Bob helms

Yes the telescope is for sure ailing . However if I use it more than once in a short while it get's better. I used it 4 times Monday and the last time it extended fully plus it sounded / acted normal!? It appears to show no sign of any problems after it gets warmed / loosened up. Could this be caused by hardened grease or the absence of grease? I don't hear any sounds indicating gears are not meshing or slipping but rather like the motor is straining to get the wheel extended and it is definately slower than normal to get the wheel extended. Are there multiple motors and gears or just one motor and one gear for tilt and telescope? This issue didn't start until the extended cold weather we had here in central NC. Thanks for your help. Bob Helms

I did a lot of searching on this subject, found several post dealing with the exact subject matter, but I can't see (greyed out) the pictures. Have all the pictures been moved to another location? My tilt works OK but the telescope function is barely doing the job. I have to help it extend to max height. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Bob Helms

1996 LS400. I need to remove the Control Head for my Nakamichi sound / CD system. I have read post describing how to release spring loaded latches with a screwdriver inside the AC ducts on the center control cluster. As far as I can tell there are no spring loaded anythings inside my air flow registers. Mine also has an outside temp guage and a clock on the very top of the cluster. I did a search but could not find any visual aids of how to use a small screwdriver and "pry" the airflow registers out. If anyone knows of a post that has picture(s) of a 96 LS400 radio control head being removed or some service document with illustrations can you please point me in the right direction. TIA for any help given.

96 LS400 135K. Took 300 mile trip, parked overnight. Next morning speedometer doesn't work. Drive around for awhile hoping it will start working again, but it doesn't. Start reading ops in this forum, several about wacking the instrument panel. Try that the next morning, it works. So I read some more, failing sending units, sticky needles, bad capacitors and lose connectors. What's the most popular fix these days? Two days later it's still working. Any proactive adivce would be appreciated. Thanks. Bob Helms

Thanks Steve2006. To further confirm your post most salvage dealers classify this steering wheel in a 1995 to 1998 catagory.

I have a 1996 LS400. Does anyone know if any other year steering wheel is compatable with my 1996. I am trying to find a salvaged wheel and I'm hoping that maybe a 1997 or 1998 wheel would work with my 1996. When I find a sutable part I plan to have it refurbed to work in my 1996, trim color and all. Lexus parts is no help on this issue, their microfiche parts system does not cross reference to other model years, imagine that! Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Bob Helms

Is the leather simply discolored? Or is the top coating "peeling" at all leaving the surface rough? I would highly suggest re-dying the leather. There are many, many kits available to do this. Leather is not actually "dyed", but rather "painted" with a rather rubbery paint type coating. I would suggest magic mender's kit. Can you please elaborate on this "Magic Menders Kit"? Thanks.

Lexus quit making the pretty good leather wheel in 1998, and replaced it with a wheel with wood surfaces where most people put their sweaty hands, the wood seems to last longer. Mine has reached a point where it's peeling and discoloring, and yes after 16 years and 135K miles it has naturally gotten progressively worse.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to re-cover my steering wheel. Wheelskins make nice covers but since it's a Lexus I want to put back to as close to OEM as I can, minus the crap they used the first go around. I've found several firms who can "rebuild" my wheel while they let me use one of their "loaner" wheels. Obiviously to pull that off I need to know how to remove my steering wheel and install theirs and later reverse that process. I have tried to find a blow by blow description on how to remove a 1996 LS400 steering wheel but my searching expertise hasn't been good enough to find it, if there is one on this forum. So can some one please point me to a post (with pictures) where removing the steering wheel is done? The guy who did the power antenna replacement post saved me mucho bucks, thank you for doing that! TIA for any help I can get. Bob Helms 1996 LS400

My steering wheel has become discolored from sweaty hands. I think the '96 was the last year that the wheel was all leather (or what ever it's covered in). Has anyone used an after market wrap or cover to refurb their steering wheel. If anyone has could you please share who made it and / or where you got it. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Bob Helms

I'm new to this forum. I tied posting this elsewhere but I think I should have started a new topic so here is my second attempt. I own a 96 LS400, bought it new. I'm hearing distortion from the Lexus/Nakamichi audio system. I plan on keeping this car for the foreseeable future. I don't have a clue where to start on fixing this distortion other than take it to the dealer. I'm thinking that there are aftermarket systems and that I should investigate them before spending money at the Lexus store. Anyone else been down this road before? TIA for any and all advice / opinions. Bob Helms

I'm new to this forum. Own a 96 LS400, bought it new. I'm hearing distortion from the Lexus/Nakamichi audio system. I plan on keeping this car for the foreseeable future. I don't have a clue where to start other than take it to the dealer. I'm thinking that better aftermarket systems exists today and I should investigate that avenue before spending more money at the Lexus store. Anyone else been down this road before? TIA for any and all advice / opinions. Bob Helms