1990LS400

I don't want to offend anyone but I would avoid LS400s before the 1995 model year if only to avoid the pathetic headlights on the 90-94. You should be able to find a decent 95 LS near or below your $6,000 target. The 95-97 LS400 is so much nicer and roomier than the 90-94. OK, if I really, really had to go earlier than 1995, I would stay with a 1993 or 1994 -- vast improvements over the 90-92 LS including decent size tires that allow the car to actually stop within a safe distance. I see nice, older LS400s every day around the Kansas City metro. I can hardly drive the two miles to the grocery store here in Lenexa, Kansas without seeing at least one. Maybe you can have someone in your area help you look. In 2003, after driving my 1990 LS400 for 13 1/2 years, I asked my repair shop owner on a Friday afternoon to help me find a 2000 LS400. I gave him very specific specifications including color. He located a car even better than what I wanted within three hours. I bought it on the spot and sold my 90 LS a few weeks later to a friend. Maybe I was lucky.

It's been years since anyone has asked about the old Lexus Link system on any of the Lexus forums in which I participate. I suspect this is a question for a Lexus dealer -- don't be surprised if they give you a blank look. Or call Lexus corporate customer service. My guess is that the message is on some sort of ROM chip. Lexus actively promoted having customers have the old Lexus Link removed from their cars and gave them a deadline. The wanted the system to just go away. To give you an example... In 2003 I asked the local Lexus dealer about the cell phone system in the 2000 LS400 like I have. This was almost exactly three years after the in-service date of my car but Lexus had withdrawn all support of the phone systems they sold only three years earlier. The dealer claimed that they had discarded all documentation about the cell phone systems. They didn't care. If you want to read about your old Lexus Link system, there may still be repair and technical information about it at https://techinfo.toyota.com A one day subscription is $10.

Lexus had a program to remove the old Lexus Link at no cost but think the program expired several years ago. You might check with your Lexus dealer. Pocket size digital recorders are extremely inexpensive -- I've even seen them as "giveaways" at conferences. I don't know where they are but I've got at least two that fit on a key ring. I found several by googling for "pocket recorder". I've seen really simple ones like I have for a dollar or two.

It looks to me that the Navtool products for the 98-00 Lexus only do the video. Audio has to be done through an FM modulator or FM transmitter. The Navtool wouldn't help connect an iPod.

The http://www.lexus.ca website says its part of the $8,450 Ultra Premium Package option: Options ULTRA PREMIUM PACKAGE Vehicle Including Option Package $62,100.00 * AM/FM Stereo Cassette, Compact Disc DVD Autochanger Mark Levinson Audio Rear Seat DVD Entertainment System 11 Speakers Audio and DVD Remote Control Rear Audio Joystick Controls 2 sets of Wireless Headphones for RSA/RSE 9-inch Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Rear Monitor DVD Based Navigation System

I just now looked and I can see the spinning shaft of the telescope motor pull my steering wheel in and out. I can see this shaft only when the steering wheel is mostly extended -- I'm looking through the crack between the "Column Lower Cover" and the "No. 1 Safety Pad" (see TSIB ST001-04) that gets bigger as the wheel extends. I think you would be able to more easily see this shaft and the telescope motor after removing the black plastic panel that contains the footwell light. I can't tell if it is possible spin the shaft manually and I wouldn't want to try on my car since the telescope feature is working. Here is a web page that shows prices for components in the steering column: http://www.parts.com/lexus/2000-lexus-ls-4...olumn-parts.cfm Not that the problem is necessarily the telescope motor, but I don't see it on this web page. If it is the telescope motor, it looks easy to replace following the TSIB instructions. Do you happen to know anyone with a 98-00 LS400 that you could compare the functioning of the telescope feature with? I'm lucky to have a friend with a 99 LS that is virtually identical to my 00 LS -- For example, I determined which component of my Nakamichi system was malfunctioning by swapping components into his car. If you can't determine which component is preventing the telescope feature from working, can you have a repair shop or the dealer at least determine the cause of the problem? I suppose it is possible that some component is binding -- maybe from lack of use -- and that a well placed small shot of clear silicon spray could help. Avoid using WD40, though -- it's evil and can gum up components and cause nasty stains if used in the car's interior.

