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I would look at the oxygen sensors also. Bad ones don't always give a CEL and can cause the car to run rich. The sulphur smell is usually the catalytic converter getting too much gas.

Good timing and congratulations on getting the heater going. This is the season to make us appreciate it.

Do the coolant flush first - it might cost about a $100 at a small shop. Putting off cleaning the system may lead to bigger / more expensive issues as my assumption is that it's not good for the car to be not getting cooled in parts which are expecting it. Make sure to use the approved coolant (usually red) and distilled water when refilling. If doing it yourself, then the flushing liquid should also be compatible. A clogged radiator would not warant replacement. Usually it has to be damaged with rust or broken parts. The clog may have occurred due to using tap water instead of distilled.

1. You pull of the frame/step on the right of the passenger seat. Hold it at the top next to the bottom dash compartment and pull it off. 2. Take out the vent cover. It's located just about where the passenger's left knee would be. A flat screwdriver in the rear (smaller)side usually gets it out. 3. Take the passenger seat back as far as it will go. 4. Pull on the carpet and bend it back 5. You should see a flat black tube to take air from the blower to the vents at the back floor. Take out the 10 mm bolt holding it down then pull the tube out by moving it around. 6. There's a tube in front for venting the condensation from the airconditioner. Make sure it's tight. 7. The wire for the O2 sensor should come out of the floor and the connecter should be hooked on to the wall. 4 wires: 2 blacks, 1 white and and 1 blue.

And yet another option: I remember an earlier post where a member cleaned out his car's cat using a chemical he bought from amazon.com. I think this was the product : http://www.amazon.com/Cataclean-Engine-Catalytic-Converter-Treatment/dp/B002BVXM92/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1271000314&sr=8-2 That one's $25 and there's a $7 one also :http://www.amazon.com/Catalytic-Converter-Cleaner-16-oz/dp/B000AMBO9O/ref=pd_sim_auto_1 I have not tried these out as I did not find it locally in Toronto.

What shape are your tires in? I have a 96 LS and though the tires looked good, I had a major problem stopping and with skidding / sliding. The Traction light was on a lot also. After changing the tires these symptoms went away and the $1,000 bill was better spent on the tires then accident / fender-bender repair.

Sorry to hear about the accident. I was in one years ago and my advice is to treat the physiotherapy with respect and practice the routines dilligently. The pain can come back after a few years even and like a mouse which you take pity on and don't kill while ejecting from your house, it comes back with a vengeance.

There is a way to get diagnostic codes from the Air Conditioning system. -Press Auto and Recirculate at the same time. Keep them pressed while turning ignition to ON. - All the lights should flash and buzzer should sound 4 times @ 1 flash and buzz/second - The temperature display should display a code. - There may be more than one code. Use the Up key to slow them down and display one at a time. Post the code and we can go from there.

Hello Rauf A belated welcome to the forum. I have been looking through the manual but cuold not find many notes on replacing the ECU. The instructions basically say that you should check ground before replacing as often the ECU will malfunction if ground connection has deteriorated. Good luck ps. Have you opened up the old ECU? I wonder what's inside. If its a microcntroller it would be educational to look at the code.

From a safety point of view, newer cars can be safer. The NHSTA should have safety ratings for both cars. I am quite impressed by side airbags after a friend got saved by them. You don't buy a car everyday. Test drive and get the one you like.

Judging from previous posts, the NMAF is a very sensitive device. There is a writeup here about testing it : http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h34.pdf I will do a summary for you from the manual. It is from page EG-183 for 1996 LS400. PASSIVE TEST: Resistance goes down as the temperatures go up. For normal temperatures (20 C / 68 F the resistance should be 2-3 KOhms. This resistance is measured between the THA and E2 pins. When looking at the male end connector while MAF is still on the car, THA is third pin from the left E2 is second pin from left. ACTIVE TEST - --> Connect volt meter, positive to VG and negative to EVG. When looking at the male end connector while MAF is still on the car, VG is fourth pin from the left EVG is first pin from left. --> Turn ignition on, blow air into the MAF. --> Voltage should fluctuate.

My experience with non-Lexus O2 sensors was not good. I got Densos from an EBay Supplier from Miami. I was so happy and slapping myself on the back to get 2 for $50 including shipping to Canada. I spliced and soldered them. They worked for maximum a day before the Check Engine light came back on complaining about the O2 sensor heater. Spent $160 at Lexus for one O2 sensor and no complaints at all. The sensors were identical except that the ones from Miami had holes in the heat shield. Bad experience. I was considering getting the timing belt kit from Ebay but now thinking of staying with the dealer.

Fried

Hi This is a bone of contention for a lot of people here. If you do a search of the forums here, you will find people wanting to use the phone, trying a few things and ripping it out to make the space useful. Here in Toronto, Canada, the previous owner of my car had the phone linked up to Bell Mobility. It seemed very convenient but I never went for it and let it lapse. I have disconnected it though as I used to accidentally touch the steering wheel controls and it would start ringing and give me an 800 number to call. Some people have put in Bluetooth devices and are generally happy with that. You will find it all in the forums.

Hello back and that's a great price. The heat up may have something to do with the cooling system. What does the temperature gauge inside the car show? 1800 rpm is quite high and my car does this if its cold outside - usually below freezing. The temp gauge needle huddles at the bottom looking for warmth. If all else fails maybe worth throwing in a hundred or so to the Lexus dealers for a diagnosis. Good luck.