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When one side starts to hyperflash that side of the car has a weak bulb, a bad wiring connection, corrosion in a connector or bulb socket, or a poor ground. You get the hyperflash whenever there is a weak power supply to either of the turn signal bulbs that one side of the car. My wife's older 97 ES did the same thing about every 6 months. The front driver's side turn signal bulb socket had a weak spring contact to the bottom of the bulb. When I stretched the spring, plugged in the bulb and put it back into the car, it would work perfectly for another 6 months.

mikec1964, There is definitely something amiss inside that engine, and it sounds like a lot of dollars to fix. Then to have the oil pressure light come on is bad enough, but to then have the engine overheat and spew coolant does a triple bad news event on your day. You need to talk to a knowledgeable toyota/lexus mechanic who can tell you what has gone south, and then give you options as to fixing the problem. Yes, a Camry motor may swap, but check carefully to see if you will need to change the engine wire harness and engine control module. Here across the pond we have access to JDM (Japanese Domestic Market)used engines. In Japan every car goes to the junk yard when they hit 3 years old. They pull engines and trannys, etc. and ship them all over the world for the used market. In major cities across North America you can either pick up, have shipped to your location, or even have one put into your car while you wait. It worth considering, because the engines are low mileage and complete with a warranty. I suspect that you'll be able to do the same in Aus. Don't drive it for sure, have it checked out, and then after getting an idea of what its going to cost, you'll have to check out your bank account and your options. Good Luck.

The only one to say for sure would be the vendor/manufacturer who sells the remote for your application. My mother purchased a used car 3 years ago and the remote buttons were so worn she couldn't read the icons to know which one to use for what. I found a vendor online who sold a replacement remote for her model and year, with the proper coding instructions, and guaranteed that it would work for her factory keyless entry system. As I recall with shipping it was around $50 CDN and once programmed to match her car, worked like a charm. And, no, I don't recall who the vendor was, as my mother's car has since been sold, as she no longer can drive. Good luck.

Jennifer, I applaud you on your first post, trying to find the answer to a car problem, rather than just take it in to a dealership. While this is a "DIYer" (do it yourselfer), unless you have some wrenching experience, and the required tools, its best left to someone who has some mechanical knowledge and has worked on cars. In your case, the interior door panel must be removed, and with the window in the fully up position, the control rod that attaches to the door handle and goes to the lock mechanism, must be unclipped and removed from the door handle. Then two 10 mm nuts have to be removed from the back of the door handle, and then the handle can be removed and replaced with a new or used one. On some models the door key lock stays in the door at this point. On other models, you also have to remove the wiring harness that lights up the key slot in the handle, as well as the control rod to the lock mechanism from the key slot assembly, before you can remove the door handle. This all depends on which year ES you have, and how its put together. Lastly, depending on how old your ES is, it may be wiser and cheaper to buy a used handle (change the key lock assembly over if necessary) from a wrecking yard. You might even get a used one in the same colour if its painted. Good luck!

There is no way to remove the upper door panel. Its all one unit. As for parts, call a wrecking yard, and try to find out if the same year/generation Camry part would cross reference. Otherwise, go online and buy used from eBay.

You have a problem on your hands. There is no way to open the door without removing the interior door panel. Years ago my wife locked her keys inside her 97 ES while on a business trip. Two different towing companies tried to open the door with a door jimmy without any success. It took a call to our hometown dealership to give the key codes to her car to another dealership 20 miles from where she was locked out. They cut a new key and delivered them to where she was stranded. So forget trying to break into the door itself from the outside. Your best bet is to remove the inner door panel. It'll be a bit## trying to remove it from the driver's seat with the door closed, but you'll have no choice. Once the panel is off and you remove the weather shield, you'll be able to get at the innerds to find out the issue.

Typically the first thing to check is the window fuse. But if you hear the motor working when you press the switch one way or the other, then the fuse is good. The second thing is the switch itself. It may be fine for the down direction, but the contacts corroded or dirty for the up position. I usually remove the switch, spray some electrical contact cleaner (auto store or Radio Shack) right into all the crevices of the switch, and then cycle the switch several times. Give the cleaning fluid several minutes to evaporate before hooking it back up to the wiring harness, so it won't short circuit, then try it again. If that doesn't solve the problem, you may have to replace the switch, but first check out the motor. Remove the two wire connector to the motor, and using a separate 12 volt battery and some long wires, touch the two contacts on the motor. If it fires up, reverse the two wires and touch the motor contacts again.It should now go in the opposite direction. If it does, then your switch is the culprit. If the motor runs in both directions and the glass still doesn't move then the window motor drive gears may be stripped, or the crank mechanism may be broken. For a 98 there will be loads of used window motors, switches and crank assemblies in the auto wreckers. Remember that Camry's of the same generation will use the same parts for most things. Good Luck!