I think I have posted all the TSIB documents on tilt/telecope issues on the 98-00 LS400 -- there were several including one that replaced both the tilt and telescope motors and other parts. TSIB work is done at no cost usually only while a car is within warranty. Unfortunately, the problems usually don't arise until a car is out of warranty. A coworker checked about a year ago on having the TSIB work done to replace the motors on his 99 LS -- $1500 sticks in my mind. Attached are two TSIBs that I can lay my hands on right now. If you are lucky and can get the steering wheel to where you normally want it while driving, you can have the dealer turn off the automatic tilt/telescope feature with a handheld scanner. Maybe the telescope motor will free up over time if you play with the switch. It sometimes happens. Maybe it's a good that I have gorilla arms -- knuckles dragging on the pavement. The telescope motor on my car gets used only a few times a year when my wife drives it. Tilt__Telescopic_Steering_Column_TISB.pdf TSIB_ST001_04_Steering_column_noise.pdf

I actually do suspect that those of us who have been financially responsible will end up having to foot most of the bill to bail the U.S. of its current financial mess. It sometimes seems like my wife and I spent the last five years trying to persuade friends and acquaintances to prepare for the current financial meltdown. A few listened and changed their ways but most did not. It's hard for most people to not follow the herd when their government is encouraging them to spend... spend... spend. The most frustrating aspect of this mess for us is how the Clinton administration left a legacy of balanced budgets and declining national debt that was then squandered by the Bush administration with its tax cuts for the wealthy, Iraqi adventure, and "consumer driven economy" fantasies. Deficit spending doesn't work for individuals and it doesn't work for countries. The cows always come home to roost! Economic bubbles are nothing new. Humans are not all that bright a species. The economic cycles of boom and bust will likely never end and it is always going to be up to individuals to decide if they want to thrive or be hurt during these cycles. The next few years are likely to be economically painful for most Americans. In our view, Obama is far and away the best person to unite Americans in dealing with this pain. Lenore has a good point about a need for a "third party". Demographic trends are going to hit the Republican Party like a freight trains over the nex 10 - 20 years. Perhaps the best hope of the Republican Party is to have its "wing nuts" and "religious right" split off into a separate party so that the Republican Party can move back towards the center.

Kevin, Here is a link that shows the options and packages for the 2000 LS400 that was sold on the U.S. mainland: http://www.lexus.com/contact/pdf/2000/2000LSspecs.pdf Maybe you can post some photos and/or tell us exactly how your car is equipped in comparison to what was sold on the mainland. Good luck with your "new" car!

Gosh, I remember people reporting on the forums that when they tried to follow instructions for the 90-94 LS400 to repair tilt/telescope problems on the later LS400 that the internals of the later LS400 were quite different. I owned a 1990 LS400 for over 13 years and I can sure tell you that the tilt motor on the 90 LS was far noisier, even when new, than the tilt motor on my 2000 LS400 which is nearly silent. Also, there was a TSIB on most US spec 99-00 LS400s under which both the tilt and telescope motors were replaced with redesigned units. There were other TSIBs on the tilt/telescope system including one to replace the flexible cable with a U-joint. I'll attach the first TSIB and a second TSIB that shows how the column goes together on a U.S. spec 98-up LS400. It's hard to say how similar RHD and LHD models of the later LS400s are. A co-worker of mine in the U.K. and I found there were very significant differences between his RHD and my LHD gen 1 LS400. Tilt__Telescopic_Steering_Column_TISB.pdf TSIB_ST001_04_Steering_column_noise.pdf

