VBdenny

If your key was reprogrammed just before, I'd start there. The computer must recognize the chip in the key which it apparently, is not doing.

Brandon, please consider others before posting the bold text stuff. Many find it offensive. It looks like it might be nice but very hard to read. Thanks Denny

When the oil was last changed, I'd have to guess that the crush ring wasn't. Often when there isn't one handy people will reuse the old crush ring (which is already crushed) and amazingly, they almost always work. Sometimes they don't and oil leaks. The other common place oil leaks occur might be the oil filter wasn't tightened enough. If I'm not mistaken, it is located right in the front of the engine. Take a rag (engine NOT running of course), reach down and see if you can tighten it. If it is tight, probably the crush ring. Worst case scenarios 1. oil filter is cross threaded 2. Oil drain plug is cross threaded. You do not want it to be either of them, especially the drain plug. In from what you have told me, you have justifiable cause to take it back to whomever changed it last and seek retribution. Do it soon or you could destroy your engine should the oil level drop too low.

Can't say as I would blame you. I can deal with broken suspension parts, broken exhaust, terrible brakes etc. but not with steering. Of course in the past I've had power steering fail and then you just have to muscle up. What you said about it being just locked? man oh man, I can only imaging terrible things and I care much for thinking about such things. Hopefully the dealer won't try to lowball your trade in value due to steering issues.

Ah Bob, the date code is pretty much the week and year the tire was made. I actually commend the fact that it is required. Not too typical to have such transparency with anything anymore. It should be required on BOTH sides of the tire. Every tire I have ever bought from tire rack was less than 2 months old, most about 4-6 weeks. Fresher than the old sneakers that sit around in tire stores.

Oh, Jim, welcome to the Lexus Owners Club. I can't believe how much people here have helped me out over the past years.

Thank you. Before electric steering was ever installed on vehicles, this very issue was discussed. Probably over half the people still would prefer hydraulic. I actually like the electric steering, well at least until I heard your problem. I sincerely hope they are able to determine why this happened. With how things work out in the world, you may have just saved lives. You never know which is why I follow the old "better safe than sorry' mantra. Good luck Denny

Not the right code Billy. The date code is impressed into the tire and the letters DOT(and)#### poke outward from the impression Since the date code is only on one side of each tire, sometimes they mount the date code (ignorance or deceit) facing inward. Look at another tires. Bring a flashlight and your strongest reading glasses, ain't that big.

As luck would have it, there is more than one O2 sensor. Some cars have even more than 2.

I have purchased several sets of headlight through Amazon, called Eagle Eyes. Awesome units, very reasonable ($60-$120 a set/avg) and easy to install for anyone who has the basic tools. I have also purchased mirrors on Amazon. I guess if you can't find it on Amazon, it might not exist. Tried to buy Weather Tech floor liners for my 1999 Corolla (the most sold car in the World) and they don't offer them. Weird.

Jim, Questons: - is it possible for the steering failure to re-appear? - could the steering fail while driving the car? - is it safe to drive at all? - YES it is possible for it to reappear. - YES the steering could fail while driving car - NO it is NOT safe to drive the car until you establish exactly why failed. This is VERY serious problem. I would get in touch with Lexus Corporate Consumer Safety and explain this to them. My car has the electric steering and what you said scared me. I also would be afraid to drive the car and it makes me question the safety of mine. Please follow up with this and let us know. Make sure sure notify all parties and keep documentation so if you need to threaten a lawsuit, prior facts will be established and documented. Sending by email is an excellent way. Be safe, Denny

Doesn't the car have staggered tires? Perhaps someone along the way decided to use 4 tires the same as they got a deal or whatever.. Not sure if previous models used the staggered setup but? Maybe put the tires sizes on your car on here.

also illegal I'm sure to sell expired tires. Every passenger tire since the mid 1990's has a date code embedded in the sidewall. Look for where it is stamped DOT#### the four numbers indicate the week and year the tire was manufactured. The first two numbers are the week, the second two the year. IF the tire only has three numbers, it was made in the 1990's and you don't want them. Tires do expire, it's just most people don't know about it yet. Tires more than 5 years old, regardless of the tread, are almost expired. Sometimes buying those long running 90,000 mile warranty tires is a bad move because if you don't drive much, they will date expire long before the treadwear does. I'd upgrade a tick to 235/60-16's Having bought many, many sets of tires I would give a nod to the Good Year Assurance tires. Very nice driving and very smooth. I also run several other brands. I stay away from Michelin tires because they last too long and you end up driving around for years on hard rubber.

