VigorousBrando

I did. It was the alternator, specifically at the electrical plug point. Both the alternator and an electrical plug (I got it on eBay) had to be replaced. What I think happened was an animal or something chewed through a wire while it was sitting there and caused the electrical burn. All has been well for the past nearly three years. I'm almost at 267k now and running a NAPA alternator.

I fear my SC400 is near the end of the road. I just returned from a week long vacation and all the sudden the following electrical components are not working regardless of what I do: Power Seats, Windows, Steering Wheel Stereo Climate Control Unit Dashboard (When set to ON) But these electrical components ARE working like normal: Door Chime Horn Lights The battery and alternator are both less than a year old and the battery tests out as good. My car was left on a gravel driveway and has been there from last Sunday (6/29) to this evening (7/7). When I left it, it would start just fine and all components were operating normally. Regardless of where I turn the car key now though, thedoor chime doesnt stop. Nothing lights up and I hear none of the typical fuel pump/preparation noises the car makes in the ON position. I've spent all day researching what could be wrong and followed some suggestions. I tried using a valet key and that made no difference. I checked the 7.5amp fuse #4 in the driver panel which is responsible for the starting system and it was OK. Made sure the car was in gear, attempted a jump start...nothing. The only audible response I got was when I tried the door locks. They stopped working a long time ago, but have always made a noise as though they were trying to lock. They are still making that noise. While I was testing the various components out, my Uncle Gearhead noticed a "electrical burning" smell coming from the alternator area. I'm at a loss for what could be wrong. Any ideas what I can look into? Thanks for your help in advance!

Hello everyone, I'm looking for some input on how to best install an A/C compressor to my '94 SC400. I haven't done this before. The compressor I'm installing is OEM and was pulled out of a fully charged A/C system on a '97 SC400. I'm replacing my compressor after some research into my blinking A/C light (as seen here). I figured all I had to do was take out the junk compressor and put everything back together with new o-rings. But now I'm under the impression that the entire system needs to be pressurized with a vaccum and professional guages are needed to make sure everything is in order. It's also been suggested I get a $15 A/C Dryer from NAPA to replace the old one. Finally, I've been told that I can find potential leaks in other areas while I install the compressor using a blacklight. I think there's a big one somewhere since the junk compressor had refrigerant in it. In any case, I'm debating on how best to go about things before I start installing the compressor. I've attached the pages I'm following in the SM to this post. As always, thanks for your help in advance. AC Compressor SC400.pdf

Just wanted to thank you for this suggestion. I think it's going to solve the issues I'm beginning to have with my pump which was just replaced a couple years ago. The car leaks a small amount of fluid after it is turned off and left alone, and I suspect it is coming directly from the pump. The system does not "whine" while in use or act up, but i know P/S fluid bis leaking somewhere because the reservoir needs refilled routinely. Hopefully an O-Ring is all I need, but are there any other things I should be looking for?

Hey everyone, another update. My SC400 now has ~232k and it has been almost 4 years since we did the transmission flush. This original transmission Lexus thought was dying is still in the car! On a routine inspection today though I found the T4 ATF fluid needs to be replaced again. It's not red, rust brown, brown...it's black. My dad took a look at it and we've decided to do something about it this week. Looks like some of my college graduation money is going toward preventive maintenance on what has been a pretty good college car. :) Results: Flushed 10 quarts OEM T-IV ATF through the entire system, 2 at a time. I thought it would still be somewhat black when we were all done, but the fluid now is still a clear red after driving it around a couple of weeks. Transmission shifts smoothly and I haven't had any problems with it so far. So, for me at least, the full T-II to T-IV replacement we did back in '07 (all at once rather than 2 quarts at a time) has led to no repercussions. For all I know though, it may have originally had T-IV in it when I bought it...

Afternoon LOC members, I have a Nakamichi amp and P/S pump up for grabs. They're both from my 1994 Lexus SC400. The amp will not work as-is, but for somebody who repairs these it may be useful for parts. It sustained water damage from a car wash (through that overflow hole) and blows a fuse when it is plugged in now. The amp includes the mounting bracket. The pump has a small leak. It looked like it began due to a failing O-Ring. Fortunately, it was not significant and the leak avoided my alternator. I was pressed for time when the leak began though and had to buy a new one immediately. I think it may be just fine with a resealing kit from Toyota, and this why I held onto it. Asking 120+Shipping for both through Paypal. Please PM me if you are interested. Thanks for looking! - Brandon

I would probably offer somewhere in the low-mid 4k range if he had maintenance records and the interior was in good shape. I got my '94 three years ago with 188K for under 4k after title and taxes. The seller wanted 5500 at first, but no one was offering to buy it.

