Tom_S

Thanks guys. Well, the clunking was a transmission on the way out, the check engine light apparently indicated a problem with the 3 stage CAT system (expensive fix) and after an "interesting" conversation I got my trade in back and returned the car. Back to the starting point. There was a throttle body problem as well

In a '96 lx450 with 110,000, is a very slow oil leak a bad thing?

Same thing happened to me. Drove off the lot at a dealer in a 96 lx450 with 109,000miles and the light went on. When I went to see it, the car was TOTALLY out of gas. We drove directly to a gas station and put some in....but that was about 25 miles before the light went on.... Worried about the car now... it did seem to get really bad gas mileage on the way back... HOW do you check for the code? Does it have to be at a toyota dealer? I assume you have to plug something in to read what it is....?

I meant to type Clunking............. Hello; I just drove off the lot with a '96 lx450 with 109,000 miles on it and 1. on the way home the check engine light appeared (read that thread, thanks, but an additional question; could that light illumination be delayed? It was totally empy at the dealer and we dove to a gas station, but the light didn't come on for another 20 miles or so.) 2. MORE importantly, the transmission seems occassionally to drop, lurch, or clunk into the next gear when I hit the gas a little while up to speed (40-50 MPH) and it goes into gear but you feel it a little. Having read the throttle body problems with the lx 470, is this a problem on this car too? 3. sometimes it idles at 1500-2000 rpm and does not come down... Very nervous all of a sudden about this vehicle. Can return tomorrow, does anyone have any thoughts on the transmission thing, or the check engine light.... thanks