I purchased my 2001 LX470 from the original owners just over 2 months ago. They maintained it at a local Lexus dealer in SoCal and also sometimes used an independent shop towards the last few years of ownership (they told me they used the indy because they felt they were getting ripped off by the dealer).
From the original owners, I received a stack of maintenance records a couple inches thick and by all accounts it appeared they maintained this truck with an open check book.
Back in May 2015 they had all four shocks replaced at the indy shop. Invoice showed they used OEM parts (not sure if aftermarket are even available) including 1 can of a Toyota suspension fluid. Invoice showed they bled the system.
Then in July 2015, they had all 4 accumulators replaced at the same indy shop, again with OEM parts according to the invoice and parts numbers. And this included 1 can of Toyota suspension fluid.
I’m guessing they took it in because of a rough ride, were told it was shocks…then when the ride didn’t improve they were told actually it’s the accumulators?
So fast forward 18 months and I purchase this LX470 in Jan. 2017. I figured the previous owners put over $5k into the AHC system just under a couple years ago so it should be solid for many more years.
But I notice a couple of odd things within the first few weeks of ownership. Often shortly after starting the engine and sometimes at stop lights, the front end will abruptly lower and the slowly rise back up again. And with the height selections, the L seems to work fine but when I pressed the H, the H light blinked but the truck didn’t raise, nothing really happened.
I took it in for an oil change to a local shop indy shop (not the same one's the PO used) that I’ve used for my Lexus LS460, these guys are all Lexus master mechanics that worked at a local Lexus dealer and started their own shop that specializes in Lexus. I asked them to check the AHC system because it was acting funky. They called me and said my reservoir was nearly empty and the H wasn’t raising the truck because there wasn’t enough fluid. Further, they said that there was air in the system because the fluid level was so low and that they would have to bleed the system using 2 cans of Toyota suspension fluid.
So I agreed to have them bleed the system, cost me about $340 I think…approx $90 for the fluid and the rest labor.
After picking up the truck, everything seemed to be working fine. The L & H worked as it should and the ride seemed fine. But the front end was still abruptly lowering and slowly raising after starting the engine.
Then about 2 weeks ago I noticed that the front end was really bouncy, sorta out of nowhere. So I took it in a week later (last week) for the same indy shop (mine, not the PO) to take a look at it. They tell me the front accumulators are bad and that it’s likely because the fluid was so low and there was air in the system for a while most likely. I was a bit annoyed that I didn't know this before I paid to have the system bled but oh well.
Since then the bounciness has gotten progressively worse… very very bouncy in the front end. And whenever the car is parked for a period of time (more than an hour) the front end is visibly lower than the rear…like it’s sinking down. When I start the engine, it lowers a little more and then slowly raises…but this is happening every time now.
I know there are a couple tests one can do to see if their accumulators are bad. The one I did try was bouncing on each corner of the truck to see how the suspension responds. The rear seems fine...going up and down as it should but the front is very stiff, both sides. Almost no movement at all.
I tried the reservoir graduations test and I got 4 I think when raising it from L to H position. The fluid level in the reservoir is pretty high, much higher than the High mark and the fluid sits near the top of the last graduation when at N height. But it’s definitely not 7 so far as I can tell and I know that’s typically the minimum for a healthy functional system.
So my questions are as follows:
1. Are my accumulators really shot after 1.5 years and if so, could having air in the system cause them to fail? Is it worth bleeding the system again to see if things improve? I would do myself this time, reading how easy the process is and how many guys on here have done it.
2. I have been looking at replacement accumulators online. I want to stick with OEM and have found some Toyota dealers online that are selling them for around $535-$550 each for the front. Is this the best deal?
3. Clearly, I need to flush my entire system really well before installing the new accumulators. I don’t want my new accumulators to get contaminated as well. Should I change the rear accumulators too (can’t really afford doing all 4 at once)? I’ve heard of guys removing and flushing their shocks too, to be sure to get all of the contamination out.
4. When talking about contamination, I understand this could be other automotive fluids that were accidently poured into the reservoir. Can air be a contamination too? Moisture? I’m just trying to figure how these accumulators when bad? I want to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
I know there has been so much written about the AHC process and I assure you that I have read much of it. I just need some guidance with my particular situation. Many thanks in advance.
