[Lynnie]

We have just recently had a problem with an intermittent electrical problem. The car will start first time, however after about an hours drive if you turn on lights, radio, rear window heater, wipers then the air conditioning, we loose power in the power steering and all the lights on the dashboard come on. We have changed the battery had the alternator checked and in fact have taken it to the Lexus garage who say in their opinion its a broken crankshaft pulley vibration damper. The timing belt is new and is tight so we think this doesn't make sense, any suggestions??

[Sussex Patrol]

It does sound like something maybe slipping as the load is increased due to more charging voltage required.I would be interested to know what the charging volts and amps are when this happens. So has the crankshaft pulley been checked to verify this or is this a guess? It sounds like the dealership may have seen this problem before so did you let them investigate it?
Edit Found this on another forum

Lexus GS300 1999 - not charging when air con turned on and occasionally when power steering under load if headlights are on. Fault only appeared when engine had been hot for a while.

Finally found fault to be the crank pulley centre turning within the outer pulley where the rubber joint is, just when the pulley and belt was under load.

[shaun3424]

Have a friend who works for Lexus, the 300 range did have a problem with the crankshaft pulley. The dealers are proberly right:)

[Lynnie]

Lexus 300 GS

Dear Sussex Patrol

Thank you for you advice, the Lexus garage carried out a diagnostic test and the only conclusion they could come to was to the pulley vibration damper being broken, although they will not guarantee that the repair to the dampers will remedy the situation, its a case of waiting until the car goes in and they start the work and see what they find.

Regards

Lynnie

[Sussex Patrol]

Although I will regret this-I'm pretty certain the diagnosis is spot on. Please come back and let us know the outcome.