walt..great info.

Jabberwock

I don't think TSBs are performed for free if the car is outside of warranty period or miles. TSBs (technical service bulletin) are not recalls, they are published as tip sheets and guides for Lexus mechanics (and others) to use in troubleshooting and making repairs to common problems.

Vpanin

This issue makes me want to disable my auto-retract mode on my next visit. Hey Caddy did you disable it at the dealer or your car came like that? if you went to the dealer.....how much was it?

ayonnebay

FWIW, I recently (about 1 month ago) started experiencing serious problems with the steering column not coming down when I started the car. It was acting crazy- sometimes working, but most times, not. It turned out (and I mentioned this in a previous post at the time) that it was all due to a bad cell in my battery. The car, at times, sounded a little weak when cranking, but always started up. Then one day, it was dead. When I was having the new battery installed, I mentioned the fact that the steering wheel had been acting crazy - with the retraction thing, the guy said that was a common-type symptom when a battery has a flaky/bad cell.

Since replacing the battery that day, I have NEVER had any problem with the steering column again. It ALSO fixed my flaky mirror problems - they had each randomly decided, on their own, when they would fold in or out for me.

Amazing - all because of a bad battery cell.

Walt

airtime

Mine was making noise last year as it sounded like it was grinding. Took it in and they grease and re-routed a cable. Now, no sound at all.

DDLexus

Is this still the case? No further problems with the steering wheel and mirrors after the battery replacement?

caddyowner, did you do anything to resolve your problem?

ayonnebay

[Is this still the case? No further problems with the steering wheel and mirrors after the battery replacement?]

Happy to say "Yes!"

It has now been more than a month since my battery replacement and I have not had even 1 more incident with EITHER my mirrors or steering wheel.

At that time (March & before) I had problems with either my steering wheel, one mirror, or both mirrors every single day.

It's incredible - all mirror & steering wheel problems gone! I can't explain it, but the guy was right. Whodathunkit - a bad battery cell.

Walt

V8_Fan

x2. TSBs are not covered unless your car is still under warranty. I've never heard of Toyota covering TSBs free of charge. The TSB is just to guide the mechanic through the repair, essentially a lessons-learned by another tech. The customer still has to foot the bill. Only if it's a recall will it be covered out of warranty. Toyota is notorious for using TSBs to remedy a faulty part. Right after I bought my CPO LX, I discovered the steering wheel had to be turned 10 deg to the left to keep the car going straight. The VGRS ecu needed to be updated (TSB), but it was only covered since it was under CPO warranty. Otherwise, it would have been $800 for the part alone, and all this after paying $46K for the rig!

PS: I learned about the steering wheel retracting motors going bad on all Toyotas/Lexus that had them, so I had mine disabled as soon as I took delivery. The motors will still work when you use your memory seats feature. Ditto for the tilt down side view mirrors/folding side-view mirrors. Since every car I've owned before the LX/LS didn't have these features, I learn to live without them and only use them when I really need to, like when parallel parking in a tight spot, not when backing out of the garage every morning. The mirrors are like $1600 each.

Jabberwock

I may have to get my steering wheel retract turned off also. I do keep the swing in mirror feature turned off as I never park very close to other cars. As far as tilt down auto adjustment for reverse, the mirrors don't tilt if the mirror switch is set to middle position instead of to R or L so I can leave it in middle "disable" this function. I almost never parallel park in Dallas area anyway, and when have to parallel park, learning to drive and park in Chicago, where I parked that way multiple times a day for years, makes parallel parking a trivial exercise.