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gbhrps

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Everything posted by gbhrps

  1. marathiboy, At that mileage you may indeed require a throttle body cleaning, the idle air control valve (IAC) may require replacing or cleaning, but most assuredly you need new spark plugs. I would suggest both are required. Since the rear 3 spark plugs against the firewall require the intake manifold to be removed in order to get at them to change them, the throttle body can be easily cleaned up, because it will already be free of the top of the engine. The IAC will be easy to get at as well. There are YouTube videos showing throttle body cleaning, as well as the intake manifold removal for spark plug change. Check out the IAC cleaning/replace videos as well. Anyone used to wrenching on cars can do both jobs, but if its not your cup of tea, any good independent mechanic can do the job a lot cheaper than the dealership. Use the same NGK iridium plugs that Lexus used from the factory. They'll inject new life into the car with performance that you hadn't realized that you had lost over the years. Good Luck!
  2. armcomdes, If the rest of the header pipe is solid and still useable, why not just have a new flex section welded in to the rest of the header pipe? It should be MUCH cheaper than replacing the entire header pipe. I suspect that any good exhaust shop (Muffler Man, etc.) can weld in a universal flex sction and save you some real dollars. It would certainly be the way I'd go, if the rest of the header pipe is good and solid. Good Luck.
  3. Sharonben, You and Lexus are behind the 8 ball. By law, car manufacturers only have to supply parts for 10 years for any model, and that time has expired. And I'm not at all surprised that they will not install a used part. You are going to have to find an independent mechanic who will install the needed parts and isn't concerned about the liability aspect of the work, or is willing to have you sign a document releasing him from liability for doing so. The parts will have to come from a wrecking yard. That is your only option, as Lexus is only protecting its reputation by not installing a used part. Its a catch 22 for all involved, but that's not anyone's fault. Either that, or replace the car (and I know that doesn't make much sense to me either). Good Luck!
  4. Dugmahn, Your questions are best answered by a knowledgeable tech at automotive audio store. They'll have the wiring diagrams, the impedance of all of the units, wiring routing layouts, etc., and can keep you from frying the amps or the head unit. And they may already have experience with the setup in an ES and can point you in the right direction. I noticed that you haven't mentioned what you're going to do with the tweeters ?
  5. Strappedforkash, Of the questions you have asked, I can answer one of them positively, and another with a logical guess. Use the 6 cylinder Camry part number if you go with these shocks. The extra weight of the 6 cylinder engine over the 4 cylinder engine requires a stiffer spring. Inspect the spring insulators and the coil spring seats for deterioration. If they appear fine, not broken/split/excessively worn, then reuse them if the new parts will fit to them.
  6. Polo67, Here's a free download for the Owner's Manual, etc.,: http://servicemanualowners.com/2007-lexus-es-350-service-manual/ Gene
  7. Polo67, Your ES350 is perfectly happy with regular unleaded fuel, and the engine was designed to use it specifically. Yes, you could put premium or mid grade fuel in it, but you wouldn't notice a performance difference, you won't hurt the engine, but you'd be wasting money you didn't need to spend. One of my toys is a 370z Roadster that requires premium unleaded fuel. Its labeled right on the gas gauge and on the inside of the fuel cap door as such. To not use premium fuel in it could cause detonation and melt pistons under hard acceleration. That engine was designed to use only premium fuel. To use a different grade would be foolish. Save your money for insurance, new tires, oil changes, all of those things that go along with car ownership, and forget about the fallacy that you need to use the best grade gasoline possible in every car. After all, the ES is not a sports car.
  8. AlwaysbrokenES, You need to get the codes read again. And, if that O2 sensor you changed wasn't a Denso (OEM), that may be the issue. Over the years I've seen many posts on not using aftermarket O2 sensors. If a recheck of codes doesn't fix the issue, you will need to take the car to a good independent mechanic who works on Camry's and let them diagnose the issue. The worst thing to do is throw parts and money at the car. Find out what truly is the issue and fix just that. Grandfather doesn't know about modern cars.
  9. Forna, The Windom is an ES300, is a gussied up Camry V6 from the same generation, and many systems and parts cross reference between them. That said, I'd do searches for your issue on YouTube, Google, etc., for Camry V6 door lock issues. You may just find what you're looking for. As well, I'd be suspicious of the driver's door wiring through that rubber gaiter at the door hinge area. Pull the gaiter away from the door and the body, and check those wires carefully for breaks or frayed wires. Good Luck!
