1990LS400

Colorado Springs doesn't have a very harsh Winter climate. An ES350 would do just fine there and about any other place in Colorado. I've driven to, from and around many Colorado ski areas in the dead of Winter over a 30+ year period mostly in rear wheel drive cars. I've never gotten stuck a single time. I did always have snow tires on these rear wheel drive cars. From 1985 to 1990 I had a front wheel drive 85 Honda CRX Si that I used almost only as a "ski car". I drove that little CRX over Berthoud and Loveland passes countless times on the way to A-Basin and Winter Park and didn't even have snow tires on it. I never once got stuck. And this was before the days of ABS and VSC. Damn, that little CRX was a great snow car. I drove the CRX so many times in white-out snow storms that I put a rear fog light on it so that people wouldn't run over me from behind in blizzards. Of course, I love to drive in snow -- it's a lot of fun. During our Colorado ski trips, our main "game" was "Count the 4-wheel drive vehicles in the ditch". I came to think that about the only benefit of having 4-wheel drive was to allow drivers to get over confident so they could bury their vehicles exceptionally well in the ditch. As ES350 will do just fine in Colorado although you might consider getting a good set of real snow tires (with the mountain/snowflake logo) if you are going to be driving in the high country in the winter.

Attached is the TSIB for this problem. Normally, TSIB work is done at no cost only while the car is under the original warranty. Since this involves the fuel system and could be a safety issue, it is possible that the problem will be covered longer. TSIB_EG012_06_LS430_Fuel_Tank_Difficult_to_fill.pdf

I don't know where the filter is or if it is replaceable but I remember that a big deal was made of it when Lexus made the air filtration system standard on the 1993 US spec LS400. The filtration system was previously an option elsewhere at a cost equivalent to, if I remember correctly, over $1,000. Here is a web page that mentions the air filtration system: http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/Lexus1s...Lexus1stGen.htm

I think the above quote sums it up. I've voted in nine presidential elections beginning in 1972 ... four times for Republicans and five times for Democrats. I've always been politically in the middle as are most people in the U.S. I didn't change ... it's the Republican Party that has veered sharply to the far right of the political spectrum. I like Obama. I like smart people who have a world view. I admire a person who rose from the bottom, graduated magna !Removed! laude from Harvard Law School and became the President of the Harvard Law Review. I admire a person who taught constitutional law at a prestigious university -- maybe he will understand and follow the constitution. I never thought much of "W" and never voted for him -- a "D-Student" who got into Yale only because his daddy G-1 and granddaddy Prescott went there and gave Yale enough money to build a few buildings. I don't care for "D-Student" John McCain who got into the Navy Academy only because his daddy and granddaddy were navy admirals and who thought so highly of his incredible good fortune that he partied his way through the Academy and graduated at the bottom of his class. This time I want a really intelligent person to be our president. I'm enjoying the prospect of Michelle Obama being First Lady and having the Obama daughters living in the White House. If they get there, I think they will set a good example. So far my wife and I have made five contributions to the Obama campaign -- we will not let Obama be "swift boated" like what happened in 2004. But regardless of who wins, the U.S. will survive. The next few years are going to be difficult no matter who wins.

It's a "crap shoot". Are there any extended warranties that cover beyond 100,000 miles and that would cover the complexities of a UL LS430 including the air suspension? The Ultra is one complex car. I didn't have any problems with either my 2000 LS400 or 1990 LS400 between 50,000 and 100,000 miles that would have made the purchase of an extended warranty cost effective. But they didn't have all the gizmos that a UL LS430 has. About those snow tires ... try to get the dealer to throw in "real" snow tires that have the mountain/snowflake logo on the sidewalls ... far better than all season tires that have only "M+S" on the sidewalls.

I had the original timing belt on my 2000 LS400 replaced at 90,000 miles in July 2007 exactly seven years to the day after it's original in-service date. I waited an extra year but still replaced it at the recommended 90,000 miles. The original timing belt showed no visible signs of wear. I'm not saying it is a good idea to wait longer but it didn't hurt in my case. I let the second timing belt on my first LS, a 1990 LS400, go 105,000 miles. I did this since the original timing belt was trashed at about 75,000 miles when the water pump failed and the earlier LS engine was non-interference.

