Keith Richards

Thanks for the input. I've found only one (99.00) on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/97-lexus-es...s#ht_500wt_1182 The seller, however, does not ship internationally. :(

I've been having an intermittent issue in my 98 ES300 Door Lock Sensor Switch (driver's door). The lock system and the alarm activation operate normally, but sometimes the sensor in the lock actuator is unable to deactivate the alarm and makes it to set off. Since it only happens with the driver's side lock, I have been unlocking the car with the key in the passenger's door. Is there any way to fix this problem without having to buy the very expensive Lexus lock actuator?

I completely agree with that. And since almost everybody has a laptop nowadays, I'd suggest you to take a look at http://www.scantool.net/obdlink-ci.html I used to scan the ECU of my old 94 Camry V6 with a cheap clone made in China and it worked smoothly. However, it does not work in my 98 ES300 due to its old firmware; but this is a kind of issue that you certainly will not find in the original US made OBDLink - Ci Scan tool. With a system like this you will be able to read DTCs , to clear warning lights and to monitor several real time engine parameters. Furthermore, it's a great toy to play with!

Just an update: after spraying silicone lubricant inside the right strut mount, the morning front end metal-like rattling went away. Amazing! However... a thumping sound when driving over wavy roads is now easily noticeable. So, I've made up my mind: I'm going to replace the strut mount with an OEM part and see what happens.

Thank you! That would be great, haha. Actually, I have only a few thoughts on what this problem might be. I tried to find an answer in this forum and I come across to http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=35502 The former owner replaced all the struts 2 years and 3,000 miles ago using OEM Toyota parts (I have the receipt). My mechanic thinks the problem may be the sway bar links or the sway bar bushings, but I still have my doubts because the noise is noticeable only in the morning for about 30 min.

Hi all. Greetings from Brazil! This is my first post and I'd like to thank all of you who have been keeping this forum alive with lots of helpful information. So I've got my first Lexus. It's an ES300, 98, which cost US$ 18,000. Imported cars are very expensive around here. A brand new ES350, for example, costs US$ 120,000 ! My car is in mint condition, very well maintened over the last 11 years and 40,000 miles, absolutely perfect, except for... yes, a right front end clunking noise for about 30 minutes in the morning. It's quite weird because it goes away after that. So my questions are: For how long does the "lube solution", as proposed by Eric Cheung, has generally fixed this problem? Should I replace the strut mounts once and for all? Keith