gbhrps

Long shot here. Get some electrical contact cleaner spray and shoot some into each of the switches, one at a time. Immediately cycle the switch several times to clean the internal contacts. Do all of the switches, and then wait 5 minutes for the fluid to evaporate before turning on the key and trying them. Do the driver's switch as well. If this doesn't do the trick, repeat it and try again. If this still doesn't fix the problem, you may find that there is a power window amplifier in the circuitry that has gone bad. Its usually in the driver's door. As well, check that your wiring harness to the driver's switches is properly seated on the bottom of the switch assembly. There may even be a corroded connector on the switch (driver's) or a kinked wire going through the rubber gaiter at the door hinge area. Lots of things to check. Good Luck!

If you are certain there has been no rain that could cause the wet rear carpet issues ........... those usually come from the plugged/disconnected/split sunroof drain tubes that allow water into the rear seat and trunk area, ....... then the only other entrance for water is from your HVAC unit. In your case it may be that the drain is plugged, allowing water to back up and dump on the floor of the front passenger carpet. Then when accelerating, when enough water has built up, the water flows back into the rear footwell where it accumulates. I suspect that your front carpet (passenger side) is wet as well. There is a plastic/rubber drain tube (about 1/2 inch in diameter, sometimes corrugated) that takes water from the bottom of the heater box, and exits through the firewall on the passenger side of the car. Look under the hood on the passenger side, on the firewall, near the bottom, you will find a rubber hose nozzle. If it is plugged, clean it out. Sometimes just squeezing it several times will open it up. (Old age and heat and grime do the plugging up.) Other times you'll find that the tube has come disconnected from the bottom of the heater box, or split. Look on the passenger side footwell inside the car for the bottom of the heater fan assembly. The tube will go from the bottom of the fan box to a hole in the firewall. Make sure its not plugged, etc., etc. You may find that the bottom of the fan box has plugged up with dirt near the drain, and it'll need cleaning as well. Good Luck!

David, Your best source is to contact a transmission repair shop that does a lot of volume. They'll have access to the parts (most likely cheaper than Lexus too), and they'll know (or can find out) what material is required.

sdmason12, If the AC is running, you can hear the fan for the heater/ac running as well, but no air is comming out of the vents, then you have an issue with the various doors on the heater/ac box that open and close to allow the air to travel to the various vents. Since I don't have a factory service manual, I can't tell you whether the various heater doors are vaccuum or electric motor operated. If they are motor operated there will be a reset procedure to get everything back to normal. Unfortunately, I don't know what that procedure is for an ES330 (I do for my 2005 GMC 3500HD dually and my 07 Subaru OutBack LTD, but Lexus service manuals are not readily available), and it may well be that the motor for that one door is defective, or its mechanism (gears, shaft, etc.) may be stripped/broken. You may have to see a dealer to get them to trace the problem. Hopefully a reset is all you need. Good Luck!

Get the car to an Autozone or similar, where they can put a scan tool on it and point you in the right direction. Good Luck!

I don't believe that you'll find any other body parts compatible for your car, other than from the same generation of ES300, 1991 to 1995. The Camry's for the same years all had close, but different body parts. Many of the under pinnings were the same, engines, trannies, suspension and brake parts, electronics and switches, etc. So if you're having problems finding parts (sounds like you have accident damage you want to fix), you'll have to search wrecking yards for the ES300 years I listed above. Good Luck!

I make sure that there is no rust scale on the hub surface or the inner and outer surfaces of the rotor that contact the hub and the mag wheel. Basically clean them up so that they all alignment correctly so no wobbles occur. Apply a thin coat of antiseize compound to all of those surfaces. That guarantees that you'll be able to get everything apart easily the next time, particularly if you live in an area where there is high humidity or they use salt on the winter roads. Don't get any on the wheel studs. I don't use very much as I have the wheels and rotors off at least twice a year to clean the pads and relube the slide pins in the calipers.

cwz, Bleeding the brakes isn't necessary unless you know that you've had a leak in the system, or the brakes feel spongy, indicating air in the system. Over and above that, the general rule of thumb is to flush out all of the brake fluid every 48 months, and refresh it. That means bleeding each caliper in turn, and it doesn't have to be messy. I usually have a friend pump the brake pedal, as I open and close the bleeding screws, to which I have attached a clear plastic tube long enough to empty into an old plastic drink bottle. No mess whatso ever. Check your owners' manual for the timing of the brake flush, and online for the proper procedure for bleeding the brakes. You've already tackled the hard part (new rotors and pads), the bleeding is easier. Good Luck!

