gbhrps

Congratulations on the new ride! Hope it works out for you. Let us know how you make out after you've had it for a while.

Brian, A Lexus off warranty is maintained cheaper when the work is done by an independent mechanic whom you trust. That only applies to regular maintenance issues. If the guy can repair a Camry, he can do an ES. Occasionally a problem will come up that only a Lexus dealer tech can correct, but those are rare. That said, the timing belt replacement, idler pulleys, tensioner, and water pump, runs $300 (just a guess). The spark plugs are another matter. I don't know if an 02 runs iridium plugs or just platinum, but they're not outlandishly priced. The problem is that 3 plugs are up against the firewall under the intake manifold, and not easily gotten to. Some mechanics remove the intake to get at them, adding a lot of dollars. Others with smaller hands, remove the front engine mount to tip the motor forward, and using a twist ratchet (one where you rotate the handle to turn the socket), remove and replace the back 3 plugs that way. I even bought such a ratchet to do the rear plugs on my wife's last ES330, but she decided to trade before I tried to change the plugs. I have no idea as to the plug replacement cost, because it'll depend on how the job is done, but perhaps someone else can jump in with their experience. Good Luck!

Brian, You "work with the lady", you've "loved this car for as far back as I can remember", " its very nice, the upgraded model" has "67 000 miles" and so on. You know the previous owner and how she has cared for it, you've lusted after the car for 12 years, and you're asking if you should really offer her a $1000 less than she is asking? Okay, its time for a timing belt and spark plugs, but even so ....... why would you even consider another car that you aren't in love with .... and you don't know the history of, only what the dealer tells you ... and pass up this one? If I was in the market for a car of this vintage and had your personal history of the car and the owner ...... I'd have the cash in her hand about 20 minutes after the email showed up on my computer. Realistically, have the car checked out by an independent mechanic who you trust, and based on his report and what you already know about the car, I'll bet you'd have a lot of looking around to do to find another one in as good a condition with this mileage, if one was even available.

topcat64, If you've done any online research at all on used cars, as for reliability, resale and owner loyalty, you'll discover that Japanese vehicles stand at or near the top. That's why so many Camry's, Corolla's, Rav4's, Accord's, Civic's, CRV's and on and on are on the road. Move upscale price wise and Lexus, Acura, Infinity and so on carry on the same company product attributes. (Yes, I didn't mention Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and any others I left out, because the list could go on and on.) Personally, my wife and I always purchase 2 or 3 year old vehicles so that we don't take the depreciation hit that the original owner does, and we can go upscale by not breaking the bank. When the reliability of a Lexus or a Subaru is factored in, its a double win. Absolutely, buy a used Lexus ES350. They are amazing vehicles that are just about bullet proof. That said, buy the best one you can afford, that screams pride of ownership by the previous owner, and that you have had checked out by an independent mechanic who you trust to give you his honest opinion on the car. If you can get the maintenance history of the car since new, so much the better. That said, be aware that things can still go wrong with anything that is mechanical. As with any upscale vehicle, some parts are very expensive, so be sure you have the resources to deal with them. There may never be any, but you never know. For instance, on an ES with self leveling headlights (they are motorized to follow undulations in the road), the sensor on the rear suspension that triggers them is a $700 part. Its half the size of a zippo lighter and really just a volume control that should sell for $50 at most. When the one on my wife's 04 ES330 went, I found a used one on eBay for $150 including shipping. At the mileage you are looking at, verify when the engine requires a new timing belt, and if it has been replaced and when its due. That alone can be a $250 to $700 job depending on who you get to do the work. Do the same with the iridium spark plugs, since the job can be expensive if the mechanic removes the intake manifold to do the work. I'm not trying to scare you off, just the opposite. We've had 4 ES's and we will own more of them. They are great cars. Do your homework, and find the nicest one you can in your price range. Then buy it and enjoy the ride! Good Luck in your hunt.

muscmp, The dealerships sell the touchup pens in the colours required and under the paint codes. Yours being 17 years old may or may not be a problem, depending on whether they still have stock for the code. Try there first. Then go online for automotive touchup paints. You'll find many companies that sell the same type of paint pens in the code colours you require. You'll just have to do some searching. Be aware that silver is the worst colour to do a touch up on. I took my wife's 04 es330 to the shop I work at occasionally for a repaint of the hood and front bumper cover, just because of paint chips. I asked if he could just blow in the areas where the chips were. The painter said the only result that would be pleasing would be to repaint the entire panels, because silver blowins and chip repairs just don't colour correctly due to the metal flake and how it lays down. Repairs inside a panel would stick out like a sore thumb, whereas an entire panel would not. Now, if you only have 2 or 3 small chips to do, go for the paint pencil route. In my case the entire fronts of the hood and bumper cover had taken years of abuse. Good Luck!

