W201 sweden

I've searched and searched, and I came to the conclusion: Since nobody mentions removal of a plug in the converter at oil change, there is no such plug! I'll just have to empty the tranny oil pan a number of times. Every regular maitenance I'll get a couple of liters of fresh oil in. /Alexander from Sweden

Thanks for all the information! Really impressive pictures you got there... As I said, my car HAS already been repainted once. That job was probably done by somebody can paint, but not mix the stuff. The finish looks OK for any normal car, but Lexus standard? I believe no. There IS some kind of problem with the paint, since it is very sensitive, and does not respond well to anything. Just washing the car gently scratches it, and some bird dropping corroded the paint severly. I mean BAD - repainting BAD... Gentle rubbing with a good silicone free polish will only make it look "foggy", and there was no way I could polish that corrosion away. I've been working with cars for many years, and I've been getting very good results when detailing my previous cars, but this one needs some TLC and Sikkens, I believe. Oh, and here she is (at the dealer where I bought her): There should be a picture, I hope? I have more pictures if you want.

I have Z rated Bridgestone Potenza (made in Poland...) on my -95 LS, and I find them too noisy, at least on Swedish roads. Probably the Bridgestone guys did all the test driving in Germany, on the very smooth autobahn... ;)

Hello all you excellent board members! :) (Extra good mood today - I slightly unexpectedley got $1200 tax money back...) as so many of you already told me, the LS - seems to be a keeper. ^_^ So now I'm thinking of rectifieing some of the deeds of the previous owner. (Wealthy, careless family with dito careless kids...) My -95 LS is black, and has been repainted very shortly before my purchase. (Which I of course saw, and since finish was not perfect, I got the price lowered accordingly!) ;) So, I have a car without visible corrosion, no new dents, but some visible traces of damages not perfectly fixed before the paint. But I have couple of questions regarding the finish and coating. What kind of surface finish was on the original paint on a -95 LS? Most new cars today (MB included) have terrible, orange peel like top structure, don't you agree? On my repainted car, finish is better, but there is some of that orange peel look to mine too. But when I check the original, factory paint job in doors etc, the finish is almost as good as on old vintage cars with "cellulose paint". (I tried to find an english translation - not sure I got it right.) Was it originally mirror-like finish on my car, and did it also have some clear coating on top of the actual paint? (When you polish your car, will (or won't) the paint bleed slightly to the towel/rag/whatever? /Alexander from Sweden

I strongly believe in using high quality oils and filters for all cars, both Lexus and "lesser"... ;) Good base oils with good "additive packages" cost more, but you WILL have less problems with sticky lifters and rings, sludge, wear etc. The "sea foam" product is, AFAIK, not available in Sweden, but I know people that have fixed (at least temporarily) leaky power steerings with some of the Omega Oil products. I have personally used Swepco products for almost 15 years in my old cars, ie SAAB turbos (even for tuned engines) Mercedes, and lately in my Lexus. I have never had ANY oil related problems, and these oils clean up the engine inside. I drive at LEAST 10.000 km (6500miles) but often the double between changes, and still engines in my used cars get cleaner and better, the further I drive. :) When I bought my Mercedes, it used 5 liters of Swepco oil (1gal+1qt) over the first 6000km. Then consumption started to go down rapidly. Now, 55.000km later, I add 1(!) liter between changes at approx 10 000miles. The Swepco oil released stuck piston rings, I guess, and they went back to actually sealing... :) /Alexander from Sweden

