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Brenda, I've done car repairs for years and have come across the occasional trunk/rear tailgate latch problem myself. In most cases I've been able to test the latch, locking and unlocking, with the trunk open. It may work in your case, it may not. First look at the round rod at the bumper where the trunk latch locks around. Choose an ordinary Phillips screw driver with a round shaft that is the same diameter or smaller than that round rod. Now look at the trunk latch. You should see that the slot in the latch that goes over the rod at the bumper is open and clear. If it is, hold the screw driver handle with one hand and the end of the shaft in the other, and push the shaft up into the latch assembly hard, until the latch mechanism closes. Now try your dash trunk unlock button, or the one on the right side of the rear license plate to see if it will unlock by itself. Try this several times to free it up, and lubricate it with white lithium grease. If you find that the latch assembly is closed, and won't open, (meaning you can't get the screw driver to slide up into the latch assembly because its in its locked position), then do the following. Shove the tip of the Phillips screwdriver through the slot between the latch hook and the top of the latch assembly. Then grab both ends of the screwdriver and yank it down out of the latch as someone pushes on the unlock button. If non of this does the trick, you may need to get to a good mechanic who works on Toyota Camry's, etc. (cheaper than a Lexus dealership) and get him to see if there is a bad switch/fuse/wiring problem. Sorry if the directions seem confusing but without pictures its difficult to put the procedure into words. Good Luck!

New from the dealership, or used from a wrecking yard will be it.

Its a propritory part to Toyota/Lexus and you can only get it from a dealership, or an eBay auto wrecker. Bite the bullit and see the dealsership and save yourself the frustration.

TerrenceJerome, Lexus plays its cards close to the chest when it comes to sharing info. The key is to remember that the ES is really a gussied up Camry. So search the Toyota Forums, such as ToyotaNation.com, and search there. A lot more guys do wrenching on the Camry's and I'm sure you'll find what you need. I recall one guy did a step by step including photos for a front motor mount change on a 95 that was very well done. If you have access to the tools and a good floor jack and jack stands, its a fairly easy DIYer for the average guy. Good Luck!

armcomdes, Any time I've ever seen uneven brake shoe wear, front or rear, its always been the result of the pads or slide pins sticking on that caliper, due to improper lubrication or corrosion of those parts, preventing their ability to move when the brakes are applied. Failing to flush the brake fluid every 48 months as indicated in the owner's manual, may have caused corrosion in the one caliper that prevents it from relaxing after the brakes have been applied. Improper brake pad wear will be the result.

mhawkin1, I hear you. My wife's latest es350 (2011) has a switch that extends the driver's seat some two inche for thigh support. Her last one (2004) didn't have the feature and it always bugged me on a long drive. If what you've done works for you .. great! Otherwise trach down the generation I described in a wreckers yard and see about a retrofit, if you can match the colour.

You can buy a used CPU, and throw all kinds of parts and money at the problem and still not solve the issue, because you don't know what's been damaged. Get the car to an expert and spend just what is required. Try the 10 minute reset, it can't hurt.

Once again, where on the window? The chrome trim piece below the glass, or the black plastic at the rear of the glass? The chrome piece is slid onto the exterior door skin from the top and usually hammered down with the palm of your hand. The black plastic trim piece is usually held in place by plastc pins on its backside that are pressed into matching plugs in the door frame. As well, there is usually an automotive grade double sided tape that is used along its longest sides to ensure it stays put. I don't have a 330 any more so I can't say which of the two trim pieces needs to be installed first, but there will be one piece that has to be installed first. As I stated before, they won't be cheap to buy. There are jack points on the rocker panels, but they are for the use of the jack in the trunk. Using them stands a good chance of crushing the weld seams, and removing paint. Personally I never use them. As for tire wear, bad bearing, causing the car to pull to one side, not necessarily. They aren't always felt through the steering wheel if the out of alignment is relatively minor.

Brenn J, If you haven't done many interior trim removals you are best to leave it to a car audio shop and have them replace the speakers. They have the tools and the disassembly procedures for all vehicles for doing stereo upgrades. Break or scratch one of those trim pieces and you'll have to see it every time you get into the car. And they are very expensive as new parts from Lexus, and hard to find in wrecking yards.

