2008 LX 570 AHC Issues/Questions (1 Viewer)

[snfu01]

I purchased a 2008 LX570 with 225,000 kms on it last week. I have since had the dealer replace every last fluid on the vehicle including the AHC fluid. Despite the Lexus dealers pre-purchase inspection saying the AHC was fine I am finding that while the vehicle will raise up it struggles to come back down. No lights or messages appearing to indicate a problem. In particular I notice that the rear-left side of the vehicle jacks up much higher than the rear right in H setting, with the top of the frame almost level with the top of the tire. On the rear right the top of the frame sits an inch or two below the top of the tire when in H position.

When I switch from H to N it takes a significant amount of time and the rear left often won't come back down. If I drive the vehicle around a bit (with the steering wheel cocked about an 1/8th of a turn counter clockwise to compensate for the elevated rear left) it eventually comes back down to the N position. Once back in N position the vehicle drives straight and true.

A couple of questions:

1. does this sound like a potential issue with the AHC sensor or something else?
2. if it sounds like the sensor, is there a place to source oem sensors other than the dealer?

I have read through all of the other threads describing and diagnosing issues with the AHC system on this site, but haven't found any with quite the same symptoms.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

 

[Bunga]

The sensors are tough. I would just look and see if one was bent or stripped before you did anything. It could be air. I would reflush the system before I messed with anything like replacing. My first step would be to cycle it several times including the very lowest position, and then if it continued, I'd take it right back to the dealer.

 

[snfu01]

The sensors are tough. I would just look and see if one was bent or stripped before you did anything. It could be air. I would reflush the system before I messed with anything like replacing. My first step would be to cycle it several times including the very lowest position, and then if it continued, I'd take it right back to the dealer.

Thanks for the suggestions. As an update I took it to the dealer yesterday to have it diagnosed. The result was "rear right height control sensor seized and broken and left sensor beginning to seize". They are recommending replacement of both rear sensors and calibration - $700 for the two sensors and $300 for the labour...ouch!

Extremely irritated at the dealer who did the pre-purchase inspection. When I contacted them they said it was fine when they checked and must have happened in the two weeks since then...as in the sensors must have corroded, broken/seized during the warm and bone dry fall weather we have had the last two weeks here...I'm calling BS on that one!!

If anyone knows a good LX570 mechanic in Calgary I'm all ears.