KBRX330, That's a hard one! Its running great and isn't costing you to do so. At the same time you still have a desireable car for trading or selling privately. I don't see a down side to either choice, other than trading puts you back into monthly payments, unless you have the resources and can drop the entire purchase price at one time. Flip a coin!

Extended warranties are only good for those individuals who intend to keep their car forever. Most people trade new cars before they get to the stage where an extended warranty would be of any use. Its the second and third owners who need the warranty. If you know that this is going to be a long time love affair, get it for the peace of mind. Personally, I wouldn't bother, but I'd be putting a monthly $50 in the bank just in case. And if I don't ever need it for repairs, its a down payment on the next new car. As for a hybrid, personally, I wouldn't want to own one down the road when electric motors and batteries go bad and need replacing. The cost of those parts alone has got to be astronomic. Its not like going to a wrecking yard to get a used transmission or engine for a normal vehicle. There just won't be many hybrids like yours around, due to the low volume numbers of hybrids sold. So it'll be off to see the dealership for new parts (read expensive). The last point I'd make is, 6 months from now when someone runs a red light, broadsides your car and totals it, will Lexus give you your money back on the remaining warranty, or even transfer it to your next car? Good Luck which ever way you decide.

dstorm4715, Logic tells me that there is no reason for the adjustable shocks to be connected to any other of the car's systems, particularly the computer. You rotate the shock switch and the shock valves go to the next larger oil offrice or the next lower one. There would be no reason for anything other system to be notified of having done so. That said, stranger things have happened, and you never know what the manufacturer has done to ensure that you buy their parts only (read expensive). A Jeep brake flush and blleed on a late 90's required a trip to the dealership to use their brand specific consult computer before the brakes would come up to pressure. I would check with a Lexus tech/service person and ask directly. I'd put on the V6 Camry shocks from the same generation Lexus as yours, if you can. They'd be cheaper, and obtainable in aftermarket as well. good Luck!

Lizzybluts, You are most welcome! My wife still has that silly a** grin on her face from when we traded her 04 ES330 in September for her latest 2011 ES350. If you think your 05 is nice, just wait a few years until you upgrade to your next one! You'll love that one even more. The best advice I could give anyone who wants to buy a used car/Lexus/whatever is to do your homework, take your time, check the car out carefully by doing research, and then buy the nicest one you can afford. If it just screams "pride of ownership" then you found the car. I always start looking for the replacement car to trade up to, before my older car actually needs to be replaced. There is less chance that you'll be buying something less than what you really wanted this way. Unfortunately, because some people need a car immediately, or traveling to find the right car isn't possible, there are times when you can't do the program I've suggested. In that case, buy the best one you can under the circumstances.

Having never removed those strips on our 2011 (did so on the last 04, but they're rivetted on on that car) I suspect that there are a bunch of holes drilled in the door skin that plastic expansion pins on the molding snap in to. What we do in the shop when we run across this problem is to clean up both the door and the molding mating surfaces with a degreaser/cleaner/rubbing alcohol, and then apply 3M double sided sticking tape to the back of the molding. (Use the automotive double sided tape as the consumer stuff just won't hold.) Once the backing is removed from the tape and the molding properly positioned on the door, a good press into place will keep it there until the car is junked. BUT the surfaces must be clean where the tape goes, and you must use enough tape. In places where the underside of the molding won't contact the door skin because of a void, use 2 or even 3 layers of tape on top of itself to fill any voids. Good Luck!

