90LS400Lexus

My grandpa used it on his '55 Cadillac - worked like a charm. I have personally went through 1 and a half bottles of this on my '91 LS400. The first bottle leaked out in about 2-3 weeks, which is longer than the regular PS fluid lasted. The steering also felt so much smoother to turn.... kinda renewed ya know? I have put in another 1/2 of a bottle and will see what happens. It says it may take two applications... I guess time will tell. My leak was so bad I know I could not mess anything else up. It still boggles my mind that ALL 1990-94 LS400s have, have had, or will have major power steering leaks. Some started leaking before the car was even a few years old... I still have never understood why there was never a recall issued on these CRAPPY and SHODDY power steering pumps! Some will say, well the cars are old, have alot of miles, but this is no excuse. I have had alot of cars, even much older than this LS400 without PS leaks. I have two early 70s General Motors cars that dont leak a drop of anything..... I had had several 1980s Mercedes, no leaks at all, ever. I have had several 1980s Honda Accords and a 1991 Honda Accord - 180-250K miles - no power steering leaks. It was just a major defect on the LS400s. I know these cars are old now, but I think that since it was such a widespread issue and ever before they were too old- they should at least offer a discount on repairs/parts. 1990LS400... do you have details on how to make this and how to install it over the alternator? Some people say that any additives/stop leaks will cause more damage, but when its all so far gone, I dont see what more harm it can do. I envy anyone with a gen 1 LS400 with a NON-leaking PS pump. Hope the Lucas works... I know it did on my grandpas 1955 Cadillac. He had a bad power steering leak from a hose that was hard to find... tried Lucas first (recommended by his mechanic) and the leak instantly stopped and thats been two years ago! Good luck - keep us posted!

I have some where somewhere that I took off of the rear of my old 1990 LS400... not sure if the 1996 is the same or not though. They only had 5000 miles on them, but the ride was to firm for my tastes, so I had them removed, but thats been 6 years ago.... They are around here somewhere. <_<

lol about the sandwich comment. :P About the link.... thanks... I think. ;) WOW, what a job! Its not something I can do myself. :( I guess that tech will make more money on my car. <_<:) Thanks again!

Well my, my. Turns out that its the valve cover gasket leaking causing it, which was my first thought the first time it happened. <_< I started the car this evening and let it run for about 20 minutes... I had my dad out there with me to help me look for when it started smoking. All of a sudden, smoke started billowing out from the lower back of the engine around the valve cover for about 5 seconds, then it stopped. My dad looked and he said it was clearly oil leaking onto the hot part of the manifold, which is what was obviously giving it that quick and short-lived burst of smoke. As mentioned, I didnt think it was electrical, because #1, Toyotas-Lexus generally have excellent electrical systems... (I guess thats why not too many people had any info on this) and two, it never smelled like hot electrical or wires to me. It smelled/smells like the odor you get like if you are behind a big diesel truck with your windows closed, but the smell comes in through the vents and your mode is on fresh air. Its strange though that out of all of the gen 1 LS400s that I am sure have or had valve cover gasket leaks, that no one else had ever experienced this before. I guess it was just the way its dripping on mine. Well at least now I can stop worrying some, but I know this is not a easy repair on these cars. I am not sure how far back this is going to set me. I guess I will check with the Toyota mechanic I know and see how much he will charge to replace them. <_<

I think I may have told you wrong. In checking on my hood struts for another thread, I looked at the battery in my 95, I don't think the relays are under the battery. Not enough room, sorry. I see. Oh well. Thankfully its pouring rain and I did not go out to remove the battery this evening. Thanks for the help though.

Thanks AZ. I did not know that there were relays UNDER the battery. Definitely worth looking into, as it seems the smell is coming from inside that area. I can smell it the strongest if I sniff around the area between the battery and where you put in the washer fluid. Seems like if it was electrical and it was getting hot enough to smoke, that a fuse or relay would blow or something. Strange though, it dont smell like wires burning, so it may be a relay or something.

