Tensi

Please let me know what they find. I feel no ill effects of it driving. And it seems to only happen when cold on initial use.

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

Generally,a low speed clunk would lead me to believe the pads are shifting which can be remedied fairly easily by adjusting the anti rattle clips-2 per pad, 4 per side, 8 total on the front end. I remove them, clean them up really good with brake cleaner (not good for the lungs so be careful) and bend them out a bit to bite the pad a little more. Not too tight else the pads will not move back and forth as designed.

A high speed clunk (35mph+ going over bumps, turning steering wheel, braking) would make me look at a suspension component. Those big black bushings on the suspension components do wear and tear over time. Get a large screwdriver and apply pressure on every suspension component up front to check for play. If you have a bad suspension piece you will know it. Most recently I started to get as large clunk while braking deep and hard into my corners on my favorite canyon, very noticeable. Had to replace the rear suspension arm, bushing was completely torn.

Items to check up front:
Caliper pins, anti rattle clips.
Ball joints, a-arms, sway bar links, motor mounts, tie rods, struts.

mpx

Hi guys, love the car...
I had the same problem, i had just picked up the car,[2005, 24k milage ] and 2 weeks lateri hear the clicking noise from up front anytime im in hard turn , or reversing at slow speeds. Had the dealer check it out, he told all was fine. Then took it to a shop around the corner, he found the problem, replacing the front kit and brake pads, noise is now gone.
The dealer still says this is normal for sc430's.........

flygirl62

Well, I definitely know very little about the car, maybe it is the brake pads...

But...

When I park the car, turn the wheels hard, and then get out and push against the back of whichever tire is sticking out, I can sometimes recreate the noise by rocking the car back and forth, and it's definitely not coming from the brakes (unless it's like the rear end of an old Jag, with inboard discs). It sure sounds like near the center of the front of the chassis.

Just spoke with Lexus Roseville service, they say it's the brakes and so I'm taking it to another dealer who isn't so sure...not saying it is or isn't, but I think a bit of doubt going into it isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Should I be worried about this car? I'm really bummed about this and wonder how it's going to wear as the years go by.

Part of me wishes I bought a new one, now part of me wishes I hadn't bought it at all. Confused, hoping for the best, concerned that it will be an ongoing issue.

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

Brake clunk is part of the design, nothing to worry about as it does not affect performance or safety. It is an easy fix. My GS, IS, SC's, all had them amongst many other cars that have 2 pc caliper designs.

flygirl62

I'm threatening to stop payment on my check, unless we get a little more action...harsh, but that's how we're going to play it unless someone steps up and takes some responsibility for a flawed CPO car with 12,000 miles on the clock.

Maybe I am being too harsh, and I can't imagine that a suspension part could wear so quickly, unless it was damaged somehow and I don't seem to be seeing that. But, dang, how frustrating this is!

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

Well, at this time you not sure what the issue is but it sounds like the infamous brake clunk issue. Have it checked out, if the dealer does not play, call Lexus HQ and be persistent.
The SC430 is one of the most reliable cars on the road-from several studies over the years. A clunk is annoying and I agree should be handled better by Lexus dealers but this does not mean the wheel will fall off.
Keep us posted.

flygirl62

Thank you for your---and everyone's---thoughts and advice. I think mentioning the stop payment has somehow perked up the ears of the sales manager and the service department, too, so hoping for the best.

I definitely will keep us posted on the results, and hope I'll have something to contribute that helps others with a similar problem.

More soon.

TooCoolSC

Stay after them, flygirl. It might be a common problem, but it should not be occurring, especially on a car this expensive. Tell them you heard Lexus had a "relentless pursuit of perfection," and ask them if that's true, or not.

I'm not thrilled about the ride of my car, but it doesn't have a "clunking" sound, so I guess I should be happy about that. There's no question that you shouldn't have to live with this problem and they should do everything they can to make you happy. That's generally what Lexus is known for.

I hope you get the problem fixed soon so you can start to enjoy the car. It's a drag that this is interfering with your enjoyment right off the bat and making you question your purchase. Lexus needs to know you're not at all a happy customer.

flygirl62

Taking it in tomorrow morning, so we'll see. Wish me the best.

