branshew

There are 2 sensors in the exhaust manifold before the catalytic converter and one sensor after the cat. Someone that is more familiar with the codes may be able to tell you specifically, but I would guess that refers to the first sensor before the cat. Changing an O2 sensor is incredibly easy. If you have a set of wrenches or a socket set w/ an O2 sensor socket then it is only a couple of quick turns. Unplug the wiring harness at the contact point, remove the old O2 sensor, then put the new sensor back in place and plug it back in to the harness. Find someone to reset the code and you're set. Also, you may find better prices on sensors here. You can even get the socket adaptor from them. Just stay away from the universal type unless you want to cut & splice wires under the hood.

Why don't you try e-mailing someone at LexTech. I am sure they can help you. You could also look for a used cluster on eBay. They usually run @ $250-300 and it only takes a few ninutes to make the swap.

Hey....you stole my car! Mine looks just like that minus the pinstripes down the side. I don't know what the production numbers for that color are, but I have seen maybe 3 others in the years that I have owned mine. Funny thing is that one owner lives one street over from me.

D'Oh

If the ride is getting harsh, it is probably time. Do you notice more bouncing? Can you isolate whether it is in the front or rear (or both)? Mine started making some noise. I just replaced the left and right rear struts, strut mounts, and sway bar links in my '95 ES 300. I have 115K on the odo. All together it came to @ $450 with parts & labor. KYB manufactured the struts for Lexus originally and I used their aftermarket replacement ones because I wanted the same ride quality as the OEM. I don't know who made the struts for the '97-'01 model years, but if you want the same ride quality then find out and make sure you get the same ones. If, however, you have ever thought about lowering your ride, now is the time to do it.

We have the technology to rebuild him.... You're almost certainly looking at a total loss as far as the insurance perspective. I would say that parts would run @ $3500 - $4500 (it's hard to tell everything from the pics alone). Add paint and labor to that and you're at about the selling price for a another one. I know that we get attached to our cars, but you should be glad if they total it (assuming you're not backwards in your payments or anything). Personally, I wouldn't want to drive my car again if it looked anything close to that. No matter how good the rebuild is, it would never be the same to me. Part it out on eBay and at least you can pay your deductible.

I just noticed that both of my rear speakers have gone out. I was having trouble with one previously, but now both are dead. If I take out the passenger seat, are there any points on the amp where I can connect a multimeter to see if I am getting any juice to the rear?

Technically: Amethyst Mist Really: Dark Gray

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. Kind of like the 2nd gen ES 300's. Was that done using a process similar to the one for the headlights?

Can you get a suspension lift kit for the ES? Maybe you could just get a brush and paint the tire on the rim instead. I'm sure you could find a way to fit 20's but you can kiss any resemblance of a decent ride goodbye.

Agreed. For some reason that does seem to be the case. I think it also has something to do with the way you drive. Although I do have a lead foot, I don't weave in and out of lanes, nor do I pump up the bass so loud that every car at the stoplight can feel it.

I just picked up my car from the new tint job. I went for the graphite color w/ slight reflectivity ( I didn't want the mirror look). I opted for 35% all the way around (even though you are not supposed to go over 50% on the fronts in VA). Overall it really looks good. I do have some small lines in the back that run parallel to the defroster lines (one on each side of the defroster line). They installer told me that the defroster lines on most Lexus models are painted on rather thick and to give it a few days to "bake on". If the lines are still there than he told me to bring it back in. I would post some pics, but my car is really dirty now and I don't think I'll wash it again until Ivan's backwash has blown through. Maybe next week.

Juan is correct. Unless you do some mods to the body on the rear end they will not fit. I always wondered if anyone has ever "cleared out" any of the colored portion of their tail lights on theeir 92-96 like they do to the front corners. I'll bet it would look good and give the back end a fresher look.

Ravi, I never take my ES to the dealer unles I absolutely need a loaner (which is extremely rare). Their prices are overly inflated for what they do and they always seem to find something else thet "needs repair" while the car is there. I also do not like the Quick Lube places as I have had and heard too many horror stories about people geting ripped off or someone forgetting to put the oil pan plug back in correctly. Find yourself a good independent mechanic and he can take care of just about everything you need done: Oil change, filters, tune-up, suspension, tires, etc. The only thing I would go back to the dealer for would be some sort of complex electrical problem. As to the Jiffy Lube sending you to the dealership for the filter, I am amazed. Usually they will just rub your filter on the floor to get it dirty and then tell you you need to replace it. (Then they charge dealership prices for a cheap paper filter and send you on your way. Thank you - come again.) I don't know where you are in VA, but I'm in Va Beach and can recommend someone if you are close by.

