apatrules

My GS 400 has 180,000 miles and I started getting occasional Check Engine warning lights after the plugs were replaced at 120,000 miles. Had the problem on and off for about a year and half and then it went away and came back about three years later. All times it was I believe 430 indicating that one of the catalytic converters was bad. I have never believed this reading. Every time I went to the dealer to get the warning light shut off, the light did not come back on for a month, sometimes six months etc. If the cat was bad, it would be back on almost immediatly. I live in Maine where there is no emission check so on two occasions I went back to Virginia and had an emissions check done on the car. In both cases, the emissions check came back without any problem. Last time I had this done (about two months ago,) three hours after the emission check came back as PASS, the check engine light came back on. It was after I had driven in stop and go traffic for about two hours on a hot day. Emission check was still PASS and dealer had no explanation. I believe a plug occasionally misfires and causes something to trip the sensor and falsely indicate that the Cat is damaged. Before going out to spend many hundreds on a new cat, get an engine emission check and make sure the cat is really bad.

Thanks, your assistance has been very helpful.

Platinum edition Lexus (2000 models) used Black Pearl for the trunk Hardware -- Lexus Logo, Model Number and Lexus name. I Needto replace originals because of body work and was told that the Black Pearl hardware is no longer available. Told it is discontinued. Any idea where I can obtain black pearl hardware that is OEM. Thanks.

Thanks. That is a helpful suggestion I will try. Do you know if the light has to remain on for the computer to give a read out of the problem? Also wonder why the oxygen sensor would be an issue when the car is driven in heavy rain. Will check it out. Thanks again. O2 sensor problems, even minor ones can have the weirdest effects on an engine. Always put in an OEM O2 sensor. Just about anything else on a Japanese car can be aftermarket. I've learned the hard way that OEM O2 filter is always the way to go. Thanks. Will get it checked next week andlet you know the results. Brought the car to the dealer who says the computer readout is PO 430--Low Catalytic Converter Efficiency. Of course, suggests replacing Cat Converter for $1500. My unanswered question: If the efficiency of the cat conveter is low, why is it low and light comes on only in certain circumstances--ie heavy rain? And then when the rain ends and car is driven the light goes out. Two questions: 1. How could rain negatively impact the catalytic converters and is there anything that can be done to alleviate this issue without replacing the cats? 2. As earlier indicated, the check engine light never came on in first 120,000 miles of driving. At 120,000 I reluctantly had the spark plugs replaced for the first time (as recommended by the book). And now I have gotten this check engine reading twice in heavy rain. Any chance there is a relation between new plugs and how they were installed and the check engine light? Thanks.

Thanks. That is a helpful suggestion I will try. Do you know if the light has to remain on for the computer to give a read out of the problem? Also wonder why the oxygen sensor would be an issue when the car is driven in heavy rain. Will check it out. Thanks again. O2 sensor problems, even minor ones can have the weirdest effects on an engine. Always put in an OEM O2 sensor. Just about anything else on a Japanese car can be aftermarket. I've learned the hard way that OEM O2 filter is always the way to go. Thanks. Will get it checked next week andlet you know the results.

Thanks. That is a helpful suggestion I will try. Do you know if the light has to remain on for the computer to give a read out of the problem? Also wonder why the oxygen sensor would be an issue when the car is driven in heavy rain. Will check it out. Thanks again.

In more than 8 years owning the 2000 GS 400, the "Check Engine" light never appeared. In September, while driving through a severe rain storm, the light came on. The next morning when I started the car, the light was still on. I checked the gas cap and it was on tight. Drove the care nearly 300 miles and when I stopped the engine and re-started the light was no longer on. The dealer said the engine computer did not record anything related to the check engine light and since the light was no longer on, they could not tell me what might have gone wrong. No problems for two months and then it happened again in the same place (New Jersey) and this time, the light went out when I shut the car off after driving the next day in the dry weather for 175 miles. No performance degradation when the light is on. Any thoughts on why the light would go on in heavy rain. Note: I did not drive through any large puddles that would have flooded the engine compartment. Thanks, in advance, for any ideas.

