1990LS400

Your description of the noise sounds like one I had from a failing catalytic converter. How did they check the cats? Remove and shake them?

If you have your car in the shop for an A/C conversion, why don't you have them T-tap a wire into the switched wire at the ignition switch - they could just leave it dangling for you to connect to and route later. I've never heard of anyone tapping into the electrical feed of a power seat but that doesn't mean it can't be done. You may not need to move the seat but it not moving is a safety issue if someone else drives the car. The "gold standard" for an electrical supply for additional devices is still the ignition switch.

Steve, US spec models do not have that connector. I thought yours was a Japan market Celsior.

Heated seats were offered as options on all LS400's but no wiring, switches or relays for them were installed at the factory unless the seat heater option was installed. Toyota/Lexus wiring harnesses are completely specific to the equipment that was installed at the factory. The only exception is the pre-wiring for dealer installed cell phone system. There is one connector for the cell phone buried underneath the back of the center console under the air vents you see when the arm rest is raise. If I remember correctly, none of the pins on the connector are powered but you could disassemble the console to check with a test light.

I've participated (too much according to my wife) in Lexus forums for over 10 years and I cannot remember another person complaining about this feature. So, yes, you and your wife may be "special" or maybe your car has a problem that prevents its doors from closing easily. Is the headlight off delay customizable on your car? If it is, I suggest you have the dealer set it to "Off". On my 2000 LS400, there are four choices: Off, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds. I have mine set to 90 seconds to provide the maximum illumination duration when parking on dark streets and in rural areas while we are walking away from the car.

2010 was the first model year that Bluetooth A2DP audio streaming was available in the RX. The iPhone 5 cannot sync its phone numbers with a 2007 RX nav system - you can view which features do work at https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/info/my-lexus/resources/bluetooth.do,

To make you feel even "better", the indie shop I use, which specializes in Lexus and is owned and staffed by former Lexus dealer employees, charges $360 not including tax for the 60,000 mile service. Transmission "flush" has become a popular money maker and is not recommended by the manufacturer.

You won't have the problem if you use the switch to turn your headlights on and off manually. Or just make sure your doors and trunk lid are shut. Auto headlights are a great feature in my opinion.

What could possibly go wrong?

According to the following webpage, "Adapter QCJBL-2" is supposed to work on "all incl Mark Levinson": http://www.quickconnectproducts.com/Find/find.php I have no idea if that is accurate. I had planned to install a Parrot Mki9100 in my 2000 LS400 but decided on a different solution due to the amount of hardwiring that would have been involved due to no adapter harness being available. The Mki9100 has a smaller non-color display. I suspect aftermarket kits like the Parrot are going to be fading away as more vehicle comes with all this technology standard. Bluetooth technology and aux-in/USB ports are becoming standard on very inexpensive cars.

The electronic odometers can be altered - some instrument cluster repair shops offer that service as I found out recently when searching for a company to repair my occasionally sticking speedometer needle. There are plenty of older low mileage Lexus and other brand cars out there - sometimes owned by older drivers or used by "snow birds" only in winter or summer. I owned a car in the 80's that I drove only about 5,000 miles/year during the five years I owned it. My wife drives her car about 5,000 miles/year. 80,000 miles over 14 years isn't that all unusual.

The seller's story sounds fishy - how can someone not understand he/she is buying a vehicle with a salvage title? Are there any maintenance records to verify the odometer? Does it drive and look OK? Do all electrical devices work? Has it ever had the timing belt and related parts replaced? (Replacement interval is 6 years or 90,000 miles - whichever comes first.) What does your gut tell you? If it looks to good to be true ...

How much are you willing to pay to update a 10 year old vehicle? A simple aux-in would allow you to have virtually all the functionality of the latest Toyota Entune and Lexus Enform systems as long as you are willing to control the apps from your phone's screen. I've noticed that VAIS has been focusing their efforts on newer vehicles with the latest nav systems. I would not expect them to go back and develop anything for older Lexus vehicles. If you have to have A2DP Bluetooth streaming, you could add a simple aftermarket Bluetooth receiver to an aux-in from VAIS, iSimple, etc. - maybe use a splitter so you can have both a plug-in and a wireless connection. I thought about doing that but I don't mind plugging the aux-in into my phone since I usually get my phone out of my pocket to charge it while I am driving. I'm not very impressed with controlling applications through a nav screen. I get a lot more apps and features from apps when I control them directly from my phone through an aux-in or Bluetooth in our new Toyota than through Entune on its nav screen. Phone technology is way, way ahead of in-dash nav technology.

My understanding is that that the service campaign to remove Lexus Link at no cost to the car owner expired a long time ago. Attached are all the documents I have seen about removing it. I've heard about numerous people who did not have Lexus Link removed because they liked its voice memo feature and decided they could live with the warning each time they started their cars so they could continue using it. campaign-lsc-4la-2001-2004-ls430-lexus-link-system-removal-overview-.pdf campaign-lsc-4la-2001-2004-ls430-lexus-link-system-removal-implementing-instructions-.pdf campaign-lsc-4la-2001-2004-ls430-lexus-link-system-removal-technical-instructions-.pdf

I know that the 98-00 LS has the clips on each side but do not know about the 95-97. The clips on my 2000 are difficult to see since they are black and flush when they are retracted and holding the vents in place. Maybe use a small flashlight to see if they are there. I sort of have to "dig" them inward with the tip of a small screw driver. Here is a doc I prepared for the 98-00 LS - maybe it will help. 2000 LS400 - removing the radio head unit..pdf

Try Sewell in Texas: http://lexus.sewellparts.com/support/shipping/index.html

I've known a bunch of 98-00 owners and only one had the optional 5-star chrome wheels and his looked like crap by the time he sold the car some years back. You're better off trying locally as the cost of shipping wheels is high ... or check eBay ... there are some there but I see then offered only as full sets. Some of the eBay sellers are obviously businesses so maybe they would sell you only one. Or check Phenix Wheel - google them.

