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What comes to mind is that you have a failure in the circuitry, motor or mechanism of one of the flapper doors that directs the AC air to the driver side of the car. I don't think that you'll have any choice but to take the car to a technician with the proper diagnostics. It is a strange one for sure. Good Luck!

Your turn signal problem may not be related to your instrument lights at all. Read the thread further down this page entitled "fast blinking turn signal". Good Luck!

If its an external leak, you'll hear the push of air around the bottom of the head when the engine is running. If its an internal leak, with the engine running and the rad cap removed, you'll see bubbling in the coolant. Someone with more experience on this issue may jump in with more info for you.

Lexus876, Repair your existing lower engine bay covers. They are only on the car to clean up the air currents under the car at highway speeds. They don't have to be pretty to do that job, and if you wish, they don't even need to be on the car, as they affect its performance by only a small margin. Its your call. Use the plastic that quarts or 4 quart motor oil comes in, or margarine tubs. You might even use the plastic from black containers if you have any. Cut inch wide strips to go over the ripped areas of the cover, drill through the cover and the plastic repair piece, and pop rivet the the two together. Put the repair strips on the top of the cover (closest side to the bottom of the engine) to keep them from showing from under the car when its on a hoist. With enough rivets you can make a permanent repair that will cost you only your time and pop rivets. I've used this same method to repair plastic fan shrouds and even vandalized plastic mail boxes. If you use white plastic, a spray bomb of semi gloss black trim paint will hide the evidence from all but the very close inspection. Good Luck!

Our old 97 ES had the same problem. The left front turn signal bulb socket was the culprit. Toyota used two "S" shaped flat blades as the contacts in the socket. The "S" shape was to act as a spring and contact the connection point on the base of the bulb. Over time the spring effect lessened, less contact created more resistance in the circuit, and the flasher speeded up. All I had to do to correct the problem for 9 months or so was to use a dental pick to stretch the "S" spring longer and ensure a solid contact with the base of the bulb. On the 97 it wasn't necessary to pull the headlight assembly, just the turn signal assembly towards the front of the car, after removing the one screw in the radiator saddle next to it, the one that hides under the black plastic cover of the rad saddle. Good Luck!

Unless the bumper cover has been badly mangled, they can be repaired by any competent body shop. The deciding factor is the amount of repair time needed to get the bumper cover back to its "ready to paint" stage, versus the cost of a used bumper cover (found on eBay, or at a car recycling yard). At that point, its the cost of paint, the labour needed to prepare the cover for paint, and the actual painting labour. The paint, prep and painting will vary from shop to shop, but here where I call home I can get the job done by a small independent for $400 CDN or less. Good Luck!

nebhusker, There really isn't a lot of differences in dash assemblies and cluster removals. If you follow the posts you refer to for the previous generation cars, you should be able to get your cluster apart for the bulb removal. Just take your time, go slowly and don't overly force any plastic parts to come apart, and you should do fine. Just remember to put some tape on the blade of the flat screwdriver you use to pry with. It'll prevent scratching anything. If you're still reluctant to try it without guidance, go see your local Toyota/Lexus dealer and see if you can't get someone to give you some guidance. I've established a great rapport with my local service people over the years, and they have even lent me tools to do minor work on my cars. Good Luck!

Tyler121, I have a few obvious ideas that you can check, and you might get lucky and be able to DIY. If it isn't one of the following, then you'll need to get a FSM and follow the flowchart procedures, or take the car to a tech. First check your fuses and relays to see if they're burnt or have corroded contacts. I suspect you won't find the problem here, since the cruise light comes on, but you never know. Second, get under the driver's side of the dash and check out the switches on the brake pedal. One will be for the brake lights (unless the brake lights rely on a pressure switch somewhere in the brake lines) and the other is for disconnecting the cruise when you tap the brake pedal. Check its connections for loose wires or corrosion, and make sure that its fastened correctly to its mount. Since it operates when you barely tap the brake pedal, it may be badly adjusted so that it turns the cruise off all of the time, rather than when you tap the brakes. Readjust its mount slightly should solve your problem, if this is the culprit. Next check the throttle body. Somewhere you will see where two cables wrap around a spring loaded half pulley. One of these cables goes to the accelerator pedal, the other goes to the cruise control module. Follow this cable back to the main unit and again check for corrosion on its electrical connectors. If, after cleaning its contacts and test driving to see if you've located the problem, this doesn't correct things, then you will need a tech to trace the system. Good Luck!

Bahchu, I would wonder if you took the car to a PepBoys or similar, that they could put their scanner on it (its a free service as I've be made aware of by others on this forum) and may be able to pinpoint your problem in short order. And the price is right. It may prove to be something very simple. Good Luck!

Boar, Welcome and congratulations on your new ride! When we bought my wife's 04 ES we traded in her 97 ES, and I left the FSM (Factory Service Manual) for it in the trunk. I bought it from the Lexus dealership when we bought the car, and yes, it covered everything. I can't say whether it would have applied to the 93 in all areas, but I'm fairly sure it would be useful in most cases. I'm sure if you keep searching eBay, this and other forums, that you should be able to come up with one. Welcome again, and Good Luck!