The rotors and pads on our present 04 ES are from our local Toyota dealer. Perfect fit and perfomance. Bendex should work out just fine, as they,ve been in the business longer than Toyota has. Good Luck, whichever way you decide to go.

cwz, Any GOOD quality rotors and pads should fit and perform well on your ES. If you really want the Toyota quality but not the price Lexus charges, use the rotors and pads for the same year Camry V6. I've gone this route several times and have been pleased with the results.

odessit, A door change can be a DIYer, if you've watched someone who knows what they are doing change one in your presence. I've done several in the shop, using a floor jack covered with a carpet remnant (to not scratch the door bottom) by myself, and with a helper, and with both (much safer and easier). Try YouTube for any videos on changing doors to get an idea of what you're up against. The easiest way to do the wiring changerover is to pull the kick panel by the parking brake, and undo the wiring harness that feeds the door. You'll have to pull off the rubber gaiter that covers the wiring harness from the door to the car body, where it enters the car body, and then separate the plug from the body of the car. (Obviously, disconnect the battery ground wire before any of this.) If you're going to change out the lock cylinder from your old door, make sure the window is fully up before you cut the electrical supply. Pull the inner door panel, disconnect the small wiring harnesses to the lock, as well as the 2 rods (pop their clips off the rods and pull the rods out of the clips. Remove the two 10 mm nuts that hold the door handle in place and remove it. (Hint: place a small piece of masking tape over the end of the socket before you push the socket on those 10 mm nuts. That way when you undo them, they'll stay in the socket, saving you having to try and find then down at the bottom of the door when they fall out.) Once removed, you can fiddle with the spring clips that hold the center lock cylinder in place, and insert the key, and turn the key to line the key and cylinder pins up so the innerds come out with the key when pulled. You'll do the same with the new door and swap your original into it. This is safer for the door if done on the car, but you can remove the door and change the locks with it on the bench if you cover the bench to protect the paint. Remove the hinge bolts on the BODY of the car, while the door is supported, and remove the door. Put the new door in place, insert and tighten the 8 bolts, and test the door opening, closing, and gaps front, rear, top and bottom. You may have to do this several times, until you finally get everything adjusted correctly. Only then do you do a final tighten down of the bolts. Then deal with the door harness gaiter hookup to the body, and test all switches (connect the battery), before you replace the inner door panel, and pat yourself on the back. Good Luck!

betterthanux5, I can't verify if the Camry inside door handles are the same as your generation ES. It is possible. That said, just find a wrecker who has the same generation ES and you'll have 2 handles to choose from, as the front and rears on the same side of the car are the same. Maybe Camry's are the same as well?

topgun129, This is pretty common. Its nothing to worry about, if you've checked to ensure that the brakes don't need servicing. Several of my cars have done the same thing over the years (my 07 Subaru Outback does it at present). You may be able to correct the creaking noise if you dismantle the brakes, and clean and lube the slide pins, pads, and caliper shims, etc. This may correct the noise for a short time. To completely erradicate it will most likely require new pads, calipers and rotors. I'd just live with the noise, as long as you're sure the brakes are fine.

