TrueBlues

Well, I just took my '98 ES300 to the Lexus dealer to have some work done. In addition I asked about getting the personalization codes changed. The service guy brought in the head Technician who said that that option wasn't availabe on the ES cars until just recently, maybe 2004 or 2005. So it looks like I'm out of luck changing my door locks FOB or any other options listed in the C-Best Option link.

Hi HubJunky1, Man, great pics on your install. I had it all exactly as you did on the antenna part. I thought the screws were under that felt liner in the bottom part of the armrest and was afraid to rip it out if was glued. I tried doing this in poor light, so I missed the trap door that leads to the shifter area. I guess I won't have to mess with the felt or carpeted liner at all since I can run along the bottom and thru the shifter door like you did. Do you just pop the shifter wood trim from underneath with your hand via the side (trap) door? I assume its some clips that hold it in. I have a feeling I will need my dust buster big time when that plate pops. A side note on my choice of XM over Sirius. After careful review of all the channels etc. I was equally impressed with everything each provides over terrestial AM/FM. The nuance of each offering wasn't decisive enough though. I opted for the better radio offering which XM has currently. I like the size and ability to use stock ticker and change colors on display. I got a great price on a used one via Ebay. Irony right now is the liquidator who I purchased it from never had it deactivated, so I'm curious how long I'll have free sat radio. I may switch later when Sirius catches up a bit on the radios and Howard Stern comes on line. I hope all that would be necessary if I go that route when replacing radios is that they both can use each other power adapter/antenna. Thanks again for your help and pictures and to everybody else's inputs. I will post my pics later to show my results. I live in Chicago and today we're in the 50's, great day to be outside.

I'm in the middle of installing my Sat Radio, but hit a snag. I decided to afix the roady2 to the ashtry door with Velcro and run the antenna wire and power wire up under the armrest and cover by the shifter and out at the seam of the ashtry door. My problem is: I can't see where the screws to loosen the armrest so I can run the power from the lighter in the storage compartment under and and then up through the wood trim by the ashtry. I was surprise to not have found anything on this through my search. Any help or suggestions would be appreicated.

The Goodyear Triple Tred may be available in V speed rating, I just chose the H rating. It is one down from the V rating and as I stated earlier, the V rating is a speed performance spec, The H rating is too but slightly less. I don't know why Lexus picked a V rated tire, when its really a luxury Camry and I doubt Camry's are std V-rated. IMHO. Good Luck but if you're in doubt, by all means research this a bit.

I just put on Goodyear TripleTreds From Just Tires and I love'em, plus they were offering a $50 free gas card if you bought a set of 4. I was considering getting Michelin's thru Costco, but they wouldn't go below the V rated tire that was on my car. V-rated is for speeds of 149+mph. Since obviously I wasn't concerned with that, I bought the H rated which is for rated at 132 mph I believe and Just Tires was fine with putting these on. Anyway, that's my recent experience.

Hey Stevej, I owned a CPO (certified Pre-Owned) and bought an extended warranty plan which is still in effect. From reading it, it looks like anything outside a scheduled maintenance should be covered. I will call my dealer and verify. Does your experience suggest that any problems related to CEL and TRAC OFF light being on should all be covered under warranty regardless what the cause? Thanks.

I've been reading where some have suggested taking the neg. ground off the battery for 30 min. and seeing if the lights stay on afterwards, others have suggested the fault may be fixed by cleaning out the carbon junk professionally rather than replacing sensor(s). Do you have a protocol you would suggest before undertaking this specific repair after getting the codes read. BTW, what is the special socket and can it be used for other repair items, and do you have a appoximate cost? Thanks much.

"trac OFF" and "check engine" lights being on" I just joined this forum last week looking into this same problem. To add to matters, my brake light came on and won't go off a couple weeks before the Trac OFF and Check Engine Light came on. I've detected no difference in how the vehicle runs. I have '98 ES300. From the responses I've seen, sounds like I need to get the diagnostic codes read before solving it with hopefully a small DIY project. My hope at Least. I wonder how many problems are indentified with the trac off and check engine light simulatanously going on. Anyway, maybe if Pep Boys or a Toyota dealer can read it for me. I'll be back with whatever the results indicate to see what to do next. By the way, an earlier msg stated to add brake fluid to get the brake light to go out. Has nothing to do with parking brake sensor apparently. Love this forum.

