lexusk8

The breather filter is located under the hood in a black plastic air box that sits next to the battery, and basically filters out any dirt and contaminants from coming into the air intake and thru the engine. The cabin filter is located near the bottom and just between the center console and the firewall. This filter also filters out any dirt and contaminants when the A/C is operated. As I understand it, all ES models should have a cabin filter, and yes it should be replaced once it is pretty dirty. The filter is accessed in the '98 model by opening up the carpet right next to the gas pedal, opening a small and narrow plastic door, and pulling out the filter (it is a 2-part assembly). Hope this info helps :)

Unfortunately this hesitation in the transmission under acceleration is a common occurrence in most of the '02-'04 ES. Most people just deal with it. There is however a TSB (technical service bulletin) released for the '02-'03 ES that updates the software inside the ECT-i of the ES and supposedly fixes the hesitation problem. It's not a total guarantee but it's a freebie fix. I'm not sure if a similar TSB is released for the '04 ES.

You can also find the color codes on http://www.paintscratch.com. For example, on the '98 ES300, the codes for the black/grey combo are 202 and UCA45, respectively.

I believe you first have to pry out the wood trim that surrounds the shifter console. Use a flathead with some electrical tape around it so as not to crack any of the pried out parts. That would be the first thing I'd do. From there, all the wirings and little gadgets should be exposed, and hopefully you can figure out where the shifter console is lighted up.

I just had a discussion with my co-worker (who's an auto DIY repair man in his spare time) regarding fuel use. He uses 87 Octane gas in his Honda and doesn't see any difference in performance if using higher grade gas. Hi-test fuel (which I assume is anything higher than 93 Octane) is more advantageous on sport cars like the Corvette and the Pontiac GTO. I tend to agree with him on those points, but it seems in general for luxury car owners especially, they stress putting in any fuel at least 89 Octane rating. This is what I'm filling up in my car now. I used to get the 93 Octane in the ES, but the service advisor at the dealership said that the ES does not need the 93 on account of no real benefit behind it (besides eliminating engine knocking).

Hey Steve, don't take offense at what I say, but aren't the DRLs there for a safety reason? Personally I think it's great that most cars these days have this option, and I never really cared about how they "look". Plus, insurance companies love it when you have daytime running lights, thus lowering your premiums :D Some people inquired about changing the look of the DRLs, such as making them whiter or a different color, but that'll never work since they always operate at 50% of the wattage. Anyway, just my $.02

No problems here. It doesn't hurt to try this method: You could try lightly smacking the plastic area of the shifter console (where the P, R, N, D, 2, L are located) and see if that works. If you're lucky, the bulb (if there IS a bulb) will get moved to the correct position and make proper contact again. Just a crazy suggestion, no guarantees, but again it doesn't hurt to try :)

Oh no :o Please don't tell me another ES veteran has stepped off the train! ;) Kev, you've been around a long time here as well as in the other forum (ClubLexus.com). I know it's kinda sad to see the ES go at an unfortunate time, but as in any other turn of events, it's probably for the best of it. Congrats on your new TL purchase, and I'm sure you'll take care of her in the same way as you did with the ES. Definitely stick around

Use a flathead to pry out the (2) plastic pin-style screws. If you do it carefully, the screws won't break and will pop out pretty easily. If you happen to break one, you can purchase more at your local Lexus parts dept for chump change. Once you remove the screws, pull down the entire plastic cover, and the light bulbs for the driver side tailight should be revealed, like this in my '01 ES:

I assume you already unhooked the electrical wire connector to the bulb before attempting to remove the actual bulb. There is a metal spring clip shaped like a hook that latches around the base of the bulb. This is typical on both the driver and passenger side bulbs. You should be able to peer into the headlight assy and see the metal spring clip, and then just carefully lift up the clip and leave it hanging out of the way from the bulb. Now you should be able to pull out the bulb. To install the new bulb (H7 type), just reverse the instructions stated above. Keep in mind to NOT touch the glass part of the bulb with your fingers, as that will leave behind dirt/oil and could cause the bulb to fail prematurely. Use latex/rubber gloves for added protection. Hope this helps.

steviej is right. All 2nd-gen ES ('97-'01) have the A/C filter located between the center console and the engine, and you access the filter by opening up the carpeting near the floor, on the right of the gas pedal. A flashlight is nice to have if it's too dark to see things there. Once the carpet is opened up, you should see a small white plastic vertical cover, which is removed by pressing together the tabs at the top of the cover and pulling the cover out. After the plastic cover is removed, you will see a gray plastic tab sort of sticking out. This tab is part of the lower portion of the A/C filter, so you can slowly and easily pull that piece out while holding the gas pedal down with your other hand. The upper portion of the A/C filter is essentially located on top of the lower one, with its access tab sticking out from the top of the A/C filter opening. Slide it down and pull that out while again holding down the gas pedal. If the lower and upper A/C filter assys appear very dirty, discard them and get OEM replacement for them (costs around $43 from the local Lexus parts dept). To install the A/C filter, just reverse the steps mentioned from above. Remember which side the filter must be installed correctly. Overall, it is not quite as easy as changing the air filter due to the cramped spacing, but another important service item that you can easily do yourself. Good luck!