I have some small nicks and dents on two doors and was looking for a top quality body repair shop in Maine. If no one knows of a really good place in Maine, I am open to traveling to New Hampshire or Massachusetts. Thanks

You must have the GPriuS400! :D HAHAHA GPriuS400.....i could put this on a straight drop and still not get 29 mpg! um im a semi fat !Removed!.........jk im a big guy and i cant live without a/c! plus cracking window hurts mpg ALSO! i dont know anyone w ho has seen 29+ mpg but you! im getting 14-17 in the city depending on how i drive it and 20-23 on highway brian Hey, I was pretty surprised with 28+ mileage on the road and even checked the odometer against the highway mileage markers to make sure of accuracy. Driving around the city in stop and go, I usually would get 19.8-20.4 but did not check all that often. Always have burned 93 octane and change the Mobil 1 every 3,000 miles which is probably ridiculous, but I keep cars a long time. Anyway, the car may be a freak but with mileage consistently like this, that is one of the main reasons that I may just skip changing the Iridium plugs. ap

Have gotten 28 or 29 mph on several trips of 220-250 miles while cruising at 70-72. Once filled up the tank and drove 60 miles on the NJ Turnpike and then refilled and got 30 mpg all the while averaging about 68-70 mph. I don't drive hard and rarely use a/c though open sun roof and driver window cancel out that saving. Just recently, got 27 mpg on 350 mile trip averaging about 75 mph. Another reason I am reluctant to replace the Iridium spark plugs which are claimed to last many times more than platinums. All of the comments have been very useful and I thank all of you including the coasting downhill guy who, at least, gave me a laugh. ap

thank you; very helpful info. ap

Thanks for the recommendation. ap

Approaching 120,000 on 2000 GS 400. Running original spark plugs and have had no problems with misfires or poor acceleration. Highway mileage can sometimes approach 29 mpg. Question is whether I need to replace the plugs. The book says the iridium plugs should be replaced at 120,000 but it also seems to suggest that has to do with emissions issues and not performance. Any thoughts on not replacing the plugs now. thanks

With a GS 400, I get about 19.8 in city driving and have gotten as much as 29 on the open road (something that is non-existent in LA). Also GS 400 mandates premium fuel.

Have had Bridgestone LS-V Tires for about 42,000 miles. Pretty quiet and handle quite well in wet weather. Plus they look like they could last another 20,000 miles or more. But remember, these are the 16 inch rims.

Rear pads had to be replaced at 70,000 miles. Approaching 80,000, I am told that the front pads still have 6/32 remaining which means I could have another 20,000 or so remaining miles. Seems strange to me that the fronts last so much longer than the rears since I always thought the front brakes endure more wear and tear in stopping the vehicle. The guy who did the state inspection indicated that the rears looked like they needed replacement and when I brought it to Lexus I just asked for all the brakes to be inspected and they came back and said rears needed replacement. So there was no predisposition on their part to replace the rears. My question: Anything unique about the GS 400 that would allow the rears to wear out sooner than fronts, especially at such relatively high mileage? Note that I average 5,000 miles a year in stop and go and 8,000 highway.

I have a set in perfect condition from a 2000 GS 400. If you are interested, e-mail me at apatrules@comcast.net

A few years back, some low lifes spray painted on the back of my car. I took it to a car wash and used a high pressure sprayer to get all of it off. Then waxed and no lasting damage. Spray paint may be easier to get off but I would try one of the hand car wash sprayers before I would play with any chemicals.

eshift is on the 98-00 GS400 and 01+ GS300. There should also not be any difference in suspension for the 2. ← Thanks, what do you guys think of the eshift? ← E-shift is a toy. This is the first car I've had in 40 years that is not a stick. Just face the fact you are buying an automatic and live (and enjoy) it's benefits. The real difference in the cars is the 300hp of the V-8. You drive long distances (say 10 hours) and you never get tired because there is so little pressure you have to put on the accelerator pedal to keep up to speed.