Lenore ... Breath deeply, relax, and maybe take a couple of aspirins and have a nap. If Pelosi calls you again to discuss seizing your 401K, just hang up. ------------------------- Maybe this thread will have to be renamed or a new one started that asks, "Who voted for Obama?" My wife voted last Friday and I voted today. We both voted for Obama. Kansas where we live is considered to be solidly for McCain although I suspect Obama will do better here than predicted and better than Kerry did in 2004 when he carried only two Kansas counties. Before voting for Obama today, I watched a number of McCain's speeches and interviews on Youtube and other video sites. I know McCain has to be tired with all the traveling he has been doing but the number of mistakes he is making during speeches and interviews is appalling. McCain reminds me of Reagan during his final few years in office when Reagan's mental abilities were failing. Knowing how the mental abilities of relatives were effected by chemotherapy got me wondering if McCain had chemo after any of his four cancer surgeries. I understand now why all the fuss is being made about how McCain is using teleprompters to make most speeches while Obama is speaking without notes.

Historically, over the past several thousand years, marriage had little to do with religion. Marriage was primarily an economic agreement between families and existed in one form or another in all cultures without respect to religion or the absence of religion.

You might try searching the GX subforums on this and other Lexus forums for "Bluetooth". I just did a search of GX forums and didn't find examples of where someone integrated a Bluetooth add-on kit into their 04 GX nav screen. I found a number of threads where people added standalone Bluetooth kits to their 04 vehicles. Here is one: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;hl=Bluetooth There are lots of good Bluetooth kits from a variety of companies including Nokia, Motorola and Parrot. It is not all that difficult to hook up a Bluetooth or other phone kit so that at least it mutes the radio when a call is in progress. While most phone kits can be rigged up to play the phone call audio through a radio speaker, many people take the easy route (like me) and just add an external speaker under the dash. Audio quality of an external speaker is just fine. Not that it is the best Bluetooth kit, but I've always been impressed that Lexus and Toyota dealers in Europe and the U.K. sell the Motorola IHF1000 Bluetooth kit as an official accessory. Over there, the IHF1000 dash mounted control unit even has a Lexus or Toyota logo and the kit is available with an optional charging cradle with interchangeable inserts for powering and supplying an external antenna connection to a variety of popular Bluetooth phones.

It's most likely the switch on the brake pedal. I went through 2 or 3 of them in the 13+ years I had a 90 LS. You can shift out of Park by pressing the override switch button by the gear shift lever. Consult your owners manual.

Maybe you can find used GS wheels and even used snow tires on http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/ I sometimes see decent Lexus GS wheels on the Craigslist for my area at bargain prices. If you decide on a style and size, you don't necessarily have to find a complete set. You could buy them one or two at a time. There are advantages in using OEM wheels -- like you can find a replacement if you ever ruin one -- can be difficult with aftermarket wheels. You could buy the 16" wheels that were standard. P225/55R16 winter tires are probably less expensive and would provide more cushion in the winter than 17" tires. I've never used CraigsList but it sure has been interesting watching a friend use it to furnish his big new house at bargain prices.

rbrick, dcfish is, of course, the forum expert but I noticed that there is a substantial price difference between brand new CD changers for the 96 and 98 LS. I wonder if that means that the CD changers are not interchangeable. Did the side air bag deploy during the crash and, if so, do you think it helped? Side air bags were one of the reasons we bought our 98 Camry and 00 LS400 -- I'm curious about how well they really work.

I just reread the original post and have to agree that it is not wise to continually run the A/C in the recirculation mode. Are you running the HVAC in recirculation mode manually? Do you have the HVAC system in "Auto" mode so that recirculation is automatically selected only when the humidity is extremely high or when the pollution sensor senses that the outside air is foul? If you have the HVAC in Auto mode, is your HVAC system staying in recirculation mode too much of the time? If so, I wonder if the air quality sensor is set too high. Look in your owners manual for instructions on how to dial down the sensitivity. If you are in stop and go traffic a lot (I love L.A. and its traffic!), I can see why you or the previous owner set the air quality sensor higher than normal. I did a search for "smell" and did find a few threads about a musty smell. Here is one: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...90&hl=smell I haven't been to L.A. in a few years but, based on watching the news, it seemed like a pretty dry summer. I've been there a number of times during the summer over the years and I've never found it to be the type of weather that mold would thrive in.

