sisterpete

Yes, I checked the headlights, bright in broad daylight shining against my van, tried to start, one click, headlights dimmed only while trying to start, as soon as I released the they were bright again... As far as the dash lights, read again, ONLY the white speedometer & tach lights went out while trying to start, released the key & they came back on... ALL the other dash lights stayed lit... when I had battery issues before, ALL the dash lights went out and did NOT come back on until I would turn the key off & back on

When it wont start, it clicks only once, not multiple times like when the battery is having issues... blah... so this is a new problem... and im sure after reading these last post, it must be the starter. we had it changed 3 or 4 years ago... cost 600.00 oh brother!!!! one other thing i did notice, the other day when my wife was trying to start it, as i peeked in, i would see the instrument lights go out... like a battery would... or so i thought... yesterday when i was sitting in the car trying to start it, i noticed it was only the white speedometer and the tach that went out, then they came back on WITHOUT turning the key off and back on, the rest of the lights stayed lit.... starter.... thanks to all for your help and suggestions....

I have to respectfully disagree that WD40 will clean anything inside of your cable to make things work better. Wires, in and of themselves do not generally go bad unless they just break in two. Yes they can corrode on the surface but be fine inside. Cables are made of many strands of individual wires. The usual problem with corrosion is within the head of the large female connector which clamps to the battery. Those are usually lead connectors with the copper cable wires crimped within. You can't see that particular connection. Sisterpete, you mention "problems on multiple occasions". Can you explain exactly what kind of electrical problems you are having? That may help in the diagnoses. right now, it's in front of my father in laws house and will not start. just like a dead battery... we tried to jump it and it wouldnt even jump, although i think somehow i wasnt getting a good connection. the engine on the good vehicle never "pulled down" like they do when you get a good connection. i didnt have a lot of time then so i just left it. i am heading that way after bit to put a meter on it and see what is going on. need to get it running for my wifes job. on several occasions this past year, i have had this same problem, no start. once it was the battery, that's brand new now, about 6 months old. the alternator checked bad about three months ago, so that's brand new. the other times, i have had to clean a LOT of corrosion from the battery terminals. the negative cable is stripped back about 3 or 4 inches, untwisting it and every single strand inside is corroded green. the positive cable is not stripped back as far, but you can see the same thing there. as i said, this is our only car, well i have a work van, but i am getting tired of fixing dealing with this over and over and the cables are the only thing left that i know of... and when i do take the terminals off and clean everything the thing starts... dont mean to rant, some things just get old after a while... :o) but i could be a lot worse.... i need to keep telling myself that. the mechanic i have taken my car to for YEARS told me he didnt work on lexus when we purchased this one about 8 years ago, so i found a new mechanic that does, but he is EXPENSIVE!!! so i am slowly becoming a shade tree mechanic... for the smaller stuff... i took auto mechanics waaaaaaaaay back in high school, my teacher told me then that i would make a good mechanic if i worked in a dealship, some place where someone else diagnoised the problem and i just fixed it... he said, and i agree, that figuring out what the problem was, was my greatest short coming.... thanks for the help, many a forum responses have helped me out, cars, computers, etc....

Steve, Thanks for the reply. Yes, they have caused problems on multiple occasions. Alternator is new, battery is new. Yes I agree, a wiring harness is NOT the answer for a 20 year old car, there is a less expensive solution to my issue. Perhaps the wd40 wil clean the inside of the cable?? It's the only car I own, still runs like a top at 300,000 + miles...

thanks... but my cables are FULL of corrosion... for several inches down inside the cable

HELP!!! both cables on my battery look as if they're the original parts... they are FULL of corrosion and need to be replaced. problem is, they disappear into a black hole, cant see where they're going. called lexus to see if they could tell me where the other end of the cable ends up... not much help... told me the cables go into the wiring harness and that cost 1100.00 dollars to replace. HAHAHAHA does the negative cable come from the battery and just end up at the block? nothing else in between? Does the positive cable go somewhere else besides the starter, which is located UNDER the intake manifold. had to have it replaced a few years back and never thought of having the cable replaced at the same time. i dont know if the solenoid is on the starter or located somewhere else. ive searched and cannot find any tutorials on this. any help would be really appreciated thanks

man thats the word for sure... get it open... FIX EVERYTHING ha ha man knowing what color wire is really nice... THANKS for that info... you said the following "Keep in mind that when that wire is broken, the shift pattern is severly compromised" which i am guessing might be the answer to the follow... i was actually able to drive the car tonight, and noticed when i do brake and the "R" lights up... immediately it downshifts... obviously the faster you are traveling, the more noticable it is... so i'm guessing i am on the right track. ive tried a few of the tricks to get the trunk open... but not the battery yet. i noticed the key not working, but just had not had the time to look into it.. then this switch stopped working... thats what i get for not getting right on it... thanks to all who replied... love this forum... have never failed to get good solid answers and fast... wish i knew more so i could help others... maybe some day...

thanks for the info... would that cause the check engine light "emissions" (cant remember right off hand which number, but for sure the emmisions system) to come on... the car smells horrible from the exhaust when setting at idle and you are anywhere near it... the mechanic took something apart in the engine area and cleaned the little filter (sorry, been sick and im just not thinking straight right now) and also found a couple hoses on that thing that were bad, he replaced... seemed to help for a while but now its back...

thanks... guess my biggest problem is getting inside the trunk?????

mercy sakes alive..... well, i think i'm ok cause the lifters are making the same noise they made when i first got it... i actually ask about that quiet ticking sound back then and the machanic said not to worry, these were suppose to sound like that... he said, as a matter of fact, if they don't, then be worried.... thanks for the reply....

thanks for the reply.... new question... possible same problem... the other day, my trunk key stopped working won't turn, must be something inside... now going out to check on this wire loom, my trunk will not open from the switch inside... wife said it opened earlier for her... oh brother... is there a way to get into the trunk and open it from the backseat area possibly??? and im guessing this switch problem may be the same wire look? does that loom have the gas door included? thanks

the guy i purchased my 1991 ls400 from several years ago (probably 7 years) recently ask me if i have had the lifters adjusted recently, saying they needed it every 60k.... i said no, since i had no idea they were suppose to be. having heard that, i called the garage that usually works on it for me, although the one guy that i trust there has been gone the last three times i called, so today i ask the guy on the phone and he said they were not adjustable, not to worry about it.... anyone have any information on this.... thanks

today my reverse light in the dash, "R" started coming on when applying brake? any ideas? if this has been covered, sorry for the repost... been a few very rough days physically and i feel kind of spaced out.... thanks

oldskewel, thanks so much for all of this info... i'm going that direction first since evey single symptom is what you are describing. jcrome04, that's the first thing i thought of when it began, coolant, although i'm not losing any coolant, so i would imagine it's this ps thing. great help... and great thanks to all....

interesting..... so the egr system malfunction may be something different then the smoke... so do you have any idea where i could find more info on this particular problem... the power steering thing... and could have this been caused by some bad workmanship when my starter was replaced, since they had to take the intake off to get to it? thanks for your time..