Another update - My GOSH! I think my car could have lit on fire today! I ran some errands on my lunch hour, went up to the bank and stopped on the way back at a carryout sub shop (very near work) and while pulling in, I smelled that smell again! I stopped the car and got out and smoke was billowing out from under the hood between the crack between the fender/hood! I raised the hood, expecting to see flames this time, but they werent and the smoke was all gone, but I could still track the smell down to the battery area. I quickly removed the fuse box cover and smelled in there and the smell was NOT coming from there. Its like its coming from below the battery area. I drove the car on back to work and worked for about 2 more hours. I went ahead and drove the car home with NO issues or smells. This has me completely puzzled. All I know to do it keep driving it and when it does it again let it do it until it starts burning so I will know what it is. Its so random.. it may not do it for another two weeks. It also seems to only do it on like a "2nd trip" out and after a few miles of driving and stopping. As you can see, I have not reported this problem since March 12. I have drove the car about 500 miles since then- no problems until today. My dad seems to think it was coming from the alternator (where PS is leaking into it), but I told him the smell it not from that area, but he says the fan may be blowing it over there, but I dont think the smell/smoke is coming from that side of the engine. Also, again, it dont smell like electrical wires burning, but rather like "burned" diesel fuel fuel/fumes... unless its different kind of wires burning, but I cant imagine what it could be. Perhaps the alterator is shorting something out and overheating it? I dont think its terribly bad yet, as my battery light is not even coming on. OR perhaps the wires in the trunk around the hinge are causing something screwy again and overheating something electrical under the hood? I think if it was something electrical and at the point of smoking that some damage may have occured and it would have burned more after I restarted it, but it didnt. Its like a relay is kicking off and on and overheating something... I am clueless and no one seems to have any ideas. I am so agitated now and this car is really depressing me. Seems like its always needing repairs. Sad, sad, sad, especially considering this is a fairly low mileage LS400 and a well maintained and non-abused one at that. I will never buy another one. I would be to afraid to. I wish I had never even seen this car. Thanks for any advice as to what this may be or how to check it. I may have to end up taking it to the dealer. <_< I read a complaint where someone with an early LS400 had a fire under the hood. The car was just setting in the driveway and it lit on fire under the hood.

My 1991 (218K) is still doing it as well. Yes, it kinds feels like you are towing a small trailer and its bumping the car back and forward at certain speeds. I am not yet ruling out the engine/transmission mounts though since they are still the originals @ nearly 220K and I am also getting horrid vibrations! If its the torque converter causing this "bumping" issue, I am NOT fixing it... I cant even imagine how many Ben Franklins (thats 100 dollar bills for you that dont live in the states) that will cost to repair on this junkyard fodder. I will sell it, junk it, donate it to charity and take a $4000 loss and give the Mercedes rather than the Lexus to my mother and buy me another car. I could have bought a nice 2001 LS for what I have spent/going to spend in repairs on this car! Alot of people always says what "excellent" transmissions these cars have, but seems like I read alot about these torque converter issues lately. I hope thats not mine (or anyone elses here) problems. I hate to have to complain and be a downer all of the time, but this car is really bumming me out. Seems like when I get one thing fixed, there is something else to replace. IF I can ever get ahead (this car is driving me to bankruptcy), I will replace the engine/transmission mounts and see if this clears up most of my problems (as some here have said it may).

Yeah, that LS with the red interior is all solid which I think also hurts it. Most LS interiors have a little two-tone colors to the interior - at least both of my gen 1's did, as did my aunts black '90 LS. That red one is a nicely equipped though. Looks like it has about all the available options. Only options mine has that I know of are sunroof and leather.... it was equipped exactly like my old LS400. My '90 LS400 was made in February of 1990.... my '91 LS400 was made in February of 1991... kinda ironic. Whats even more ironic is that my 1988 Mercedes was made in February of '88 and my dads 1988 Nissan truck was made in February of '88 AND my mothers 1997 Oldsmobile was made in Febraury of '97. Sure was a popular month with the production of our cars. My '72 and '73 cars were made in December of '71 and and August of '72 respectively. here is a link to one in Calif http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/1078562964.html take a look That is a good looking combination, the other one is just toooo much red/burg. this was my red ones....

Mine dont really excite me, but its 18 years old with 218K miles. :P I have never had my car past about 2800 rpms but the othe day I was running late for work and went all out when pulling onto the highway and hit 3200 rpms! LOL. I was like, wow this car is peppy. :P It didnt help that I had a Trans Am on my tail and I wanted to pull away from it.... and I did. ;)

I hope that owner dont visit this site. ;) You can insult a mans wife, but never his car. Mine had that exterior color, but the interior was more of a brown color. Here are better shots of my old LS400.... these were taken in 2004. The car is probably smashed now. The lady I sold it to crashed it. I hated the color, but I loved the car... it had so many less problems than my current '91 model and it has about 40K less miles than the '90 did when I sold it. here is a link to one in Calif http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/1078562964.html take a look

Well, I cant see exactly where your needle is, because for some reason when I click on your picture of the gauge to enlarge the photo, it freezes my computer up (which is very strange), but it looks like its a little above that line, which is where it always is on my 91' LS400 and the exact same place it was on my old 90' LS400. Photos of mine at its highest point. Even in 100° weather in city traffic with the A/C on, it never goes above this line... (yes the low coolant light is illuminated, its always on... my sensor is bad and has been since I have owned the car. I am not paying $82 for a new one.

Yeah, but when I clicked on it, I seen where it said "How to Fix Strange Dash Lighting & Brake Problems 1990-1994 Lexus LS400"... I wondered what in the heck that had to do with this problem. ;) I thought you meant to post that on another thread. It appears that the wiring harness on the trunk hinge has already been addressed, unless its going crazy again. <_< I am thinking it could more likely be my transmission/engine mounts since they are the originals @ 220K. Thanks, I will read up on that link.

