barrettlexus

I'm trying to find a right real tail light assembly for my 1999 ES 300 (Coach edition, if it makes a difference). I've scoured parts websites with the closest hit coming from Rockauto.com, but the part is not in stock. My existing assembly was cracked in a parking lot (offender unknown...). When it rains, water gets into the light assembly and ultimately drips into the truck compartment. Strong clear tape over the crack works for a while but if I can find a reasonably priced assembly I'd like to replace it. Might you have any suggestions or leads on a replacement? Rockauto lists the part this way but I'm not sure if this is a standard numbering system or just their inventory system: Part #: LX2801108 Alternate / OEM Number(s): 8155033160 Thanks a bunch for any help or leads!

A late response to your original post but if it's interesting to a new reader with a similar problem then I'd suggest that you check the 100A alternator fuse (in the fuse box in the engine compartment toward the front of the car on the driver side). Reversing the polarity when charging the battery can cause this fuse to pop and as I noted in a post about electrical problems in my 99 ES300, odd things happen when the battery can't provide a full charge to the electrical system. In my post I included links to instructions for finding the fuse and replacing it. Use a socket wrench to loosen and tighten the screws holding the 100A alternator fuse in place - it will save you much frustration and concern about stripping the screw head. Cheers!

I know this is a reply way after the original post but for what it's worth I was able to get a 100A alternator fuse from Auto Zone. I took mine out and brought it with me and the guy walked me right to a new one hanging in an aisle.

Quick Success Story: My car works! After I replaced the blown alternator fuse I mentioned above, the electrical system worked like a charm. Battery is fully charged, alternator is kicking out the right juice and all the electrical is working. This is important because I suspect that an inadequate electrical supply might have made the computer kick out 'interesting' (read: wrong) error codes. Before I fixed electrical issue, the local Lexus dealer told me he suspected I had a hole in the central exhaust, which was letting inappropriate air flows be detected by the air sensor, causing the engine to sputter and run rough, like it was misfiring. After the electrical fix, it turned out that I was having an issue with a cylinder wire harness. I hooked the car up to a scanner and the readings were very odd. The engine would run smooth, then choke and sputter and run very rough (obvious misfiring), then run fine. Cylinder 1 was the apparent culprit. With the engine running, I jiggled the wire harness and sure enough, it caused the same sputtering issue. I had to rebuild the wire harness (I couldn't find it for sale anywhere) and replace it. Since then, no issues and the car runs great. I've had it running for about two weeks and about 100 miles and no problems. Thanks to everyone for their help and support! Now, I'm off to reach the 200k plateau! Cheers, Dan

Update: I replaced the 100A alternator fuse (which was blown), reconnected the battery, and it turned right over. Voltage at the battery terminals with the car running (nothing turned on though) is now at 14.2 volts (where it was 12.2 with the fuse blown). So, seems like the alternator is good and charging the battery now. Also, all the electrical issues I mentioned in the original post seem to have been fixed, meaning that all of the above electrical items that weren't working are now working. In the meantime, I also found this string on another website that appears to speak to the same issue: http://www.justanswer.com/lexus/5x7op-lexus-es300-hi-99-es300-battery-replaced.html So, the electrical issues being fixed is the good news. The bad news is that with everything working I can now see the blinking check engine light that was the original issue before all this other electrical fun started. That'll be another post. Thanks, everyone, for all the information and support. It's been great to have your help and input along the way. Cheers, Dan

Ok, did you know that a 100A alternator fuse could blow? This box fuse in my car was so dust covered I didn't even see it. Sure enough, when I scraped 15 years of grime off the cover, I could see it was blown. I have started taking apart the fuse box so that I can get to the screws at the bottom of that 100A fuse. However, I can't budge the blasted screws. I feel like I'm about to strip it. I've taken a few photos of the fuse, screws, and fuse box area. Please share any ideas for how to remove this fuse! Oh, and here are the results of my alternator test (here's a great video for how to test your alternator https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGB6ZEjGm7Q ) Battery at rest, car not running and nothing turned on the battery shows 11.7 volts With the car running and the alternator spinning, the battery registered about 12.2 volts (not sure how this change in voltage at the battery even happens when the fuse was blown...) With the headlights turned on the battery shows 11.9 volts Lights off again and the battery showed 12.2 After 30 seconds of the car turned off the battery returned to 11.6 volts and held it there On the voltage drop test I showed .02 but it didn't change on either the positive or negative of the battery, nor did it change when I revved the engine. Thanks a ton for all the help so far! Dan Here's a legend for the pics: Top left one needs to be rotated to the right 90 degrees. Its a shot of the fuse box take from the middle of the engine (I removed the battery). It's from mid compartment looking to the driver's side front wheel. Just the side of the fuse box with it pulled out of its seat. Top right one is top-down view of the fuse box. You can see the top left of that pic shows the blown 100A fuse. The clear 100A cover is in the photo too Bottom left one is the 100A fuse pulled out of the compartment. The two red screws here are the ones causing me headaches. Bottom right one is a top down view of the fuse box that's located inside the hood at from left (driver's side).