Enola Straight, As for the cel light, you'll need to have an independent mechanic you trust read the code/s to find out what the problem may be, from simple inexpensive to more expensive. Don't worry, most are pretty simple and easy to correct. As for the brakes not releasing fully, on a 17 year old car that usually means that your calpers/slide pins/pads need to be taken apart, cleaned up, lubed properly, put back together, and the system needs to be flushed and new brake fluid installed and the system bled. Again, a good independent mechanic can do the work cheaper than a dealership. Chances are the brake fluid hasn't been changed (every 48 months per maintenance schedule) and water has gotten into the calipers and is partially seizing the pistons that squeeze the brake pads. You have brakes, but they don't fully release. At the same time, the caliper slide pins tend to corrode in their bores causing the same problem. On top of that, the pads may be rusted onto their mounting shims and aren't releasing. Many shops will just want to replace everything with new parts, but in many cases just taking everything apart and cleaning and lubing them properly will do the job. It really comes down to how long the issue has been allowed to continue. If it were my car (I've been wrenching for years) I'd do the work myself and save a bundle. Good Luck!

DVinhie, With what you've done to fix the problem, and the issue is still there, you obviously don't have the expertise to track down the problem. I'm not sure that I would either. That said, get the car to a good independent mechanic and get the fix done before you overheat the motor and blow the head gasket or worse, and end up with a repair bill the size of Donald Trump's ego. It isn't worth taking a chance with the life blood of the engine. Good Luck!

lizzybluts, My wife and I always purchase 3 to 4 year old Lexus ES's and Subaru Outback's, the pamper mobile for her, and the go through any snowfall one for me. At this point we have had 4 ES's and every one was better than the one before. The mileage you are looking at would not be a concern for me, as long as the car screams "pride of ownership". Being a backyard mechanic who's been in the backyard for years, I do all of the maintenance and inspections. In your case, if you have doubts, take the car to an independent mechanic you trust, and have it inspected. It may prove to be the best $100 you'll ever spend. Any reputable dealership or private individual who won't allow you to get the car inspected privately, has something to hide. Walk away from the car. If, after the inspection, the verdict is great, buy it if its priced right. The only things I have ever had to fix over and above regular maintenance on any Lexus we've owned since 1997, was a torque converter on one, and a suspension sensor for the motorized headlights, and an accelerator position sensor on another, period. That's 4 different ES's, each one a different generation, and many thousands of kms collectively. If they've had regular maintenance and haven't been cowboyed, they are pretty much bullet proof. However, if a major part goes wrong, like most upscale makes, the cost can be substantial. That makes the mechanic's inspection all the more necessary if you don't have the expertise to do it yourself. Good Luck with your shopping!

tommayer, Pep Boys, and all those other parts suppliers that give free scans, are in business to sell parts. They cannot replace a good mechanic who understands all of the varients that the code suggests for that particular make and model. I'm not saying that they took you for a ride, but rather that a good independent mechanic or dealership technician who is familiar with Toyotas and Lexus models would have been a better choice. The parts counter guys just replace parts and often don't know that the codes can really point to other issues that need addressing. Throwing a bunch of parts at an issue often doesn't address what the real problem is. When a power steering pump leaks, the Pep Boys can get you the parts, the fix is obvious. Diagnosing codes can often be a much different matter that requires someone with actual experience. I hope this doesn't come across as a lecture, because that was not my intent at all. Good Luck!

gtscactus, There are crimp on fasteners for doing auto wiring without having to solder them. One of the types you would need is blue in colour, and is for attaching a wire end to an existing wire in a harness. Its about 1.5 cm long, has a slot down its one side that you slide over a wire in the existing harness, a hole in one end that the end of the new wire from your 3rd brake light would go into, and a metal blade sticking out of the middle of the fastener, that you squeeze with pliers to attach the two wires together. Then there is a blue side plastic blade that you snap over the metal blade and side slot securing everything. You'd need just 2 of them, one for each wire . You'll also need to locate where that 3rd brake light wiring harness connector was and wire into it. If you wire into either one of your existing brake lights, your 3rd brake light will flash with the turn signal on the side of the car you wire in to, unless of course your car has a separate light for the turn signals. You need to find just the brake light feed. Logic would suggest that the original 3rd brake light harness would run inside the trunk lid to one of the two trunk hinges, following it to the rear parcel shelf and a connector there, or continue down the inside of the trunk (behind the side panel) to an existing wire harness. Search those areas for wiring harnesses, and using a pointed test light, push the barb through the insulation of the wires you find, until you locate the 3rd brake light feed. (Place a stick between the driver's seat and the brake pedal to activate the brake lights, and then start testing the harness wires for a live feed, that doesn't flash when your.) Good Luck!