I can tell you that a musty smell is not normal in Lexus LS cars having driven owned them continuously since 1990 and for a total of almost exactly 250,000 miles. If the smell has been there since you bought the car, you might want to check the car's history if you don't know it. There are plenty of flood damaged cars around. If your car has not been water damaged, I suspect the cause of the smell is a blocked drain tube in the HVAC system. Have your verified that floor under the carpets are dry? I haven't found Lexus dealer service writers to be any more knowledgeable than service writers for dealers that sell less expensive makes. I've had to explain the features of my Lexus cars countless times to Lexus service writers and sometimes even show them information in the repair and owners manuals so they would believe me. I've had infinitely better service from independent repair shops that specialize in Lexus cars.

Yes, it is shades of the 1996 election when the Republican party put up my fellow Kansan Bob Dole as their candidate. I haven't seen Democratic presidents screw up the economy during my lifetime. I have, however, seen three Republican presidents -- notably Nixon, Reagan and GW Bush -- leave significant economic damage in their wake. I'm an economic conservative and have long regretted voting for Nixon and Reagan. Demographic trends are thoroughly against the Republican Party. I suspect their best hope is to have the far right split off into a separate political party. Obama was born in Hawaii to a U.S. citizen mother as one of the conspiracy theorists recently found to his dismay when he located birth notices for Obama in Honolulu newspaper archives. Obama did not have to be "naturalized". He was a citizen at birth. In most states "independents" are not allowed to vote in primary elections. For example, one must show his voter registration card in order to vote in the primary election in Kansas so that poll workers know which ballot to give to the voter. I do not have to show my voter registration card when I vote in the general election. The last U.S. census was in 2000 and population has grown dramatically in many areas of the U.S. since then. Also, the census misses many people. My wife and I have not been counted in two U.S. censuses in the 32 years we have been together -- both times were due to moving.

As far as I know, the oil filter on all Toyota and Lexus V8 engines is in the same place -- on the driver's side towards the bottom of the engine. All Toyota/Lexus V8 engines use the same spin-on filter -- at least through 2006 -- not sure about the LS460. Take off the plastic belly pan and look up using a flashlight. The filter is easy to remove using a filter wrench. I just now calculated that I have changed the oil and filter 48 times (every 5000 miles) over the last 18+ years on Lexus V8 cars. It's easy to do and I can do it in less time than it would take to have someone else do it. But the main reason I do it myself is to avoid the potential of a low skilled worker damaging my car. I buy the V8 oil filters by the 10-pack at a Toyota dealer. The last couple of ten packs have cost less than $40 each including 10 oil plug gaskets.

You can view instructions specific to pairing your iPhone (and many other phones) by starting here --> http://www.lexus.com/models/IS/accessories/bluetooth.html When I looked at the instructions for various phones, I was surprised that there is so little compatibility between the Lexus Bluetooth system and the iPhone and some of my favorite Bluetooth phones I've been helping relatives with. Maybe the dealer has some trick for copying multiple contacts from the iPhone to the Lexus Bluetooth system -- surely they are not going to have some flunky do it one contact at a time. You can go through the instructions for various phones on the above website to see which have the most features compatible with the Lexus Bluetooth system. I noticed that a Motorola Razr seems more compatible than many other phones in that multiple contacts can be copied at the same time to the car's Bluetooth system.

