dpallenman

Another week and another 250 miles...I am sure it is now fixed! Thanks for everyone's help!

Two days so far and over 200 miles...no Check Engine Light yet! Keeping my fingers crossed! Darren

Hi everyone. Well, I finally installed the charcoal canister in our 2000 ES300. I just wanted to let everyone know that the installation was very easy. The trick to it all was dropping the exhaust system hangers in the vicinity of the rear of the car. I searched like crazy for information or tips for my install, but I came up with nothing. If someone else decides to tackle this project themselves I hope they read this post. Again, you don't need to remove the exhaust system. You just need to drop the exhaust enough to slide the charcoal canister out from the passenger side of the car. It is WAY too early to let you know if the check engine light will return. It is off as of this writing, but I need to keep my fingers crossed. By the way, I bought the canister at Sewell Lexus online and it included the VSV valve and stuff. Price was $229.00 plus $10.00 shipping. My Canadian dealer told me the canister was $497.80 and did not include the VSV valve, which would be an additional $86.60. ;) Again, I'll post my results at a later date.

I ordered a Charcoal Canister from lexus-parts.com at a cost of $229.00. I will install it soon and post my results. Thanks to all those who replied.

Hi Todd. From what I have heard, this extended coverage only covers model years 1996-1998. Do you have any literature pertaining to this?

Hi there. I hope all is well with everyone. My wife and I have a 2000 ES300 Platinum Edition. The car has been simply wonderful in our three years of ownership. Recently however, the check engine/trac light illuminated and after a quick scan code PO446 was discovered. I started by tightening the gas cap and disconnecting the battery; the engine light came back on after a week. I then changed the gas cap (new) and disconnected the battery. Again, the light came back on. I have taken a look at the vacuum lines at the charcoal canister and up underneath the engine cover. Everything looks OK. I do all my own work, and I HATE being a “parts replacer”. I’d rather source the exact problem and fix just that particular part. Having said this, my research on this site has indicated that the PO446 code could be one of many things, including the charcoal canister itself, the VSV attached to the canister, or the vacuum valve up underneath the engine cover. First question: I was going to replace the charcoal canister next. Does anyone here know if the new OEM charcoal canister includes the VSV valve? If it does, then I can pretty much kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Second question: Do you think I am way off base with my intention to replace the charcoal canister next? If so, what would you do? Obviously, I am trying to avoid my dealer at all costs. Perhaps someone here could help in my quest to repair this problem. Thanks in advance!

Sorry if you disagree with me, but thats been my experience with ebay. I use it to buy the occasional thing or sell the occasional thing, but overall I find the process and dealing with the people annoying. People are whiney, demanding, unscrupulous. I personally think for a lot of people its like gambling, it becomes an obsession. I see a lot of people go poor buying crap on ebay, and a lot of people making ridiculous amounts of money by fleecing these people, like the whole crazy Xbox 360 fiasco. Buying them up in the stores by the carload and then selling them for twice or 3 times the price on ebay to the poor parents that couldn't buy them because they were all bought up for ebay. Or here in DC, people stood in line and took free tickets to see the baby Panda that someone could have legitimately enjoyed and sold them on ebay for $200 to people that they KNEW could never use them because they were non-transferable. Its just dirty. Its a vehicle for underhanded dealings and I don't care for it. If ebay gave a rats !Removed! when its users got screwed then I might feel different. But they don't, so I dislike them and don't care to use their product. You can't tell me my experience is uninformed, its my experience and my opinion. Ebay is a multi billion dollar business, so I don't think their bottom line is hurting because I don't use it too much. Personally I think ebay is a great example of whats wrong with American society and why everyone's either so damn poor or so damn rich in this country. I actually sort of hate it. ← Ebay, in my opinion, is one of the few places left on this earth that is devoid of meddling by the government and/or other regulatory organizations. And I like that. Yes, it is a place where people indeed get ripped off on a daily basis. It is also a place where if buyers and sellers are educated and do their research, things can be unbelievably harmonious. I count myself as one of those buyers/sellers that does their research on products and the people that buy and sell them. I have done exactly 202 transactions on Ebay and never had a stitch of a problem. You should also know that within these 202 transactions two were car purchases, one being our Lexus. But I did not jump at anything; I checked out these people very carefully and as a result everything went without a hitch. Just so you understand my reasoning for my strong support of Ebay, I want to tell you a little story about my recent honeymoon trip to San Francisco. I was walking around Fisherman's Wharf with my wife, and a camera store owner pulled (yanked) me into his store. He noticed that I had a Canon A95 digital camera and said he had the "most perfect, unbelievable accessory" I could ever hope to purchase (lucky me!!!). So I let him jaw off about this wonderful polarizing filter/UV filter/extension tube package that "just happened to be on special today because I was his first customer" at the great price of $79.95. So, after he was done his explanation (and I had made mental notes of the brand name of the filters and part numbers) I told him I might be back later to pick the stuff up. He was upset, stating that if my wife and I had to go discuss everything over a coffee that we were going to have a tough life. Moments later, about a block away, I found an open wireless network and logged on to Ebay using my Dell Pocket PC (just like the camera, this was bought on Ebay). I entered the part number and brand name of the filter kit, and voila: $27.95! My point is, don't generalize Ebay because there are just as many crooked people in brick and mortar stores. In our society, no matter what you are doing, it is your duty to be careful, do some research, and know your stuff. The ones that follow this mantra are successful in life and on Ebay. The ones that don't are not. It really is that simple. Buyer beware. Further, if guys are buying up Xboxes and selling them, all the power to them. That is simple capitalism at work. If I had been a little more on the ball, I would have been doing the same thing. To support your argument (because I partially agree with it) I have a friend who is one of those Ebay addicts whose many transactions go wrong. He has limited computer skills, zero research skills, and before Ebay was buying the exact same junk from local garage sales around our city. He has a poor eye for quality and this cannot for one minute be blamed on Ebay. He buys junk period. Ebay simply gave him another outlet to continue his bad behavior. He has since stopped using Ebay, and he really thinks the system stinks. It doesn't... Thanks!