Just to make sure I'm clear, the sound of the noise is not a dull 'clunk' but a sharp, loud, 'click.'

If I had to try and type how it sounds phonetically, it'd be like...
[ahem]

"TTTTTTTTKKKKKKKK"

Loud and sharp and kind of higher pitched. Not the lower pitched 'thud' I think of when I think of a clunking noise.

It's like the difference between a gunshot and an M-80 blowing up. The sound my car makes is the gunshot, quick and sharp and loud, and almost like there's pressure of some sort that finally makes something down there give.

I hope it's okay for me to print out the suggestions about brake service and call them to the attention of my dealer.

robsvdp

The brake pad noise is more of a loud "click" or sometimes "click click" (one side then the other). It is really obvious based on when the sound happens vs when you push the pedal. I have NEVER heard it when I'm not braking. If you are, probably not this issue.

flygirl62

I'm still thinking it's not the brakes, but it does happen when stopping...then again, I have not heard both sides go before, and (knowing that the source of sounds under a car is often hard to pinpoint) is sure sounds like it's coming from near the center, almost under the engine, and not the wheels.

It has more to do when all the car's rather substantial mass kind of sways a bit as I do a sharp three point turn, then it sways in the other direction as I reverse, and then I move forward and something settles back to where it was, and TTTKKKKKKKK!

I've stopped payment on the check and will not take the car back 'till we have some sort of resolution on the matter. These kinds of intermittent problems scare the daylights out of me.

I once owned a brand new '89 Mustang GT that every so often just wouldn't start, some flaw in the engine control computer is what it seemed like to me. I ended up selling it after three years and getting stranded twice by a problem that "could not be recreated."

Here's to hoping the Lexus Techs have greater insight than those at the Ford Dealer.

Tensi

As always, very helpful Pearlpower. Thank you.

Mine is definitely low speed... in fact, it is best recreated in my driveway, first thing in the morning when the car is still cold. It is recreated by making a K turn. The reverse of direction from reverse to drive (vice versa) after a tiny bit of movement there is a CLUNK, not a click. This is definitely not the common noise when shifting from reverse to drive... as I know what that sounds like, since I have that too.

The dealer replaced the shim kit.. which has alleviated some of the noise. It is definitely not nearly as intense as it was in the past. But I am still trying to find the culprit. It is so tough since it commonly only happens when the car is cold... and because I am not mechanically inclined at all.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

I have had this problem before, back in 2006 and now again. In 2006 it was the control arm bushings. They replaced under warranty and problem gone. My car sits five days out of the week so IMHO it is a lubrication/rotting issue with the rubber grommit. Could be sway bar bolts too.

I would have them specifically look at these two items if you are only hearing it when you turn your steering wheel.

If you are hearing it on straightaways, then it is brakes.

Definitely not normal, but don't panic, doesn't sound like a biggie. Could just be a lube or rubber grommit kind of repair.

I'm taking mine in next week to get fixed as well, I will report then.

flygirl62

Thank you, again, for everyone's input. SCdroptop mentioned that his car sits five days out of seven; mine is an '06 with 12k miles on it that appears to have not been driven regularly, either, and I don't plan to.

The skeptic in me thinks the problem still may be more than the brakes, but the dealer did something to the anti rattle clips and also (this is what I was told) replaced a "felt" sort of material that cushions the calipers somehow(??) That one left me scratching my head, and felt a bit like words to calm the little lady, but I haven't heard the noise since then, either...hoping it stays like that.

Funny thing was, I received a new ES 350 loaner, and when I came to a stop after backing out of my driveway...what did I hear but a noise almost exactly the same as my car made! Is that possible? Does this car also share a similar caliper design? I was more than a bit surprised.

BTW, the dealer was really good with me and I've finally paid for the car in full. They also gave me a second new set of floormats (the car has that light ecru interior) for my trouble, which I thought was nice and I really wanted, but didn't happen to mention.

The good news is, the car is a vault! It seems extremely solid. I forgot how nice a thing rear wheel drive can be, too. Some cars seem fine enough, but the more they're driven the more their faults come to the surface. The SC doesn't seem to be one of those. Quite the opposite in fact.

I'll keep us posted.