I think the timing belt change interval on your car is 90,000 miles -- same as on our 98 Camry and 00 LS400. Check the schedule in the maintenance manual that came with your car. A 60,000 mile maintenance on your ES300 should cost no more than the 60,000 miles maintenance on a Camry V6 -- the ES300 and Camry V6 are virtually identical mechanically. I just now checked our records and saw that in 2002, the 60,000 mile maintenance on our Camry V6 cost $292 not including tax at a Toyota dealer. Prices may have gone up a bit but I would expect to pay no more than $400 today for a 60,000 miles service on our Camry V6. Heck, the 60,000 miles service on my 2000 LS400 V8 cost only $370 not including tax in 2005. The 120,000 miles service will cost more than the 60K mile service on my 00 LS since spark plugs are replaced only every 120,000 miles on the 2000 LS400. Check your maintenance manual to see the frequency of spark plug replacement on a 2000 ES300. I suggest you look for a reputable Lexus dealer, an independent repair shop, or see how much a Toyota dealer would charge to do the 120,000 mile service. It might help to get bids from several shops. It's a good idea to verify that the repair shop is going to do exactly what is specified in your maintenance manual. Some dealers and repair shops will pull all sorts of stunts to pad their profits. If you can't find a decent shop down in Arkansas, drive up to Kansas City and I'll introduce you to one of the best indie Toyota/Lexus repair shops on earth. People drive some pretty long distances to have my friend Ben's shop service their cars.

At least one model of the Blackberry Curve is listed as being compatible. You can check for the compatibility of phones with your Lexus here --> http://www.lexus.com/models/RX/accessories/bluetooth.html

The Hyundai Genesis is a wonderful car with lots of up-to-date safety and convenience features. It is an individual decision on whether or not you think you need or want these features. My only beef with the Genesis is that one should not have to buy a $4,000 option package to get the self leveling HID headlights -- they should be standard. I'd buy a Hyundai -- I was favorably impressed with the Sonata we rented for about a week on vacation earlier this year. I didn't know my now next door neighbor back then, but he and I both bought LS400s shortly after they were introduced in 1989. Back then, the LS had the latest in safety features. My neighbor and I finally sold our 90 LS400s in 2003 at about the same time and for the same reasons. We both wanted features that our 1990 LS400s didn't have and which could not be added -- especially self leveling HID headlights. I would be driving my old 90 LS today if I could have brought its technology up-to-date. My wife bought a Camry in 1998. It has side airbags and a passenger front airbag. For the next five years, I listened to her complain about the lack of these safety features in the 90 LS. My wife is a tiny thing (5' 1") and she was fearful of driving the 90 LS with its old style high power drivers side airbag. The 90 LS didn't even have traction control like her 98 Camry has. And the halogen headlights in her Camry are substantially better than the headlights in the 90 LS. I didn't turn loose of my 90 LS400 because I wanted to -- I moved on because I needed to. The first winter (2003) driving an LS with VSC and "snow mode" was eye opening. VSC seemed like a miracle in the snow and I could power-up hills in "snow mode" past 4WD SUVs spinning their wheels helplessly. For the first time since 1990 when I parted with my Mercedes with its adjustable headlight beams, I could easily see while driving at night when my car was fully loaded -- no more headlights pointing at the treetops. I finally had decent brakes -- according to Road and Track, the 90-91 LS400 had the 2nd longest stopping distance from 60 mph of all cars they tested during those years. The additional 2 1/2 inches of rear legroom in the 00 LS meant I didn't have to move the drivers seat forward so an adult could sit comfortably behind me. And, most importantly, my wife stop complaining about the lack of safety features. At some point, we will likely replace our 00 LS for the same reasons we replaced the 90 LS. My wife has been complaining that her Camry doesn't have VSC and the latest side curtain air bags so its days with us are numbered. Deciding when to move on to newer cars is a tough decision and one we carefully consider.

I searched this forum back to 2004 and didn't find any threads that said that a forum user had personally gotten newer front seats to work in a gen 1 LS400. The front seats are not all that hard to remove. Does anyone with a gen 1 LS400 who wants newer seats have a friend with a 95-00 LS400 or LS430 who would be up for a "seat swap" experiment? Or does anyone have documented hard evidence that seats from a 95-up LS will or will not fit into a gen 1 LS400?