"...I couldn't care less about any of this ebay BS by the way. IMHO ebay is full of people that really need a hobby and I try to avoid it like the plague." One of the most generalized, uninformed comments I have ever heard in my life. Simply unbelievable.

Do not go out and start it and let it idle. Not only are you cycling the battery and starter unecessarily, your engine oil will become contaminated quicker and will do more damage than good to your engine. This action is very tough on a car. I live in Canada, and see people doing this kind of thing all the time. It is simply wrong. Remember this simple rule: if you start it, drive it. It sounds like the car will see some duty each and every week, which is good. If you are worried about battery issues, buy a small battery charger (trickle charger) and use it to keep the battery "warm" during periods of inactivity. As for the car cover idea, it's a good one. Be sure to buy a good quality outdoor-type cover that breathes. Just be careful putting it on and off when the car is dirty; you don't want to scratch the car unnecessarily.

Hi there. Are you changing the transmission fluid because you are getting 16 mpg? If this is the case, I can't see this solving your mpg problem. It certainly won't hurt, but if that is the sole reason for changing the ATF I think you are going to be disappointed.

Hi there. I have the opportunity to purchase four new 215/60/16 snow tires for my 2000 ES300 at a significant discount. Of course, the stock size is 205/60/16. Has anyone ever tried a 215 on an 2000 ES300? I just want to make sure the extra width will not cause problems. Darren

Zainos Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss is great. I used to HATE tire dressings because they give the tires a horrible looking shine. With Zainos, it leaves them just one step above regular clean black rubber. I love this look, and I have had many people ask me how I get the tires so clean. The stuff doesn't fling, and just looks great. Darren

After my detailing experience today, I am even more unsure about wax and polish products. I have a 2000 ES300 in Cashmere Beige, and today it received its second wax job. When I bought the car last November, it was delivered in beautiful condition both inside and out. However, being somewhat of a detailing nut, I bought some Zainos product for the first time and gave it a shot. After using Dawn, claying, one coat of Z5 and three coats of Z2, the car came out a little shinier, but not much. I don't think this is the fault of the Zainos product because the car was very clean to begin with. There simply wasn't much improvement to be made. Today, because I felt a little lazy, I left the Zainos in the cupboard and pulled out some Meguiar's Gold Class Paste Wax that I had purchased some time ago. The Meguiar's is a "one-step" product, so I figured this would be the way to go for a quick wax job. A couple of hours later, the job was done. It looks very good. So, my confusion stems from the fact that I can't figure out how I am getting about the same results from Meguiar's and Zainos. Price wise, you would think that the Zainos should be superior, but I have not come to that conclusion. There are several possible reasons for this, and maybe more: 1. The Cashmere Beige color does not respond well to waxing. Maybe it's not dark enough? 2. The paint is already in great shape, and whatever I use won't make a significant difference. 3. Wax products are created a lot more equal than I thought. Anyone have the same thoughts or experiences? Regards, Darren

I have a 2000 ES300, and my transmission does exactly the same thing. Extensive research on the net has lead me to conclude this behavior is totally normal. I read that the lack of shifting serves to warm the engine quicker, if that makes any sense. Darren

Hi folks. I didn't take a picture, so hopefully my description will be enough. Underneath the front of my 2000 ES300 is a black plastic piece that looks like it is designed to deflect air underneath the car. It is not a part of the front bumper or front faschia; rather, it is further underneath the car. It runs from left to right (like the front bumper). Anyway, we had a lot of snow a couple of weeks ago and this black plastic piece got broken. Now it is hanging down. Anybody know what this piece is called? Have you replaced one before? How much? I could replace myself, as it is only held on with four or five bolts. Thanks in advance.

Hi there. I have a 2000 ES300 Platinum, and it has the Nakamichi system. The car was purchased in Virginia. Darren

Thank you very much. It worked like a charm! Darren

You mention that when both cars were new, there was an almost $30,000 price difference. Now, just four short years later, resale values are a scant $4000 apart. So either the Mercedes took a huge tumble in value, and/or the Lexus has maintained its value. I have never owned a Mercedes, and just only recently purchased a Lexus. However, the equalization in the value of the two vehicles tells me that the Japanese-built machine is the one to go with.

