pachanga

As far as the battery being disconnected - I did ask about that. However - Chris (the locksmith) said there was not a need to do to do that. Once in the car and under the steering wheel and working with the jumper wires .. He used the car's battery power to operate the trunk release. I need to look at the fuse he pulled to see exactly which one it was ... however - this was not his first rodeo and he knew exactly what he needed to do. I did not want to ask too many questions - the guy really was not one who was interested in a conversation on his trade secrets.

SOLVED! FIXED! I was able to get the keys out of the trunk in 20 minutes. Let's say ..some Black Magic was involved. High Tech Voodoo was involved. I was smokin'!! I was strutting around like a rooster with 20 hens looking at me... Ok.. so I sort of didn't do that. Truth is I called one locksmith who said that he didn't have the knowledge of the Lexus vehicles to get the car open without complications and he recommended a locksmith whom is the knowledge expert on Lexus and Toyota vehicles and all the ways to unlock the doors and the trunk. I called the guy ..explained the issue and he says...he can get it open.. no problem. He says he can be at the car in 30 minutes. This guy looks over the car ... pulls this gizmo thing out - slips it into the door - pops the door lock - opens the door - alarm goes off and he crawls under the dash with a jumper wire with alligator clips - waits until the alarm quits - pulls a fuse - he starts using the jumper wire and the next thing I know the trunk pops open... I was like ... Damn! 20 minutes and 4 minutes of that was waiting for the alarm to quit. The best part ... he charged me $70. Best 70 bucks I ever spent ... well ... except for that time in Tijuana with the twins. I was very impressed. He did say that a Lexus 430 SUV takes him a little more time... about 10 minutes more.

I appreciate the answers and input. 1) I do not have an extra key. Basically this car I bought from a roadside dealership ..as in one of the many small car lots on the side of roads that sell cars bought from auctions. It came with one off-brand key - no remote/fob. I am the author of my own mistakes in that I did not have extra keys made immediately. 2) Talked to the local Lexus dealership (Columbia, SC) No help... I said 1994 and the service guy who was probably younger than the car - was polite but said - sorry - I cannot make a key or offer any service for a 1994 LS400. I understand that logic...I went to the Ford Dealership with a problem with a 1998 Expedition and the Ford service manager - said - we do not work on any vehicle older than 2005. 3) I have "worked" on several LS400s in Pull-A-Part yards over the last two years.. I can drill out the existing trunk lock and open the trunk that way - but the 1994 tail light lens can easy be broken doing so... scratched at the least around the keyhole. I do have a complete parts 1994 LS400 I bought... the engine is bad - and I have extra body parts galore. 4) Breaking the window is an option and crawling into the car and operating the trunk release button - I believe the trunk will open. As far as the alarm.... if i get the trunk open - I will be ok with the alarm. I know i have sat in the car - key out of the ignition, doors locked and opened the trunk with the trunk release button. Reason I know - my wife goes in a store to shop...I stay in the car - lock the doors and when she comes back --- I just pop the trunk lid so she can put her packages in the trunk. Also I don't think the alarm has ever gone off in this car. My wife's 1998 LS400.... another story - that sucker will alarm if you look at the car wrong...I don't think it likes me. I opened the trunk on the 1998 with the key instead of the FOB and the alarm would go off. I may be lucky --in that the alarm system is only blinking the Alarm LED and it really doesn't work. 5) as far as letting it sit and waiting for the battery to die..... it is a brand new battery... expensive one... I bet it would be good after 6 months. So.. I am about to head over to my work (where I went stupid and locked the keys in the trunk) and see what I can do. If I am extremely lucky I will be able to get in with minimum damage... I have a secret plan that involves taking a 8 foot piece of 1/4 round stainless steel bar stock (I work at a company that has 300 CNC machines) and bar stock is everywhere from flat to round. Worst case - I break the window - or I have to drill the key lock on the trunk and open the trunk manually. This is something I have done on several occasions at junkyards on LS400s where the trunk is locked and the key is no where to be found.

Ah nuts. Always something ....