First, if your pads are wearing differently side to side, then the slide pins or the pads, or both are sticking and are not allowing the caliper to centre itself on the rotor when the brakes are applied. Removing that bottom bolt from the caliper allows the caliper to swing up free from the rotor. Then you slide the caliper towards the opposite side of the car to remove it from the other slide pin. (This pin has its own threaded end that is threaded into the caliper mounting bracket.) If any water has gotten in behind the slide pin rubbers and started a healthy rust, you may have to swing the entire caliper up and down forceably as you push it towards the other side of the car to remove it. Once off, you should wire brush the top slide pin and the bottom slide sleeve to remove all of the rust. Push the bottom slide sleeve out of its rubber covers in the caliper. Relube the slide pin and the slide sleeve liberally with silicone grease (it won't attack the rubber sleeves) before reinstalling them. Wire brush the chrome slide sleeves that the ends of the pads fit into n the caliper mount and use some anti seize compound on them to ensure that the new pads are free to move in their grooves from side to side. Be careful not to get any of the lubricants on the rotors. Good Luck!

Rodgie, On your year ES I can't say for sure, but a service manual will show you where it is located. Typically the timer is attached to the antenna assembly or very close to it on a bracket. They usually are the size of a normal relay and are entirely enclosed with no access to changing the the time settings. That's not to say that the timing couldn't be changed somehow through the software. Gene

Rodgie, Normally the antenna motor timer allows the motor to continue powering the mast or down for longer than it actually takes to do the job, simply to ensure that the mast is fully open or fully stored. When the mast reaches its fully opened or fully closed position, the clutch assembly, in the gear set of the motor assembly, will simply start slipping and give a growl/grinding sound until the timer turns the motor off. All of this is normal, and on some cars its very noisy, and others are much more quiet. You say you replaced the mast assembly. If broken pieces of the old mast's toothed nylon whip were left in the gearbox, they could be jamming up with the new mast's whip creating the noise. If this is the case, the only way to get the pieces out is to remove the assembly from the car and open up its gearbox. Been there, done that. Its not rocket science but can be fiddly, particularly if the motor and gearbox are riveted together, rather than bolted or screwed.

90% of keyless entry system problems trace back to a weak battery in the key fob or poor electrical contacts at the battery.

t4bama, It sounds suspiciously like the sunroof computer. Years ago, my wife's first Toyota Cressida did much the same thing. The sunroof just started to act erratically, occasionally opening or tilting up on its own, and then you'd need to play with the switches for 5 minutes to get it to do what you wanted. The problem was traced to the sunroof computer, a replacement installed, and the problem never again reappeared. On your model I'm not certain where the computer is installed, but I'm certain you could find one from an auto wrecker or on eBay cheaper than the dealerships would charge for a new one. You really should have a Toyota tech check out your problem to be sure first, whether or not you have them fix it or not. Find out where the computer is hiding, let them give you a price for a new one, and then decide which way you want to go. Check your owner's manual because I'm almost certain that there is a special allen key/tool with your car and an opening in the overhead maplights or console where you can use the tool to crank your sunroof closed manually, to be used in just such a circumstance that you find yourself in. Good Luck!

Your mechanic, obviously not a Toyota or Lexus Tech, broke the panel because he didn't know the proper method of removing it so it wouldn't break, and then gave you the song and dance about it was going to crack sometime in the next century anyway, so he isn't responsible for replacing it. First, you need a new mechanic, preferably someone with the social mores to accept the responsibilty for something he has done wrong. After all ... you only paid him $1000 for the AC repair ... right? He should have ordered and paid for the part himself or reduced your bill by the $90. (OKAY! I feel better now. My rant is now over.) Its been 2 ES's since we had our 97 and I can't recall whether the centre panel is plastic or real wood. Regardless, you should be able to locate one in a wrecking yard for reasonable dollars or search eBay under "98 ES300 dash vent". They come up frequently, and I'll bet you can find one within short order. As for putting it on, that should become fairly obvious when you get the new vent. It'll show you where its fasteners are located so you'll know if you need to remove a couple of screws or pry up at certain locations with a flat bladed screwdriver covered over with masking tape so not to scratch the piece. Maybe someone else with specific knowledge will jump in to give you a better picture of what to do. Good Luck!

The AC drain is on the passenger side firewall directly opposite the bottom of the heater box. It is pretty tight inside the engine bay making getting to it difficult. On some cars its easier to get to from underneath the car. On most vehicles its really just a rubber tube that comes out of the firewall and points down. Its opening is more of a flap that can stiffen with age and clog up. Usually just flexing the end of the pipe opens it up again. Sunroof equipped cars usually have 4 drain tubes, one at each front corner, and one at the very back end of the sunroof track on each side. (My Subaru has 6 because of the dual sunroofs.) The front tubes follow the Windshield A Pillars down to empty out the bottom of the car at the back of the front fenders. On most cars you can't see them even with the car on a hoist. The rear drains follow the C Pillar down and usually exit behind the rear wheel wells between the body and the rear bumper cover. Again you can't see them unless you pull off the rear bumper cover. To clear them out, some techs will put a long nozzle on an air line, and with the sunroof open place the nozzle in the tube and blow them out. When this doesn't work, depending on the vehicle, they will attempt to blow them out from the bottom, meaning bumper covers or fenders usually have to come off. The only other way to clear them would be to try and put a moderately stiff wire into the top of each tube. As a last resort the headliner has to come out of the car to give access to the sunroof track and the tubes. If you choose the wire route, be aware that the drain tubes are made of plastic and not metal. Good Luck!

