lexusk8

In my '01 ES, I noticed that the location around the PCV valve was pretty dirty, and that the rubber grommet seems hardened after longevity, so I knew it was time to get the PCV valve and rubber grommet. I did that yesterday... bought a Purolator valve and a generic rubber grommet made for Toyota, all for less than $6 from Advance Auto Parts. I replaced the PCV valve and rubber grommet myself, which took me about 30-40 min because it was a little difficult trying to remove the old rubber grommet since it was hardened after many miles, and I was careful not to let any pieces from the grommet drop into the engine. Everything from the installation job was pretty easy, and I hope that I will see an improvement in the fuel mileage too :)

You'd have to cut off the red and black wires from the existing connector, and splice them with the new wires from the new sensor by using wire connectors, crimping tool and some electrical tape. The following link shows how this is done on a Lexus LS400. http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/EFI/mainoxygensensor.html

The D2R bulbs are 4100K OEM Philips, and the ballasts are the Denso OEM's off of a '04 Lexus IS. Auto-leveling is not included with the bulbs and ballasts, although the feature comes factory with the '00-'01 HID-equipped ES. There is an indicator feature on the HID headlamps themselves where I can manually adjust with a socket wrench to get the correct level.

I've been laying low as far as mods go in my '01 ES, but I've patiently gathered all the right parts for the last 3-4 months (had to wait out for the right prices from the right seller) ;) The last of the parts came in just this past weekend, and I immediately got them installed with the help of a friend mechanic who had all the electrical parts and tools. It took us about an hour to do it yesterday. Many thanks to my friend for lending a hand (I'll definitely give him some help next time on his truck and/or Jetta) :) So without further ado, behold in all its glory: My 2001 ES300 factory HID headlamps (a rare, hard-to-find feature on the ES) Here they are, turned on after a couple of minutes. They instantly flick on, then turn bluish, and gradually turn into white. The remarkable features of HID lighting (not to mention the excellent cutoff) :D Lastly, just a comparison pic with my previous non-HID headlamps. Any comments or questions about the HID or the install procedure (which is actually pretty straightforward) are much appreciated. Thanks :) -Doug BTW, I do not have any nighttime pics since I do not have a tripod for my digicam. But you are better off seeing it in person; HID is like night and day compared to stock halogen or any upgraded aftermarket bulb. Once you go HID, you'll never go back!

For those who own a '97-'01 ES and have problems with the front turn signal(s) flashing abnormally, download this PDF document which discusses the background of this problem and the recommended solution. el001l01.pdf

I'm having the same issue as well on my '01 ES. Currently at 119,000 miles, the mileage has been mediocre at best, ranging between 19 to 21 mpg, and getting roughly 300 miles on a tank before the low fuel light comes on. I'm debating on whether this has something to do with the O2 sensors, even though I have no check engine light. Other than this increased fuel consumption, my ES runs really solid and well.

Putting a non-HID headlamp into your '00 ES (with a driver side HID headlamp in place) will really throw off the light quality and output. I certainly wouldn't recommend it. I would wait around on Ebay until an HID headlamp is up for grabs (they do come around occasionally).

I think you are mixing up the bulb types with the location on the trunk. The 7443 bulb is the same as the brake bulb, and is located ONLY on the corner tailights, not the trunk lid lights. In order to access the bulbs behind the corner tailights, you'd have to remove the plastic shielding behind those tailights. This is held down by (2) black plastic caps which can by pried off with a flathead (don't worry, they are strong and won't break). Once the shielding is off, then you have an easy view of the bulbs behind the corner lights.

Good to hear from you, exdotcomer. Would be cool if we met up sometime (I'm only 45 min away from Cocoa). So any news on the struts?

funny, I have read in several different places that the OEM shocks/struts are made by KYB. steviej Not sure if this is allowed in the forum, but here's an Ebay link that explains the Gabriel struts (MacPherson-style) being OEM for the ES and Camry/Avalon: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TOYOTA-AVAL...1QQcmdZViewItem

Dave, I actually had the rear struts recently replaced in my '01 ES. The new strut assemblies are made from Gabriel, which is OEM for the Toyota Camry/Avalon and the Lexus ES300. I got them from Ebay for a really good deal (you should be able to find plenty more of those similar struts there), much much cheaper than the face value at the dealership. Since I'd have to get a 4-wheel alignment anyway after the strut install, I decided to let a shop take care of the services. Now there's no more noises or clunking in the rear, and the car really feels planted when taking corners at moderate speeds There is certainly a way to do the rear strut install in your driveway, if you have all the tools (i.e. floor jackstand, set of jacks, wrenches, etc.) Here's a write-up one of the LOC members did on his '97 ES (I think you'll be overwhelmed by how comprehensive the write-up is) :D http://michalscheck.com/lexus/struts/struts.html