Well.. after reading many previous posts.... it appears the easiest way to get into the car - is to break one of the door windows, reach in and unlock the doors with the door unlock/lock switch...then use the trunk remote button to unlock the truck. Just so happens I have a complete parts car and can use a window out of it to replace the broken window. Now.. a question - which window is the best or easiest to replace? I would think the rear door windows.

1994 Lexus LS400 - Car doors are locked - I opened the trunk - and like a big dummy - I dropped my keys into the trunk and then closed the trunk lid. So - the keys are in the trunk - the car doors are locked. I called Pop a lock - the guy said he can open the door - BUT... he thinks the alarm will go off disabling the car - and at the same time disabling the inside trunk release and thus I am ..as he said... very possibly up the creek in a wire boat without a paddle. So question - will the electric trunk release be disabled when he opens the door without a key? Is there a way to avoid the alarm system when he opens the door? is there a time limit before the alarm goes off?

1994 Lexus LS400 - 151K miles This past week - and here in the middle of SC - the weather has been hot - 100 degrees all weekend and this week so far. Which is the reason I chose to have the timing belt changed by a local shop verses me doing it. I do not have a shop with AC to do the work in comfort. So - and honestly I thought the repair bill was actually reasonable.. I was pleased with the work and the cost. So here is the list of work done and the cost. Timing belt changed. Belt plus misc parts - cam followers New set of Spark Plugs New Spark Plug Wires - New Water Pump - New idler and tensioner pulleys New serpentine belt gaskets Misc shop supplies.. labor Cost = $1162.00 What say ye? Should have I performed the work myself and sweated like a stuck pig on a split? Or.. ??

I spotted this photo on a website ... that looks like a LS400 V8 engine ...

I only found The Toyota Type IV at my local Lexus dealer/service dept. . $80 out the door for a case. Yes.. expensive. I did find a "compatible" non-synthetic transmission fluid at Pep Boys but... I decided to go with the genuine stuff from Lexus.

I have always used a camera for recording my work when I work on anything.. be it a motorcycle engine or a washing machine - Back in the day - I wore out VCRs (as I had used a VHS-C camera) by constantly rewinding and then playing a segment when I had to see how I worked on something.. When digital cameras came out ...I was able to take detailed photos then but the videos were not all that great. Now I have a Contour helmet camera which I really purchased for my off-road motorcycling adventures, but I quickly adapted it for work on mechanical and electrical issues. For my editing of the video, I purchased a hardware/software package from a company called Honestech - (Best Buy or on-line) for $79. It s easy to use when you want just segments of an particular sequence of video. Even though it is really made to convert VCR tapes to digital format (DVD or save as a mpeg file) if you already have the digital file - such as a GoPro or Contour video file - it is pretty simple to use. Amazing what these POV cameras can do for you. I wear the Contour on my head via elastic strap much like the LED flashlights you can purchase with a strap that you wear on your forehead. I wear the camera on the side of my head with a LED light on the forehead. Yes... I look like Doc Brown from "Back to the Future" but I have so far (fingers crossed) been able to put 99% of the stuff I took apart back together with the end result being positive.

I have taken many photos as I take things apart... and to really top it off - I have a Contour helmet camera (like a GoPro) I have been wearing that records all disassembly work. that camera has been invaluable to help me see how something came apart - as in order of washers, nuts, wires, etc.

Let's say... there are quite a few squirrels around here... and I bet a couple have been laid back snacking on nuts and having a few good laughs this week.

with the parts car - where this "buzzer" is located - I did get a key with a "remote unlock" key button. It has a little button marked "lock/unlock" on the edge of the key's plastic body. When I purchased my car - the key I received was just a plain key without any buttons.. So that is where the "beep" noise comes from when unlocking or locking the car remotely.... and if you are wanting a good laugh.. picture this.. I took my wife's keys, went to her car and was pressing the buttons and with my ear pressed to the fender of her car - trying to listen to see if that is where her "beep" sound is coming from..... and my wife comes out and goes "WTH are you doing?"

My 1994 LS400 is what I call is a 20 footer... get closer and the exterior flaws can be seen..... Notice the photo of the fender - the cracks in the bondo are circled. Once I get the new fender is in place - and the re-paint done.. I think it will be pretty darn sharp looking.