#4085 joined on November 28, 2003

Never know, you may have invented a new cleaner for the seats that will make them last forever.... or not. Sorry, I have no clue- I hope you have not destroyed them. Keep us posted!

Could use a tune-up for sure, or the converter(s) may be clogged. Does your check engine light illuminate? I had a 1987 Toyota Camry back in 1997 that was exceptionally low on power... the converter was clogged - I found this out when the CEL light started coming on. New converter (and had to put on a new muffler too), the car ran like new. I could not believe the difference. Does there seem to be restriction of exhaust flow from the tailpipes?

I think I have seen one other that color. I have seen a few in that color like Jify has. My old 1990 LS400 was that color, with like a rose color interior (the car in my avatar)

Thanks. I will do this soon. Yeah, when I first accelerate, when I hit about 1200 rpms, there is this hesitation/lurch, then its fine unless its like I said, light acceleration between 35-50 mph especially on slight upgrades/downgrades.... sometimes when downshifting, I can hear a light clunk sound as well. huh?

Huh?

I have posted this along time ago, with really no replies. My 1991 LS400 (now with 218K) when going between 35-45, sometimes 50 mph and when lightly accelerating, it will have this lurching feeling like there is some major slack somewhere. If the cars engine is not fully warmed, I will also get an occasional "whining" sound at these speeds, but the whining sound does not occur when the car is warmed up fully. Now I know my engine mounts and transmission mount are in bad shape, as they are the originals. I wonder if this could be the cause of this "bucking" at these speeds. I was concerned that it was the transmission, but the car shifts smoothly through all gears, but someone once told me it could be the torque converter causing it. I did not really agree at the time, because its been my understanding that these cars have bullet-proof transmissions and that it should not be failing at only 218K (low for a LS400 as we know). Gosh I hope its not the torque converter, as I CANNOT afford another costly repair on this car. I just had to shell out over $300 to have the fan bracket replaced and still having to fork out over $300 to change engine/tranny mount, which I am hoping is the cause of this. I have never abused the car- I always baby it, so I dont think it could be caused from abuse of the car. Has anyone else ever experienced this? Thanks in advance.

Well mine went bad and I had to have it replaced... in fact, I have the old one here- looks identical to the one above. Mine started all of a sudden. I pulled out of a drive-thru and it sounded like a rod knocking in the engine! @ first I thought it was the water pump, then I was told by someone here that the water pump cant be seen and it was the bracket bearing. I decided to drive the car home about 11 miles like this - with it knocking, banging and grinding. When its bad, you will definitely know it. It literally sounds like the engine is falling apart.

Drove the car 47 miles today - no smell. I had to make 4 stops and not one time did it smell. Not that I am complaining, but I would like to know what it is. So strange this smell from that area is so random and obviously a problem that no one else has ever experienced.

I swear.... I think this car has something against me. I have drove the car like 350 miles since I got it fixed. On the drive home from work today, I had to make a stop at a market. I got out and got a whiff of that "diesel burning" smell again from under the hood, coming from the left front part of the engine bay around the battery. I just shrugged it off in aggrivation and went on and had to drive about 23 more miles. When I got home, the smell was gone, just like before. Its happened four different times within a 3 month period and seems to occur when I leave work and have to make a stop at a store or something when heading home. Its usually after the car has been driven for about 5 to 10 minutes then shut it off. I know my PS is leaking again and my "brake" light is on, which is probably indicating alternator failure and wondering if its causing something to overheat around the battery. I removed the cover from the underhood fuse box and its not coming from there. Its smelled the strongest on the side of the battery next to the fender.... its especially strong if I place my nose between where you put in the washer fluid and fender. I am a little hesitant though about getting to near the battery. I know there is a host of electrical wires down there below the battery on the fender area, but its never been tampered with and I cannot imagine anything there shorting out, but on these cars, who knows... maybe something in that area is like the trunk hinge wires and something is binding? I have no clue... I guess I will continue driving it and wait for it to burn or stall. <_< As mentioned though, it dont smell like wires, it smells very much like diesel fuel when it omits the odor. You can also see, I have not reported having this issue since January... like two months, now its back again, unless its been doing it and I have not noticed.

Thanks... yeah, I think I will steer clear. I keep thinking on how my "cared for" LS400 has costed me in routine repairs. I think I will look for something else. Resurfacing potential problems are cropping up again even on my car (which I am addressing in another thread).

It depends... mechanically, I am a terrible DIY'er on these cars. Electrical seems OK... he said that the speedometer needle only lights up 1/2 way, I am familiar with that, because my old 1990 LS had that issue... not yet on my 1991. I have not seen the engine or even drove the car... its 134 miles from here. I know - thats what I was thinking. He said the MAF was recently replaced to the tune of $450. He was originally asking $2650, but said he would take $2100... not sure how much less though. Said may also be interested in trades. Seems this person has some physical health issues and not really able to take care of the car.