I have never used Pohanka's body shop though I bought the car from them. I have used Lindsay Lexus/Cadillac in Alexandria on minor body work on my GS 400 and Toyota Cressida. Lindsay does excellent work. I highly recommend. BTW, a poster mentioned Waggenwerk. They are known to do excellent work, but I think their primary work is on German cars and I am not sure they will handle Japanese cars.

That's what I used to do, but unfortunately Sunoco 94 is disappearing in the East. Most places only selling Ultra 93.

The AWD RX330 is rated (using the same EPA test cycles) at 18/24 MPG, so no matter how you look at it, the RX400h far exceeds the city mileage (72% increase) and even surpases the highway mileage by 12.5%, and I expect real-world-driving to produce the same increases. As I mentioned a while ago, if you drive primarily on empty country roads and average 50-60 MPH, then cylinder deactivation is the way to go. However, if frequent stop&go driving is the norm, you will make up the extra cost of the hybrid is short time, especially with these and future gas prices. ← Seems to me the reason to buy the 400h has little to do with fuel economy and more to do with better performance (or having a good greeney feeling). Let's see, the 400h is rated at 31 city and 27 highway and the 330 is 18 city and 24 highway. Let's assume you drive 14,000 miles a year, half in the city and half on the highway. By my rough calculations, that makes out to be 357 miles per tank in the 330 and 492 per tank in the 400h. Or 39.2 tanks of gas for the 330 and 28.45 tanks in the 400h. Assuming $2.20 per gallon, that makes the cost of a year's gasoline at $1,466 for the 330 and $1,064 for the 400h. Or a saving of $402 per year with the 400h. Assuming the 400h is at least $5,000 more expensive than the 330, it will take you 12.5 years to recoup the $5,000 initial cost and in that time you will have had to have driven 175,000 miles to make up in gasoline what you paid to the dealer. Uh, but by 175,000 miles your battery pack will probably have already been replaced, probably at a cost in excess of an additional $5,000. Even in a best case scenerio--you only drive in the city--the gasoline savings are $716 per year and it will take you 7.2 years to recoup the $5,000 added up front cost. Also in that period, you will have put about 100,000 miles on the car and what is going to be the resale value of a vehicle with that much mileage facing the probability of an at least $5,000 price to replace the battery pack? As I said, if you want more performance, buy the 400h; but you ain't going to make up the additional cost in gasoline savings.

I'm afraid they did send me the engine filter, but when I called them he swore up and down that I had the correct part # to match the cabin air filter. They said I could send it back for a full refund, no problem. But that still leaves me without a cabin air filter. I called my local Toyota dealer, and they don't even carry a cabin air filter for a 2001 Lexus GS300. I don't know who posted the previous message, but I'm not sure a Toyota cabin air filter is the same as a Lexus cabin air filter, seeing as they didn't even carry a Lexus cabin filter. They told me to call the Lexus dealer ← I just received my filter from ToyotaandLexusParts.com. The bar code on the box says 'Element, Air Refiner', with the following part # 87139-50030 and it came in the red Toyota box. The charge was $25.50. Herk ← I just cheked the site and they are listing the price as $35.07

When I turn on the heater and go to the automatic settings, there is a setting indicating that the A/C is on. I assume that means the compressor is engaged even though it is 20 degrees outside. Heat works fine but I've noticed on the other vehicle (GS 400) that when I punch the a/c off in winter, the car idles at a lower rpm. I always turn the a/c indicator off in winter assuming that I will get better mileage and less wear on the compressor and engine. Anyone else deal with this issue? And why does one need the a/c engaged in winter. Something to do with defrosting?

Hey Apatules (aka Slick) :D Aren't detectors outlawed in Virginia? B) ← Well ford, detectors are indeed outlawed in Virginia and I NEVER use the detector in Virginia. Therefore, have had the pleasure of getting a ticket for doing 37 in a 25 zone (where everybody does 40), but on this day the VA cops had set up a hidden radar gun and I got nailed. In all other states where it is legal, I'm batting 100% with no tickets.