1990LS400

We have a V6 Camry and I had a nearly new loaner ES330 a few months ago when my LS was in the shop. If I closed my eyes (I don't usually do this while driving) the ES was remarkably similar to our Camry. They seem to handle and accellerate about the same and the noise level seemed the same. I actually expected the ES to be a bit quieter. But the ES has a far nicer interior than any Camry you can buy. And you can get neat options on the ES that are not available on the Camry. Or least I assume that memory seats are not available yet on Camry's. (Love those memory seats!) Both our great cars but I think my wife would prefer an ES330 instead of her Camry.

Bison, You might want to stick with the U.K. forum for questions about lights. A coworker of mine in Portsmouth bought an LS shortly after I did in 1990 and we found all sorts of significant differences that prevented us from obtaining parts for each other - particularly regarding lighting. The U.K. and Euro code headlights on the early LS were wonderful (and way different) compared to the awful ones on U.S. versions and we never did get the beam control dial on the dash. We got the crappy high mounted fog lights and you got the ones mounted under the bumper where they should be. Our rear lights were also very different (bigger) and U.S. models never got a rear foglight. Audio systems were completely different too aside from the different frequencies supported -- and you guys got RDS and traffic almost from the beginning -- RDS was only recently introduced here on the LS430. My early LS didn't even have rear cup holders in the armrest like yours probably does!

I don't know Roy ... I'm starting to having a lot more gadgets on my current LS. If I had it to do over, I would not have excluded air suspension when I searched for a car last year. I'm starting to warm up to the LS430 and my next LS will likely be a three year old Ultra that has just come off a lease. By 2001, Toyota/Lexus had at least 12 years of practice making LS/Celsiors with air suspension which means that air suspension has likely gotten a lot more reliable. If one can afford to spend $38K for a used car, I doubt if it will hurt all that much to pay for the repair of the air suspension years down the road - and it may never break. The Ultra really "rocks". A co-worker spent an hour playing with the rear seat gadgets in one and now he has bids in on several. (I was good enough last week to not submit a "winning bid" for him when left my PC still signed on with his ebay account!)

http://techinfo.lexus.com/ may have the wiring diagrams you are looking for - I don't know how much detail they have on the older phone systems. A friendly Lexus dealer employee printed enough of the audio system wiring diagram from techinfo for my LS to enable me to hook up a Nokia kit to my car's OEM phone wiring to automatically mute the audio system when a call is made or received. I tend to doubt that your old Lexus phone is linked to the car's computer. On my 00 LS, the OEM phone system wiring appears to be fairly low tech. A former participant in this forum (username "Dogboy") had some success in interfacing modern handheld cell phones into the Lexus OEM phone wiring. I suspect he gave up marketing them for the reason that he could not make enough money selling them. I had hoped to get the steering wheel phone control to work with our old (but really nice) Nokia CARK-91H car kits and obtained information on the voltages used to control phone functions via the pins in the Nokia cradle. But I do not have the skills or time to build an electronic interface to generate the micro-voltages necessary to control a handful of phone functions from the steering wheel control. With only three buttons and the lever switch on the OEM steering wheel phone control, I would have had, at most, three speed dials and an answer/hangup function. Our Nokia phones already automatically answer and hangup (when in the car kit), and have 10 speed and 10 voice dials so I wouldn't be gaining much. The CARK-91H kit, probably the most popular car kit ever made, has been discontinued by Nokia and Cingular just dropped the last phone that fits into it. I am, however, happy to see that http://www.dashmount.co.uk/ is selling a plug and play "Nokia CARK 91 Converter Cradle" which allows the current Nokia "Pop Port" compatible phones sold by Cingular to be used in with the CARK-91H kit. http://www.connects2.com/ sells interface kits that integrate two Nokia and one Sony-Ericsson kits into the audio/OEM phone controls of BMW, Landrover, Opel and Renault but they have nothing for Japanese cars. It looks like we eventually may be have to go with aftermarket Bluetooth car kits if we want hands free in our older cars without having to use an headset. My bet is that the market for Bluetooth car kits will dry up within a few years - even inexpensive cars are starting to come with Bluetooth built in or as an inexpensive option. As for me, I'm going to try to make our current Nokia kits last as long as possible and have gone so far as to purchase "backup" Nokia 6340i GSM/TDMA/AMPS handsets to make this happen. Good luck with your project. I'm sure it is possible with enough time, knowledge and effort.

