GuyTelefunken

Personally, it sounds to me like you didn't take the time to listen to it before you bought it. Additionally, if you didn't take the necessary steps to fully investigate just which system the car you were buying was equipped with, there isn't much you can do about that now. Trade it in, go find something that will satisfy you.

Correct.

The transponder of the key can only be programmed once. The remote portion of the key head can be programmed multiple times. Once the transponder is programmed to another car, it is useless to you. Without a programmed transponder, the key will not start the car. You need to: A. Order a new key cut to your VIN online and program it yourself -----------------------------------or--------------------------------------- B. Drive to dealer, pay dealer, drive away without a headache

I'd be curious if the recall was performed or not on this car. Checking the crash data in the computer is the only way to see what the conditions of the accident actually were. By the VIN, you can check if the recall was done. It would be a rare case that this car has been on the earth for 10 years and has never been to a Lexus dealer; where they surely would have been obligated to tell the current owner at the time about the recall. Details of the recall state that electromagnetic waves, such as that from a cellular phone, could cause a problem with the yaw sensor. The yaw sensor is located a few inches to the rear of the gear shifter on the center tunnel. Did you have your cellular phone anywhere around there when you had the accident?

It seems easily misunderstood that without a working, programmed master key in your hand, you cannot program any other key. It doesn't matter if you get the key directly from God, it will not start your car until it is programmed, which will not happen without a programmed master key already in your possession. Your choices are: A. Ask Lexus to replace your ECU as a courtesy. In some cases, they have been known to do this on a one-time, courtesy basis. They will charge you $200.00+ per master key. B. Find a locksmith (good luck) with the right computer to erase and reprogram all the keys in your ECU. Of course, you need to have keys cut and ready to program. C. Remove your ECU and send it to somebody you find on the internet to have it reprogrammed. I hope they send it back to you with at least one working master key. If they do, then you have your choice of where to get future keys, since you will be able to program them yourself. Note: Some later model year cars (GSxxx, 2005+) may have the ability to accept new keys without having a programmed master key available. The ability to do this depends on the model year and the software version in the Lexus scantool.

VSC is the Lexus term for Vehicle Stability Control. In your case, something malfunctioned and locked up the brake on one or more wheels which in turn caused you to have an accident. It might be worth your while to discuss what happened with your insurance company and also give Lexus customer service a call. There are many safeguards built into the system to prevent this sort of thing from happening. In your case, the particular malfunction you incurred was serious enough in nature to cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Paradoxically, this is just the sort of thing VSC was intended to help prevent. Hopefully Lexus will offer to help you out, particularly if they feel what happened was at least in part the fault of the system. The number for Lexus customer service is 1-800-255-3987. Good luck!

Highly unlikely. These transmissions are fairly bulletproof. Can you describe your issue in more detail?

Check ECM for codes with a scantool.

IAC = Idle Air Control....There is no IAC valve on the 98 GS400. Idle speed is controlled by the angle of the throttle plate directly by the throttle actuator motor. I would recommend checking with the service manager to find out exactly what part they want to replace.

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The seat heating pads contain an integral thermostat that maintains seat surface temperature between 77 and 113 deg. F. There is no connection to the climate control system or outside temperature sensor whatsoever. Previous Post on a Similar Subject

Dealer or Lexus original parts only. They come color matched.

If by "won't start" you mean "won't crank," than I'd say you need to rebuild/replace the starter. When you get a heavy click.....click.....click....sound and then all of the sudden the car starts right up, the problem is usually the starter contacts. There are several threads about removing the starter and rebuilding it for a couple of dollars. In my opinion, if I felt the starter was the problem, I would replace it with a Toyota/Lexus rebuilt unit. The reason I say this is on the GS400, the entire intake manifold and various other parts have to be removed to access the starter. It takes several hours to do and it's probably not something you'd want to do twice.

It's inside the fuel pump assembly, inside the fuel tank. And yes, it's "supposed" to last a lifetime.

For some reason, the procedure for the non Mark Levinson is all I have in my info.

You can perform the onboard diagnosis located Here and see if you come up with any codes. It probably would be a good idea to go back to the place that changed your alternator and ask them to make sure they didn't disturb, disconnect, etc. something that caused this.

If the odometer is showing but not incrementing, you likely need a vehicle speed sensor. This is the device that sends the speed information to the computer. It's located on the back of the transmission and is about $70.00 retail. The way to prove this theory would be to hook up a scan tool and drive the vehicle while monitoring the vehicle speed. Is the vehicle speed on the scan tool stays at "0," then the signal is not getting from the speed sensor to the ECM. Replacing the sensor and/or fixing the wiring/connector (if there is a problem there) should do it.

You need to take it to a shop where you can have the charging system checked. It does sound like you need an alternator to start with. If the alternator has been failing for a while, you may need a new battery as well. Most shops have the test equipment to check the charging system and the battery. As for the noise in the rear, it could be any number of things. Any competent mechanic should be able to go over the drivetrain and find anything that may be loose or problematic.

In your case, there are three possible fuses to check. The most likely is the CIG 15A fuse in the lower left kick-panel. Also check the PANEL 7.5A fuse in the same location. Lastly, particularly if your interior lamps are not working as well, check the DOME 10A fuse in the fuse block in the engine compartment.

The correct fluid is Toyota Type T-IV. I would recommend the Toyota brand as it can be difficult to find aftermarket alternatives. Can you be more specific on the problem you are having; such as how do you know what gear it is starting out in?

As long as you did not detach the motor from the regulator, press the down switch all the way down and hold until the window is fully open. Lift the up switch and hold until the window is fully up; continue holding the switch up for a few seconds. That should do it. If you did separate the motor from the regulator assembly, the instructions to reset are a bit more complex. See the attached .pdf Window_Reset.pdf

The problem was likely starting before you changed the pads. The new pads are thicker and therefore have more mass to vibrate when the rotor is not perfect. This extra mass vibrating, will cause any variation to be more noticeable in the front end/steering wheel.

The rear non-floating calipers have no guide pins. The brake pads are held in by an easily removable pin, which rarely needs replacing. If the front calipers pins are frozen in place, which I suspect is the case, I would recommend exchanging the entire calipers with rebuilt ones. Carquest, NAPA, etc. carry them at reasonable prices. If you change the calipers you will need to add brake fluid and bleed them. If you're not comfortable mechanically, I would recommend any reputable shop. It's not difficult but needs to be done correctly for safety.

That,s a bummer seeing a ball joint shot, Hope the best service for a full recovery Yeah, Newbie here, Wait who is that guy calling us newbie? Oh yeah he's a newbie Welcome to the club Yeah, really. What do we know? Seriously, I have to wonder. If a car were having it's annual inspections (assuming they are mandatory where cmOnkey lives) isn't it likely that this ball joint should have shown up as loose, a long time before it failed?

CBEST was introduced in 1998 for all GSXXX models.