Just throwing it out there...have you checked the transmission fluid level before you've driven it by any chance? I recall having a slipping problem of my own after performing a transmission flush, and it was instantly fixed by adding a little more T-IV fluid when I got back from my test drive. If your trans acts up every single morning, maybe the temperature outside in the morning is influencing things. If it's below freezing, maybe the liquids are getting thicker and leading to your problems.

My plan then was to get these two for now, then buy four later and sell them. Just can't do that when you're a college student who is now in between jobs. :whistles: I'm afraid I have to do the responsible thing and continue using them.

Hey guys, I'm officially convinced Winter is over around here, and I'm looking to get the snow tires off my car very soon. I'm in the market for two new tires to go with the AS430s I got back in '08. Turns out my local NTB no longer stocks them...so I'm shopping around. What would you get?

Alright, here's an update. I followed grnsc400/CR's advice and got an Everstart Maxx battery based on its 700 CCA and positive warranty reviews. I didn't have a single problem starting through the deep freeze here in the states. Looks like I'll be seeking out multiple opinions the next time something acts up. Thanks again for all the help, everyone.

Don't have a multimeter, but I found out this morning after making some phone calls that my local NAPA and Advanced Auto Parts offer free testing with theirs. Just got back from having tests done on the battery, alternator, starter and charging system at both places. Much more in-depth results than the "A-OK" I got from Auto Zone! Turns out my suspicions have been confirmed...the only problem I have is that Autocraft battery, which measured 631 CCA at NAPA and 544 CCA at AA. Apparently, it's supposed to be close to 875. No wonder my SC has been struggling. What stinks though is that the battery was purchased at AA on 12/7/06, so it's out of the 36 month replacement warranty. <_< It's prorated for an additional 47 months, but I don't think I'll be buying another Autocraft battery based on the problems outlined in Eatingblacktop's link. What batteries do you guys use/recommend? My poor car has to endure startups below freezing temperatures on a regular basis during the winter, so I'm thinking I may need something like a Redtop Optima... Thanks for all the help so far, everyone.

Ah, my bad. I mean to say that when the SC is jumped by my 4Runner, it starts instantly. The Autozone rep used a battery checker to determine its output while the SC was running. He then had me turn it off, then on again to check the alternator. The only thing he told me afterward was that both were in good shape. Since I didn't get to see the actual voltages as he tested, I plan to check both again at NAPA tomorrow afternoon and record them. The link you provided on the Autocraft battery is really informative - I've noticed inconsistent cell levels in the past and haven't given them much thought. I'll check the cell levels again when I get the chance tonight. Is there a way to do this at home, by any chance?

Hey everyone, I'm in need of your collective expertise again. The temperature is dipping below freezing around here, and my '94 SC400 isn't starting up on its own anymore. I suspect it's the alternator and battery, but after having both of them tested at my Autozone they passed. The test seems to be reliable; I had my '98 4Runner checked at the same place a couple months ago, and the OEM alternator in it finally needed to be replaced. I replaced it along with the battery, and she starts just fine again. The battery warning light on my SC's dash lights up at startup and stays off whenever I drive. The battery is an Autocraft Titanium and was purchased on 11/2006. The alternator was purchased on 6/2006. Assuming the test is accurate and both are all right, what else should I be checking? I didn't have any luck finding common trouble spots on the forums.

I don't know how much help I can be here, because this was one of the first things I addressed with my car and the memory is hazy on how I took care of it. When I did flush was done back in 2007, I decided to do a full flush instead of the progressive approach at the advice of my father. We did this to get it running on T-IV only. I also took the trans pan out to clean out the magnets inside thoroughly. I think I replaced the pan because we wanted to get rid of as many contaminants as possible. I don't recall there being any additional filters beyond those magnets I worked with... In any case, my tranny has been fine since that flush. I've driven ~32K (now at 223k on the car) with no noticeable slip-ups or problems.