I don't need the part, .... but I applaud your generosity! Who said chivalry is dead?

Pala, You're most welcome. Enjoy your new ride!

Pala, The fix is relatively easy, but you will most likely not have the correct tool required to make the adjustment. The round post that comes out of the B Pillar that the door latch assembly hooks on to, has to be loosened, moved slightly and retightened. This might have to be done three or four times (since that post can be moved almost a half inch in all directions) until you achieve the result you're after. Sometimes the front door hinges need to be loosened and adjusted as well. Bodyshop techs are doing it all of the time and can do what you need done, most likely in less than five minutes. My advice is to let the dealership solve the problem so that you don't make the problem worse. Good Luck!

I'm not sure that you'll find anything that you'll be happy with, especially something inexpensive in a Lexus. I would suggest you start searching for a used seat in the same interior colour from a wrecking yard. A 16 year old seat should be fairly reasonable to buy. Or search the internet for seat coverings. Katzkin or similar sell new leather coverings in the correct patterns, and occasionally have end of run specials that are a perfect fit and very cheap to buy. I found new original leather seat covers for my 90 300ZX on eBay for $300 just in the last month. Good Luck!

Toyota Camry's are basically the same car as the ES and many of the parts are the same on both cars. It would not surprise me that window motors and regulators are exactly the same. There have got to be recycling yards nearby that have several Camry's you could check out. I have several in my area that will even let you take the parts you want from the wrecked car yourself. After you pull the door panel, it should be easy enough to see if the window regulator parts are a direct fit. You should be able to get what you need for a fraction of the cost of new. Good Luck!

One of my toys is a black 90 Nissan 300ZX and it looks absolutely striking with the darkest tinted windows available in a single layer. My wife's ES is silver and again the darkest tint available makes the car stand out, and obviously keeps the interior cooler, etc. Be aware that at night it really cuts down on your ability to see pedestrians crossing intersections when you are turning! Also be aware that certain jurisdictions don't allow window tint in the front side glass to go beyond a certain level. You could find yourself facing a ticket. It is illegal here in Ontario, Canada, to go as dark as I have my cars tinted. I've had them that way for over 20 years and never have had a problem when stopped by the Police at a sobriety check point, etc. I just make sure to roll the windows down before the officer gets to the car, and don't give him a reason to take note of the dark tint. If I ever do get caught I'll just pay the fine and remove the tint to a shade that won't get noticed the next time. The best advice I can give you is to get a professional to do the job, someone who specializes in it. I'm sure you've seen a lot of cars with the tint all bubbled up. That's a sure sign that an amateur did the work. Personally, I think the mirrored look is cheesy, but its your car, you pay the bills, and its your choice. Good Luck!

Any time that I've heard a click or clack when applying the brakes on any car I've driven over the years it almost always turns out to be loose parts in brake calipers up front. Usually its the pads that click/clack when brake pressure slaps them up against the rotor, again because they are loose. They aren't loose because they are about to fall off, but rather a spring clip that is supposed to stop them from making the noise is either bent, missing or seized and is not doing its job. It could also be that the bracket that holds the caliper to the hub has loose bolts, but this is very rare. I have seen where the brake material has parted from the backing plate on the pad and this is what makes the noise. Either way it shouldn't take a technician very long to find and correct the problem. What it comes down to is that someone needs to pull the wheels and see what is going on. By the way, when the brake pad wear indicators on most cars get to where the brake pads need to be replaced, they screech when you apply the brakes. I'm not certain what a Mercedes is supposed to do, but I wouldn't think that a click would get everyone's attention. Good Luck!

Its been several years since my last 97 ES, but I recall that you could jack the front up from slightly left of dead centre, about a foot back from the front of the car. There is a cross member of the front sub frame that has a downward embossed dome shape that a floor jack sets into, specifically for jacking up the car. I believe the same is true in the rear. In front of the gas tank, right between the rear wheels is the rear suspension centre mount (It also has a downward embossed dome shaped centre?) My 04 ES has both of these features, and I'm almost positive the 97 did as well, but I could be wrong. (A mind is a terrible thing to lose when you're almost 60.) I usually jack up the front using this centre jack point, and then put two jack stands under the front side jack points. Then I would jack the rear from the rear centre suspension mount, and again place jack stands under each of the rear side jack points. To keep from damaging the side jack points front and rear, I made up four pieces of 2 by 4 lumber about 10 inches long each. Down the middle of one side of each board I cut a quarter inch wide groove about three quarters of an inch deep. I slid the groove over the welded vertical seam of the rocker panel before I lowered the car down onto the side jack stands. This prevented bending the seam weld and destroying the paint.