Dimka, Very bad things can happen when the polarity of electrical systems has been reversed. Depending on which systems were turned on when you did the jump start, there may be many systems that were affected. Start by checking for burned out fuses and melted fuseable links. They will all need to be replaced. If that doesn't solve the no start, you'll need to take the car to a good mechanic. Be prepared for a large bill if he finds that the engine computer has been fried. Your best bet then will be a wrecking yard for a good used replacement. Good Luck!

2002es300TX, One tire wearing as you describe is the result of an alignment problem. Whether its the camber adjustment or something else can be determined and repaired by an alignment shop. There may also be a bad wheel bearing on that wheel causing the wear, but that is usually easy to determine due to the noise it creates when the bearing goes bad. As for the window trim, are we talking the front windshield or the side door window? As for jacking points, dead center under the front bumper, back about a foot is the front section of the subframe that is not covered by the plastic underbelly. You'll see that it hangs down like a door knob. Put the jack there and lift the entire front of the car. Be sure to place jack stands for safety. The rear can be jacked the same way(only if the front is supported by jack stands) under the differential. Be sure to place the jack exactly under the differential, and not catch part of the exhaust. Again use jack stands.

nolsen, Search eBay for a used power window switch. They are always available from wrecking yards all over. Should be cheap compared with the dealerships. As for the power window shennigans ... there is a reset code to reset all of the windows to their correct running cycle, but that is propriatory info to Lexus, and not common knowledge. But I did find this from another site: Here's how to initialize the power windows if you ever disconnect the battery: 1. Turn the ignition to "on". 2. The light in the button for the driver's window will be blinking. If it's not blinking, it doesn't need initializing. 3. Open the driver's window all the way. 4. Pull up on the switch to close the window, and continue holding the switch up for about one second until after the window closes. The light will stop blinking, and then you can release the switch. 5. The power windows should all work normally, and the jam protection feature should be enabled. You will have to get that test procedure from a dealership if this doesn't work, or do a more thorough search on the web for "es330 power window inialization". Good Luck!

Abdul, You don't give us the mileage of your car, but being a 95, I suspect that its up there. The owner's manual has specific details as to when the transmission fluid has to be flushed, the filters changed, and new fluid put in. I would suspect that yours has never been done. You don't come across as a backyard mechanic who can do these maintenance repairs yourself, so I suggest that you find yourself a good independent mechanic and get this service done. As well, the mechanic can read the DTC (diagnostic trouble codes) from the car's computer, and determine if there are any transmission problems that show up. As for the speed sensor, he can tell if it needs replacing from the same reading of the codes. In other words, take the car to someone knowledgeable, who can run the diagnostics and tell you what needs fixing, and how to go about it. He'll also be able to give you an estimate of the cost. Good Luck!

Lexygirl88, As I suggested, don't throw parts at it. Get a good mechanic to diagnose the issue. It'll save you money in the long run.

lexygirl88, Your generation of Lexus doesn't have the OBDII port for scanning the computer for trouble codes, as all cars from 1996 on must have. The code reader will tell the mechanic which system has the problem, and where to start to find a solution. On your car, I believe the same type of thing is available, but is done by recording the number of light flashes, and their sequence, as found on the car's computer, when the car is put into its diagnostic state. You need to locate the engine computer (ECU), somewhere under a seat, under a plate on the firewall inside the car, or in the engine compartment. It will have two or more LED lights, that when the car is put into its diagnostic procedure, they will flash. For instance, if the left one flashes twice and the right one three times and then pauses, the code is 23. 23 can refer to perhaps a bad ignition coil, as an example. One of my toys, a 1990 Nissan 300ZX has just this kind of system. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is don't spend any dollars throwing parts at the car trying to fix what you think is the transmission, when in fact the problem may be with the throttle position sensor, which also triggers the transmission, as well as the engine speed. There may not be any problem with your transmission, because the tranny won't make the car backfire. Take your car to a good independent mechanic who works on Toyota's, Honda's and most all makes. You don't need to go to Lexus dealership and pay big labour rates. He'll have the reference materials needed to put the computer into its diagnostic setting, find the codes (there may be several) and tell you what's needed to get it running properly. There are so many electronics on today's cars, that scanning the computer is the only way to track down all of the systems that feed each other and impact its performance. Bite the bullet, and take the car to someone who knows what they are doing. Good Luck!