From the original owners, I received a stack of maintenance records a couple inches thick and by all accounts it appeared they maintained this truck with an open check book.
Back in May 2015 they had all four shocks replaced at the indy shop. Invoice showed they used OEM parts (not sure if aftermarket are even available) including 1 can of a Toyota suspension fluid. Invoice showed they bled the system.
Then in July 2015, they had all 4 accumulators replaced at the same indy shop, again with OEM parts according to the invoice and parts numbers. And this included 1 can of Toyota suspension fluid.
I’m guessing they took it in because of a rough ride, were told it was shocks…then when the ride didn’t improve they were told actually it’s the accumulators?
So fast forward 18 months and I purchase this LX470 in Jan. 2017. I figured the previous owners put over $5k into the AHC system just under a couple years ago so it should be solid for many more years.
But I notice a couple of odd things within the first few weeks of ownership. Often shortly after starting the engine and sometimes at stop lights, the front end will abruptly lower and the slowly rise back up again. And with the height selections, the L seems to work fine but when I pressed the H, the H light blinked but the truck didn’t raise, nothing really happened.
I took it in for an oil change to a local shop indy shop (not the same one's the PO used) that I’ve used for my Lexus LS460, these guys are all Lexus master mechanics that worked at a local Lexus dealer and started their own shop that specializes in Lexus. I asked them to check the AHC system because it was acting funky. They called me and said my reservoir was nearly empty and the H wasn’t raising the truck because there wasn’t enough fluid. Further, they said that there was air in the system because the fluid level was so low and that they would have to bleed the system using 2 cans of Toyota suspension fluid.
So I agreed to have them bleed the system, cost me about $340 I think…approx $90 for the fluid and the rest labor.
After picking up the truck, everything seemed to be working fine. The L & H worked as it should and the ride seemed fine. But the front end was still abruptly lowering and slowly raising after starting the engine.
Then about 2 weeks ago I noticed that the front end was really bouncy, sorta out of nowhere. So I took it in a week later (last week) for the same indy shop (mine, not the PO) to take a look at it. They tell me the front accumulators are bad and that it’s likely because the fluid was so low and there was air in the system for a while most likely. I was a bit annoyed that I didn't know this before I paid to have the system bled but oh well.
Since then the bounciness has gotten progressively worse… very very bouncy in the front end. And whenever the car is parked for a period of time (more than an hour) the front end is visibly lower than the rear…like it’s sinking down. When I start the engine, it lowers a little more and then slowly raises…but this is happening every time now.
I know there are a couple tests one can do to see if their accumulators are bad. The one I did try was bouncing on each corner of the truck to see how the suspension responds. The rear seems fine...going up and down as it should but the front is very stiff, both sides. Almost no movement at all.
I tried the reservoir graduations test and I got 4 I think when raising it from L to H position. The fluid level in the reservoir is pretty high, much higher than the High mark and the fluid sits near the top of the last graduation when at N height. But it’s definitely not 7 so far as I can tell and I know that’s typically the minimum for a healthy functional system.
So my questions are as follows:
1. Are my accumulators really shot after 1.5 years and if so, could having air in the system cause them to fail? Is it worth bleeding the system again to see if things improve? I would do myself this time, reading how easy the process is and how many guys on here have done it.
2. I have been looking at replacement accumulators online. I want to stick with OEM and have found some Toyota dealers online that are selling them for around $535-$550 each for the front. Is this the best deal?
3. Clearly, I need to flush my entire system really well before installing the new accumulators. I don’t want my new accumulators to get contaminated as well. Should I change the rear accumulators too (can’t really afford doing all 4 at once)? I’ve heard of guys removing and flushing their shocks too, to be sure to get all of the contamination out.
4. When talking about contamination, I understand this could be other automotive fluids that were accidently poured into the reservoir. Can air be a contamination too? Moisture? I’m just trying to figure how these accumulators when bad? I want to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
I know there has been so much written about the AHC process and I assure you that I have read much of it. I just need some guidance with my particular situation. Many thanks in advance.