I have the two volume repair manual set for my 2000 LS400 and they don't appear to contain information about diagnosing problems with the tilt/telescope system. They do have 15 pages devoted to removing and replacing components of the system but I see no mention of position sensors. One of the diagrams shows an ECU for the tilt/telescope system under the dash. Some people have the automatic tilt/telescope feature disabled -- especially as a car ages or when the tilt/telescope system begins to show signs of problems. The dealer or a competent repair shop can disable the automatic tilt/telescope by using a handheld scan tool and appropriate program card. The tilt/telescope would still work manually with the toggle button on the steering wheel column but would no longer be controlled by the memory buttons on the drivers door. The problem you are having may be something simple like a bad switch or a loose connection. The tilt/telescope system often makes grinding and groaning noises before something mechanical in the system fails.

kevinsurfer is in Hawaii. It's not like he going to buy a car in another state and drive it there. The auto market is quite different in Hawaii and Hawaii is not part of the regular Lexus USA distribution system. Lexus vehicles are imported into Hawaii through Servco which, if I understand correctly, was or maybe still is the sole importer of cars into Hawaii. Someone please correct me if I am wrong as I have never really understood all this -- it's a little like how liquor is distributed in Kansas by only one company. Kevin, have you asked Servo Lexus about fixing the issues before you buy it or is it only an "as is" sale. Repainting bumpers is a pretty standard operation before selling a used car -- at least it is here. I don't understand how the foglight could be "bent" since they are built into the lower bumper but the foglights are fairly inexpensive -- I'm seeing new foglight assemblies on-line for less that $150. I have a similar 2000 LS400 with Nakamichi. My car is metallic Crystal White instead of the non-metallic Pearl White on the car you are looking at. I actually tried to buy a new LS400 without a sunroof in 1990 but I had to settle for one with a sunroof and only two other options -- keyless entry and floor mats.

Are you talking about the CHECK ENGINE light, the VSC warnings or both? My understanding is that the CHECK ENGINE warning can indeed be caused by a loose or defective gas cap. At least on my car, the VSC warnings have been caused only by an electrical problem such as a defective battery or has occurred after disconnecting and reconnecting a battery. I've noticed that if I do not perform the VSC reset procedure after reconnecting the battery, it will reset on its own and the CHECK VSC message will disappear within a day In fact, I have usually let it reset itself. The last time I had to replace a battery, the VSC warnings reset themselves by the time I drove home -- about 20 miles.

Here is a second TSIB -- it's about a steering column groan noise on an 01 LS430. It shows another view of the components of the system. TSIB_ST003_01_Steering_column_groan.pdf

There were numerous changes to the tilt/telescope system over the years. Personally, I think the worst change was the discontinuation the on/off switch that was on the gen 1 LS. The attached TSIB might at least show you what the components look like if you want to do some disassembly. Have you checked the fuses? There are at two associated with the tilt/telescope system in my 2000 LS400 -- both are in the large fuse box under the hood. Check the owners manual of your LS430 for the function of each fuse. If not in your owners manual, the fuse functions are on the inside of each fuse cover including the one under the dash. On my 00 LS, the fuses for the tilt/telescope also are for other things including power locks and windows. I assume you would have noticed if other electrical devices were not working. TSIB_ST001_04_Steering_column_noise.pdf

When I googled "Lexus lug nuts" I found some for $1.99 each at http://www.ezaccessory.com/Toyota_Lexus_OE...p/98-0003oe.htm At least some 95-00 LS cars came with standard wheels that use different lug nuts -- the wheels that came standard on my 00 LS Platinum are of the "capped" variety since the lug nuts are exposed.

Sounds like you are dealing with a comedian! WTF does VSC have to do with the gas cap? I just posted instructions on another thread on how to reset the VSC on my 2000 LS400 after replacing or reconnecting the car battery -> http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...c=52097&hl= Like I said on that thread, your problem may be unrelated. Please let us know what fixes your problem!