mann777 said: "Ah, the ethanol blended gasoline. What a sucky product if ever there was one. Good for the environment...?... probably. Maybe Good for the SUVs, but I don't think so suited for the LS . That crap picks up water in the tank and flows it through the fuel system; putting water in contact with lines and components that are not designed to be exposed to it." I think you need some more information before you make up your mind! Adding ethanol to the gasoline is actually very good, even from a technical point of view! (By the way - in what way should there be a difference between a SUV and a normal car?) <_< Alcohol will bind the polar water molecules to the non-polar carbon/hydrogen in the fuel. This means it will PREVENT free (destructive and corrosive) water in your fuel system!!! In the cold swedish winter, adding alcohol to fuel is normal to prevent ice blocking in the carburator nozzles (old cars). The extra oxygen atoms in the alcohol also INCREASES combustion efficiency, as it reacts with the complex gasoline molecules. Adding alcohol also INCREASES the octane rating, giving you a fuel that is less prone to pre-detonation. The E85 fuel (with 85% ethanol and 14% gasoline) available alongside normal 95 and 98 unleaded in Sweden has an impressive minimum 104 RON!!! B) (Very good for turbo cars...) On the downside, ethanol is a bit lower in "energy density". 1,0 liter "pure" gasoline corresponds to approx. 1,3 liter ethanol. A car run on pure alcohol will have higher fuel consumption - given there are no changes done to the engine. But the higher octane rating of ethanol will allow for a higher compression ratio, which will increase the efficiency of the engine, thus decreasing the gap between gasoline and alcohol. Adding up to approx 15% of ethanol will not degrade fuel consumption - the available extra oxygen with it's the increased efficiency will compensate the lower energy contens in the ethanol. Technical note: not all materials are OK with pure/high concentration alcohol, especially methanol, which is very aggresive. But blending 10% or so of ethanol will not harm your car! Some contries in Europe have had blended fuel for several years - no problems. /Alexander

Not much serious information in this post, but... A month ago or so, I was driving home from work very late. Cruising peacefully on the almost empty highway (the LS sure makes you a relaxed driver), I was approached from rear by a SAAB. For those who don't know it - eh that would probably be most of you - I'm an avid SAAB fan. Anything SAAB between -70 and -96 has a special place in my heart. OK, this charcoal grey SAAB 900 turbo16 AERO from -91 or so, was oozing (?) street tuning. Lowered, clear corners, sport exhaust etc. Three younger kids in it. B) I know these turbo SAABs to be real performers in between 70 and 150 km/h, especially if you concider the 2.0 liter capacity. It is also VERY easy to tune them, and 230 hp (from 175 stock) is normal in these cars. These kids passed me slowly, not very interested in my boring car. :whistles: So I increased my speed a bit, and passed them - shall we dance? The driver accelerated past me again, now with a bit more attitude. We where now doing 150 km/h (93mph) or so. I passed him again (anyone seeing a pattern here), still not flooring the LS, and levelled off in 175 km/h (110mph). THEN, after some seconds, I saw him in my mirror, coming REALLY fast - a lot faster than me. :o Of course I floored it, and sure the LS responded. Kick down, and the big invisble hand pushed my car from behind like a force of nature. (One of the smaller natural forces, that is...) The SAAB grew bigger in my mirror, showed up next to me, and STARTED to pass me. But he never came past. I'm still impressed today, that my car, accelerating from much lower speed could catch up with his "rolling" speed so easily. I was at 210 km/h (131 mph) at no time, it felt! And just to really show him my rear lights, I kept going for some more seconds. :D I left him SOOO behind, and 210 km/h is very far from the top speed in my car, I can tell you that! /Alexander from Sweden

So, it's finally over... again... ;) Well seriously, congratulations! Just one short (and perhaps stupid - but I'm a swede...:whistles:) question: Drive shaft? Does it mean the single shaft (propeller shaft?) from gearbox to differential, or one of the shafts from differential to wheel hub? Oh, by the way... Every time I read your signature with all the parts, I KNOW I will have to replace them all in my car too. Seriosly. :cries: Vibration in seats and steering wheel at stops (motor mounts), some play in steering (rack), drivetrain vibration = shaft and bushings, softened bushings everywhere = wandering etc etc. I guess I'm just too sensitve - should go back to moped again. /Alexander the swede

Brilliant! :) I will PM a couple of brake numbers to add to the list, as soon as I checked my workshop bill! /Alexander from Sweden

