topgun129

Hi, I have a 99 ES300 with 130K and I was getting p0171 error code and had my upstream oxygen sensor replaced with a high quality Bosch part. Now its coming again after drive for only a few miles. Its coming up twice. Any ideas what might the culprit be and any solutions? Thanks! P.S. I'm not noticing any changes in the performance in the car.

Hi, I was driving my car a week back and when I came to a stop light all of a sudden the car died. I turned it back on and the check engine light came on and after a minute of driving when I was pressing down on the accelerator nothing was happening (no acceleration or rpm increase), but the car was on. I had the car towed to my ind. mechanic and he said the TPS was really dirty and cleaned it, but at the sametime he said if it occurs again the TPS will need to be changed. Fast forward to today a similar issue occurred. It completely stalled when I was accelerating. When I started it up after it died again today it had a rough idle but after driving for a little bit the rpm stabilized. I’m wondering if anybody has had experience like this before and if it is best to change the TPS at this point (and if so how hard is it to do by myself)? Thanks!

Hi All, I noticed when driving my 99 ES300 this morning there was some slight sluggishness and hesitation when accelerating from idle. It didn't feel like a smooth acceleration. The car has 128K on it and I did the trans. fluid flush like 20K miles ago. One thing *I think* is occurring also is the car is going thru gas faster than usual. Not sure if the 2 issues are interrelated. There are no check engine lights on. Any suggestions what the problem might be? I was going to do the following: 1. Disconnect the battery for a few minutes to reset the computer 2. Check for cracks in the connected area between air filter and MAF. 3. Clean the throttle body (any recommended cleaning products?) Also is it safe to drop a fuel injector cleaner into the gas tank? If so which brand/product do you recommend? Anything else that comes to mind would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi All, I bought a can of A/C pro (http://www.ruralking.com/id-quest-a-c-pro-r-134a-20-oz-refrigerant-all-in-one-solution-w-gauge-acp-100.html) for my other car and after using it I still have some refrigerant left over in the can. I was just wondering if this is usable in my 98 Lexus GS300 and if so then where is the nozzle/low point to attach the tube to in the engine? It would probably be good to finish the can and fill up my GS300 if it is low on refrigerant. Thanks!

Hi All, I opened my rear passenger door on my 99 es300 this morning and when I went to close the door the lock was not engaging at all. I literally had to tie the door down with a bungee cord to get home to prevent the door from swinging open while I drive. Do you think the whole lock solenoid (component) needs to be changed or should I open the door panel it and try to repair it? Just wondering if anybody has any experience with this. Thanks!

Hi, I have a 99 ES300 and will be changing the rear brake pads and had a few quick questions: 1. Do you have to engage the parking brake when doing this job? (I don't think we need to or the caliper won't come off, correct?) 2. What is the torque amount for the caliper bolt once you go to tighten it? 3. What is the torque amount for the tire lug nut once you go to tighten it? 4. Is there any DIY tutorial for rear brake pads you know of? Thanks!

Hi All, So I was driving my 99 ES300 today and all of a sudden 2 VSC lights came on. Then about 5 minutes later the check engine light came on. I had the error codes read at a store using an OBD unit and it spit out the following 3 error codes... 1153 - air/fuel sensor circuit response (bank1, sensor 2) 125 - insufficient coolant temperature for close loop 171 - air/fuel mixture system lean bank 1 (cylinder number 1 denotes bank 1) I'm noticing now while I'm waiting at a light the car vibrates and the RPM fluctuates slightly. Any ideas or suggestions or should I go straight to a shop? Or should I reset the lights and see if it comes on again? Thanks in advance!

Hi, How often should I have the 5W-30 synthetic oil changed in my 98 GS300 if I drive an average of 5K miles a year? The car currently has 108,460 miles on it and it has been 5694 miles since the last oil change. Thanks!

Hi, So I'm having a slight issue with my 98 Lexus GS300. When I go to close the hood and push down all the way the lock doesn't engage and because of that the hood remain open. Basically it remains opens to the point as if I pulled the handle/lever inside the car to open the hood. Has anybody had this issue occur before? I sprayed wd40 on the lock/latch area (which sits right above the horn) but that hasn't done much. Any ideas? Thanks!

Hi All, I checked the brakes and the pads are good with a lot of life left on them. I also checked the brake fluid and that is at max. The noise is only coming from the front driver side.

Hi, I have a 99 Lexus ES300 and just noticed today that when I apply the brake I hear a creaking noise coming from the front of the car. It only happens when I apply the brake. I also tried it when I started the car and it wasn't happening (no noise) and then after driving for 15 mins. it started occuring. Any idea what that could be and is it serious? Thanks!

Hi, I have a 99 Lexus ES300. I had a bubble forming on the side of my tire and went to swap it out with the spare just to save myself from having an incident on the road while driving. I didn't know this but the spare tire is a full size brand-new Michelin which originally came with the car. I've been using the spare for a week now and I'm looking to buy new tires for the entire car and I'm now wondering if I should just buy 3 tires instead of 4 and then use one of the best old tires as a spare (of course not the one with the bubble . Is it safe to put this full size spare tire which originally came with the car to full time use now? It has never been used and doesn't have any cracks in it. Thanks!

Hi, A couple of days ago I opened my hood and when I went to close it, it would not close all the way. By that I mean it would not seal and lock down to the point where you have to pull the release latch inside the car to open the hood. Right now you can pull the lever which is located by the front bumper and open the hood and I don’t think it is safe driving the car like that. I’m not sure if something broke or has come loose. I think that maybe the wire that connects from the lever inside the car to the main latch which clamps to the hood has snapped. Anybody have any ideas or similar experience? Thanks!

Hi, I'm going to see a a GS300 tonight for sale (actually 2nd time I'm going to see the car). It is owned by the original owners. It has 96K on the clock. As for body cond. it is good, no rust. The major work last done was at 60K which included the plugs. Garage kept. What I'm looking to know is what should I be on the lookout for? I did test drive it and it ran great. Also after driving the car I smelled the trans fluid and it smelled like a sweet smell and was pink. The steering fluid to my surprise was clear yellowish (thought it would be pink), but had a sweetish smell. One thing that did catch my guard was a sound like a pump turning on for a few seconds (twice while driving the car). Could it be the steering pump? Not sure about that one. Thanks in advance! topgun129

Hi, I have a 99 Lexus ES300. Lately, I've been noticing when accelerating (*especially* in an incline/uphill) there is a weird rattling noise coming from the engine (kinda sounds like a diesel engine). I can't feel any vibration of any sort but the rattling concerns me when I'm on the accelerator. Is this a common issue? If I take my foot off the accelerator and let the car coast the noise goes away. Has anybody here experienced something like this before? Thanks!