The only times I have seen a similar VSC message on my 00 LS400 has been when a battery began to fail. The owners manual for my LS shows a VSC reset procedure which is used after replacing or reconnecting a battery. See the attachment. It is possible that the reset procedure is different on your SC or it could be some other problem. In 18 1/2 years of driving V8 Lexus cars, I've never gotten more than four years and change from a battery.

Yes, the broken wires in the left trunk hinge can cause this problem. Here are some instructions: http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/lighting/bulbout.html I had to fix this on the 90 LS I used to have.

Gene, My 00 LS400 has seat heaters ( the switches can be seen to the left in my avatar) so of course it has all the wiring and connectors. I think I remember that people have verified in the past that LS400s without seat heaters do not have the wiring for them. It is very easy to remove the wood console panel if you want to verify this. Really, it's a two minute task. Some people use a screw driver but I prefer to use a one inch stiff putty knife with its blade covered with a layer of electrical tape. Start at the sides towards the back of the console wood and gently pry the console wood up -- it is held in place by six friction fittings. Two on either side near the cup holder, two on either side near the gear shift and two on either side near the ash tray. Be gentle as the console wood is fairly fragile -- way more that the gen 1 LS I had which had much thicker console wood. I use the putty knife to spread the force on the wood and to reduce the chance of cracking it. A screw driver works well as long as you know exactly where the hidden friction fittings are located. Before the console wood is removed you will need to disconnect the connectors for the VSC button and ash tray light -- it's a little tricky so be patient and perhaps use a flashlight to see how to compress the tab in each connector in order to remove it. The console wood snaps easily back into place -- much easier than removing it. Don't forget to reconnect the VSC and ashtray connectors first! I forgot once. Good luck.

Hanging 350 pounds on the back of a small SUV like an RX sounds ... "interesting". I think I've seen large enclosed hitch mounted carriers like this only on the backs of big SUVs like Chevy Suburbans, on full size vans and on full size pickup trucks. Wouldn't this be like having a trailer tongue weight of 350 pounds? Still, it might be safer than a car top carrier. At least the 400h has auto-leveling headlights -- you'd need them with a setup like this. I can tell you that I have received excellent service from etrailer. The hitch on my 00 LS400 came from etrailer and they are "just down the road" (OK, 250 miles due east on I-70) in Wentzville, Missouri. When I had a minor problem with my last purchase, they seemed to be willing to spend as much time as necessary to make everything right. I noticed that some of the hitch mounted unenclosed tray carriers that etrailer carries are far less expensive and a lot lighter. The Rola carrier, however, would make a much better beer cooler! Have you considered a small enclosed luggage trailer? Small trailers are easy to tow. I've towed my lightly loaded (less than 1,000 pounds) little 4'x8' utility trailer with ease behind even a 62 horsepower Mercedes diesel sedan and I can't even feel it when towing in behind our LS. When we had a cruising sailboat on a buoy, I would load our dingy and everything we needed into the trailer almost every weekend during the summer. It was a breeze to pull and park. (I should tell you that I towed mobile homes when I was young, so towing and backing small trailers is particularly easy for me.) I've seen small unenclosed utility trailers like I have for less than $400. One could even buy one like this http://www.discount-trailers.com/small-utility-trailer.htm and attach a huge locking enclosed car top shell carrier to it. I've seen small utility trailers at Home Depot for less money. You could also consider renting a larger vehicle for your vacation. We almost never drive our own cars on extended vacations but then we are usually flying a couple thousand miles before driving.

