amf1932

Zeta- I think you mis-read the post. The car in question is a 1993 ES, so it's probably out of warranty. ;)

I smashed a big piece of cake into the front grille and when I started the car it made a big mmmmmmmmmm. :D :D :D

I have it down on my calendar. I'll be there if I'm in town. ;)

I have it down on my calendar. I'll be there if I'm in town. ;)

Just make sure that you can remove the detector in a hurry......they're illegal in some States. ;)

You can get a good idea of the Scheduled Maintenance Intervals in your Owners Manual. If you follow them you should be in pretty good shape.....and so will your car. ;)

I took delivery of the car exactly 1 year ago yesterday(March27th.). I bought a Birthday cake and I sung Happy Birthday to her, as a duet, with the NAV girl. :D Actually, the dealer had about 20 ES's with only 1 with the NAV-Levinson Audio, which is now mine. ;)

SW03ES- I know that both our cars have the same equipment, but you got a better deal on yours. I paid $35,857.27, and I thought I made a great deal. Hmmm!

I have tried this on many cars, from Fords to Cadillacs and the improvements were virtually non existent!! Read the amount of resistance on a factory ground wire and then check the resistance on your updated wire. If there is a difference of more then a few ohms, then and only then will these new wires make a minimal difference in performance. I'm sure when the car was manufactured that this was taken into consideration(wire aging). And I'm not talking about corroded old wires that you feel would be on an earlier model car! For that matter, why don't you change ALL the wiring harnesses to insure that the electrical flow is up to par. :D

I think the only reason they sell crap like that is because a lot of people are very gullible! Years ago they sold electric medical devices that were supposed to help people with all kinds of ailments. They also were proven to do absolutely nothing for the patient.......but they made the manufacturers rich. If automobile manufacturers felt there was any validity in using these devices you can rest assured that they would sell them as an option. IMHO! <_<

The reason I mentioned using a factory replacement is that you'll have a heck of a time finding one that'll fit perfectly or have the proper specifications to work the same as the original. The factory speakers were designed to work with the Lexus radio. There are too many factors involved in changing even something as simple as a tweeter. ;)

I know my Lexus dealer handles Certified or new warranties the same. In fact while I was having service done on my car I spoke to another customer that bought a used Certified ES and they were replacing the complete rear taillight assembly due to moisture inside the lens.....FREE!.....under the warranty.

I'm pretty sure that the tweeter would be covered on a Lexus Certified vehicle the same as the original warranty. If not, I suggest that you get an original factory replacement.

At this point I'd be more concerned about the blue smoke coming out of your exhaust. That is a symptom of oil getting into your combustion chamber. Could be caused by worn piston rings, valve stem seals, etc. The engine has to be fully checked out to determine why this is happening. Then you could worry about the valve cover gaskets and timing belt. First things first. ;)

Since this transmission thing has been talked about for a long while, there seems to be no solution to this idiosyncrasy by Lexus or anybody else. This topic(thread) has been pinned, and not too many people are looking at it anymore.......that's the reason you didn't get a response more quickly. Yes, the ES330 continues to have this transmission quirk! Lexus states that it's caused by the "Drive by Wire" electronic throttle rather then the transmission itself. In reality, it's more annoying then a danger, in most instances, by modifying your driving you can control this hesitation to some degree. "All-Wheel Drive" refers to vehicles that have permanently engaged or automatically engaging four-wheel-drive capability. The ES330, or any of the ES models never had this feature....they are front wheel drive only. Transmission modification updates were automatically installed at the factory after certain VIN numbers. Previously, these updates were done by individual Lexus dealers at the owners discretion. This software update just changed the shifting pattern and did NOTHING to help the hesitation. The Moderators & Administrators are just guys like me who like to help out members who have questions or problems related to Lexus automobiles. They are in no way affiliated with the Lexus(Toyota) Corporation. Finally, I think the best thing for you and your wifey to do would be to test drive a new ES and draw your own conclusions. There is the strong possibility that you wouldn't even notice this slight hesitation. I've been a Lexus owner since 1991 and I feel that the build quality, smoothness and quietness can't be beat.

odessit- Since you bought this car with 110K miles there is the possibility that the former owner(s) changed the original factory struts to aftermarket units. If that is the case then the dampening characteristics might be different then original factory struts, giving the car a stiffer ride. Just a thought.

Bad news. :( Sounds like a leaking head gasket.

I don't think that the AVS option was offered in the '97 ES. ;)

I have, on more then a few occasions! Driving habits or not.....sometimes you need this instant response, and when it's not there it makes for a dangerous situation!! I definitely felt that my safety WAS in jeopardy.

Here's my recent post about the same type of problem, but I never had it happen again.......so far. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=7583&

Since you left absolutely NO information in your profile, especially where you live, I can't give you any information about tampering the mileage on the odometer. I can tell you that it's illegal in New York State!

Question: Did this repair shop use genuine Lexus parts or aftermarket valve cover gaskets. I've heard that unless you use genuine Lexus gaskets you might run into this problem. Just a thought. ;)

The recall was only to check the tightness of the nut that holds the steering wheel to the shaft and has absolutely nothing to do with the alignment. There is a spline that prevents the steering wheel from shifting. The incorrect way of trying to centralize the steering was to take off this nut, then lift off the wheel and shift it 1 or 2 splines to the right or left. As I said before, this will affect the correct operation of the turning signal cam. Centering the steering wheel is a simple job for anybody that is experienced with doing wheel alignments. ;)

It could be the tires causing this noise. Check the tire inflation and make sure they're in specification. I run my inflation at about 30psi on an '03 ES. What brand tires do you have? My car was equipped with Bridgestone tires and they're very quiet and smooth.

Steve: On two occasions I brought my '94 Lexus ES to my dealer due to poor centering on the steering wheel. This correction was done underneath the car by adjusting the tie rod ends and NOT repositioning the steering wheel itself. You can ask about this at any sevice station that does wheel alignments. If you know of the other procedure that is mentioned in this TSB I would appreciate a response.