1990LS400

I think you are talking about the 95-00 LS400. The gen 1 (90-94) LS400 is different.

Instructions are at http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/lighting/upperstoplight.html

From my 272,500 miles experience driving Lexus LS cars, shock absorbers on LS cars usually last over 200,000 miles. Why do you think your car needs new shocks? Usually other suspension parts on these cars wear out far sooner than the shock absorbers. 110,000 miles is a little early for any suspension parts to need replacing except for strut rod bushings which are usually the first suspension component to fail on a 98-00 LS like I have -- not sure if the 95-97 LS is similarly affected.

It would have been better for you to start a new thread in the SC 400/300 section of the forum rather than to add your question to a thread from over six years ago in the LS400 forum section. To answer your question, any number of problems could cause your car to suddenly run poorly. Check for stored problem codes using a code reader. People on forums have said that chain auto repair stores will read codes for you. Once you know what error codes are stored, the problem can be attached in a logical way and repaired at the lowest cost.

I guess disconnecting the battery is worth a try. You will find out quick enough, after reconnecting the battery, if the tiny "you're screwed" light to the top right of the radio display window lights up or if the display reverts to "Err1" meaning you have another 8 or 9 tries. By the way, there is no default security code - key code, vin or otherwise. The security code is not set at the factory and was not supposed to be set by the dealer when the car was sold new. If you get this working again, cancel the security code and never set it again. I set the security code on my 90 LS radio once shortly after I bought it in 1990 (just to see how it worked) but canceled it a few minutes later and never set it again during the remaining 13+ years I owned the car. I doubt if you have to worry about theft -- who's going to steal a 16-17 year old car radio?

Yes, the dealer can delete the lost key from your car's system. You don't need to buy two new keys or replace the computer. You are OK as long as you still have one key. Don't know the cost these days -- I'd guess about $250. You might consider waiting in case your lost key turns up or go ahead and get a new key and you will have an extra if you find the lost one. My lost key was found a few days after I bought a new key from the dealer but it's nice knowing I have that third extra key.

St. Louis :) I can't help you with a shop in St. Louis but you might ask around to see where others are taking their Lexus cars for service. See another Lexus at a gas station? -- ask where he/she has their car serviced.

Maybe your cell phone charger has gone bad - they sometimes do ... just had to replace the car charger for the wife's Crackberry. DC current usually charges a cell phone very quickly and much quicker than an AC charger. You might want to check the DC charger's output. Some of the "universal" mini-USB DC phone chargers put out only half the current of others. IMO, it is a very bad idea to hot wire the aux power plug to be hot all the time just so you can charge a cell phone. If you want to try something like that, just get a decent high output cell phone charger, wire it directly to the always hot terminal of the ignition switch and leave the aux power port alone. Our phone charging cradles are "hot" all the time and they are wired directly to the ignition switch ... but we would never leave the phones in the cradle even overnight and run down the car battery.

Check out brackets from Pro.Fit and other bracket companies. There are a variety of adapters to make almost any GPS fit a bracket and to position it like you want. Photos and install information for the Magellan in my LS and Garmin in our Camry are in my gallery: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showuser=2157&tab=gallery Even if a bracket is not listed for your specific model and year doesn't mean it won't fit. The main benefits of using a bracket is to get the GPS off the windshield where it is hard to reach and where sunlight can wash out the display. It won't look as good as OEM in-dash but it sure is handy.

Don't forget about independent repair shops. The one I've used for the past 14 years here in the Kansas City area is head and shoulders above the two local Lexus dealer locations. Both the owner and his primary mechanic were formerly employed by the Lexus dealer. What part of Missouri?

Are there any stored error codes?

See attached diagram -- both knock sensors are highlighted.

I agree completely. Even when new the brake pedals on these cars are a little mushy. I've always considered it a "design feature" -- a bit like the ashtrays that glide open slowly. Stainless steel brake lines aren't going to do squat. If there is excess "mush", it's something else.

Did you get the 215/55VR17 size that originally came on your car? These days, that's not considered to be a very low profile tire and a tire that size is no more difficult to install and balance than tires with a slightly higher profile. It sounds like your tire tech is blowing smoke. The balancing was probably done improperly. It is also possible but very unlikely that one of your new tires is defective. Are your tire pressures at or just above the pressure figures shown on the door jam of your car? Tire pressure makes a huge difference in ride comfort. Keep them at or just above the minimum recommended pressure on the door jam for the most comfortable ride. I have Michelin Primacy MXV4, new this Spring, on my 2000 LS and they are fairly soft riding tires compared to the "ultra high performance summer" Bridgestone tires they replaced and the Bridgestone 5000 Sport tires that were original equipment on the car. The Primacy MXV4 has been rated #1 or #2 in the owner ratings I've seen. If you can't get a decent balance from "Mr. Tire", you might need to go somewhere else.