Based on my own experiences, depending on who previously owned your car (if it wasn't you), the lines may have been changed and could be the only thing causing your problem. I don't know how much this can help you, but I attached a diagram for my own 94 SC400 that was used to diagnose my own PS problems a couple months back. We pinpointed the leak to a single hose (shaded part 44416 in the diagram) that the previous owner tried to fix and did it myself...fixed the entire system! Unfortunately for me, a new leak has been discovered closer to the pump and we're still trying to see if the pump is responsible or not. I'd definitely take a look at the lines before replacing the pump, if you haven't bought a pump already. SC400_PS_Diagram.PDF

I'm actually searching for a shield as well - 200 for a piece of plastic is ridiculous. Really wanted one before winter because of all the salt that goes on the road around here...but now that the season is over that's after the fact now. The bigger part of the shield (51441) is actually missing under my car, but the smaller (51442) is intact. I'm guessing the prev. owner got sick of it dragging as it's been said here.

it smokes all the time, not only in the morning. if there is al eak in the head gasket, wouldn't the engine overheat? will check what the smokes smells like, thanks. I don't know if this will help you, but I had a similar problem during the first cold day in October with my 94 SC400 - just like yours, my engine started smoking white while I was driving it home one day and the temp needle stayed put. For me, the radiator had cracked (radiator fluid was all over the place when I opened the hood, actually). I got the radiator replaced, and the engine hasn't smoked all season. Hope this helps. Best of luck! - Brandon

Talk about a wise investment in money. :P

That was a big help, actually! Thanks. Turns out there's a little hole under my '94 SC400's gas cap. I would guess it's there to prevent you from overfilling the tank - in any case, the hose behind that hole was not connected, and the car wash pressure water got into it got all over the equipment in there. This would confirm why it happened halfway through the wash - the water had gotten inside that hole. It also appears that hose hasn't been connected in a while because the area has quite a bit of rust in it...perhaps it's been this way for a while? It may explain why some of us have a problem using our stereos in the rain. Anyway, I removed all the water from the area last night and took both the Nakamichi amp and the CD Player out. Replaced the fuse, and found my Stereo was turning on and off again. UNFORTUNATELY...when I plugged the Nak Amp back in, the fuse blew instantly. Looks like the water damaged the amp. I can power the stereo now, but the radio does not play anything without that amp. My question now is this - can anyone here provide me with insight on opening the amp? There might just be some still water in it, and I might be able to salvage it... I'm also considering a worst case scenario. If I need to buy one, what're my options? My Model # is 86280-24120 / B324ULOA. It had a functioning CD Player attached to it. From what I've read, looks like that's my option too. Everyone's help is appreciated!

I recently ran into a problem with my Nakamichi Sound System. When I took my Lexus through a brushless car wash the other day, the stereo shut off completely. I tried turning it back on after the wash, with no success. When I checked the fusebox today the 20 amphere fuse for the Stereo/CD Player was broken. When I replaced the fuse, I discovered that an electrical current was going through the fusebox! :cries: It blew the replacement fuse instantly, which means there must be a short in the car's electrical system somewhere. Can anyone here give me specific spots where the SC400 could be prone to taking in water? The stereo ceased when the car sprayers were by the antenna, so I think the short might just be in the amplifier...I don't know. I've read on here that people run into issues when driving in the rain, so maybe my situation is similar. Any DIY advice on getting this fixed is greatly appreciated. The system worked great prior to this!

How many miles did your Lexus have when you did the complete flush? Just curious. Thanks for your advice, everyone. I think I'm gonna play it safe and progressively flush it...

It's a Kia Rio. Have you guys seen TopGear before? I saw it on that. Kia Rio Review on TopGear 0-60 in 14 seconds! Talk about wicked.

I think this might be the ugliest new car on the market for me. I actually saw a purple Suzuki X-90 earlier today...first time I ever noticed it. That is one fugly car.

Hey everyone. My 1994 SC400 has ~191K on it, and I was advised by a mechanic at the Lexus Dealership to flush the transmission. First off, anyone know where I can find step-by-step instructions on performing the flush on my SC400? I found excellent instructions for a LS400, and If I understand correctly it uses the same 1UZ-FE engine and A341E transmission my car has. Has anyone attempted using those instructions on their SC400? Also, my manual states that Toyota T-II ATF is needed. Has anyone had any problems using T-IV ATF instead? I believe T-II is discontinued. I just got the car in May, following an accident with my beloved 1992 Acura Vigor. I have an Uncle who works for Lexus, so I was able to have it looked at by a friend of his. They think the transmission might be going (definitely not good), and said a Transmission Flush would improve its longetivity. Thanks for your answers!