toytrain

I have an extraordinary problem -- about 3 weeks ago the heater stopped working. The '94 LS400 sat in the garage til yesterday when I tried to start it but battery dead. I charged the battery for about 4 hours and sure enough the engine started fine! Problem - no other electrical works --- this includes lights, dash, windows, even transmission won't go out of park!!! Did I blow a main fuse or what? Is there a breaker some where for all the "auxiliaries"? All hints appreciated. Jim

My '94 LS has passed 200k miles and the suspension is just about gone - its the old strut/coil system (not air). It bottoms out on big bumps and sways/leans alot when cornering. Add'lly there is frequent clicking and clunking sounds. Just a real feeling of being loose. Of course we love our old car and its still a beautiful machine after all these years. We want to keep it going for a few more years. Just about everything else has been replaced/fixed over time including all the usual malfunctions --dash lights, ps steering pump leak wiping out the alternator, steering rack leak/replace, water pump, crankshaft sensor failure, brake pressure activating reverse light on dash (easy fix thanks to advise on LOA), and many other little anomalies. Incidently, the replacement rack is looser than the original and I wouldn't recommend replace on this unless absolutely necessary! But like I said we really want to keep this thing going but I do miss how it used to drive/ride/handle. I know though that it never will really be the same. My question is what all should I be looking to replace in the suspension? I figure all 4 coils and struts, strut rod bushings, spring upper and lower seats, and bumpers. Would appreciate any advise and recommendations.

Wires at the trunk hinge can break so cleanly that they can look like they have been cut. I wouldn't know what the green wire does without looking at a wiring chart but I recommend splicing it together. It's not the cell phone antenna wire -- if like the 90 LS I had, it is a rather thick coax wire and ends just above the headliner at the center of the rear window ... you should be able to see it if you gently pull the rear center edge of the headliner downward a fraction of an inch. Thanks for your quick reply -- I'll do as you recommend -- makes sense

Well yours is certainly an usually post. Are you asking for help? Do you consider this a problem? Are you proud of your reverse light coming on when you press the brake? ;) If this is happening on a 90-94 LS400, then you most likely have broken wires in the driver side trunk hinge. Splice/solder in some new wire and tape it and the problem will most likely be fixed. It is an incredibly common problem with the gen 1 LS400 and is the reason I began using this forum after wires in the trunk hinge broke on the 90 LS I used to have. 1990LS400, Thanks for the info - I did like you said after locating this post and quickly located a white broken wire which when spliced back solved my "R" light dilemma and the accompanying rpm surge. Saved me much heartbreak and money. However, I also found a green wire in the same bundle that appears to have been cut. I did a temp splice but could notice no effect on any system or equipment. I kind of assumed this was the antenna wire for the cell phone option which I passed on in 94 at the time of purchase. My question is - was I correct or should I go back and perm splice these together?

-------------------------------- Well, 2 years later a belated "thank you". I have replaced basically all the bulbs on my 1994 LS400 but was frustrated with the headlights -- I just couldn't get to the back of the light to take out the assembly. I took a break and came in and surfed the web & LOA for advice. Your reassurance that it was easy took me back out to the car and after just a few minutes of reflection and study it flashed on me what you were saying. I already had the parking light panel out (I've replaced that one several times already) and that had exposed the 2 nuts I had missed and zippo -- I was done in 3 minutes! She's a great old car and I'm hoping for another 5 years and 50k miles !! Jim