It is troubling how very differently various phone manufacturers are implementing the Bluetooth specification. From my experience, it is not much better with non-phone Bluetooth devices -- I have found that (usually) I can establish a fully functional Bluetooth connected "personal area network" only with PDA users who have the same brand as mine. I hope that phone manufacturers will work out the bugs with Bluetooth over the next few years although our corporate research group is not optimistic. Jim 00 LS

This seems like an odd group from which to choose since there are six rather small cars and one large roomy car - the Avalon. For someone financially conservative like us, the choice in this group would be an Avalon - but one that had just come off a 3 year/36,000 mile lease where someone else has eaten the worst of the depreciation. If you want a new Avalon and can wait a while, there is a big change next year --> http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7555 But gosh are 3-series BMW's fun to drive...

Not sure what you are looking for, but according to the Lexus "1992 Dealer Model Reference", the "USA Model" for the LS400 is "9100". This information is from http://www.clublexus.com/index.php/article...iew/1974/1/352/ and this page includes other identifying information.

Isn't the tendency for a car's steering to "self center" a feature of all cars. Some the older (50's, 60's) cars without power steering I've had took some real muscle to hold the steering wheel in a sweeping turn. My Dad usually just letting the wheel slip though his hands to return to center when driving the manual steering cars of my youth. A "gentle nudge" sounds pretty normal for a car with power steering. We had both a 90 LS and a 00 LS for about a month last year and the steering effort and feel was not all that much different except the 90's steering seemed a little lighter and transmitted a bit less "road feel" than the 00.

VSC and "Trac" were standard in all three model years. From the CPO model library: "The 1999 Lexus LS 400 has retained the features refined in the 1998 design. Additional modifications include daytime running lights, and it now meets Transitional Low-Emission Vehicle (T-LEV) certification for all 50 states. The 1999 LS 400 is also available in a new color: Mystic Gold Metallic. Changes Made To The 1999 LS 400 Standard Features: - Adoption of driver's-side outside mirror tilt-down feature - Floor mats standardized - Wood- and leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob standardized - Daytime running lights - Meets Transitional Low-Emission Vehicle (T-LEV) certification for 50 states For the year 2000, a number of safety and mechanical features have been added as standard equipment, including Brake Assist,[1] Child Restraint Seat (CRS) tether anchor brackets, and an Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) system. Some individual vehicles will have an optional chrome-plated spare included with optional chrome-plated alloy wheels. Changes Made To The 2000 LS 400 Standard Features: - Brake Assist[1] - Child Restraint Seat (CRS) tether anchor brackets - Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) system - Fuel-tank capacity slightly reduced" If you come across a 2000 Platinum Series, be aware that there were three distinct models SE, SF, and SG and each has quite different equipment. You can do a search on "Platinum" on this forum and find the details I added to a topic.

Well, does the Toyota filter look the same and does it fit your ES? Lexus and Toyota V6's have been almost identical for many years. I've been buying filters for our LS400's from a Toyota dealer (last time they were $4 each in a 10-pack) ever since I found out that the same filter is used on the V8 Toyota Landcruiser.

I am fairly certain that 1998 was the first model year for snow mode + VSC. I think 1998 is also the first year of the 5-speed auto transmission. My previous 90 LS with snow tires (it did not have Trac) and a couple of bags of sand in the trunk was quite a handful in snow for me although its new owner told me that he is happy with how it does in snow. My 00 LS with snow mode, VSC, and Blizzak snow tires was absolutely incredible in heavy snow last winter. And it seems to have more ground clearance that my 90 LS which I high centered on snow a few times in the 13+ years I had it. Once you learn to trust it, VSC is pretty hilarious when the roads are slick or snow covered. Of course VSC will not save you if you drive like a complete idiot but gosh is it fun to watch it interfene.

