TA in KC

That toyotareference site is very interesting. Found it a few months back. It certainly provides a lot of helpful information.

My guess would be that the dealership does not have the proper equipment to re-flash the ECU, and would rather make more money just replacing it anyway. I know that, at least at our local Lexus dealership, none of the key cutting, etc, is done in house. They send everything off to some out of town place. The equipment used to re-flash the ECU is expensive and not many locksmiths have it. Brandt Locksmiths is the only place in the Kansas City area I could find that does. If you can't find someone in your area, you may consider removing your ECU and sending it to them...it would still probably be quite a bit cheaper to have it flashed than replaced.

I am not exactly sure as to the key programming procedure. Cannot remember. But I do know that the car's ECU can be flashed to program additional keys without a master, if the credit card key will not work. Take a look at this website. www.brandtlocksmiths.com. Read the article on the Lexus section of the site. They are a Kansas City locksmith that is very knowledgeable about Lexus keys and remotes. You may even give them a call, if you have any questions. I cannot confirm that you can program keys with the credit card, but I can say for sure that there is a way to add keys without a pre-existing master.

Yes, there is a chip inside the "credit card". Both the card and the key need to be present and close to each other during the programming process. If the dealership doesn't believe you, let them watch you start the car with the credit card key.

I just bought a 93 400 and I have pretty much the same problem. I used the directions above to "reset" the key I have and it did not work. I also replaced the battery in the key and it still ddi not work. Do I have to just reseat the ROM chip and try the process over? Are there pixs on the forum for that chip. I have read where it is located, but I don't want to pull the wrong thing. D The ROM chip is located on a box that says "door lock control". It has a small cover with a screw that has to be removed to access it.

No, you cannot program keys/remotes to LS400s prior to 1995. You can have a maximum of 2 remote keys at a time. They are "programmed" by installing a ROM chip that is paired to them in the keyless entry ECU, located on the left side of the trunk interior. If you need to add another remote key, your best bet is to buy a new set of 2 keys and ROM chip from a place like Sewell Lexus Parts. That package runs about $250. Your original keys will still work, but keep in mind that the remote function will only work on the 2 new ones if you go that route.

No, they are not the same and will not work.

Hey, just a funny, my car looks almost exactly like yours! Except mine's a 90. How many miles does yours have? Just curious. It is a 1992, has 146,000 miles.

While I enjoy shopping for other things there, I took my car to Wal-Mart once to have the tires balanced and will never return. It took them five hours, and, among other things, they put several deep scratches in all four wheels. They certainly did not treat my car very carefully...I imagine that is probably typical. The only places my car goes now is the dealership or a local independent Lexus mechanic.

Try putting silicone grease on the black rubber parts surrounding the window. That worked well for me.

Learning how to use the attachment feature on this board. LS4001990WebStreaming.mov LS4001990Web.mov

I frequently stumble across these old commercials on websites like You Tube, and enjoy pulling them off the internet and restoring them with iMovie. Unfortunately, this particular one was a 110MB file when complete, too big to post here. Instead, I attached a CD-ROM version, a much smaller file, and with a much smaller size, but is still fun to watch. Team One certainly did a good job with Lexus' early TV ads. LS4001990CD_ROM.mov LS4001990CD_ROM.mov

I noticed the same thing on my friend's Chrysler LHS. He did end up getting it fixed, and the problem was caused by a loose rod on the ceiling of the trunk. The trunk also did not stay up very well before the problem was fixed. I would imagine they probably just tightened something that came loose during the delivery process.

Tony, others may tell you differently, but having owned a car with the same engine, I think most of the problems you hear about with the RX are just caused by lack of proper maintenance. When taken care of properly, I think the RX is still a great quality car and would not hesitate to buy one. $1300 probably means you could get it for $1000. Find a good used motor/transmission and you might end up with a very nice RX for a very nice price.

90LS400, I might have a spare one. Send me a PM if interested.

What you said sounds like a good idea Steve. Lexus LS cars certainly do age very gracefully...and keeping any reliable car for a long time is one of the best financial decisions you can make. By purchasing one that is 2-3 years old, you won't get smacked nearly as hard with depreciation. Keep us up-to-date if you end up finding one.

Moisture probably got inside the cover from a small hole somewhere. You could try looking for a used headlight from a place like Graham's Auto. To keep this from happening in the future, it would probably be a good idea to inspect the headlights for holes/cracks periodically. That way, if you find one, you can repair it before it creates a problem.

Yes, you may have bad fuses in the engine compartment fuse box. It is right above the battery on the drivers' side. You should check not only the blade fuses but the larger ones also. You are not the first person who has made that mistake...someone else on this board did a few months ago and new fuses fixed the problem.

I am 99% sure that the problem is a broken wire, contained in the harness attached to the drivers' side trunk hinge.

You could try a different thermostat. I would just take the car back to the mechanic and let him figure out the problem.

Unless the engine overheated while she was driving it, I think it is probably just fine.

The problem you are describing sounds exactly like the one I had earlier this year. The alternator on my 1992 LS was finally destroyed by a power steering pump that had been leaking for over a year...I did not think the leak was near the alternator so I did not bother to fix it. I only needed to top-off the fluid about every 2 weeks anyway. I ended up taking the car to an independent Lexus mechanic and providing my own parts (alternator, power steering pump, and replacement hose). The repair cost about $650. If you get the alternator replaced, you should change the power steering pump also. A remanufactured one with a lifetime warranty only costs about $120. With the age of your car, I can almost be positive that the seals in the pump are worn out and leaking fluid. That's probably why you are having alternator trouble.

If I recall correctly, a blinking green light means that the compressor is mechanically frozen. Does the LCD display on your A/C control still work? By that age, most of them don't, but if it still does, it is possible to put the A/C system into a diagnostic mode and read the codes it displays to figure out where the problem is.

Personally, I feel like that is just a myth. My mechanic and Lexus dealer tell me it is, at least. I've helped a couple friends change transmission fluid on cars that have not had it changed for years will no ill effects.

Yes, it probably would not hurt to change any of those parts. The fuel filter is not quite as essential if it is not causing trouble, but why not go ahead and change it.