WAIT! I forgot to connect everything and it turns out the battery is charged and the car is running. Oops. Anyway, I ran two tests with the voltage / ohm meter: Now, I see that the voltage at the battery when the car is idling is only at 11.7 volts. This should be registering over 12 and closer to 13. So, an alternator issue? With the positive lead unhooked and the engine off, I see 0 ohms on the meter. So, it appears to have a good ground and no discharge. So, I'm googling how to test an alternator and will update the results after I run that test. Any tips/thoughts in the meantime I'll gladly accept. Cheers, Dan

Thanks for the replies! I haven't replied with an update yet because the battery despite, being on a charger for days, now won't charge. I can't even jump it to get it started. Something is amiss! My question: According to kbb.com the car - if in fair condition - is worth about $1,500, and that's if I can get it running. With a new battery, a repair coming to the central exhaust line (estimated by dealer to be about $2,500) and a lot of time spent looking for a potential short in the electrical system, is it worth putting this amount of money into it? Either way, I need to fix something so that I can shift the car out of park and into neutral so it can be pushed out of my garage and maybe towed elsewhere. So I have to fix that. But does it make sense to throw money into a new battery if the cost of the rest of the work exceeds the value of the car? I'm trying to separate the romanticism of fixing the car from the reality of the expense. Thanks, guys. I appreciate your help! Dan

Hello Forum, I have a 1999 ES300 Coach edition with about 150k miles that has a few issues at the moment but the one that has me stumped is an electrical issue. Recently, I drove the car into my garage to protect it from the Chicago cold snap and left it there for about two weeks. When I returned to it, the battery was completely drained. I tried jumping it and while would turn over, a bad idle due to an unclean IACV kept making the car die. So, while I trickle charged the battery I cleaned the IACV. The battery became fully charged and would turn over and idle well, but there were an odd set of electrical issues. I have pulled each blade fuse and inspected that they all are working (not blown). I suspect the drained battery has reset something or that a jump/trickle charge might have broken something that I can't find. Just before typing this post I tried to start the car again (4 days after the full charge via trickle charge) and the battery was completely dead again. It's back on the trickle charge now. Okay, below is a list of the electrical system items that work and that don't work. Any tips about what to check/change/fix to make them all work would be GREATLY appreciated. When I get through this project, I'll ask about the potential central line hole that's seeming to cause air sensors to keep going bad (more on that later). Here's what's NOT working: Rear tail lights out (no brake lights when I push the brake, no running lights either in the rear) Gear shift won't budge out of park (which I know could be related to the brakes issue above but the fuse is good so ...) Not a single dashboard light works. By this, I mean: The odometer & tachometer needles and display are not lit and not working - the tach doesn't register any RPMs. It sits as though pinned to the bottom of the dash The gas gauge is registering empty. This area of the dash and the needle are unlit The engine temp gauge is on C, but that could be because it's been very cold here and it could be working. Who knows on that one? This area and needle are unlit too. The radio is not working. No sound, no lights, no display, no nothing from it The Heat / AC is completely dark. No air blows, no controls work, can't turn it on or off. All the dials are unlit too. The electric windows don't work The moon roof doesn't work. The controls to reposition the seat don't work Here's what IS working: Door ajar chime (which I wish wouldn't work at the moment) Interior dome light Seat belt icon on dashboard The headlights turn on (I didn't try high beams but I suspect they'll work) When I turn on the lights, the green light on the dashboard does turn on too The green halo light around the key/ignition works The horn works That's what I can recall. If I get it started again I'll provide more if there is more to provide. In the meantime, if you can help with any tips/suggestions I'll be very grateful. I really love this car and want to save it if I can. Thanks! Dan