killamilla, Nice webname BTW! Two issues cause smoke at startup. One is the piston rings have worn to the point that oil is getting past them, or one piston has a ring that is sticking. This usually occurrs on a high mileage car. The other cause, which is what I think you have based on the age of it, is worn/dried up valve guide seals. I had a Cressida (an 82?) that would smoke at start up and then not again until the next day. The dealership pulled the valve cover and spark plugs, and pressurized each cylinder separately to keep the valves closed. Then they removed the valve spring and changed out the seals. Unless you're a backyard mechanic, I'm sure its a $500 job. As for the slight coolant leak on the passenger side, that's where the water pump is. You most likely will find that the coolant is leaking out from the weeping hole on the bottom of the pump shaft, meaning the water pump bearing is going bad and has started to ruin the seal. That means a new water pump, and the timing belt has to come off to get at it. Coolant from here will ruin the timing belt. There is the possibility that you have a leaking hose to the radiator or to the heater. The only way to tell is to get under the car and search. Good Luck

mlgbwk, Your lock actuator for that door has gone bad. Usually, it can be fixed, and I've done many over the years on various cars and models. It is a DIYer, if you're a backyard mechanic and tinkerer, who's been in the backyard a while. Basically you need to take the lock actuator out of the door and take it apart. The motor needs to be cleaned up, particularly its brushes and the armature. These motors are small, not any bigger than you find in children's toys and the washer pump for your windshield. Its fiddly work, and delicate, and you need to have patience for tackling this job. Baring that, just replace the lock actuator with a used one from a wrecking yard. Remember that the same generation Camry should be a direct match as well. Good Luck!

micah, Welcome to the club, and enjoy your ride! Your bride is going to be thrilled.

Micah, See my post on the timing belt thread on this same page of the forum. Since the ES330 shares so many parts with the Camry of the same years, just about any competent mechanic can do the timing belt/water pump fixes. You don't need to go back to Lexus if you wish to save some money.

Adrian, Any competent mechanic can do the timing belt service on your Lexus. They don't have to be affiliated with Lexus or Toyota. That said, someone is giving you a line of bull****, either the original shop who did the work at 105k miles (they didn't do the work or possibly didn't do it correctly), or the second shop is trying to get you to do work that is not required. One, get an independent shop to inspect the timing belt (they just need to remove part of the belt cover to see it, and then turn the engine several times to see its condition over its entire length). Two, get them to put it on a hoist and check to see if the water pump is leaking coolant (typically they leak small amounts out of a small hole in the bottom of the pump, visible from under the car.) Armed with that knowledge you'll be able to go back to whomever and get some satisfaction, hopefully. If not, any competent mechanic can do both jobs at much less cost than the dealerships. As well, check YouTube for a short video on either the ES330 or the Camry "timing belt change" from the same generation, and you should find several that take you step by step through the job. Its not rocket science. I tackled my first timing belt change last fall and it was not hard at all. Good Luck!

Micah, I work from time to time in a shop where it is common to replace blown dash air bags. The dash itself and the air bag cover are completely separate from the bag assembly. Dash material shrinkage will have no adverse affect on the bag if it was needed to employ. As for the cover starting to shrink, my wife's 04 es330 shows signs of the same thing. It isn't a concern for me, and if it becomes unsightly, I'll have it repaired. We have a technician who travels to all of the dealerships and car sales lots to do minor blemish corrections. Our guy can repair tears in covertible tops (minor ones) and seats (leather or vinyl) and fix holes in interior panels. After he colour matches finishes with an air brush and paints them ( with colours he mixes on the spot ) you can not see the repair. Such a vinyl repair done on the air bag cover should last for many years, considering that the dash receives very little waer and tear. Such a repair should cost less than a $100, which normally includes the technician's travelling expenses to your location. Check with the various usedcar lots in your area to locate one. The one we have locally goes by the trade name Fibrenew (pronounced "fibe renew", short for fiber renew I believe). Good Luck!

Get a replacement from any wrecking yard. Choose one from the same generation ES or a Camry from the same years should be a direct fit as well. You'll need a Torx 55 bit (I think I'm remembering correctly) to undo the belt at each end. Be sure to disconnect the battery and wait 20 minutes before working on the belt attach points and wiring. These belts have explosive bolts as pretensioners, and can take off a finger or cost you an eye, if accidentally triggered. Waiting 20 minutes allows the charge of the firing capacitor to drain any current its built up, so the air bags and explosive bolts can't fire. Good Luck!

