gbhrps

Any time that I've heard a heater fan make any kind of noise that wasn't normal it usually was a bearing/bushing that had gone bad in the fan motor shaft, or debris of some type( leaves, maple keys) that had gotten into the air intake and was lodged next to the fan blades and was being struck by the blades as they spun. I suspect the same is true with your friend's situation. The only way to be sure is to pull the fan assembly from the HVAC and track it down. This is not a feat for the faint of heart.

While you're waiting, why not start searching for a wrecked or salvaged car that has the same door in good shape? You might be able to buy the window mechanism you need very cheaply, particularly if its in a salvage yard where they let you remove the parts yourself. Get the parts, and when the motor finally lets you down, or you get the time to tackle the job on your terms, you'll be all set to do the remove and replace for a fraction of the cost of having a body shop do it. Always a good deal!

Sounds like you found your problem. Its either a corroded or loose wiring connection at the motor, or you have corroded brushes inside the motor itself. I'd bet on the connector where the harness attaches to the motor. Pull the connector off of the motor (there'll be a clip portion on the connector plug that you'll have to depress while you're pulling the connector off the motor). See if you can't get the nozzle of a spray can of electrical contact cleaner into the door interior and clean the motor contacts on both the motor and the wiring harness. Give them several minutes to evaporate the cleaner, reconnect and test the system again. If this does it, put everything back together. Good Luck!

I haven't done an ES power window motor swap, but have done many remove and replace entire door contents for the restoration shop I work for. Even done wind up window to power window swaps for various vehicles. Based on that, I think you'll find that you'll have to remove the glass from the door, and possibly the window tracks and the entire motor window crank assembly as well, just to be able to get at the motor. Each manufacturer is different in how the guts of the door goes together, and even then changes them from model year to model year. I couldn't get your posted image to load in order to get a clue, and I'm assuming that you have put power to the motor to ensure that it is the culprit, and not the switch or the window amplifier, if so equipped, or even a broken wire near the door hinge. That said, its a look and see how it could come apart process. Usually the window has to be lowered almost to its lowest level in order to see where its bottom horizontal track attaches to the glass. Usually its 2 bolts that fasten the track to the glass through 2 holes in the glass, or plastic slider clips doing the same, and you can only see them when the glass is lowered to a point where holes in the door line up with them, allowing a socket to reach them. Once free, you usually pull the glass part way up by hand and tip it forward out of its front track, and then forward out of its rear track, and sideways up out of the door. You may have to loosen or remove the front lower glass track fastener bolts from the door (mark their position to get the track back to its correct alignment when reassembling) in order to get enough room to swing the glass out. At this point you should be able to remove the 4 bolts (mark their position to get the track back to its correct alignment when reassembling) that hold the entire window crank/motor assembly to the door and take it out of the door as one piece. Your only other snags may be the rods from the inside door handle and its locking lever, and the front door speaker (usually this isn't necessary). They may have to be removed in order to get room to get the crank/motor out. This whole operation is not rocket science, but can be intimidating for the novice first time out. Good Luck and let us know how you make out!

Then you've already answered your own question. I like the colour!

You could forget the extended warranty and put the same amount in a bank account earning interest for the time when you MIGHT need to spend it on repairs. Toyota/Lexus vehicles rank so well on quality that the last 5 I've owned I have never purchased an extended warranty, nor needed one. There is the possibility that in a month's time some idiot will run a stop light, broadside your car and total it. I suppose you'll be able to get your dealership to transfer the extended warranty to the new car, right? Then again, maybe you prefer the added sense of security that a warranty may give you.

It may be that neither is the cause, but rather that the valve oil seals have just gotten too old to do the job any more. Years ago my wife had a high mileage Cressida that developed the same problem almost over night. The local dealership replaced all of the valve stem seals by pumping air into each cylinder (to hold the valves in place during the replacement procedure) and cured the problem. The cost was about $300 and I'm sure it would be at least twice that now, if not more.

