Steering Wheel Auto-tilt - Disabling

[Mike Floutier]

Hi,

Is it possible to disable the auto-tilt/telescope feature whilst leaving the manual adjustment available?

I ask because I suspect the auto-tilt facility has, after 144,000 miles, broken the telescope motor and I'd like to preserve the remaining tilt motor.

Thanks.

Mike

[N.C.O.]

Hi,

Is it possible to disable the auto-tilt/telescope feature whilst leaving the manual adjustment available?

I ask because I suspect the auto-tilt facility has, after 144,000 miles, broken the telescope motor and I'd like to preserve the remaining tilt motor.

Thanks.

Mike

What exactly is the telescopic motor doing? You can disconnect the motor at the bottom of the steering column if you need to.

N.C.O.

[Mike Floutier]

It just makes a tiny squeak but doesn't move the wheel at all.

I don't want to disconnect the tilt motor as I still want to use it (if I wanted to totally disable the system I'd just pull the fuse). Rather, I want to disable the AUTO-tilt function to preserve the tilt motor. (ie so that it doesn't have to work each time I switch the car on or off).

Any ideas?

Mike

[1990LS400]

Hi,

Is it possible to disable the auto-tilt/telescope feature whilst leaving the manual adjustment available?

I ask because I suspect the auto-tilt facility has, after 144,000 miles, broken the telescope motor and I'd like to preserve the remaining tilt motor.

Thanks.

Mike

On U.S. specification models, the auto-tilt/telescope feature can be deactivated by using a handheld diagnostic tester with an appropriate program card.

Since I do not know the year of your LS, I will attach the related TSIB for the 2001 model year.

2001_LS430_LPS.pdf

[Mike Floutier]

Thanks Jim,

That's great; mine's a 2002 model! Is it possible to get something reasonably cheaply (as a member of the public) that can connect to the car and interface with it in a similar way the dealers.

Mike

[1990LS400]

Thanks Jim,

That's great; mine's a 2002 model! Is it possible to get something reasonably cheaply (as a member of the public) that can connect to the car and interface with it in a similar way the dealers.

Mike

Sorry, but I know little about these hand held testers. I remember checking the price on the diagnostic kit from Toyota ( http://toyota.spx.com/detail.aspx?id=100&g=1 ) quite a few years back but I only remember that it seemed quite expensive.

The one time I had a customizable feature changed on my 00 LS (to lengthen the interior light shutoff time), the mechanic performed the task in a few minutes for little or no charge while I had the car in for other work.

[SW03ES]

Not that I've ever seen...

Most dealers will do it for you and not charge you anything though...

[Mike Floutier]

Thanks Guys, I'm planning to do most of the maintainance myself; I'll have to remember to ask for it to be done when I getthe cam-belt/water pump done.

[Blayd]

I think they just pull a certain fuse out but I could be wrong.

[1990LS400]

I think they just pull a certain fuse out but I could be wrong.

Yes, you are wrong.

[Mike Floutier]

You're right!

Jim I mean - hehe.

It's me who's pulled the fuse - having first got the wheel where I want it - I'll just have to remember where I put it in 2010 when I get the timing belt done.

Mike

[1990LS400]

You're right!

Jim I mean - hehe.

It's me who's pulled the fuse - having first got the wheel where I want it - I'll just have to remember where I put it in 2010 when I get the timing belt done.

Mike

Well then, can you tell us which fuse you pulled and verify that the manual tilt/telescope control can still be used after the fuse is pulled.

I'm generally hesitant to assume that RHD UK models work like LHD US models.

[Mike Floutier]

Sorry, I was confusing. I pulled the fuse to disable the tilt/telescope system completely. The wheel now stays where I left it. I can't move it at all until I insert the fuse. It's probably in a different location in the UK but with mine it's in the o/s front junction box and I think it was top right and one down but there's a list on the lid.

Mike

[1990LS400]

Sorry, I was confusing. I pulled the fuse to disable the tilt/telescope system completely. The wheel now stays where I left it. I can't move it at all until I insert the fuse. It's probably in a different location in the UK but with mine it's in the o/s front junction box and I think it was top right and one down but there's a list on the lid.

Mike

The Americans and the English -- Two peoples separated by a common language. (George Bernard Shaw)

A former coworker of mine at our Portsmouth office attempted for a while in the early 1990s to buy parts for each other's LS400s but we quickly learned that our cars were so different that it was pointless to try. If only I could have taught him the "correct" terms for bonnets, boots, and wings!

[Mike Floutier]

He-he!

PS I hope he-he is ok.

[Blayd]

Sorry, I was confusing. I pulled the fuse to disable the tilt/telescope system completely. The wheel now stays where I left it. I can't move it at all until I insert the fuse. It's probably in a different location in the UK but with mine it's in the o/s front junction box and I think it was top right and one down but there's a list on the lid.

Mike

I was almost right... :(

:)

[Mike Floutier]

Haha, this is great, I've just sold my 2002 LS430 and got 2006. One of the first (of many) things I want to customise is turning off the steering wheel motors.

So, as you do, I googled it and lo and behold here I am again.

As you can imagine, in the intervening 4.5 years I had forgotten where the fuse was:)

Isn't this forum great!

[1990LS400]

On the U.S. specification LS430, the automatic "Tilt and Telescope" is turned off using a "Lexus Diagnostic Tester". I posted this information earlier in this thread. I have no idea if the same method is used for U.K. specification LS430's.

[Mac 1990]

Does this apply to the 1990 LS 400 as Well? 

[1990LS400]

On 12/18/2020 at 4:08 PM, Mac 1990 said:

Does this apply to the 1990 LS 400 as Well? 

It has been 17 years since I sold my 1990 LS400 so my memory could be hazy.  Can you essentially deactivate the tilt/telescope by moving the steering wheel to your preferred driving position and then setting the Auto button on the left side of the steering column to its "off" position?  The "off" position for this button is when it is extended.

The 1990 LS400 owners manual shows fuse #27 as being for the steering wheel and seat belt anchor but pulling it will also deactivate the power windows and sunroof.   I don't know if the tilt/telescope can be deactivate through the diagnostic port.  The 1990 LS400 didn't have an OBD2 port like the LS430 did.  A lot of customizable features were added to the LS430 in 2001.  The 2000 LS400 I owned was assembled several months after the 2001 LS430 went on sale in some countries but it didn't have nearly as many customizable features through the ODB2 port as the LS430.