Hi Joe, master cylinder replacement is not nearly as formidable a task as it initially appears. Actually, a rather simple job IF you follow the right procedure. Pretty much, bench bleed new master cylinder completely or it won't work. Bench bleeding involves hooking up two clear plastic lines the the brake line attachment points and then with the top off and the master cylinder in a bench vise, putting the lines into the fluid chamber so they are submerged. With both chambers filled to almost the top with NEW DOT4 fluid, take a small dowel rod and gently start pushing the piston in until the fluid flows. Many people either do not bench bleed or do not bleed completely and then the brakes will not work even if you bleed the lines for days. One the new master cylinder is bled, install the top and close the lines. THEN, remove the old master cylinder from the car. This cuts down on the fluid leaking and minimizes air getting into the lines. After you have everything installed. bleed all four corner in this order. RR, LR, RF, LF. This should give you a hard pedal. If you watch YouTube videos, you can find out how to repair anything. I love it for that. Again, welcome and yeah on Hendrix. Denny THINGS TO CONSIDER After working on any of the brake parts, TEST that the brakes actually work before you attempt to drive the car. Watched my neighbor replace the brake pads on his Cadillac. Got it all back together and backed out of the driveway and the pedal went clear to the floor (kind of like stepping on a plum) so the car continued backwards, across the street and bashed into a pear tree in my next door neighbors front years. Put a big dent in the Cadillac and scraped the tree. Have someone help you. They have brake kits that make it so you can bleed brakes with one person, but I use 2 people as it is much easier. Brake fluid will RUIN paint. Don't let it get on any painted surface. Brake fluid absorbs moisture wicked fast so try not to leave it exposed any longer than necessary. Use jack stands. NEVER trust a jack. Use the tire is nothing else is available. It doesn't have to sit on it but rather to catch a falling vehicle instead of your legs.

Most interesting comment that the main reason for the SUV vehicles was higher view of the road, and the feeling of more control and visibility. Back when everybody drove cars, you didn't need a higher up vehicle but once the minivan and pickup thing started it was bigger and higher up. My wife likes that hence her RAV4. While the "higher view" and "visibility" parts are true, the "more control" part is certainly false. If higher up vehicles had better control wouldn't race cars all be higher up? No, the main sacrifice you make with SUV's is the handling which I why I drive cars. While I can't see squat and the visibility may be less, but there certainly is much more control.

87 in that? Suppose to take 93. That is why fuel economy is at 15 because computer degrades performance to not damage engine. You should get at least 19 even with flatfooting

The Idle Air Controls (ICL) tend to gum up and that is what supports your idle control as it adds fuel to idle (until it gums up) to make car idle well. Not an easy thing to remove as it is under the throttle body so I take of the air tubing and spray cleaner in the inlet where I saw on youtube and it works for awhile, Not a bad idea to add some seafoam or another good fuel system clear either. Not that unusual a problem on these with miles.

Catalytic converters come with a 10 year warranty by law. Hurry up.

$1900 is more than it is worth. The temperature should run slightly under half so 3/4 indicates to me that a problem has occured. The trunk wire thing is real common on the early LS400's and since there are several wires, I have heard of (and experienced) all kinds of problems with that situation. Took me a long time to unwind all the old, black sticky tape but there it was, bigger than Dallas, two broken wires and one about to break. I added extra length and then left it kind of loose since my first repair tore after I forced it back into the channel. Hey, put your location on, it really helps with helping you. Denny

Hey Joe, (no Woodstock infliction intended there) Myself? I'd not play around and replace the calipers because ike snow tires for people in your region, new calipers are pretty inexpensive when compared to accidents. I have the same car and the pedal is hard and firm without any of the excessive travel you are experiencing so your is not normal. Back in the olden days with drum brakes, the self adjusters just never worked much in the salt zones so as the shoes wore, the pedal was lower and lower. Now, with disc brakes, if the pedal is lower, there is a possibility that it is caused by a problem in the master cylinder but that is only is all the other components are good. Salt is terrible stuff for vehicles. Check Bap Geon for caliper prices, got a rear one with lifetime warranty for my LS400 for $94 and easy to install. Good luck and thanks for being an LOC'er Denny Denny

I have a Garmin which is rather old yet it still works better than the built in nav. Garmin products are good but since the really good one I bought did not have updates or traffic, it would cost more to update than it cost. I'm not sure why they ever sold them without map updates, but they did and now they are dangerous as it once told me to turn over a light rail track in NJ and the train almost got me. Google maps works better than anything you can buy at about any price. I also use the WAZE and Phantom Alert apps.

And yes Mohammad, thanks so much for coming back. Very nice to have opinions and thoughts from many people. You have the same name as my brother-in-law from Egypt. Taxi in NYC for 30 years and has scared Navy pilots with his driving. Like I said, life in the big city. Denny

yes, chipped electronically to limit to speed. Like a rev limiter in F1. Ahh, the rules, can't go over 85mph which makes me feel bad for you. In Virginia, anything over 80 is reckless driving which is only one step lower than drunk driving. Wish I had your car in Saudi.

That means the problem is fixed, we just don't know what it was. Life in the big citty.

My wife (the only SUV type liker we have) does not like the new Lexus design. She said it looks like a Venza and said she'll stick with her RAV4 Limited. Talk about a big savings? Thanks