It may well be the starter, but I would check to sure that you have good connections, free of corrosion, at the battery and starter terminals. Even a little corrosion cuts way down on the juice getting to the starter. I have also seen starters that have internal failures that show up only a different temperatures, caused by expansion and contraction. An electrical shop that deals with automobiles can bench test your starter to know for sure. Personally I would have it checked before I went to the expense of buying a new or used one.

Doug, You said it yourself .... remove the inner panel and see what the trouble is. You may find that you don't need a regulator, but that a bolt from one of the tracks has come loose and fallen out, or the fastener that holds the glass to the regulator mechanism has broken, or the regulator mechanism has stripped a gear. Within the last month I had a similar problem with the passenger window of my 90 300zx. With the inner door panel off I found a bolt from the bottom of the front window track was missing entirely, allowing the track to completely disengage from the glass. One used bolt and my time were the only expenses for the fix.

You are most welcome! Thanks for the comment, and thank you for adding your findings and pictures to the thread. There are lots of reasons to have to pull inner door panels (window motors, broken lock mechanisms, etc.) and everyone will benefit from your generosity. (Duh! That sounds so sweet, I think I just got a cavity.)

Rallypoppers, I'm reaching here, because your 98 is pretty much the same car as our old 97, which was upgraded to our present 04. That was a while ago but I seem to recall that the rear side marker lights were part of the rear tail light lens assembly. By that I mean that when the car is viewed from the side, a separate bulb can be seen where the tail light assembly wraps around the fender. You access it (I think) from inside the trunk. Pull out the small panel in front of the tail lights and reach around the side to access it. Two other thoughts. Check your backup light bulbs. They may give you the dash warning. Or you may have a bulb that works, but is on its way out (usually black in colour) and causing more or less resistance than the circuit should have. That change in normal circuit resistance is what triggers the dash warning light. Hope this helps.

I recall that there was a similar thread on this problem back a year or so ago. It is not an uncommon problem. The LCD screen has become defective. Some people were replacing the entire radio, but a search of the archives should turn up where someone listed a source for replacing just the LCD screen very reasonably. Don't quote me but I think it was less than $100. Maybe someone else can jump in with more info?

There are only 3 bolts that anchor the mirror to the door. You'll find them under the triangular shaped plastic cover in the upper corner of the door. Tape up a flat-bladed screw driver (to prevent scratching the panels etc.) and carefully pry the piece straight off. Under there you'll see the three bolts and the wiring harness that operates the mirror. Unfortunately the inside door panel has to come off to give you access to the wiring harness. Typically you pry up the entire switch panel section that holds the window and door lock switches. Reach under this panel and disconnect each harness connector at the switches so that you can remove this switch panel entirely. Don't worry about getting them back in the right place when assembling them later, as they can only go together one way. Each connector is unique to a certain switch. You should then find another large screw or bolt or two that hold the door panel to the door now that the switch panel is gone. Then look at the inside door release handle. In behind the handle you'll see that its back plastic panel is an insert cover. Using a small taped flat screwdriver pry it out. Underneath will be another screw or bolt. Now starting on the bottom rear corner of the door panel, slide the screwdriver between the door panel and the steel door its self and slide it along the bottom of the door until it stops against a plastic plug. (I usually do this while lying on the floor of the garage looking up at the bottom of the door. Much easier to see where the plugs are this way.) Then pry the panel away from the door until the plug pops out. Repeat this all along the entire bottom of the door panel, then up both sides of the door panel to the glass. At this point the door panel should be ready to come off .... UNLESS.... there is another hidden screw or bolt you have removed yet. You'll know when you try to lift the entire door panel up, as its top section (right along the window glass) is clipped over the top edge of the steel door, again all along where the the glass rises out of the door. If it doesn't lift easily, or refuses to move at all THERE IS ANOTHER FASTENER SOMEWHERE that has to come out first. Don't pull the door panel too far from the door until 1. you fold back the interior door handle to clear the opening in the panel and until 2. you reach in behind the panel and disconnect the wiring to the lower door light. With the panel off you'll be able to trace the mirror harness to find where it disconnects, and you may find that its behind the plastic weather sheet that glued to the steel door. Don't forget to test the mirror BEFORE you put the door panel all back together. Good Luck!