There is a diagnostic procedure in the repair manual set for your car. If your shop doesn't have the instructions or know how to generically diagnose this kind of problem then it's hard to say if they can tell you what the real problem is. Sometimes a Lexus dealer or a shop specializing in Lexus is your best bet.

Click on the "Proceed to " link at the bottom of this page: http://www.senecac.on.ca/library/resources/ebsco_arrc.html The TSIB you want is on the ARRC website but in a format that can not be downloaded.

Check to see if there are any stored problem codes. It's routine for the TRAC/VSC warning light to come on with the CEL. A number of problems can cause these warning lights so it's pointless to speculate. What model year? Consider putting your model year in with your Car Model in your profile -- i.e 199x SC300. Problems that effect early models don't effect the later ones and vice versa.

Check your owners manual but I'm pretty sure that battery size 24F is the correct size for LS400's of all model years. If you have extra space around your current battery, maybe it is the wrong size. If a decent 24F battery isn't enough with your sound system, maybe you have a problem with alternator output or something else is wrong with the charging system.

You might as well go ahead and pay your money and register to see the information you need: https://techinfo.toyota.com/ You're getting into some serious and potentially dangerous areas.

Assuming it's one of the two speed sensors on the transmission and not one of the ABS/VSC speed sensors at each wheel, the attachments should tell you what you want to know.

Well then, you might want to stop saying one thing on one occasion and then arguing the opposite on another. Don't blame me for quoting one of your memorable past posts that conflicts with the information you posted in this thread. That you posted completely conflicting information makes it look like you are trying to pick fights with people. And you used the word "stupid" to describe other people's opinions. Calling people "stupid" is not appropriate on Internet forums - automotive or otherwise - or in "real" life. And you have "flamed" people in past; it was inappropriate then and it is now. What has particularly caught my attention was that a member of another automotive forum - who happened to also have member name "RDM" - was reprimanded and apparently expelled (member name and all his posts deleted) in the past year or so for similar behavior. The content and tone of your posts on this forum seem similar to those from the banished RDM on the other forum. Are you the same person?

I found your post after your request by PM so here is the doc you asked for that describes how to test the PPS and TPS. sf-36.pdf

There is an interesting post from RDM on 28 February 2006: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=27976&st=0&p=181971&fromsearch=1entry181971 I quote from what RDM wrote back then in case he edits his old post to destroy the evidence :chairshot: : "2) PS pump- Are reman pumps just crap for these cars? I'm on my second, fully flushed both times and filled with fresh ATF, and now the third one is whining when it's cold out. Again I don't mind paying more money if it's going to fix it because it's a pain to swap it once a month, even if it's not costing me anything but time. Lexus quoted me substaintially more for an OE pump but did not offer any kind of gaurantee other than '90 days or so'. " Hmmm, sounds like RDM's experience with gen 1 PS pumps on his 92 LS has been similar to what mine was on my 90 LS.

RDM, you are missing my point. Back in the 1990's a new or rebuilt PS pump (don't remember which) failed suddenly and seriously without warning and PS fluid starting pouring on to my alternator. I was far from a Lexus dealer or repair shop and immediately started out on a Saturday morning to drive almost 200 miles to the nearest Lexus dealer. I didn't make it. This was in the days before there were pocket size cell phones and by the time the car battery had drained almost completely and caused the engine to die at 70 mph, I had only a few seconds of car batter power left to call a tow truck on the fixed phone in the console. It was not a fun experience and one I would never care to repeat. Maybe the rebuilt kits or replacement PS pumps for the gen 1 LS400 available more recently have addressed the problems and last longer but I went through a bunch of new and rebult PS pumps during the 13 1/2 years I drove the 90 LS before I sold it 2003. It's great that your rebuilt PS pump has made it five years. I wish some of mine had.

I don't know if will help but the following thread has a TSIB I supplied in 2008 which has drawings of both the tilt and telescope motor assemblies on the 99-00 LS400: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=52466&st=0&p=338068&hl=%20tilt%20%20TSIB&fromsearch=1entry338068 The drawings seem to be quite detailed if you zoom in on them. I was lucky that my 00 LS was about the 6,000th car assembled after the revised tilt and telescope motors were implemented at the factory.