landar

The ECU may be cutting spark due to the gross error in timing. You are fortunate that the 94 is non-interference!

If you believe that the timing is now correct and all electrical wires and sensors are connected then you will have to do some basic tests. I would check for spark and if you have that, check for fuel delivery. Did you happen to take the distributor caps and rotors off?

Check connections very carefully. I have heard of many who forgot to reconnect something.

Hmmm, you are thinking trunk wiring, huh, Virginny Beach? ^_^ Good call.

Well congrats on a fine car purchase, Brian. So, you only got one key fob? Not both? If so, and with a new battery installed, it really is not looking good for the key fob. I would suggest purchasing another and reprogramming the new one to see if it will fix the issue. Besides, if you do only have one, you need another anyway. I believe that I have read that starting in 2004, most have had to go to the dealer for programming, but I am not 100% sure about this.

The LS430 is a pretty sophisticated machine and I do not know of a lot of issues. However, you should be looking at overall operation...does it drive quietly, straight down the road, do all door locks work, trunk latch, mirrors, wipers, radio...and the list goes on and on. And that is exactly my point. Do not go without a list. And check off everything on the list so that you do not miss anything. I do not know the miles on this 2005, but a timing belt, water pump is due every 90k miles. And it is not cheap to do. You should try to get maintenance records to see that service was done on time. Let us know how it goes.

Please embellish us. What exactly did you do and did you run into any problems? Did you use a gasket or FIPG?

You could try Castrol but why risk it? You can get the T-IV at any Toyota dealer. I buy it by the case for something like $5 a quart. They usually ask $8/qt and I always talk them down. Just say you can get it online cheaper and ask for a better price. They have never refused me.

Jon, with codes p0171 and p0420, you may have an exhaust leak. It is somewhat common to get pinhole leaks in the exhaust header pipe which really messes with the fuel mixture. Or it could be a faulty O2 sensor(s). I do not think this 100% explains your cars poor performance and sudden loss of power however.

I am not sure that 'test' will work with your wifes' 98 LS. The 94 and 98 models are different animals. Lots of revamping between the two. That is an excellent idea about the helmet cam. I never thought of doing that. I guess it would help if I first bought a helmut cam...details. ;-)

I have seen that before and it supposedly is a "wireless door lock buzzer". In other words, I think it may buzz or beep when you wirelessly lock/unlock the doors. Did you get a wireless key fob with the car? I am guessing not.

Welcome to the Lexus Owners Club, Jon! I agree with Freddie...get the code(s) first then go from there. It will take a lot of the speculation out of the picture. With 238k miles, there are a number of things it could be. Rarely is the problem with "bad gasoline". We all would like to think it were that simple, but it almost never is. If your uncle still has maintenance records, you should try to get those from him.

Welcome to the 'Club', Otto. You might get better help in the "Detailing and Car Care" section LOC -> http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/forum/9-lexus-detailing-and-car-care-forum/ Otherwise, I would take a look at this company, though I cannot vouch for them. But maybe they could help? http://www.leatherworldtech.com/Leather-Dye-Color-Selection-s/1914.htm

Welcome to the club, Randy! If the wheel works manually, that clears the motors and gears as being culprits. Now, the auto positioning may stop short if you start doing things, like start the car and put it in gear, while it is auto adjusting. It is made that way to keep from startling the driver and as a safety precaution. I always make sure I give the system plenty of time to cycle before moving forward. Not sure if that is your issue but consider it next time it stops short.

I mean hood struts. There were early reports of some aftermarket struts being so strong that the hood would actually bend or deform when trying to close. It may no longer be the case and this car may have been in an accident or had the wrong stuts. But the hood clearly does not mate correctly with the fenders.

Hi Jake and welcome to LOC! My son recently bought a 91 LS400 with 125k miles from a Lexus dealer and was(is) in outstanding condition. Paid $3100 for it. This is just to illustrate that nice examples are out there, however this one that you are looking at does not appear to be one of those. You can also see where the hood is bent (probably due to aftermarket struts). And lowered? Forget it. Find a more 'virgin' LS. I am with Billy and Bob....stay away from this one.

cmshoot, Have a look at this thread before you start -> http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/38392-99-transmission-pan-nightmare/?hl=transmission#entry390691 And this -> http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/78698-1998-lexus-ls-400-transmission-pan-gasket-leak-oil/?hl=transmission#entry468124

The 19 pan bolts are 65 inch-lb. Drain plug is 15 ft-lb.

Got it. You have already determined that it is a faulty ignition switch. I wish you the best on your endeavor.

Hello Philip and welcome to LOC USA. I have not personally experienced this issue but wanted to give you a potential troubleshooting tip. So, you mention that turning the ignition key to off and back on restored operation. With all of the ECU's built into the car, would you not think that one which was being re-booted (restarted) might be the culprit? I do not see it as the ignition switch itself as much as an ECU. Possibly the Body ECU. What I would be tempted to do next time this happens is to pull the Body ECU fuse instead of cycling the key. That would reboot the ECU and perhaps the lights would be restored. It would be a good clue anyway. It is going to take some time and patience to 'sleuth' this problem.

Remember also that if you have a local dealer, you can always present them with any better deal you find on the internet and they may match it. They always have for me.

Welcome, Ahmad. Most cars have an upper and lower limit to the cruise control (CC) set by the manufacturer. There is a lower limit (usually in the 40 K/M, or 25 MPH range) so that people are not trying to use their cruise in the city with its (usually) crowded conditions. Then there is an upper limit (usually around 145 K/M or 90 MPH) so as to discourage high speed without manual control of the throttle (think falling asleep behind the wheel). Now, I am not sure what the limits are for your particular car. It could be that the country where the car was imported has strict rules on the CC limits and that the CC ECU was reprogrammed upon entry and registration in that country. What country are you referring to, Ahmad?

With 250k miles, $4k is way too high. Keep looking. There are lots of LS's in better shape. Maybe a little bit more $$ but well worth waiting for. You might even consider stepping up to an LS430. They are getting more and more affordable.

Ok, thats good news. Nothing catastrophic about to happen, like a wheel fall off ;-) Again, noises are very difficult to pinpoint quickly. So, I think I would take the approach of spraying, one at a time, bushings with the silicone, to see if you could isolate the noise. I know, it is going to take some time and detective work but that is about all you can do short of changing every bushing straight out.

Well Brian, you are finding out what I have known for some time...that noises can drive you crazy. Especially on a high end Lexus. And are difficult to pinpoint. Now, have you done any checking for play in the wheels? Like jack up the front end and grab the tire at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and give it a good shake. Any play? Then, grab the tire in the 12 and 6 o'clock and give it a good shake. Any play? Even a small amount might indicate steering linkage issues or ball joints being loose. Safety is the number one concern here. Noises are annoying but pose no real threat unless symptomatic of larger issues.