As one of the coordinators, let me first just say that I was severely disappointed that the rainy weather between 1-3PM kinda ruined the spirits of others, and I don't blame them. We all worked very hard to get the meet organized in the appropriate fashion, and all we need is Mother Nature to drown us out However, under the circumstances, I was glad and relieved to see a surprising turnout at the meet (lots of BMWs, Lexus and Benz from what I remember, closely filled up the 100-car parking lot at one point for sure). Most of the people stayed for the raffle drawings, which turned out great and kinda fun. VMF, I was the one who was doing the Lexus part of the raffle, and I hope your gf enjoys the Lexus car care items :D Although I didn't get to meet many of the LOC owners personally (I caught up with steviej and Pharmguy), I'm sure they all had a great time attending this one of a kind luxury hybrid meet (and perhaps a first Lexus meet for some of them). I do hope we can arrange another Lexus meet sometime in the near future, like in the summer when the weather reasonably improves. Thanks for coming out, Doug

Great communication guys :D I'll see you guys in front of Filene's at Danbury Mall tomorrow morning! (oh wait, it is morning already LOL... I should get some sleep) ;)

Neil, that spoiler looks quite unique on your Coach Edition ES. I don't think it looks too bad, but I probably wouldn't go crazy installing that mod on an ES. I used to own a black '96 Coach Edition ES, and I thought it looked great w/out any exterior modifications.

Front quarter shot here. When I saw it in person, I thought the new wheels kinda match OK with the body color, and of course the black pearl badging is very nice :D

I also saw a SportDesign ES this past weekend at the Lexus dealership in East Hartford CT. Here are a couple pics that I took of the Black Onyx. Rear quarter shot:

According to Paintscratch.com, the cladding color is called Dark Gray Metallic Clearcoat (color code UCA45).

Where in CT are you located? Junkyards is one option to search for a similar headlamp to your ES. Here's a link which includes a list of all "well-known" junkyards in CT: CT junkyards Sometimes '97-'99 ES headlamps pop up on Ebay, but don't bother searching there now as there's nothing of the sort listed presently.

I actually upgraded the stock halogens in my non-HID equipped '01 ES to PIAA 4150K Xtreme White lows. That was the very first mod I did on the car when I got it last year :)

To pull the actual headlight bulb out, you must first remove the black rubber cup (just pull it out). Keep a clean rag handy in case it looks dusty or dirty. Then, look for a metal clip wire with a hook at the end. This metal clip provides the locking position of the headlight bulb and is located behind the base of the bulb. Once you see the metal clip, unhook it and gently move it out of the way from the bulb. Now you should be able to easily pull the burnt out bulb out from the headlamp. When you install a new headlight bulb, remember how the old bulb is positioned into the headlamp assy, and how the metal spring clip locks to the base of the bulb. I had no problems accessing the driver's side bulb from my '01 ES, even though the battery provided some cramped spacing. I don't believe it's necessary to remove the battery for convenience, but if under frustration, go ahead and do that. Hope this info helps.

So knowing it is the switch problem, how do I go about fixing the problem? Please give me the skinny and the details :whistles:

It is going to be difficult to find the correct match for the bumper/cladding color of your car from an auto parts store. Lexus or Toyota dealership is a better candidate in getting the right match for the color. Just stop by either dealership and ask for the touch-up paint bottle for the color of your bumper/cladding.

I wish mine were as easy as that. I just changed the A/C filter (2-pc assembly) from my '01 ES, which is located on the floor to the right of the gas pedal. Yes, it was a real b***h to remove the old filter and install the new one under such cramped space; I guess it's good that I'm a slim person! :P

Yes it does, so I doubt it is a motor problem.

A minor but annoying problem is plaguing me lately in my 2001 ES300: The 'AUTO' window switch for the driver window is not working correctly. What I mean is, if I press the button down all the way, the window will just slide down in manual fashion, not in the automatic way as it's supposed to be. Same thing if I close the window, the 'AUTO' switch won't work like it should. Basically, the driver window has stopped sliding up/down automatically. As a note of reference, all the other window switches, including on the other 3 doors, work fine. My diagnosis on this issue is that something is not making contact underneath the driver 'AUTO' window switch, or perhaps there is corrosion in the electrical contacts somewhere. How do I go about accessing the window switch in my '01 ES? There is evidently a screw located behind the inner door handle that I'll probably have to remove first, but I'm not sure what comes after that. It sounds like I need to take the entire door panel off just to get to the window switch, correct? Please help me out any way you can, especially from those who had experience. Thanks!