2002 Lexus SC Suspension Problems

LEFT BALL JOINT FAILURE. SHEARED OFF CAUSING LOSS OFF VEHICLE CONTROL. FINALLY STOPPED JUST FEET FROM GOING OVER THE EDGE OF A DROP OFF. DAMAGE TO LEFT SIDE FRONT END COMPONENTS, LEFT FRONT FENDER AND BOTH FRONT TIRES DESTROYED. *TR

I OWN A 2002 LEXUS SC430 WHICH HAS BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RUNFLAT TIRES ON IT. I PUT ON A NEW SET OF TIRES 1 YEAR AGO AND 17,000 MILES LATE, THE VEHICLE IS ALL OVER THE ROAD, TIRES WEAR EXCESSIVELY ON THE INSIDES, AND I'VE HAD IT ALIGNED ABOUT 3 TIMES IN THAT 1 YEAR. A FRIEND OF MINE HAD THE SAME VEHICLE AND HE HAD TO GET RID OF IT FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE TIRES BECOME VERY NOISY AND IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL THE WHEEL BEARINGS ARE BAD. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO TELL ME THAT THIS HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRE ONLY LASTS 10,000 MILES, BUT WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO AN ALIGNMENT EXPERT AT ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP, HE STATED THAT IS IS DEFINITELY AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF TREAD LIFE LEFT ON THE REST OF THE TIRES. UPON FURTHER RESEARCHING THIS ON THE HTTP://LEXUSOWNERSCLUB.COM, I FOUND OUT THAT MANY OF THE SC430 OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME TIRE WEAR/STEERING PROBLEM AND THAT THE CAR WAS BUILT WITH A NEGATIVE CAMBER AND THAT PUTS MORE WEAR ON THE TIRES. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AS IT DOES GREATLY AFFECT THE STEERING AND SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. WE ARE UNABLE TO DRIVE IT ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE LEXUS COMPANY IS BLAMING THE PROBLEM ON THE POTENZA TIRES. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIMELY ASSISTANCE ON THIS. *JB

I JUST CAN CONFIRM ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SC430S HANDLING. DANGEROUS - ESPECIALLY ON ROUGH ROADS. CAR TENDS TO FOLLOW ANY KIND OF ROAD ABNORMALLY. I COMPLAINED AT LEXUS FROM THE FIRST DAY (OVER TWO YEARS NOW). REPLACED RUN FLATS, STILL NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE CAR. SEEMS TO BE A SUSPENSION RELATED PROBLEM. LEXUS THINKS THIS IS NORMAL- HA HA - $70000 PIECE OF SHI.. I'M TOTALLY UPSET ABOUT REACTION FROM LEXUS DEALER AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT. *JB