You can change the high pressure power steering hose yourself, if you have average mechanical ability, the tools, and the time . Just in the last 4 weeks I changed the same hose on my 90 Nissan 300zx with the front of the car up on jack stands in my garage. The only special tools required were a 3/8th's inch universal and a 3/8th's torque wrench for tightening the banjo fitting bolts correctly to specs (In my case about 25 foot lbs as they have to hold back 800 lbs of oil pressure from the pump). Be sure to use new copper washers on both sides of the banjo fittings when reinstalling the new hose (they should be included with the new hose). Your merchanic's $100 labour fee is about right since there isn't a lot of room to move and get at things removing or installing the hoses. My ZX was a bitc* to say the least. Don't know how an ES would be, but it can't be any worse or easier. When finished the install, leave the car in the air and fill the reservoir to the proper level, and turn the steering wheel lock to lock several times with the engine off. Then refill if necessary. Then turn the engine on, and turn the wheels lock to lock several times, checking and refilling until no longer necessary. That's about it, except that you may find that there may be an electrical pressure sensor attached to the high pressure hose on the car, that you'll have to transfer onto your new hose before installing. Not a big deal. Good Luck! Just an after thought. Because of room limitations you may find it easier to get the high pressure hose off and on if you remove the lower pressure hose if its in the way.

The easy way to find your leak is to wipe down all of the power steering hoses, connections, the pump and the steering rack. Get them dry and fairly clean. Much of this will have to be done with the car in the air and the bottom engine shield removed. Then make sure that the power steering tank is properly filled and start the car while its still in the air. With someone under the car, turn the steering wheel full lock in one direction, hold it momentarily, then turn it full lock in the opposite direction and hold it momentarily. Your leak will be readily visible, if as you say you need to fill the reservoir every 2 days.

Strafer, You definitely have a problem on your hands. You are going to have to get the door unlocked and open to make any repairs. With the seat in the car there really is no way to get at the door panel to remove it. Your best bet is to get AAA or similar to use breakin tools to open the door. Be aware that this may too prove to be quite a problem. I can't say whether Lexus was as theft deterrent minded back in 90, but my wife had CAA try to get into her locked 97 ES and they worked over 45 minutes and still couldn't get into the car. The dealership that cut a new key said that the door control rods were covered to prevent jimmying the doors open. Regardless, once you get the door open and the door panel off, with the window glass in the up position you'll most likely find that the control rod to the lock assembly has come disconnected from the outside key lock tumbler. There is a separate rod that goes to the inside door lock release, and that one may be disconnected as well. There is a plastic clip that holds the rod in position at both locations, and you may find it broken, just undone, or missing and down in the bottom of the door. Weird that both would come undone at the same time, leading one to wonder if the lock mechanism doesn't have a bent or broken internal part. You won't know until you get inside the door. Good Luck!

First off, just wiping up the oil and living with the problem is the cheapest way to go, as well as continually monitoring your oil level. Secondly, I had a similar problem with my 90 300ZX ( normally aspirated, V6, similar to the ES ). A check with the guys and gals on the Z forum I follow found that as these car age, the PCV valves (Z's have two of them) stick a bit, then the crankcase pressure builds up and pushes a small amount of oil out the rear main seal after each run. I replaced the PCV valves about 10 years ago and I've not had the rear main seal leak reappear. Since the valves are cheap ( I think I paid $32 CDN for the pair of them way back then) it may be worth a try in your case. If you decide to give it a try, please get back to us and let us know how you made out. Good Luck!