Hello! /Alexander from Sweden

Yes, SKperformance - that's exactly why a pro/skilled technician should check it out. Neither you or I can diagnose and "repair" HIS car with 100% accuracy without actually BEING there? ;) There are so many better "starters" for DIY, so why start messing with such important stuff? B) By the way, SKperformance; Nice pics of your car! B) /Alexander from Sweden

Hello Leximus! I hope I don't sound rude or offending, but judging by your previous post, I'd say you ought to leave this to a professional! B) Suspension, steering and brakes are too important to handle for the less experienced person - in my opinion. Perhaps you can still participate during the repair, and pick up some more info for the future? :) best regards, Alexander from Sweden

Hi there and welcome! Well, a black -95 LS 400, I've got one too... B) With tan interior, though. Schedule for some serious "forum" time, and search through this great forum! The "signal to noise" ratio here is very good - so many good posts by friendly people, and so little aggression! :) Except from regular maintenance, these car seem to benefit from preventive fluid exchange in steering pump. (Can save major $$$.) Hood struts, engine mounts and suspension bushings also age, and may soon need to be replaced on your car? Some cars (mine included) have vibration problems from differential, drive shafts or propeller shaft. /Alexander from Sweden

Personally I would not mind parking it next to "Big Brother" LS in my driveway! B) I think the design is organic, balanced and timeless. Very much unlike many of the "flavour of the day" designs that dominate within small cars today. I also find the interior very appealing, and I would feel right at home, moving from the LS. What a difference from the digital, gizmo laden and ugly interior in for instance the new Yaris or in the new Civic. Perhaps there is some "Euro-taste" vs "US-taste"? /Alexander from Sweden

Thanks SKperformance! I tried reprogramming according to instructions (for a -96) I found on the board, but it did not work. (The cycling of the locks never started.) Is there perhaps a difference between -95 (my car) and -96, or a difference between US and Euro spec? Lights and seat belts are different, so why not the locks? :) /Alexander from Sweden

Hi guys. My -95 LS 400 is broken again. :( OK, a minor trouble, but annoying... The remote will not open the boot lid, but if I use the lever on the facia, it works perfectly. (Indicating there is nothing wrong with the boot lid wire and solenoid itself.) I've checked the key controlled "disable" switch on the facia, and it is working. (If I use it, the facia lever also disconnects.) The lock/unlock door switches on both my remotes work perfectly - no problem there. There are also no burned fuses what I can see. Is there a resetting procedure for this problem??? Can anybody help? If so - it would be greatly appreciated! /Alexander from Sweden

Thanks for all the funny replies! :D LOL :D I was not sure about your opinions, or whether you got this magazine at all. But judging by the responses, it HAS to be the same extremely unprovocing (word?) exclusive mag we are discussing :) But it still LOOKS good on the sofa table! Sorry, gotta go now... still have two unread pages left in the latest issue!!! ;) /Alexander from Sweden

Just out of curiousity; is there an official Lexus magazine in US? Printed and sent out by Lexus, to car owners, and not available in shops? And if so, do you ALL get it, or only those that have cars younger than X years? I was pleasantly surprised to see, that I get such a magazine (2 issues so far - in english BTW) from the Swedish Lexus organisation, in spite of my car being 11 years old. :) Although I probably would not by such a "slick" (?) magazine otherwise (it's very superficial) it is still a nice touch from the Lexus people. /Alexander from Sweden

Bringing this one up again... It wanders slightly on the highway, feels unsecure at speed due to some sloppiness in the rear end, and is sensitive to side winds etc. Feels like WAY too low tire pressure. Get the picture? :) IT IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE SHOCK ABSORBERS COMPRESSION/REBOUND OR "FIRMNESS" IN SPRINGS! (did wwest get this? ;) ) The bushings and links in the suspension are probably the root cause, but where to start? best regards, Alexander from Sweden