I had some trouble with the starter in my '95 last year. I noticed that the teeth were a little worn so I went ahead and bit the bullet and replaced the entire starter. I figured that would be the best thing since it was 8 years old and had never been replaced. It was incredibly easy to do and only took about 2 hours (including the trip to the parts store to exchange the core on a new one).

Sweet. It sounds like you'll be set. Have you made the surround piece yet?

As Monarch indicated, you are going to end up holding the bag on this one. I guarantee that valve seals are not on the 180 point checklist (did you get a copy of this checklist by the way?). Chances are they just check safety and cosmetic issues (brakes, cracked glass, body damage, visible oil leak, frayed belts, tire wear, alignment) before putting a used car on the lot. Not even a Lexus dealer would check the valve seals for a CPO. There are several reasons why you won't get far trying to make a claim with Lexus on your engine if it has problems with oil gelling. 1) The car is 10 years old and way out of any sort of manufacturers warranty period, and 2) the gelling issue applies only to the '97+ engines. If you are still within your 30 day warranty with the dealer that you bought the car from than I would have them address the issue. Who wants to buy a used car and have to put an expensive engine job into it right away. I think that will be your only leg to stand on.

Whoa! I didn't think that was even an option. Was that put on by Lexus or someone else aftermarket? If your post didn't indicate that you were from Puerto Rico, I would have definitely guessed that you lived in Florida. Canvas cleaners may work, but be careful about using something too harsh. Some marine cleaners are really strong. I believe that you can find specific cleaners for convertible tops. These should be gentle enough to use on the top without bleeding any color out of the material and should help protect against UV rays (which I imagine are very strong in PR). If you plan on owning the car for a long time than I would definitely look into a car cover. Sunlight is murder on woven plastic fabrics (even Sunbrella types). Over time the UV will fade the color and make ithe top very brittle if not protected. Please post some pictures if you can. I would like to see it.

Do you know what type of course you'll be on for the Cadillac event? We were on a grand prix tryp track with lots of curves and elevation changes. It made for a really fun event with the fast cars instead of the basic NASCAR oval. There was also an off-road event driving the ML through some rough terrain & mud. It was not like a Range Rover, Hummer or Jeep school, but more than the average ML driver would ever encounter. Although I still consider it primarily a woman's car, I have to say that I have gained some respect for that little SUV after driving it off road. Maybe they'll let you throw some mud around on the new Escalade too.

It sounds like the problem is in your CD unit itself. I don't think that condensation on the lens is the problem. If it has been hot & dry then the condensation should have evaporated - especially at trunk temperatures. Most likely there is a problem with a loose wire somewhere or an audio input/output gone bad. If the display states that the CD is working and you can change discs & tracks then I doubt that the player has gone bad. Check all of the wiring connections that you can.

I have the same $0 deductible on my glass as well and as much as I drive it has paid off. I have average 1.25 windshields per year over the last 4 years. I'm glad to hear that it went well. I had a horror story last year when I had the windshield on my Benz replaced. The glass company sent some rookie and it took him 6 hours to get the new windshield in place. He scratched my VIN plate so that the VIN is unrecognizable, put a small scratch on my roof, and left small glass shards all over the inside of my car. When I started it for the 1st time after replacement and the A/C kicked in, I had small glass shards blowing at my face from out of the air vents (fortunately I had my sunglasses on and nothing went onto my eye).

It could be a loose wire or the CD player is overheating. here could be a problem with the motor that drives the laser across the disc. Is there anything in the trunk rattling around that could bump into the player? It would be tough to make any sort of diagnosis with so little detail. You need to provide some more details and maybe we can point you in the right direstion. Always look for patterns or thing that coud trigger the problem. Do you ever notice any problems with the radio or tape deck? Does it happen alot or a little? How long do you usually run the CD player before it quits? Are there any other problems with the audio system? Do poor road conditions make it worse? Does it happen more when it is raining or dry? etc...

Did the lack of Vaccuum sound only happen once or hs it happened multiple times? If it has only happened on it is possible that the cap was not screwed on tightly or that the rubber seal gasket has rotted away or was not in tight connection. As Lexusfreak mentioned , on occassion the Check Engine Light will come on if the fuel cap is not on tight. If it is the pipe, you could try the salvage yard for a cheap replacement. However, if the pipe is rusted, you could potentially have other rust issues you may need to deal with.

Sounds like a PS pump to me.

Nice. That is a sweet ride! I had the chance recently to drive a brand new 2004 E55 for a couple of laps on a closed course race track at the Virginia International Raceway and it was a blast. I was also able to get behind the wheel of an SL 55 on the same course. It made for a nice day of driving. It was part of a Mercedes Benz "On Track" event.