  10. jagsfan05, All of your questions could have a different answer in a different state/province/jurisdiction. You have some homework to do, to ensure that you don't buy a stolen vehicle, or one that is unfit for the road due to flood/accident damage, or has a mechanic's lien. Emissions and safety certifications vary state to state as well. Spend some time on YouTube looking at a lot of different videos on "buying a used car". There's even several on buying one from Craigslist. That will get you started. Then go online to your state's Department of Transport website and see what is required for licensing a vehicle in your state. Search as well for published "Tips on Buying a Used Car". Many state governments have packages to explain the purchase process, to keep the buyer safe from fraud. Don't get in a hurry to buy. There are lots of good cars out there, even if this one gets sold. Be sure to have the car inspected by a licensed mechanic who you trust (check with friends and family to see who they suggest). It may be the best $50 you spend on a car purchase. You are a newbie and you must learn what you are up against before you jump in and part with your money. There are a lot of scam artists out there, and you need to arm yourself with the knowledge to ensure that you get a good, safe car, that is legal in every way, and fairly priced. Good Luck in your search!
  11. rmk, Few people upgrade ES's, so finding things is very limited. That said, the Camry for that same generation Lexus may well have aftermarket options because so many more of them are sold than ES's. Just be sure to look at parts for the V6 Camry and not the 4 banger. Good Luck!
  12. jagsfan05, Yes and no. You have to be careful. It could be all on the up and up, or it could be a scam. There are many YouTube videos you can watch, that tell you how to buy a car from a private individual without getting taken for a ride. There are many others that tell you how to know if you are buying a good used car, or a piece of junk. Then, you need to know the average price that this year ES350 are selling for in your area. Search the AutoTrader for results in your state/province, so you'll know if the price is legit, or too good to be true. After doing that, find a good mechanic who can put the car on a hoist. look it over, and evaluate it as worth buying. As well, you must verify that the car has no liens, isn't stolen, and that the seller is the legal owner of the car. You have some homework to do first ... don't jump in without having done it.
  13. babyduke, Look at the label on the driver's door B pillar. It gives the year of manufacture, the VIN# of the car and various other codes and weights, etc. Take a picture of the label (a readable one) and show it to an automotive paint shop supplier. They'll find the 3 or 4 digit code on that label, and be able to mix up that colour for you, or a Lexus dealership parts department can give you the correct paint pen for touch ups, if that's what you need.
  14. Blue11, You have done a great service for the ES330 community! Too often on these car forums (I follow 12 different ones for each of the vehicles and garden tractors I own, and Moderate a forum for the RV I own as well) we try to solve an issue for a member ... and we never get feedback!!! To have the very useful followup you have given here is a godsend. Even though we no longer own a ES330 (my wife has moved on to an ES350), I still follow this forum to help out wherever I can. To see the pictures and followup you've supplied is just what the doctor ordered. Just wish more people would do the same. Thank You, on behalf of those owners with a ES330 who you may have helped!
  15. BeachBumForever, Check the old one you took out. Its dirty side is the side that pulls the air from the outside into the car. Which way does the arrow on it point in relation to the dirty side of the old filter? That'll show you which way to install the new filter.
  16. Nimbler, As I stated in my previous post ... the HVAC system may just need a reset. Ive done this personally on my 2005 GMC dually for a similar issue. For that vehicle, the procedure was published on the internet. Not so the ES. The problem is that Lexus doesn't publish info, requiring you to go to the dealership to get the job done at very expensive rates. That said, the issue may be with the wiring or the actuator to the blend door for that side of the car. Unless you are a wrencher, and get under the dash, or tear it half apart to get at what needs testing, the job is best left to a good mechanic who is used to working on Toyota Camry's, as the Camry is just a dummed down Lexus ES. If they can't find the issue, you may be forced to see a Lexus dealership and open your wallet.
  17. Lexi99, That would be my guess. Pull one or two from a wrecking yard, so you'll have a spare? While its not unheard of for a coil on plug to go bad, it isn't common.