The same "drivetrain vibration during acceleration and heavy load" gremlin lives in my -95 LS too... :( I have not started trouble shooting yet, but I will get back with whatever findings I make. For what it's worth - on the W210 Mercedes E-class with the 2.4 V6, the prop shaft was too weak. We had some owners that complained about symptoms similar to what we are dealing with here, and we tried "everything". At last we swapped the prop shaft, and put in the thicker one used in W210 3.2 V6. Tada, problem gone. Over engineered Mercedes Benz - my a**... ;) /Alexander from Sweden

Welcome to us! Regarding the front end vibration, du you have the original rims or some aftermarket ones? If you change the ET (offset) and steering geometry (which happens with some rims), your car can get a LOT more sensitive to tire balancing, even to the point of getting "impossible" to get right. I sure can tell from my own experience - the aftermarket wheels (bought by previous owner) makes a difference on my -95 LS. And SKperformance has a good point; make sure your garage does not have a problem with their balancing machine - such machines can also be "off"... best regards, Alexander from Sweden

Thanks for the reply wwest, although I feel we discuss different things here? I guess I need to add some more info? I've been a professional car tech, with several years of experience, althogh not from Lexus. I've also tested other similar LS cars, though they are very rare in Sweden - you will see at least 20 Mercedes S-Klasse for each LS... <_< There is an actual wear/problem in MY car. This phenomena was not to be found in the other LS:es I tried. It is also VERY clearly not a breaking problem, trust me. I just wonder WHERE to start, when I rebuild/adjust my suspension? Instead of going wild, and spend a fortune on replacing every link and bushing, I whish some "usual suspects" in the suspension. Perhaps we have someone in this forum who has been through this process? And by the way, the Polish made Bridgestones are far from Michelins, and they have a rather annoying noise. I use them because they are new, and came with the car. Perhaps the Bridgestone tyres in US are made to a different spec, the Michelins surely differ from the "originals" made in Europe. /Alexander from Sweden

I hope that was a joke? <_< The problem is hardly related to the air struts per se, as far as I understand, and there is no way the car felt like this when new. The cars with air suspension handle better in high speeds, than those with the soft conventional suspension. I tried a couple of other LS 400 before I settled for this one, and they both behaved better on the road. The tyres are currently nearly new Z-rated Bridgestone Turanza ER 300, but it was the same with worn out Blizzaks (mounted when I bought it) and almost worn out Continental Winter tyres. /Alexander

Hi guys! My LS does not handle as well as its supposed to. When changing lanes on the high way, there is a certain sloppyness from the rear end, like the bushings were way too soft. In the front end there is a similar feeling, especially during hard breaking, where the car tends to wander sideways. There is no obvious leakage in the air system, and NO noise from the suspension. And it passed the annual mandantory "govermental inspection" without remarks, as well as the service at Toyota/Lexus dealer. Also, once the car has "settled" during cornering, it feels very "tight" and responsive for it's size. The problem is more pronounced with my summer tyres on, 1/2 wider rims and 10 mm more protrusion compared to std rims. The tyres seems to wear evenly. Where do I start? /Alexander

As a former Mercedes empoyee, (quit 4 years ago...) I have seen a lot of sad or angry MB-owners. One problem is that German car makers (not just MB) tend to "think in a different way", especially when it comes to dealing with electrical design. For instance Volvo and SAAB also use Bosch component and systems, but they do it "by the book". When you find these systems in a MB, you can be sure MB has not stayed with the original concept. For instance, the windshield washer pump on the W203 C-class is always "presented with" (?) voltage. The actual on/off manouvre of the pump is done by a relay box changing the CURRENT going to the motor, there is always 13 Volts on it... WHY??? Or the air flow meter in the newer motors, that is not supervised? ECU in other brands with this Bosch system will tell you if this component is defective, but not in a MB. There is also the strange discrepancy between different technology generations in the same car. The W124 (old E-class) was available with an overly complex "ECC" and an advanced slip and slide limiting system (the ASR which is still up to date today) while it still had the overly complex and unmodern KE fuel system. One leg was way ahead of competition, one lag dragging many years behind... my 2 cents... /Alexander