Middleastin, From what you describe and how you describe it, it is obvious that you know little about auto mechanics. That said, it is best for you to take your car to a qualified mechanic who knows Toyota/Lexus automobiles. The first thing to have the Tech person look at is the Check Engine code. It may show just what system part is causing your overheating problem. And it may not. Regardless, driving a car that has an overheating problem is a sure way to destroy the engine and strand you with a very expensive repair bill. The tech should also be able to spot your exhaust leak quickly with it up on a hoist. I could give you a list of things that could all cause the symptoms you describe, but that would only scare you to death, and it may well be none of them. Your best bet is to get the car to someone who knows his stuff, sooner rather than later. Spend a few bucks to get an accurate answer and then figure out your options and go from there. Good Luck!

You need to take the car to a Toyota or Lexus dealer and let them listen to the engine. Being familiar with what noises these engines make and what causes it will make the diagnosis easier and more accurate. They should be able to set your mind at ease very quickly, and suggest what direction you should go. These engines are fairly bullet proof and at worse you may just need an oil change to free up a sticky lifter (if that's what the problem is). Then again, there may be something more sinister, but an engine with this mileage on it should not be a candidate for major repairs. They go and go unless the previous owner beat the pi** out of it. Good Luck!

Congratulations on the new ride. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. As to the wheels, as long as you get something with the same lug spacing, offset, and caliper clearance, you can put anything on the car. I've seen many different Lexus wheels from various years and models and most of them look far better than what is on many other cars on the road. But that again is a personal taste matter. I really would advise against modifying the trunk springs to pop up the trunk. My mother-in-law had a nasty experience with her car (not a Lexus) because her trunk lid would pop up when unlocked. Last fall on a windy day the trunk popped up and was caught by the wind. Both trunk hinges were destroyed and the back window was shattered when the edge of the lid was jammed into the rear glass. Then again, you can probably modify the trunk springs to do as you wish, being aware of the problems on a windy day. Welcome to the club!

The opening is exactly 8 inches wide and 4 inches tall. This is in an 04 es330 with the full load navigation package. The nav screen can tilt out at 3 different angles and lay completely flat at 90 degrees to the dash to enable inserting a disc into the nav dvd slot and a cd into the single disc player. I assume you are aware that the same year non navigation es330 has an entirely different bezel, but its been too long since I test drove one to remember just exactly how it is different.

I agree with your diagnosis about it most likely being that the AC drain is plugged. Since the unit is on the passenger side at the firewall, that is where you'll find the drain. I just checked my wife's 04 and it is not visible from engine compartment. Everything is just too crammed in there and too close to the firewall to see, or even get at. I suspect that you'll have to locate it from underneath the car, and will most likely have to remove the under engine splash panel to get at it. A quick call to the service department at a lexus dealership should get the answer you need.

Congratulations on your new ride! My wife loved her first ES in 97, but is even more love struck with her present 04. Lexus sure knows how to make a car. As for parts, keep in mind that many are shared with the Camry, and its usually cheaper to purchase pads, rotors, oil filters, etc., for the same year, whether you get them from Toyota or another source.

If the problem wasn't there before the rebuild, it shouldn't be there afterwards. Take the car back to the tech who rebuilt it and have them check to see if its bolted up correctly to its mounts, to the engine, or if any of its vacuum lines to the engine have come undone. It is possible that something on the engine went south at the same time as they rebuilt the tranny and it just happened to show its ugly head at the same time. You could have a bad spark wire that only shows up at idle, or something similar. But I'd start with the tranny rebuilder first, and be nice about it first.

Typically the tire size has no bearing on the wear of a tire, unless its exceptionally wide and for application on a Vette, 911 Porsche, Acura NSX, etc. If a tire is rated for high speeds or sports car applications where there is exceptional grip, you get a much shortened tread life simply because softer rubber compounds are used to get the grip, and they wear out very quickly. Check with a tire dealer and they should be able to find several tires by different manufacturers that will give you much better tread life than the ones you have presently. I have the same tire size on my wife's ES330 and they have around 40 000 km or 30 000 miles, and are at about half wear. I like the Michelins but I'll shop around for something with a better ride and longer life for her next set. You shouldn't have to change wheel sizes at all to get something that gives you what you're after.