The fast blinking turn signal on one side indicates a poor ground, poor bulb contact or weak bulb. Since you've eliminated the poor bulb issue by replacing them with new ones, I'd bet that the bulb socket spring that holds the socket contacts against the bulb base contacts needs stretching. My wife's last ES (a 97) needed the front turn signal socket spring contacts stretched about once a year to correct the problem. Use a dental pick or long nosed pliers to reach into the socket and pull the two contacts out further. As for the ABS light, I'd bet on a broken wheel sensor wire, or a connector that's corroded and needs cleaning up. Get the car in the air and check each ABS wheel sensor's disconnect. I'd suspect one of them is all gummed up or broken. If that doesn't fix the problem, you'll need a Toyota tech to check it out. As far as the SRS light, I'd suspect that the front collision sensor has a corroded connector. Its hiding up front behind the grill or the front bumper. Trace its wiring back to the main harness looking for a broken connection or a corroded connector. Make sure the ignition is turned off before connecting it back up, to prevent the air bag firing accidentally. Don't ake a chance with it. Good Luck!

This sounds like an electrical problem in the ignition system that gets momentarilly shorted out. For instance, a sparkplug wire that gets damp, shorts to ground, and then because of engine heat, dries up and is fine until more spray lands on it. In older cars with distributors, it was not uncommon for this to happen when it rained, particularly if the rotor cap had a small crack in it. I'd have the ignition wiring looked at for cracks and corroded wiring. A 1998 has 12 year old ignition wiring and components that may need updating. Good Luck!

jaidyn, I get the strong feeling that you know very little about automobiles, particularly what to look for when buying a used one. First, let me say that a 97 ES is a fabulous vehicle. Our first ES was a 97 and it was darn near bullet proof, a fabulous cruiser. and made you feel great just sitting behind the wheel. I would have no qualms about buying one that old, and with that mileage, providing I was able to confirm that it was mechanically sound, and that the seller was not unloading his problem vehicle on me. A first car buyer needs to buy with his/her head and not his/heart. Its very easy to get caught up in the glamour of owning a Lexus, and oversee the visible signs that could cause nightmares down the road. You need to have this car (or any used car you are thinking of buying, particularly from a private seller) inspected by a certified mechanic who you trust to tell you the truth, before you part with any money. It may cost you $50 to have it inspected, but it may be money well spent, and keep you from buying a financial nightmare. I'm not trying to scare you off the purchase, but you need to do some homework on this vehicle before you decide to go ahead. It may prove to be a creampuff, and you'll be glad you took the time to check it out. It'll make its ownership all the more gratifying. Hope it works out for you. Good Luck!

Open the pass through behind the centre armrest in the rear seat. Using a small mirror and a flashlight you should be able to locate the emergency pull release for the trunk (used for when someone is locked inside the trunk). If you can locate it on the rear quarter panel on the driver's side, fashion a pull stick using a broom handle (or similar) and a metal clothes hanger. Bend the hanger into a shape that will grab the pull handle, and fasten it to the handle using wood screws. With a little patience and practice, you should be able to open the trunk lid. If this doesn't work, you may be forced to pry open the trunk lid. Good Luck!

wwilsonxp, You can do all of the work yourself, .... if you're a backyard mechanic who has been in the back yard long enough. Otherwise you should leave the hard stuff to a mechanic whom you trust. The iridium spark plugs are not cheap (only need replacing every 60 000 miles, I believe), but are next to impossible to change on the 3 cylinders by the firewall under the intake manifold, unless you have the correct tools and very small hands. Most mechanics will want to pull the intake manifold to do the job, and that's big money. But it can be done without the manifold pull, but is time consuming and frustrating. The front 3 plugs are a snap. In your case, unless you notice the engine running rough, I'd leave them alone until you can afford to get them done. You can change the air filter yourself, as well as add the fuel injector cleaner. The throttle body cleaning should be left to someone who knows what they are doing. And I suppose that you can check your own tire pressures (don't forget the spare ). Welcome to the club, and enjoy your new classy ride!