Zett123

For do-it-yourselfers on removing the front wheel bearing hub on a LS460; I know removing the hub can be a problem due to the Galvanic corrosion between the two different metals causing them to bond. This making it a grueling task to separate the bearing hub from the spindle knuckle. My question is, has anyone tried to back the bolts that secure the hub to the spindle knuckle about 1/8" (or whatever) and then drive around the block making some nice, tight left hand turns (for right side removal) including traversing some speed bump,to loosen the hub for easier removal? I'm not talking about a three day excursion, I am just suggesting enough travel and stress on the components to jar it loose. Has anyone ever tried this?

My '01 LS430 passenger mirror is spent. It just flops around because the compression washer that holds down the spring can no longer do its job. I tried pushing it back down over the shaft but a week later it just popped off. I need to get another unit and other than ebay cannot find one. I only want to spend about $200.00 for a used one in good working order and It doesn't have to be Midnight Pine Pearl because I can change out the shell. Where other than CL or eBay does one find these. Thanks, jz

You have a 2003 which means your maps are outdated unless you spend $200.00 every few years getting upgrades. My 2001 LS430 has NAV but I use my Verizon Droid Cell, Google Maps GPS instead. It is always up to date and on a trip it recently routed me to a different road because of a bad accident on Rt 81 S. It saved me a couple of hours of sitting in traffic and shows me real time where there are backups and slow traffic. My Lexus NAV would have never of done any of this. Unless you can do the work yourself, I wouldn't waste time on repairs if that is what is needed. If you don't have a cell phone with GPS, you can get a GPS with traffic and free updates for the cost of one Lexus upgrade. (Recommend Garmin 2597LMT $179.95) ~jz~

I had P0430 code and it was due to a exhaust leak which Meineke fixed for about $80.00. That was about 4 years ago and the code never came back. Here is a good post a fellow Club member posted on the subject a couple years ago. Hope it helps. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/70886-fault-codes-p0430-and-p0420-on-ls430/

I was losing gas mileage which was down to about 23.8 MPG highway miles. Went to local auto store, picked up a $7.00 can of MAF cleaner (mass air flow sensor). The project took about 5 minutes from start to finish and instantly gas mileage improved. Here is a pic of my 2001 LS430 (158K miles) hitting 30.1 mpg beltway traffic. I actually hit 31.0 MPG a few minutes later which is the highest I have ever seen it. Not bad for a 285HP luxury auto. Oh the Taillamp failure?? That is fixed by hitting the lens in the trunk lid.

Don't forget to test the belt tensioner pulley also.

The VSC light comes on after driving about 5' in my 2001 LS430 that has about 150K miles on it. Only one time did the VSC light come on with an "39" code next to it. This light is off when I start up the car and only comes on after the car rolls a little bit. Might it have something to do with the "Zero point calibration"? jz

Follow up on my post... Under the tutelage and instruction of these forums, I decided to take a crack at fixing the lose arm rest on my door panel. The panel came off very easy with a few screws and disconnecting the connectors. The problem is, the way the arm rest is mated with the panel is by melting the plastic supports to the panel and over the years broke off from the stress. So I took some 1" sheet metal zip it screws, washers and just screwed through the center of the support to put it back together. It is probably more solid now than it was from the factory. Many thanks for those who take the time to post pictures in this forum. jz

The handle on my 2001 LS430 door panel is broken. I been looking for Tan/Beige drivers side, front door panel on Ebay and the internet and there is none. Anyone know where I can get a used replacement or a company that can redo my panel? The one piece plastic that is secures the handle to the panel is broken. Plus after 12 years of use, the handle is worn, so I would like to replace the whole thing.. Not paying $2,000.00 from Lexus. Thanks, JZ

I should have mentioned, on your new Multimeter, put your black lead at the bottom of the device where it says "Com". I don't know how you ever got a read from the way you installed the leads to begin with. You could of damaged the meter. jz

Battery should read at least 12.50 VDC to start, turn the engine over. Existing battery might have a dead cell if it goes below 12.5 after a few hours with no load on it. Usually you can see the numbers descend slowly on your Multimeter after the car has been turned off if it is a dead cell. I have used this method 100 times to diagnose whether or not it is the battery or alternator. This test has always been 100% accurate in determining a failed battery.

You need to meter the battery on the terminals around the post to make sure you are getting over 12.5 VDC. If you have the sufficient voltage, it could be a shimming problem with the starter. Meaning, the teeth with the flywheel and starting are not meshing together properly. If possible, you can always loosen the starter, back it out of its location, hold the starter tightly against the block (to ground it) and have someone crank it over to see if the starter gear flies out and starts spinning. If it does what it is supposed to, you have a shimming problem. You might want to check and see if you are using the correct starter because you mentioned the previous owner brought it. jz

Amy, I too had the fault code on my LS430 and there was an exhaust leak. I took it to Midas and the guy fixed it for $80.00. That was about 4 years ago and have not had a problem since then from the leak. Also, I am with landar on getting a good local shop in your area. The Lexus dealer doesn't fix anything, they "replace" instead which cost lots of money. I say keep your LS430 until you weigh the cost of another car vs spending a $1,000 here or there. You might want to give your general location so someone in here might know of a good trustworthy shop in your area for you to patronize. jz

I upgraded my 2001 LS430 Nav a several years back and haven't purchased an upgrade since then. To upgrade these Generation 2/3 Nav units I think it is a waste of money. For the price of an upgraded disc, you can buy a great cell phone and run navigation with Google Maps for free. So, for several years now I haven't used the Lexus (Denso) Nav and also tossed my Garmin unit with free renewable maps for the Google Maps. I love the Google maps app with traffic which is very accurate. Just my .02 cents.

Drivers side drain tube was clogged and you couldn't even tell where the opening was. Also in the last week I had a new windshield installed because of a slight crack that was growing larger. We had some rain but nothing severe and as of this writing i am high and dry. Another question is, if the sunroof drain is clogged, how does it make its way from the roof area to under the dash onto the floor mat? It is a mystery. (I ran the A/C all day Sunday going to the Eastern Shore and back, not a drop).