glr, I'll take a stab at it. We no longer have my wife's old 2004 ES330, as she has acquired a 2011 ES350, but I have had the door panels off her old car at one time. All cars are pretty much alike, with some differences ( I've been wrenching on cars for years and may have done several hundred door panel removals), so if I don't describe what you find, look carefully for something similar. In behind the door handle, either the entire plastic plate or a small circle or square plastic plug, pries up to reveal a screw to remove (tape the blade of a screw driver to prevent scratching the panels). Then entire door handle surround may be removed, or may not. See if it can be slid off. Then pry up the ends of the surround that the window switches are in, and pop it up. Pull the entire switch unit out and unplug each of the two or three wiring connectors, by pushing in on their connector buttons and prying the connectors loose. In that opening where the switches were, should be another screw or bolt to remove. Maybe not. Search the outer area of the door panel down each side and along the bottom for any other screws to remove (there may not be any). Then in the pocket where you grab the door to close it, may be another plastic plug hiding a screw to remove. Or maybe, the bottom plate in that opening pries up to reveal the screw. Try to pry out the lens of the courtesy light (carefully as I'm not certain) to see if there is a hidden screw underneath. There most likely isn't, but I've seen them in that location. Then slide the flat bladed screw driver between the door panel and the steel door on the bottom, and slide it along the seam until you feel a fastener. Then pry the panel away from the door until the hidden plastic plug pops loose. You should now be able to fit your hand between the panel and the steel door at that area. Slide your hand along the entire bottom of the panel and up each side, prying and popping loose all of the hidden plugs. There should be about 10 all totalled. When the entire panel is loose down both sides and along the bottom, simply slide the panel straight up until it frees itself from the top of the steel door. Reach in behind and unplug any wiring harness connectors to the door courtesy lights, the seat memory switches, and perhaps the tweeter as well. (it may be mounted in the door panel, or attached to the steel door (I can't recall). Pull the window switch harnesses out of the panel, and set the door panel aside. Swap out the tweeter. Upon reinstallation, be sure to hook up all of the wiring harnesses (don't worry about getting the correct placement of them, as each one is designed to only fit in its correct location). Pull the window switch harnesses back through the panel and out the switch opening, but don't connect the window switches yet. Then place the door panel against the glass and push it down until properly seated. It may take two or three attempts to get it properly placed, but this is critical. Check the side of the panel to see if the hidden plugs will line up with their holes in the steel door. Only then can you go around the door panel and pop the hidden plugs back into place with the palm of your hand. Then its a matter of replacing the screws and hide plates, connecting the window switches and pushing it back into the arm rest. Good Luck!

pw078, Take the pictures toa Toyota or Lexus dealership and they can tell you in a heartbeat. Take the info and then see if a local parts source (Pep Boys, O'Reilly, etc.) can get it for you for less.

Gentlemen, From years of working on all kinds of electronics and from wrenching on cars I can tell you that a lot of failed electronics come down to bad electrical connections. Many automotive failed electronics are the fault of cold solder joints. The circuit board in the key fob most likely has a cold or broken solder joint that can be spotted with a magnifying glass and then resoldered. These type of fixes can be found all the time on YouTube. For instance, the 4x4 electronic switch on the dash of many 2000 to 2007 GMC and Chev pickup trucks. They work when its hot because the metals expand and touch, but not when cold because the metals shrink away from each other, hence the broken solder joints. If you're handy at all try the fix, or take the key fob to a place that fixes electronics and ask them to do a quick look see for bad joints. A $10 fix at most, if you're lucky.

beejayy2224, I believe you will find that those two ports are two different sizes, and your recharge bottle kit will only fit on the one correct fitting. Check it out, and see if that so. ( Just don't pierce the recharge bottle before you do the check.) If it is, do the recharge. I can't give you any more than that since its been two different generations of ES's for me since I had one of those. I'm sure that if I'm incorrect, someone will let the both of us know. Good Luck!