Thanks very much, Steve. I will be sure to try this procedure tomorrow. If it works, I am going to re-write the instructions so they are a bit more clear. Then I will post them under the heading "2000 ES300 Key Programming". Have a good night, and a safe and happy holiday! Regards, Darren

Steviej's link provides the following: For the remote part. in drivers seat WITH DOOR OPEN. start with door unlocked. first put master key in ignition, turn to on, then back off and remove. using the lock/unlock button on drivers door. press lock.. then unlock 5 times.(lock,unlock,lock,unlock,lock,unlock,lock,un lock,lock,unlock) Close drivers door, open drivers door. Performe lock/unlock procedure again. insert key in to ignition and turn to on, then back off and remove.(at this point the doors should lock and unlock by themselves ONCE) Now press both lock and unlock buttons on REMOTE. release after about 1.5seconds. now press just the lock button on remote. now open and close the drivers door a couple times to close programming. if you did it right, remote will now work. thats it..not to hard once youve done it a few times. Here's where I get confused. When you say "first put master key in ignition", do you mean the original, already programmed key? Or do you mean the new, unprogrammed key? When you say "insert key in to ignition", do you mean the original, already programmed key, or do you mean the new, unprogrammed key? Please advise. Thanks. Regards, Darren

Hi Tom. Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, I have checked the battery. First, using the LED light as you mention above. It lights up just fine. Not satisfied, however, I took the battery out and tested it with a multimeter. Reading was 3.04 volts, which is just where it should be. Darren

Hi there. I have not yet consulted the dealer, as the idea was to try to save a few dollars in this project (and learn something). As for the ES only accepting two master keys, perhaps this is the problem. However, if this is the case I cannot understand why the immobilizer portion of the key programmed successfully on my first try. You'd think that if the car would only be capable of registering two master keys, then it would reject ALL programming, period. This isn't a huge deal, because as it stands I can stick the new master key in the door, unlock the door, jump in, start the car and drive off. It just bugs me that the keyless entry won't program successfully. I tried again today several times, but no luck. Does anyone have an actual 2000 service manual scan of this procedure? Thanks in advance. Regards, Darren

Hi there. I hope all is well. I am sure this topic has been covered one million times before, but I want to assure you that I have done several searches and nothing has yet worked for me. I just purchased a 2000 ES300 Platinum Edition, and the car came with one master key (complete with the transmitter for locking doors and opening the trunk). Knowing that having only one master key could be dangerous, I immediately purchased an additional master key off Ebay (brand new, original Lexus with transmitter). This new master key is a dead ringer for my original master key in every respect, including the FCC codes. I had a local locksmith cut this new master key, and it worked perfectly in the trunk and the doors. I used some programming instructions found on this web site and programmed the engine immobilizer portion of the key. This process worked flawlessly, and the new master key starts the car without fail. So far, so good. Next, I set out to program the transmitter portion in order that I can remotely lock/unlock the doors and open the trunk. I have tried several different combinations, and nothing works. Originally, I was using the power lock switch to lock/unlock the doors five times, but further reading told me that the driver’s door only is the one to be locked/unlocked. In other words, you must use the MANUAL switch when going through this process. So, here is my exact procedure, and it has failed to work time and time again: 1. Sit in the 2000 ES300, close all doors, lock all doors. 2. MANUALLY unlock driver’s door only, and open driver’s door. 3. Insert ORIGINAL Master Key (not the new Master Key) into the ignition, and then remove. 4. MANUALLY lock/unlock the driver’s door five times (in other words, lock/unlock…lock/unlock…lock/unlock…lock/unlock…lock/unlock. 5. Close driver’s door. 6. Open driver’s door. 7. MANUALLY lock/unlock the driver’s door five times (in other words, lock/unlock…lock/unlock…lock/unlock…lock/unlock…lock/unlock. 8. Insert NEW Master Key into the ignition, turn to “On” once, turn to “Off”, then remove the key from the ignition. PLEASE NOTE AFTER STEP 8, THE LOCKS CYCLED ONCE, WHICH IS APPARENTLY WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO! 9. On the NEW Master Key, press the Lock/Panic (this is a combination button; one and the same) for one second. PLEASE NOTE AFTER STEP 9, THE LOCKS ARE SUPPOSED TO CYCLE AGAIN. THEY DID NOT! 10. Close driver’s door. 11. Open driver’s door. 12. On the NEW Master Key, press Lock for one second. PLEASE NOTE AFTER STEP 12, THE LOCKS ARE SUPPOSED TO CYCLE AGAIN. THEY DID NOT! 13. Close driver’s door. Where am I going wrong here? As you can see, everything seems to go well until Step 9, where the locks failed to cycle. Perhaps I have the wrong instructions? Please help! Thanks in advance. Regards, Darren