"PS, the picture you posted of the es interior... is that yours? If so, how did you retrofit a woodfaced nakamachi radio from an 00 into a 98? I've been trying to do that myself " Thanks for your personal experience info on XM and Sirius. I checked my interior (funny how I've owned the car 4 years and didn't realize my faceplate was not woodlike as the picture I used) and it has a black mat plastic above the woodlike plastic on the ashtray. Have you explored doing this? If so, I'd be interested in knowing where to find the piece and whether you needed any special tool to get the front panel off.

Hi, as far as the '98 ES300 picture, I actually borrowed that from Ebay Motors cuz it showed the nakamachi stereo. Now you have me wondering what mine looks like compared to it. When I bought my car in '01, the sales guy told me very few had the nakamachi option due to a hefty price tag. So I felt lucky and haven't regretted it. I looked at both XM and Sirius programming and didn't think too much differed for my tastes. So then I focused on the aesthetics and so far I like the smaller footprint of the roady2 or XR9, but I'm still evaluating. The sportster could work too sizewise, but I wish it had the stock ticker feature that XM has. Thanks for your install description. I would love to see your pictures and when I can I'll post my actuals. BTW, what programming with Sirius do you like over XM. I might have to look further into it. Thanks again.

Dear byohzrd, Thanks for including your pics. Very intriguing set up. Did you do it yourself? I may give this a try, but I was curious on the power to the Roady. I will need to look into the console for a power source. Did you just hard wire it by clipping off the cig lighter adapter and wiring it direct to whatever is in the console? Any removal of console necessary? I also liked SW03's set up, but am not bothered having the PNP visible as I want to see the display for artist info, etc in realtime and as I'm a bigtime channel flipper, I may want better access without lifting the console compartment door all the time either. I never thought to have the antenna inside the car cuz I thought most opinions had decided that reception was best when placed on roof, though I wondered if getting my car washed would lend it to being knocked around. Maybe the magnet is strong enough. I may to play with this and determine best reception. Lastly, I more than likely will use the cassette adapter as every suggested station for the FM modulator has some radio reception already occuring. I live in Chicago with every spectrum used for something. I read from others on this forum that adding in a AUX IN from a Soundgate adapter may or may not work. Wish this was better understood, maybe I'll keep it simple for now with the cassette. Thanks for everyone's input, I will post pics when I finish. Haven't decided between XM or Sirius yet. Content vs. Hardware, tough call.

After reviewing all I could from this forum for Sat Radio. Its still unclear if there's a consensus to the right solution. Aside from content, I'm trying to determine asthetically the most pleasing way to go. I didn't find any pics anywhere that have shown other's installations. Examples Antenna placement? Attached via bracket or Velcro? Roady2, Skyfi2, Sirius Sportster? Aux in or FM modulation or Cassette tape? Placement inside the vehicle.... dash, side of console, sunglass droped door? Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. By the way, my Lexus is a 1998 ES300 equipped with a Nakamachi Sound w/6 CD changer.

"There are certain personalized changes that require specialized equipment that only Lexus dealers have. That's why it says in the Owners Manual to contact your dealer. " Well since I will need to take it to the dealer to get this door unlock enabled. Are there a list of other personalized changes I should also considered while having them do the one? Thx, Mike 98 ES300

Barry, I was considering your solution as I have a 98 ES300. Did you proceed successfully or did you run into the serial communication problem cited in one of the replies? General question to all, is it not possible to add a Audio Input to head unit for XM or Sirius signals? Thanks, Mike

My former boss had a BMW which he had his dealer change his key fob to open all four doors with one hit of the unlock button rather than the default of two hits. I was hoping to do the same myself without taking it into the dealer $$. Anyone have the knowledge to reprogram this feature? It's getting annoying to have to hit the button once wait and hit again to get the back door open to throw some stuff in the backseat everytime I get into my '98 ES300. Thanks.

After reviewing all I could from this forum for Sat Radio. Its still unclear if there's a consensus to the right solution. Aside from content, I'm trying to determine asthetically the most pleasing way to go. I didn't find any pics anywhere that have shown other's installations. Examples Antenna placement? Attached via bracket or Velcro? Roady2, Skyfi2, Sirius Sportster? Aux in or FM modulation or Cassette tape? Placement inside the vehicle.... dash, side of console, sunglass droped door? Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. By the way, my Lexus is a 1998 ES300 equipped with a Nakamachi Sound w/6 CD changer.