  18. MMatheny, One suspect would be the motors themselves, specifically corroded brushes. Last fall I resurrected the power top motor of a BMW Z4 that had quit working, because it was drowned due to a poor factory design. I was able to remove the motor end case (the end with the brushes) and remove them. They were corroded and stuck in place in their slides, such that their springs couldn't force them onto the armature of the motor to make an electrical contact. A quick clean up to free them up, and reassembly got the motor and the top working again. You may have the same issue. Pull the seat (disconnect the battery first and wait 20 minutes to allow the airbag capacitor to discharge or it may fire in your face if sparked) and then get at the wiring harness right at the motors. Peel back the plastic covers over the wires just where they enter the motor and identify their colours. Then at the end of the same harness, identify those same wires and the connector pins they are attached to. Since the motors just reverse the polarity to move them in either direction, apply 12 volts to the two pins and see if the motors work. Then reverse the wires (polarity) to see if they reverse. You should do this on any motors you find in the seat (forward and back, up and down, recline and back up, front tilt and reverse, and so on) If they all work, then you know there is a problem elsewhere. If none of the motors work, they all may need disassembly to clean their brushes, if you can get them apart and have that expertise. If they all work, take the seat control switch apart and clean all of its contacts with electrical contact spray cleaner. If that gets you nowhere, you'll need a mechanic, since you have power to the seat. Good Luck!
  19. wineluver, TPMS systems can drive you crazy when they don't properly reset after the initialization. Sometimes you have to trick them into behaving. Raise each of the 5 tires' pressure to say 5 or 6 lbs over the recommended pressure, as stated on the driver's door sticker, and then drive the car at over 30 mph until the TPMS light goes out. Then bring each of the tires back down to the recommended pressure, and you should be good to go. This has worked for me in the past. You may find that you'll have to reinitialize the system after the 5 or 6 lbs pressure raise, to get the lite to extinguish, then again maybe not. Good Luck!
  20. ljsto, There are too many variables to consider suggesting a place to start. From what you describe ...... you need to take the car to a good mechanic to diagnose. I've been there myself ..... turned out to be 14 mouse chewed wires under the fuse box. Good Luck!
  21. jagsfan05, If I understand you correctly, you're presently unemployed and you need a vehicle? That changes my response to whether you should purchase this or any Lexus at this stage. All cars, regardless of make, will need repairs and replacement parts at some stage, and Lexus parts are MORE expensive than their Toyota counterparts. Maybe you should be looking at a Toyota Corolla or a Honda Civic or similar in the $3500 to $4000 range or lower, until you get on your feet. Gene
  22. jagsfan05, First off, if a Lexus has been well taken care of (same with Toyota's), they are pretty much bullet proof. We have always purchased Toyota Cressida's and then Lexus ES's for my wife (all used by two or three years of ownership) and we have never been let down by one of them, and we've had six of them. They are simply great cars! Other than regular maintenance and replaceables as tires and wipers, we've only ever had to replace one torque converter at 280 00 kms on one of them, and that's for 6 different vehicles over the years. That's not to say that once and awhile any car can have a major failure, but they are rare with Lexus, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Kia and Hundai products. I agree with your independent mechanic, check out the car, over and above what the dealership offers. I wouldn't buy one without it. Check the car out, and if it screams "pride of ownership" by the previous owner and is pristine, and every option works as intended, .... providing the price is correct for your market, ... there is no reason not to expect that you'll enjoy the car and its reliability way past 400 000 miles or more. Good Luck with your car hunting! Gene
  23. John, Came across this YouTube video: It, and several others on the same page of YouTube, are all on the Blend Door issue with various Lexus models. There may be something there for you to check out. youtube.com/watch?v=JKDrQnBh474 Plug this into your browser to find it and the other related videos.
  24. John, There should be a reset for the HVAC system, and after an online search I couldn't find it posted anywhere, but one exists. You might find a service tech at Lexus to share it with you, but then again, Lexus holds its cards close to the chest. If a reset doesn't do the job, then the center console needs to come out of the dash to give you access to theHVAC body and the various actuator doors, and checks made. This link: http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Lexus/ES350/RepairManual2007.html is for the 2007 Lexus ES service manual. Scroll down (use the elevator on the right side) and check out about a third of the way down for the Air Conditioning System. There are many separate pdf sections you can check, particularly the Diagnostic Codes, and Mode Check procedures. You may find what you need there. At least its a place to start. Good Luck! Even if you don't find a solution to your issue, save the Service Manual location, as everything about the 2007 is there, diagrams and procedures for all, and much will apply to your year ES as well.
  25. Netpro, I agree. Its poor factory prep of the primer coat before the base coat, pearl coat and clear coats were added. With three stage paints, getting the flow rate/spread of the pearl is the killer when it comes to matching what ten years has done to the colour, etc. I doubt that Lexus will help out, but you've nothing to lose by asking. They may just be only too happy to keep a customer. I've had a positive response from Toyota years ago on a faulty sunroof computer years out of warranty. So you never know! Good Luck!
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