If the section that was replaced was next to the floor console, they may have had to remove the entire driver's seat, to be able to get at the bolt securing it to the floor. And there may have been a problem with the electrical connection at that point. Who knows? If the problem was the outboard belt section, they had to pull the B pillar weatherstripping, mouldings, and the bolts top and bottom of the belt, as well as the electrical connections to the belt, including the explosive belt pretensioner assembly as well. I agree with your determination of the VERY expensive Lexus dealership labour rates. If one can do the work yourself, you'll save hundreds. If you have an independent service garage do the work, there are substantial savings as well, but you wouldn't go there unless the car was out of warranty.

I'd be suspicious as to whether this is seat related at all. It sure doesn't sound like any power seat part I've ever run across. It sounds more like a pen or a plastic chop stick, that fell down between the console and the seat and then lodged in the seat track, and has now finally been worked forward. I'd check it out more closely.

On the age of car you have, used is definitely the way to go. I can't stress enough that you need to get verified for sure that a tranny from a V6 Camry of the same vintage is a direct swap. Good Luck with your search.

You need to contact a good auto wrecker who can track down a used tranny for you. They'll go on a wrecker call line over the entire USA and some wrecker in another state will contact them if they have one in stock, and then you'll get a call and a price. If you agree they'll get it shipped in for you to pick up. !Removed! for using a Camry to swap in, the auto wrecker will have that info as well. Good Luck!

TNes300, Try an autowrecker for the panels you need if they can't be repaired. Since they're plastic, even if the rest of the car door is rusted away, they'll still be good. Sure beats buying new from Lexus. Good Luck!

You can try, but I doubt that they can get Lexus parts. Our local Toyota dealer can't get Lexus parts, and has no cross reference for doing so. However, they have supplied me with rotors and pads for the wife's ES, as the same parts are used on the Camry V6 (both cars share the same platform). I suspect that window switches, power steering pumps, window mechanisms, etc. would be the same for both vehicles as well. But I doubt that the Camry under engine cover would will fit, as the two cars don't share the same front bumper facia. Its worth a try though, if they'll put it back into stock if they have to special order it. You might try contacting ALLTOYOTALEXUSPARTS at 1-877-247-1717. They are a Northern California auto wrecker specializing just in Lexus/Toyota/Scion parts. I just recieved the sensor for levelling the headlights on my 04 ES330 from them yesterday. It was a niece, rust free used part, that was shipped fast and purchased on eBay. Good Luck.

Your best bet will be to try some auto wreckers.

If you hear the HVAC motor closing or opening a vent, its possible that the motor works, but that the door mechanism has stripped, or the door has broken from its pivot points. Its also possible that you are hearing a vent motor operating, but its not the one for the dash vents, which may not be working. The only way to find out is to remove the knee panel under the glove box, and the glove box, and get access to the blower and vent mechanisms.

If you hear the HVAC motor closing or opening a vent, its possible that the motor works, but that the door mechanism has stripped, or the door has broken from its pivot points. Its also possible that you are hearing a vent motor operating, but its not the one for the dash vents, which may not be working. The only way to find out is to remove the knee panel under the glove box, and the glove box, and get access to the blower and vent mechanisms.

No. To get the codes requires an OBDII reader that plugs into a port under the dash. A Pep Boys will read the codes for free I've been told. Short of that, it'll need a trip to a garage and a technician to read them. They'll give an idea to the technician as to where to start looking for a fix. The most common fault that sets off the check engine light is an improperly closed gas cap. Did you check it?

You have your work cut out for you. Hopefully the cable snapped under the dash at the handle for unlatching the hood. If that's the case, you should be able to pull the cable down so that you can grip the outer casing with some pliers, while you pull on the inner cable to unlatch the hood. If the problem isn't there, then you're going to need to get the car in the air. It may be possible to get a 10 mm socket through the grill to undo the hood latch itself and then get some room to get at the unlatch cable on the latch's right side (as viewed from the front of the car). Unfortunately, you'll most likely scar up some of the grill doing this. The only other method may be to remove the under engine plastic shield. With that out of the way, it may be possible to get at the cable as it leaves the left front fender at the top and goes under the top of the radiator saddle towards the front latch. Cutting the cable here should allow pulling on the inner cable to open the latch. If this all seems too daunting, take it to a service tech, as your will not be the first to have broken. Good Luck!

The rear emergency brakes are simply drum brake shoes inside the rear rotors. Even when new, the shoes only have about 4 mm of friction material on them. Unless the parking brake was accidentally left on for some time, the shoes should last the life of the car. From what you describe, I'd be surprised if they are excessively worn and need replacing. More likely, you have had some part of the brake cable assembly come loose and its causing your lack of brake lockup when activated. There is a single cable from the front of the car to just about mid car where it splits into two cables, one to each rear wheel. Prior to the twin cables is an adjuster to take the slack out of the cables. Your problem could be at the adjuster, which needs tightening, at the foot pedal under the dash possibly, or right at one or both of the rear wheels. The only way to tell will be to get the car on a hoist. As for getting at the rear shoes, you have to remove the rear caliper and its mounting bracket. Then you can pull the rotor to get at the shoes underneath. As for the clunk in the steering ... it could be many things. Again, get the car in the air and have a knowledgeable mechanic check it out. Good Luck!