P0351 is the code for "ignition coil A Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction". A little online searching shows you probably have a bad "coil on plug" on cylinder #1, which is the right rear (passenger side at the firewall) most cylinder. You might try changing that coil pack for a known good one to verify, if you can locate one from a wrecker/friend/etc. Good Luck!

sifuhall, We recently traded our ES330 (an 04) on the present ES350, and as I recall, the doors locked when the car was put into Drive, and unlocked when it was put into Park. It was programmed that way when purchased. As for unlocking all of the doors at once with the key fob, we just pressed the unlock button twice in a row. I believe that the owner's manual gave the procedure for changing those parameters, but I can't say for certain, as we no longer have the car.

Jason, Could what you are referring to as a "sonic cleaner" be actually headlight washers? On the front bumper cover are there spray nozzles that are aimed back at the headlights? Another possibility is a button for the side mirror heaters?

Don't apologize for the many questions, because we've all been there at one time. As for a full tranny reflush, that's your call to make. If there are other issues that need fixing first, do them, and when the funds are available get back to the tranny flush. A qualified garage should do the power flush, as just draining the fluid and changing the filter doesn't remove all of the old stuff.

gtstcactus, Man, you are shooting yourself in the foot when you start throwing dollars at an issue, without having a GOOD diagnosis done first. Don't put any "miracle" additive in the tranny unless it is a Lexus/Toyota product that they recommend. As for hot or cold, if the tranny fluid is down, it may take a little driving for the pump to get fluid to all of its valves, before it shifts correctly. Then again, maybe the previous owner beat the cr*p out of the car, and its on its way out. Hopefully not. Start by seeing if you have the correct amount of ATF in the tranny. Drive the car until it comes up to normal temperature, pop the hood and read the tranny dipstick while the car idles. If its down, only put in Lexus/Toyota recommended fluids until full. Ford ATF will not work in a Toyota tranny, etc. Drive the car and see what that does for you. Maybe that's the fix. If its not, see a qualified mechanic who does work on Toyotas and Lexus vehicles, and find out his recommendations. Maybe a fluid flush is what is required at that point. Maybe the tranny computer needs to be reflashed because its lost part of its programming. Forget the magnetic drainplug. Save the money for the other issues you have with this car. It sounds like you have a lot of them.

gtstcactus, The blower motor will be under the glove box. Disconnect the rubber drain tube from its bottom that goes through the firewall, the fan motor wiring connector, three screws(usually) and the fan motor and squirrel cage fan drop down as one unit. Easy to find at a wrecker (Camry from same generation should be a direct exchange as well). The mag clutch relay is only responsible for locking up the AC compressor pulley, so that the AC belt drives the compressor. It will have no effect on the dash buttons, other than to flash the AC button if the relay is bad. Your HVAC problems go deeper. You have other fuses blown, bad grounds, wiring issues, or a fried HVAC panel. Pull the unit from the dash, disconnect all wiring connectors, and then hook them up again tightly. Then check your under hood/bonnet fuses for any that have anything to do with the AC/heater, etc. Clean their terminals, reinstall them, or replace them. There will be others under the dash or in the kickpanel on the driver's side. Your owner's manual will show their locations and uses. I have no idea as to what you are referring to as a sonic cleaner. If you mean a carpet steam cleaner that you got carried away with and shorted out some wiring harnesses, then you have a real problem that an auto electric technician will need to correct. As for the mirrors, you may have the issues I referred to previously, or a broken wire in the rubber gaiter that the wiring goes through from the car body to the door. Good Luck!