My first LS (a 90) had bushing noise problems (loud groans and squeeks) when just a few years old. The dealer came up with a permanent fix only when he learned how much attention the noise was drawing from parents when I drove across a speed bump in front of an expensive private school. Seeing him visualize the lost car sales was rather humorous.

Yes, I think I heard similar bells and whistles when I was 19 years old. But then the voices in my head told the bells and whistles to stop. Or maybe it was that medication they put me on... Maybe the chimes meant that the Flux Capacitor was warmed up and ready for a "Back to the Future" experience. ;) Another possibility is that you are fastening your seat belt before turning the ignition switch so that the "seat belt unfastened" chime doesn't sound. Or maybe your seat belt chime has died. I think your car is a little early to have customizable CBest settings for changing the volume/duration of sounds, interior light dimming, etc.

Is the DRL on a GS simply the high beam at a reduced intensity like on an LS? If it is, having it on at night, even at less than full strength, might blind oncoming drivers. I notice the glare when I meet an oncoming car with DRL at night when the driver has forgotten to turn on the headlights. It is a painful and dangerous experience for us old folks with the beginnings of cataracts.

[ A small black button under the steering column. Unlabled, but clearly factory as it is not cut into the plastic but molded. Here is the really odd thing. It is not referenced in the owner's manual. ← That would probably be the button that toggles the keyless entry "beep" sound on/off. The button should not turn the cig lighter on/off and is described on page 13 of my 00 LS owners manual.

I replaced the battery in our 2000 LS a few weeks ago at about the four year, three month mark - that is the longest a battery has lasted in my almost 15 years experience with LS400's. Whether OEM or aftermarket (usually Interstate), batteries in our LS's have rarely lasted past four years and sometimes have lasted only three years. I have had several discussions with owners of independent repair shops regarding how hard LS's are on batteries - it seems to be a "feature" of the beast. I'd say to shop based on price and/or convenience and replace the battery at the first sign of weekness. Don't bother to go to the expense of having the electrical system or battery checked if the battery is over three years old - just replace the battery - they don't cost all that much.

OK, my turn... It is important to remember how very close this election was. Bush won (depending on the results of the recount in Ohio funded by the Libertarian party) with most of his support coming from less densely populated areas of the U.S. Look at the county-by-county voting statistics for a much better picture of how areas of the U.S. supported Bush and Kerry. I think you will be very surprised. Heck, even I won 70% of the vote in our last highly contentious homes association election. Bush's 51% win certainly was not a mandate from the American people. Bush's 51% win means that just less than half of Americans wanted someone else to be President. And I am in agreement with (almost) all of Steve's (SW03ES) views on the matter. That's a first! :)

Well, quite a few manufacturers used to have (and some may still have) trim and option packages just for southern California (and for the gulf states) but I don't think Lexus ever did. The first LS I purchased in 1990 was being shipped to Phoenix because of the high demand in desert states for cars with a cloth interior. Speaking of Phoenix, are there ANY Lexus cars sold in Phoenix without chrome wheels? I don't think I saw a Lexus without chrome wheels when I was there in June. Chrome wheels are relatively rare on Lexus in the Kansas City area. Perhaps you would find more Lexus with chrome wheels in southern climates. Some options are probably more popular in some areas of the country, e.g. seat heaters and all season tires in colder climates.

The tradition of wearing poppies on what was formerly called Armistice Day in the U.S. seems to have mostly died out in the central U.S. I remember the tradition well during my childhood in the 1950's when many World War I veterans were alive and active in the small community where I grew up. Poppies were always sold (but mainly given away) by veterans groups on the streets on November 11th. It is always very nice to hear from our Canadian friends. Jim U.S. Army 1971-72 (family from Chatham Ontario)

One good website almost entirely dedicated to the installation of phone kits is http://www.siocommunications.co.uk/ in Scotland. Unfortunately the "public" forum on the site is fairly sparse compared to the "installer" forum which Terry apparently took private last year.