Moke, Look further down this page at the thread "Looking for 2007 Navigation" for the answers you seek. You are chewing off age chunk. "

nowers, First off, the side panels are one of the last pieces that come off the center console of any car. Typically the center console pieces disassemble from the top down. That means, you need to pry the center dash vent section free first, then the nav/radio/HVAC surround next, the gear shift surround, then the arm rest/console storage area, and finally the side panels. But you may not need to go that far. I will confess that I've not had the need to remove the center console on my wife's latest ES, but I have done many others on many makes over the years. Using a flat bladed screw driver taped with masking tape (to prevent marking the panels) pry the sides and top of the vent panel until it pops out. It will only come out so far until you reach around behind the panel and disconnect the wiring connectors to the security light, etc. Then you can see if the HVAC/NAV panel has screws at its top, or needs to be pried out the same way. Once its out, you'll see the screws that hold in the Radio control section. Undo the 4 screws to this unit, pull it part way out, reach in behind and unplug the 2 or 3 wiring harnesses and the antenna wire, and remove it from the dash. You may well be able to reach the wiring on the cigarette lighter at this point, and not need to pull any more panels. If more need to come off, just keep going with the same program. The gear shift surrond generally comes off first before its woodgrain companion, if you need to go this far. The point I'm trying to make is, if you've done this type of work before, go for it, but go slowly. I wouldn't hesitate to do this on my wife's car, because I've done so many and I know the tricks. If you have not, maybe you're better off getting a Lexus tech to do it for you. Once you break or scratch one of the console panels, it'll be the eyesore that you'll see everytime you get behind the wheel. And one of those panels as a special order part from Lexus costs like gold. Good Luck!

JMWarren, There is an eBay listing today for an entire 2007 - 2011 Rear sunshade assembly. (eBay search for "2007 - 2011 rear sunshade) They've included 5 pictures, that when zoomed in on, show how the system works. One can see the motor, gear drive, the cam that drives the swing arms, and the springs that aid the shade to deploy. There also appears to be a control module. As we've suggested previously, there may well be a limit switch, but you may find that some lever or spring is hung up, preventing the shader's deployment. Looking at the pictures may well help you figure out where your problem is. by the way, they want $600 for this used one. Yikes! Fix the one you have.

nyuhsuk, Just a thought. Put a small amount of clear silicone seal on the bottom lock tabs of the cap before you install it, and it should never come loose and fall off. And if you ever need to pull it off again, the silicone will be easy to overcome when prying the cover. Its a great glue once cured, but still flexible.

beejayy1224, Oil changes are required at 3000 mile intervals or every 4 months (some cars are different than this), but all of this is in your owner's manual. Never skimp on an oil/filter change as it is the life blood of the car. And no, a 1992 doesn't require synthetic oil, so don't waste your money. As far as the trip is concerned, how many miles from your last oil change and how many miles will you add during the trip? Do the math, and either wait until after the trip (if math if less than 3000 mi), or do it before (if over 3000 mi), or get an oil change while in Arizona at one of those quick lube places. As for a tune up, how many miles are on the car? How is it running? You need to read the owner's manual maintenance schedule and follow it. For instance, every 4 years the brake fluid should be flushed out, the timing belt and tensioner and perhaps the water pump should be changed every 100 000 miles, spark plugs changed every ..... and so on. You will be able to Google search the maintenance schedule for a 92 ES to get the answers if you don't have the manual. To keep the cost of repairs down you need to do the maintenance, but a good, trusted, independent mechanic may be your best alternative as to what is required and when. Dealerships will empty your bank account. They will do absolutely everything that is on that maintenance list, and it will put you in the poor house .... but your car will be trouble free. That independent, trustworthy mechanic I referred to, will do just what is required to keep the car running flawlessly and safely, without doing all of the extra services the dealerships want to talk you into, and will save you a lot of grief and money. Talk to your knowledgeable friends, ask around, and you'll find a local mechanic who has a great reputation for honesty and good work. Then start up a relationship. Safe trip, and good luck!

Gentlemen, After searching the owner's manual for what seemed like forever, I found the section that referrs to using the mechanical key to open the car. Yup, I'd seen those small slots in the door handle rear caps of the driver's and passenger front doors. Stick the key in the small slot on the underside and pry the cap off. Underneath is a standard door key lock. But trying to put that cap back on correctly so it won't fall off, took the better part of five minutes to get it to sit correctly. I don't imagine that one of those chrome caps is a $.50 part from the dealership. Thanks for the heads up guys!