Your 92 SC has "Vehicle-speed-sensing, progressive power-assisted rack-and-pinion. 3.1 turns, lock to lock." according to the specs at http://www.lexus.com/contact/pdf/1992/1992SCspecs.pdf When you are stopped or driving at very low speeds, the steering from lock to lock should require very little effort but it should require more effort and give a little bit more "feel" as speed increases. I assume you were stopped when experiencing this "0 pressure" since one can't easily turn the steering wheel completely from lock to lock while driving. Tire pressure makes a difference too. The tires on my 00 LS were at 28 psi Friday morning due to the cooler temperatures and I could immediately feel a difference in steering effort (it became lighter) after I increased the tire pressure only 3 psi to 31 psi. I don't know about the 92 SC but my 90 LS steering was extremely light and lighter in feel than on my 00 LS. I suspect some of that difference was because the contact patch of the standard 205/65-15 tires on the 90 was smaller than the contact patch of the 225/60-16 of my 00 LS. The difference was particularly noticeable as I switched back and forth between driving the two cars over a period of weeks before selling the 90. I don't know how the "vehicle-speed-sensing" feature works. I suppose there could be a problem on your car with this feature. Have you had your SC a long time? Just curious.

Well... there is a fairly complex 14 pin connector that plugs into the seat heater switch module -- there is not a separate connector for each switch. The repair manuals for my 00 LS400 do not include information about voltages and I do not have the separate electrical manual. I wouldn't know if the switches would be compatible with aftermarket seat heaters. I'd say that, at the minimum, you would need the connector for the seat heater switches and a few inches of its wiring harness to splice into the wiring harness for your aftermarket seat heaters. Maybe you could get it from a salvage yard or even from Lexus. Lexus sells some partial wiring harnesses for collision repair. It sounds like a long shot but where there is a will, there is a way. It looks to me that the wiring harness for my seat heaters is built into the wiring harness for other components -- I've removed the console wood from my 00 LS a bunch of time over the years. I doubt if it is available separately but I could be wrong. It's not like European cars where there is can be a separate little wiring harness for an optional item of equipment. I've wired up all sorts of extra features on older Mercedes cars (rear fog lights, headlight wash/wipe, rear seat audio control) and generally on Mercedes its been "plug and play" with all the components including separate wiring harnesses. Heck, if you want to try this, why not go all the way and obtain a Canadian market console wood that also includes a headlight cleaner switch. That'ill keep you busy! I'll bet the washer nozzles for the bumper are available separately and I suspect that the washer fluid container has a place to plug the headlight washer motor into it like Mercedes cars do. You are fairly close to B.C. which might make it a little easier. I've bought a variety of items, including mudflaps for my 00 LS400, from Metro Lexus in Victoria on Vancouver Island -- the parts guy I worked with is Paul. If you are worried about cold weather, Canadian dealers sell a fairly inexpensive block heater for your 99 LS. Good luck with your project.

Brake pad squeal caused by low dust brake pads on the 3rd gen GS are a known problem. I suspect your original brake pads were replaced with low dust brake pads at a Lexus dealer under a TSIB that addressed customer complaints that dust from the original pads made the wheels dirty. Contact your Lexus dealer.

The "credit card" keys for my previous 90 and current 00 LS400 can not be used to start the car -- only to unlock the doors, the trunk, and the glove compartment. I'm guessing that the one for your 04 LS430 has the same limitations. The valet key is not the same as the credit card key -- at least on my 00 LS400. The valet key can run my LS400 but can not unlock the trunk or glove compartment.

Register in the owners section on http://www.lexus.com/ and you will get immediate access to an on-line owners manual.

Sure it's safe to drive. You've still got 10K miles left on the basic warranty so make sure you have the dealer fix everything and apply all relevant TSBs before 50K miles. Yes, the VSC issue should be covered under the basic 50K warranty. Did the previous owner put on some sort of crappy brake pads or something else? What do you mean by "cheap brakes"? OEM front brake pads on most Toyota/Lexus cars usually last way more than 40K miles unless a car has been driven very hard.

OK, I'll try again. I know 16" 01-02 LS430 wheels fit fine on an ES330 since I recently saw an ES330 at the repair shop with 16" 01-02 LS430 wheels -- the same chrome wheels that came on my 00 LS400. So why wouldn't 17" ES330 wheels not only fit an 02 LS430 but also provide even more clearance between the wheel rims and the LS430 brake calipers? Is there something different about the 17" ES330 wheel?

Tommy, the IS200 was not sold in North America and we do not drive on the correct side of the road like you do in Scotland -- would there be any difference between the control arms on a LHD and a RHD car? Have you asked the eBay seller if he has access to this kind of information?