kashi125

Ok so this is just a rant and also to get some opinion to make sure this is "normal" behavior and not my transmission failing... I recently sold my 97 ES300 and bought a 2002 ES300. It has 78K miles on it. The 97 ES was my first Lexus and I was so impressed with the quality and reliability that I decided to stick with Lexus for my next car. I was loving the 02 ES--until today when I was stuck in stop-and-go traffic for half an hour. Every time the car ahead of me moved and I pressed on gas, there was a noticeable "jolt"--not hesitation, but the car "lurching forward" all of a sudden. I immediately noticed it and so would anyone else if I had passengers in the car. Note that I don't experience the "hesitation" that has been mentioned in the sticky. Other than this stop-and-go condition, my transmission shifts pretty smoothly (usually around 2000 RPM for most gears) and acceleration is pretty good too. But this jolt is driving me crazy! It is very "un-Lexus" I am going to ask the dealer to look up by VIN to see if the transmission software reflash has been done on this car and if not, will get it done. Would it still be free now that it is out of warranty? If not, how much do they charge for it? Other owners of 02-06 ES, do you guys experience the same thing?

Thanks guys. I think I am just going to get new ones since the cost isn't very high as compared to getting them re-surfaced. BTW, just for kicks I called the local Lexus dealer to ask them how much they would charge for front re-surface and pad replacement if I supply my own brake pads--guess what--$255!

I have a question. My brake pedal "pulses" a lot whenever I brake at speeds of 40+. The brakes themselves seem to be working fine--there is no noise etc and stopping distance looks ok. In fact, had to brake suddenly yesterday when someone backed out of a parking lot without looking--and it worked better than I expected. Any ideas what could be causing this? Do I need the rotors re-surfaced?

Sorry to hear you couldn't take pictures, but those are some nice, detailed comments there! Thanks!

I have a 2002 ES300 with 78K miles--getting 22 MPG with 50% city 50% hwy. Used to get ~25 MPG with my 97 ES300 with 160K miles. I was using synthetic in my 97 though. Just acquired the '02 and will switch to synthetic soon and see if it makes a difference. Makes sense though. Like SW03ES said, 02-06 is bigger and heavier than older models.

YES, that would be great! BTW, how can you tell that the caliper is "sticky"?

I recently purchased a 2002 ES and the navigation data is back from 2001. I would really like to update it but dealer price is too much. Is there any legal way to obtain these DVDs at a low cost?

Are you smoking something? EPA rating for this car is 17 city / 24 Hwy. I got about 20 mixed city / highway (50/50). Just wanted to add my 2 cents I recently sold my 97 Lexus with ~160K miles on it. EPA rating for this car was 17 city 24 hwy. I easily got 25 with mixed driving. Using Regular Chevron. Driving in Houston. OP, I agree with Lexusfreak's suggestions. Especially about the tire pressure. I noticed I lost about 2mpg if my tire pressure wasn't correct.

Thanks steviej!

Ok I just thought of this--going to try it later on my own car. What if you take a small piece of a medium thickness double sided tape, just peel it from one side, and stick it to the inside of the fuel door. Now when you close the fuel door, the tape will act as a sort of "spring"--you will have to apply a little pressure to close the door, but when you press the button and the clip retracts, the door should spring right open due to the pressure from the tape.

I recently had the same problem. Lexusfreak: I think jermeal's problem is the same as mine, and is different from what you are describing. The plastic clip actually DOES retract when I press the button. The problem is that the fuel door does not "spring" open when that clip retracts. I tried spraying the hinges of the fuel door with WD40, but it doesn't help. It is a major PITA if I have to refill and I am by myself. jermeal: Am I right in understanding the issue you are having? I will keep you posted if I find a solution.

I am also looking for the 2002 ES300 FSM. If anyone was able to download it previously, could you e-mail it to me? PM me to get my e-mail address. I would really appreciate it. Thanks! flyboy42: Could your problem be the same as this: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=47495

In addition to CarFax, also put in the VIN number on the "Flood Vehicle Database" link on the National Insurance Crime Bureau website here: https://www.nicb.org/ Direct link to put VIN: https://www.nicb.org/cps/rde/xchg/nicb/hs.xsl/79.htm This was set up right after Hurricane Katrina and tells you for free if an insurance claim was made for the car in question. Other than that, just do your due diligence to make sure car is OK. Look under the seats for signs of rust. Also lift the trunk mat and look under there.

I believe you can register on lexus.com and then request a manual from them.

I hear ya. Already on the second set of windshields on both my cars.

Interesting ideas guys, but I have no experience with this. Can someone point me in the right direction....where can I get a Used Paint Analysis? And what is a thk meter?

I was also thinking of getting professional detailing done once I get it--just not sure if the paint is at a "point of no return" I agree guys, I need a better picture. This was just from the dealer's ad. I will take a close-up pic next time I go there. Thanks!

Guys I just sold my 1997 ES300 with 157K miles on it. It is now time to upgrade! I am considering a 2002 ES300 that has 78K miles on it. It is in pretty good shape and also has navigation. My only concern is this: The car is black, and it looks like it wasn't washed/waxed regularly and spent most of it's life under the hot Houston sun. As a result, the paint is not in very good shape. It has a very dull look to it. But most importantly, the hood has white "smudges" all over it. The kind you get on the windshield from the bugs. But I tried removing one of these smudges with my finger, but couldn't, which leads me to believe that the paint might be permanently damaged in these spots. Look at the picture: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/245065...728d0948a_o.jpg See the two arrows pointing on the hood? Well it doesn't look too bad in the pic, but white spots like this are all over the hood. What do you guys suggest? Is this something that is fixable? Is it a deal breaker? I love the car, but can't live with a crappy exterior.

This is a two trip code--so it might not come back for a little while. If it is still gone after 2 or 3 days, then you have nothing to worry about. Happened to my Camry once. The code never came back once I reset the check engine light by disconnecting the battery terminal for several minutes.

If you car is idling fine, then it might just be the sensor. I had slightly different codes, but that was the problem in my case: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=39174

Thanks for the advice. 250$+ is too much for me right now--I recently started working on my own car with help from this website and the FSM's posted here. I'll see if I can buy a used Snap-on...Thanks!

Thanks a lot! These saved me lots of $ so far. I never worked on cars before, but now I am able to do a lot of repairs myself with confidence.

Any recommendations? I was looking at Craftsman at Sears--but they seem to have mostly bad reviews...

Good idea. Thanks homemechanic!

I looked it up in the FSM--the entire dash does not need to be removed --just the glove compartment area, right door scuff flate, ECM, Amplifier etc, and then take out the blower unit and then the evaporator (expansion valve is attached to the evaporator). If this wasn't an AC related problem I could probably do it myself in a day. I am thinking of taking off the glove compartment etc and then bringing it to the mechanic--hopefully it will bring the cost down a little and I wouldn't have to worry about them damaging my dash!