I don't think you can go wrong with the tire that seems to be the most popular in the Lexus LS400/LS430 and the number 2 rated tire of its type on the Tire Rack website: Michelin Primacy MXV4. I see this tire only in the size for the 17" standard HS250h wheels. There is also a low rolling resistance Michelin Energy MXV4 but notice that it has pretty low ratings in the survey. If you have the optional 18" wheels, then maybe the #4 rated tire in its category: Primacy MXM4 .... I wonder it comes in an H-rating (130 mph) instead of a V-rating (149 mph). I would stay away from tires labeled "Sport" or "Extreme". The Bridgestone Potenza Pole Position tires probably have a short life if they are anything like the Potenza RE750 Pole Position tires I had on my LS - lasted only 20,000 miles but were the best handling tires (not the smoothest ride though) I have used in my 310,000+ miles of driving Lexus LS cars. My LS is currently on Primacy MXV4 (H-rating) and we bought a set for the Camry we passed to a nephew. Will likely buy Michelin Primacy's of some model when the 215/50-17 tires on our 2012 Prius v wagon "age out" in about six years when the Prius will probably be at something like 30,000 miles - wife doesn't drive much so tires are not close to being worn out the time they get replaced due to age.

I don't think you can beat the surveys at http://www.tirerack.com They often cover millions of miles for a tire model - more objective and statistically reliable than individual opinions on car forums. I do my research on the Tire Rack website and then buy our tires at Costco during their regular Michelin/Bridgestone promotions - just avoid the organic berries and don't make any sudden moves if your last name is Scott.

I don't know why Toyota sanctions towing in the U.S. for it's Toyota/Lexus passenger cars when Toyota/Lexus dealers in many other countries sell hitches, towing kits and towing accessories for the same vehicles. Maybe it's because people in the U.S. tend to have more vehicles per household than in other countries. It's not just Toyota. I was about to buy a BMW 5-series back in the 90's until I found that towing voided the drive train warranty even though the same car in Europe was rated to tow a trailer heavier than mine. I'd want a 2-inch receiver hitch to haul 3,500 pounds - don't know if you can find one for a GS.

I assume you noticed the "B.S." warnings in your owners manual against towing a trailer or even installing a trailer hitch to carry a bicycle which I think is in all owners manuals for Lexus passenger cars sold in the U.S. I am surprised that you found a class II (3,500 lbs.) hitch for your 06 GS - the only ones I can find for an 06 GS are class I (2,000 lbs.). The next class up from class II is class III (6,000 pounds) and there is no way you are going to find one of those for a GS. I'm all for towing trailers with passenger cars (I have a class I hitch on my 2000 LS400) but 3.500 lbs. seems a bit much for a GS unless you also have something similar to the "Towing capacity upgrade kit needed for 2000 kg towing capacity" sold by Lexus dealers for the GS in other countries. If I remember correctly, Australia is one of relatively few countries that use U.S. type trailer hitches. Maybe you can get a higher capacity hitch for your GS from there? I searched a few Australian tow bar seller websites and did not find any for the GS of the high capacity you are looking for. (FYI, the IS and GS use the same trailer hitch/tow bar.)

An easier route would be to get a phone that has a high degree of compatibility - there is a link on the Lexus website to a list of phones that have been tested and which shows the degree of compatibility: http://www.lexus.com/MobileLink/ It can take a while for Toyota to test newer phones but you are usually safe if you buy a phone that is similar (same manufacturer and software) that is similar to one that has been tested and has a high degree of compatibility. I know that both my wife's iPhone 4 and my Samsung GS3 (Android) work very nicely with the navigation system and Entune in her Prius so they should work well with the similar Lexus Enform.

It's a matter of the phone manufacturer and its software supplier following standards that ensure compatibility with car manufacturer's Bluetooth and other systems. Don't expect the Toyota Motor Company to fix the phone problem. Car manufacturers have sometimes bent their systems to allow for extremely popular phones (e.g. iPhone) that do not follow industry standards but I doubt if that is going to happen or happen nearly as soon with Windows Mobile phones.

For probably at least 20 years, a vehicle's turn signals and brake light circuits have been used only to "trigger" trailer lights. The actual power for trailer lights comes from a much more robust source. For example, the aftermarket trailer light harness on my LS400 takes its power directly from the engine compartment fuse box. The little "magic box" that is the center of the aftermarket system routes current from the engine compartment fuse box to the trailer tail lights, stop lights and turn signals when it receives "signals" from the car's tail lights, stop lights and turn signals. Your OEM system works pretty much like my aftermarket system but it is probably better engineered. I hope your total trailer weight, including cargo, is a LOT less than 3,500 pounds or that you understand the implications of towing the maximum allowable weight.

Huh? The stated purpose of this "Club Lounge" is "Talk about other topics here not related to Lexus."