gtstcactus, The Mag Clutch Relay (magnetic clutch relay for the AC compressor) replacement fix affects 92 - 06 Lexus models. This means that the clutch on the compressor won't engage when you turn on the AC until you change this mag clutch relay. This assumes that your AC system is full of the required coolant and the clutch operates correctly. Test the clutch by applying 12 volts to the one wire going to the clutch/pto. If it clicks when you apply the voltage, it should be good, providing the compressor isn't seized from sitting around. As well, this relay change fix applies, if your AC button on the dash flashes. If it does, open the fuse box under the hood/bonnet , search out the relay labelled "mag clutch" and get a new one. Ask for its updated version (2 last digits are 28 instead of 26, if I remember correctly).

gtstcactus, If you've lost all power to the mirrors, suspect a fuse is gone bad, or needs pulling and cleaning of its terminals, a broken wire or bad ground. For that you'll need a wiring diagram, and one that shows electrical component placement in the car (under the dash, in the driver's door, etc.) As for the relay, as I said it was a year ago. I'll look back if I have time to snoop. As for my relay fix, I diagnosed our es330 situation as working perfectly one day and not the next, found the thread for the relay change fix online, bought the relay from a parts supplier, and the issue was fixed. I'll get back to you when and if I can find it again.

gtstcactus, From my experience if both mirrors don't move, then you have a common issue that operates both. A broken wire, a fuse, or most probably the switch that operates them. Assuming that both mirrors move up and down and side to side by the switch, the portion of the switch or the separate switch that folds them (I personally haven't run across the power folding mirrors before) is dead or most likely just needs cleaning. As time goes on the contacts can get gummed up or carboned up. Cleaning with a pink eraser, or an electrical contact cleaner spray and cycling the switch several times , usually is all that is required. Generally the switch itself can be pried out of the dash with a thin bladed screw driver, and then disconnected from its wiring connector. You may have to pull the panel below the steering wheel off (usually a screw or two and 3 or 4 pop plugs that just pull straight out) to get the switch out. Once out, spray the cleaner fluid into any and all crevasses, and cycle the switch to do the actual cleaning. Allow it to evaporate, hook it up and try the switch. If you're brave, you can pry open the switch itself with very small bladed screw drivers to get at the contacts and clean them properly. I've done this many times over the years with all kinds of car makes. Even if you bugger it up, nothing is lost as it didn't work in the first place. Just go buy a used one on eBay or from a wrecker. As for the AC not working, you most probably have a bad relay in the fuse box. Toyota had a problem with several model years of AC relays that went south when they aged. They even have a newer updated relay to replace them that has all of the same part number digits, except for the last two, if I remember correctly. It corrected the problem and never again was a problem. The relay is cheap to buy and the fix is instant, and it can be purchased just about anywhere. I had to do this same fix on my wife's last ES330 about a year ago. Do a search on this forum for posts using my signature (gbhrps) and you should be able to find the thread and the position, name, and part number of the relay. Its been too long for me to remember the title of the posts. Toyota had a TSB (technical service bulletin) on the fix, and it was wide spread over 7 or 8 years of production, so its most likely your issue. Good Luck!

runningfreak, To tell if you have the selfleveling head lights, turn the headlights on and start the car with its nose close to the garage wall. From the driver's eat you'll see the headlight beams sweep up and down and then settle about midway. They do this everytime at start up, and they are factory aimed. The sweeping up and down says that both headlight motors are working. If your headlights (or just one of them) don't do the sweeping exercise at startup, then they aren't self leveling (or the one motor is defective). Lexus selfleveling headlights follow the road undulations to keep the headlight glare out of the eyes of drivers coming at you, and they take their signal from the passenger side rear suspension. Get the rear of the car in the air and you'll find a tiny (1/8th inch) round rod hanging down onto the suspension of the right rear suspension arms, about midway from the wheel to the center differential. At the top of that rod is a small, zippo lighter -sized sweep control, that triggers the headlight motors up and down. If that sensor goes bad, the headlights will still move at startup, but won't move at any other time, and there will be a yellow indicator light on the dash (headlight with motion curves on one side) that will light up. When the one on my wife's last ES 330, an 04, went bad, the dealership wanted $500 for the sensor. I found a used one on eBay for $150 including the shipping. Easy fix, one wiring connector, and two 10 mm nuts to change. The old one , when opened up (4 screws) was full of rusty water. Your 07 will have the same setup, if it has the selfleveling system, as my wife's present 2011 ES has the same critters on the passenger rear suspension as her old 04 did. Good Luck!