Consider including the year of your GS300 in the "car model" year of your profile to help others respond appropriately. If your GS was one of the years in which the "Portable Plus" phone was available, it likely has a male six pin connector for it under the center console - it was under the back of the console on my 2000 LS. On my 2000 LS, the front center pin of this connector is the mute pin. All I had to do was to plunge the mute wire (after stripping about 1/4 inch of insulation from the tip) from my Nokia kit into this connector and secure it with a plastic wire tire. Note: On my car there is also a female connector under the console for the Lexus fixed phone - this connector did not have a mute point since the mute point for the fixed phone is in the trunk - at least for my LS400. An easy way to identify/verify the correct pin is to use a cheap grounded test light. Turn the radio on and probe the pins until the radio mutes - this is a standard way of locating the mute point according to European phone tech web sites. On my car (with Nakamichi) there were at least three places I could have picked up a mute point but for my installation the easiest was the connector under the console. The electrical diagram for my car identifies the color of the mute wire and I assume that the electrical diagram for the GS would do the same. I missed a lot of calls before I hooked up my phone kit's mute wire. Following is a link to a doc containing a photo of the male connector I mentioned above. You might do a search on clublexus.com - I saw several photos of hooking up a mute wire on a GS in the right front kick panel although it looked more difficult than the method I used. http://home.kc.rr.com/colchester/phone/Nok...H%20install.doc

It all depends on which LS you have! We have had lots of rear wheel drive cars including three Volvos made in snowy Sweden, three Mercedes made in snowy Germany, and are on our second LS. We have also had lots of front wheel cars - one VW, four Hondas, our current Camry V6 with TRAC/ABS and four nearly new all season tires. I thought the 90 LS we had was pretty scary on snow covered roads even with four snow tires. However, our current 2000 LS with VSC and "snow" transmission mode (and with four Blizzak snow tires) is far and away the best winter car we have ever had and handles snow completely differently than the early LS. We "parked" the Camry last winter during the "big" 10 inch snow storm here since the LS performed so much better in the snow.

I never could get at all comfortable in the front passenger seat of the 90 LS we had but thought the drivers seat was fine. The 90-92 LS front passenger seat lacked height adjustments for the seat cushion and did not have an adjustment for lumbar support. The front of the passenger seat cushion was way too low for me to be comfortable. Seat cushion height and lumber adjustments on the passenger seat were made standard on the LS beginning with the 93 model year. Apparently others thought the passenger seat was uncomfortable too. The local Lexus dealer bought driver seats from RHD LS400's from a Lexus dealer in the U.K. and installed them in 90-92 LS. He wanted a whole lot of money to do it though. The seating position in the early LS400 seemed much lower than in the later model years. I felt like I was sitting "in" the drivers seat of our 90 LS but "on" the seat of our current LS. The best thing about having a more adjustable passenger seat in our current LS is that I now frequently ask my wife to drive and I relax in the passenger seat. She almost never drove the 90 LS since I couldn't stand the passenger seat.

Whatever you want to call it - warping, etc. - the undersized front rotors on the 90 - 92 LS400's were unusually prone to damage caused by unevenly and/or over tightening the lug nuts. This was documented in several car magazines in the early 90's. One more thing. I closely monitored the stopping distances of cars in Road & Track magazine's "Road Test Summary" for several years after I bought an LS in early 1990. The 90-92 LS400's had just about the longest stopping distance of any cars from both 60 and 80 mph. Very scary for a fast car. Based on my experimenting with tire sizes, one the main culprits seemed to be the small 205/65-15 tires and this problem was amplified by the poor Eagle GA's that originally came on the car. These tires were so bad that owners brought a class action law suit and I got a check from Lexus in an amount sufficient to by a new set of tires. If you want far, far better braking switch to 225/60-15 tires and keep them towards the bottom of the inflation range to keep down the harshness - they fit just fine on the OEM 6.5 inch wheels and do not effect speedometer accuracy.

Both the inside and outside parts of a cell phone antenna are stuck to the glass with adhesive. I have never removed an antenna but I would think you could gently pry the base off with a razor blade in a holder. There is no hole in the glass. If you remove the interior part from the glass, be sure to not damage the rear window defogger. If it is an OEM antenna, you can disconnect the cable and tuck the cable above the headliner. Unless broken, your phone should work for emergency 911 calls for a few more years until analog service is discontinued.