Need To Replace Dashlights - Any Help?

[jc19907]

Sup,

I have one light that has gone out on the HVAC head (which controls the driver's side temp control. I have a 1999 LS400 with Navigation. I'm trying to figure out how to pull off the wood trim etc. to replace all the bulbs myself. Anyone know to do this with out tearing the center console up? Pulling off the radio knobs (old school) was a short lived and futile venture...

Do I need to just gently pry with a small screwdriver to loosen the wood/plastic parts of the center console?

THX

[blake918]

Welcome

The wood trim just pops out, use a small, heavily taped flat-head screw driver (shift to low gear, unplug the connectors for the cig lighter, heated seats, and vsc, and it'll come right out on less than a minute!). The a/c vents also need to come out; they also are just snapped in. The a/c vents are very, very fragile, so be careful! ;)

[jc19907]

Welcome 

The wood trim just pops out, use a small, heavily taped flat-head screw driver (shift to low gear, unplug the connectors for the cig lighter, heated seats, and vsc, and it'll come right out on less than a minute!). The a/c vents also need to come out; they also are just snapped in. The a/c vents are very, very fragile, so be careful!  ;)

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Thanks Blake 918,

Can I just start by prying @ the plastic surrounds of the Navigation system (there is no wood trim surrounding the Nav sytem - just the controls for audio, climate, nav. etc)?

Or, do I need to start down next to the shifter and work my way upward? I think I'm just going to replace the lights all around the Nav/HVAC system - not stuff on the shifter console. If it is easy I'll just do them all. THX!

[blake918]

The navi is bolted in. After you remove the wood trim around the shifter and the 2 a/c vents, you should see bolts at the top (that were hidden behind the a/c vents) of the nav and a couple more at the bottom (that were hidden by the wood. My '95 has 2 at the top and 2 at the bottom, but I don't have nav.). Here is a tutorial of the removal on a '97 to help show where those bolts are that I'm talking about:

http://www.carstereohelp.com/stereoremovalLexusLS400str1.htm

Your car should be pretty similar. ;)

[jc19907]

The navi is bolted in. After you remove the wood trim around the shifter and the 2 a/c vents, you should see bolts at the top (that were hidden behind the a/c vents) of the nav and a couple more at the bottom (that were hidden by the wood. My '95 has 2 at the top and 2 at the bottom, but I don't have nav.). Here is a tutorial of the removal on a '97 to help show where those bolts are that I'm talking about:

  http://www.carstereohelp.com/stereoremovalLexusLS400str1.htm

Your car should be pretty similar.  ;)

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Blake918 - Do you have a recommendation on timing belt change intervals? My Lexus dealer says 100K instead of 90K? Quoted 800$ for the repairs. Do you recommend the H2O pump too? What should I do and when? I'd seen were you're car had gone 250K - WOW! Mine is a 99 LS with 87K (VVTI)- its a life-timer for me!! THANKS!!!

[GRAND_LS 4]

The navi is bolted in. After you remove the wood trim around the shifter and the 2 a/c vents, you should see bolts at the top (that were hidden behind the a/c vents) of the nav and a couple more at the bottom (that were hidden by the wood. My '95 has 2 at the top and 2 at the bottom, but I don't have nav.). Here is a tutorial of the removal on a '97 to help show where those bolts are that I'm talking about:

  http://www.carstereohelp.com/stereoremovalLexusLS400str1.htm

Your car should be pretty similar.  ;)

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Blake918 - Do you have a recommendation on timing belt change intervals? My Lexus dealer says 100K instead of 90K? Quoted 800$ for the repairs. Do you recommend the H2O pump too? What should I do and when? I'd seen were you're car had gone 250K - WOW! Mine is a 99 LS with 87K (VVTI)- its a life-timer for me!! THANKS!!!

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The water Pump replacement is more important then the Belt itself. Its no problem waiting till 100K for belt, and waterpump replacement.

[blake918]

Make sure you change the tensioner, 2 idler pullies, crank seal, and cam seals too-just a lot of little preventative things to do since the water pump/timing belt/etc. are so tough to get to. When I changed my timing belt, it looked like it was new eventhough it had roughly 120k miles on it. I've read that they can go up to 200k or more; I never really believed it until I saw how good mine looked with about half the mileage. $800 is really cheap for a Lexus dealer! ;)

[jc19907]

Make sure you change the tensioner, 2 idler pullies, crank seal, and cam seals too-just a lot of little preventative things to do since the water pump/timing belt/etc. are so tough to get to. When I changed my timing belt, it looked like it was new eventhough it had roughly 120k miles on it. I've read that they can go up to 200k or more; I never really believed it until I saw how good mine looked with about half the mileage. $800 is really cheap for a Lexus dealer! ;)

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Blake918,

How much for all the timing stuff, water pump etc? Any guess for the costs at my dealership?

Also, did buy your car new and wait until 120K to replace all that stuff?

Thanks for the advice.

[blake918]

JC, I used all OEM parts when I changed my belt that I ordered from discount Lexus dealers in Texas and Pennsylvania. I think all together I spent around $300 for all the parts and fluids (belt, tensioner, water pump, pullies, coolant, distilled water, and a few other misc things). I bought my car used; the previous owner told me when he had the belt last changed which he said was around 110k miles (I changed it at 233k). Whoever the prev owner paid to change the timing belt wasn't all that knowledgeable because they put green coolant in. :chairshot:

Here's some more info and pics:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...st=0#entry79398

[jc19907]

JC, I used all OEM parts when I changed my belt that I ordered from discount Lexus dealers in Texas and Pennsylvania. I think all together I spent around $300 for all the parts and fluids (belt, tensioner, water pump, pullies, coolant, distilled water, and a few other misc things). I bought my car used; the previous owner told me when he had the belt last changed which he said was around 110k miles (I changed it at 233k). Whoever the prev owner paid to change the timing belt wasn't all that knowledgeable because they put green coolant in.:chairshot:

Here's some more info and pics:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...st=0#entry79398

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918,

You are obviously a wrench turner! Me too! But, I'm afraid to tackle something like that - just brakes suspension - dashwork etc... I posted another topic on the timing belt to see what others have done too. I just dropped about 2K on my car for a starter, brakes, tires, trans flush. Just seeing when I'm going to need to drop that other 1000 on the timing belt/water pump fix... You're info has been very insightful and helpful! Thanks a bunch! I can't seem to attach a photo of my car on my profile. . ?