For about 6 months my wife's 04 ES330 has had the Automatic Headlight Leveling warning light on the dash flash at odd times. I knew that the motors for each of the headlights were working properly, because every time we started the car, they both did their little up and down dance before coming back to level out. So the problem was elsewhere. After some online searching for what to check, I discovered that the motors took their up/down signals from a sensor (really just a volume control switch) that is located on the rear passenger side suspension. A small metal lever attached to the rearmost suspension link, is attached to a small swing arm on the sensor, and is bolted to the upper rear sub frame. Two 10 mm nuts hold it in place, and the normal wiring harness connector sends the signal to the headlight motors as the suspension goes up and down. Removing the one on the car showed that it had a water leak, and that internal corrosion had destroyed the contacts. Ah, the wonders of salt on Canadian roads in the winter! Anyway, the Lexus dealer wanted $490 for the sensor. That's right, its not a misprint! You can hold the whole thing in your hand, and after you open one up, you can readily see that it couldn't possibly have cost more than $25 for Toyota to have one made. So I bought a used one online for substantially less, and installed it myself. Easy to do with no alignment issues whatsoever. Unbolt the old one, install the new one, and problem solved. No more blinding oncoming drivers as the car bounces over uneven roads.

A twin throttle body intake requires that the car is already set up for two intakes and throttle bodies. Your ES has a single throttle body, while, say, a 1990 - 1996 Nissan 300ZX has a dual setup, a separate air intake snorkel to each bank of cylinders, and a separate throttle body for each side. A dual setup is not any better than a single, its just that a dual setup allows for smaller parts to be used on each side of the car, making it fit under the hood better in most cases. Google engine pics for a 90 300ZX and you'll see the dual throttle body setup, where the air intake tubes from the forward air cleaner in the nose of the car, end up at the throttle bodies, one on either side just back of the radiator. Unless you're going to dump major dollars into your engine, you're best to stay with the stock single unit that your car came with. Good Luck with whatever you're trying to do.

If you can't get the door unlocked by any of the usual methods, then you are going to have to remove the inner door panel to get at the lock and rods. This in itself is going to be difficult and extremely awkward for whoever attempts the fix, sitting in the seat and trying to turn sideways to get low enough to get at fasteners, etc. I'm sure it can be done, but unless you are a wrencher with some experience, you're going to be very frustrated. Your problem sounds like a control rod has come disconnected and could be jammed in the lock mechanism. Or the lock mechanism has become so worn that its internals have seized. Regardless, getting the door open could be very difficult, and expensive if it doesn't come easily and a service tech has to spend hours on it. Good Luck!

pete rock, I've had a car in the past that had a similar set of spring spreaders. Basically they are used to offset a coiled spring that has settled or fatigued, lowered the ride height, and led to bottoming out the strut. They are a cheap man's way to try to correct the problem, which they don't do, and they are probably dangerous, because they will not allow for as much rebound as a good suspension would allow, before tossing that corner of the car off after a hard hit in a pothole or similar. Read: a loss of control. You need a new set of springs (or struts if the springs are not removeable), since they can only be replaced in pairs. As for the spacing of the bottom of the spring cage to the tire, usually there is only a half inch or so on any car, as the gap cannot change and the tire strike the cage. But, if that gap is say a quarter inch or less, you may have the wrong struts on the car and and that may be dangerous. You need to have a good mechanic take a look and give you a verdict. Good Luck!

You may have a bad torque converter, or from the git go you may well have a fried transmission. Its far too difficult to know for sure without checking the car firsthand. For sure you need someone with the right experience to help you figure it out. That aside, one thing from your post is very clear. You need to slow down before you do anything else to this car. There are too many signs that you have missed before you went ahead with trying to fix the problems. Each one that you missed has cost you wasted time and money. Get a knowledgeable person to help you determine the best approach, before you jump in with the wrenches. It'll be much cheaper, and a whole lot less frustrating. We here all share your excitement with these fine cars, because we all own one and love them dearly, but you have to be a little more judicial. It certainly sounds like you could have a very nice ride when you get the bugs worked out. Welcome to the forum, and please keep us posted as to how you are making out.

Nothing is out of line when negotiating, as long as you are realistic. By that I mean you have to have an idea of what that car is selling for in your market area, and stay within a reasonable range. Go online to autotrader.com or similar, and do some research for that model, option level, and mileage. Keep in mind, that the dealer usually pumps the price up to leave room for taking in a trade. If you don't have a trade, you can safely cut your offer by a $1000 or more, depending on what and how nice your trade is. There are a lot of factors to consider. It sometimes comes down to how hungry the dealer is, and just how nice the car you're considering is. He may just have a very desirable combination that he's not going to dicker on, because he knows that it'll sell. It may come down to just how badly you want the car, and whether you are willing to give him what he wants in order to get it. My advice is to do your homework, figure out your financing direction, make an offer and then consider his counter offer. At that point you'll have to decide how firm you're going to be. Just remember that there are a lot of fish in the sea, and lot of 2008 ES350's are sitting on lots in your state or states nearby. If this one escapes, there are many others out there if you bide your time. That is, if you have the time to wait until the right car and deal comes along. Good luck!