Hey exdotcomer, I remember you in Connecticut (I lived in Danbury). Did you just move down to FL? I'm down here as well, in Orlando (just moved here since August) B) Gotten bored of doing the daily grind in CT, and decided on going to business school here in sunny Florida. How's that for a change of pace? :D ;) Anyway, regarding your situation, are your struts showing signs of wear or leakage (especially near the strut mount)? If so, it's a good sign that the entire strut assembly (not including the spring) needs to be replaced. In fact, I just got my rear struts from my '01 ES replaced the other day. Here's a quick rundown: - Allied Tire originally quoted me $631 for Monroe rear struts (their store parts) install and 4-wheel alignment. I politely declined ;) - Instead, I went on Ebay and won a bid for a set of brand new Gabriel rear struts (OEM for the Toyota Camry, Avalon and Lexus ES300). It was $87, plus $20 shipping. Total for parts = $107. - I brought the parts back to Allied, and they installed the struts for me and also did a full alignment. Took 3 hrs labor time. Total labor and alignment cost = $355. - In total, I spent just a little over $460 for new rear struts and alignment. I can't imagine what the cost would be if I were to bring my car to a Lexus dealership! As an added note of caution, I would think twice about taking the car to Midas to have it worked on. My last Midas trip was one of the worst. It's a long story, but it was about a nail in my tire, and a broken wheel lock. I'm sure you can figure out the details in the middle ;) -Doug

Download this PDF document, and follow the instructions ("Toyota/Lexus") on the 2nd to the last page. Transponder_Application_Guide.pdf

It could possibly be that your strut and/or strut mount is worn down and needs to be replaced. Only way to find out is to loosen the wheel lug nuts, jack up the car, take off the wheel, and inspect the suspension components.

One easy step: Firmly grasp both sides of the 3rd brake light plastic cover and pull slowly until the cover unclips from the carpeting. From there, you'll be able to gain access to the brake light bulb underneath for replacement. On a side, this may be a good time to get yourself a clean rag and wipe off dust and/or streak marks from the part of the rear windshield which was enclosed by the 3rd brake light cover.

Unfortunately, given the conditions you've already stated about your transmission state, I'm not surprised to hear about the outcome. From my readings in this and the ClubLexus forum, this seems to happen a lot to ES's whose transmission has been overworked and/or improperly taken care of (such as my '01 which was bought 2-1/2 yrs ago w/ 64K miles and was originally used as a business fleet vehicle). Like I said before, I've already been through my share of tranny troubles, but in some portion I lucked out with the help of extended warranty. However you just barely surpassed the limits of your 6 year/70,000 mile powertrain warranty at the time of your transmission issue, and that kinda leaves you with no outs. You may just have to bite the bullet and get the tranny rebuilt or cheaply replaced with a reman tranny, and consider whatever else you plan to do with the ES afterwards. Good luck.

SW03ES, you can try checking A/C diagnostic codes by following details in the link below. This procedure works in my '01 ES, so it should be the same for your '03 ;) http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/air/accodes.html

ES looks great. I like how clean it looks inside and out. The JVC head unit is a sweet mod for the stereo. Are those PIAA Ion yellow bulbs installed in the fogs?

Just to share upon my transmission troubles, I had my tranny problems in my '01 ES at around 98,600 miles which took place last year. The tranny was not shifting properly, the RPMs would go really high for 1st or 2nd gears, and the list goes on. Luckily, I had extended warranty to back me up, but it was aftermarket so the amount of coverage wasn't up to my expectations. The CEL and TRAC OFF lights went on, and Autozone detected the problem to be a malfunction in the transmission solenoid. So long story short, Lexus dealership replaced the transmission with a remanufactured one off of another 2001 ES300 which had just 45K miles on the clock. I ended up paying 50% of the costs, while the extended warranty paid the rest.

Good call. Problems with leakages in the valve cover gasket and the rear main seal on the '92-'96 ES come up often, especially on those with high mileage. I had to get the rear main seal patched up by the dealership when I had my '96 ES.

Thanks for the info bro, much appreciated :) For awhile, I've been thinking of switching to Hawk brake pads, but of course I can't do that until my OEM pads are nearing its finish (still have roughly 70% life remaining). Glad to hear the KYB struts are working out great for you!

Please fill us in on details of the ride difference with the KYB struts, strut mounts, and of course your new braking system ;) How much did you pay roughly for all those items? I just scored a set of rear OEM struts for less than $90 on Ebay, which is a huge difference compared to the $330 per set retail from the Lexus dealership :D

Honestly I don't see the advantage of having a remote from a '97-'99 ES to be workable on a '00-'01 ES, as that particular remote is a 2-piece, while the factory keyless remote for the '00-'01 ES is all in one key.

To my knowledge, I don't know of anyone who has successfully done the '05 steering wheel retrofit on the '02-'04 ES. I tend to think this mod is highly cost-prohibitive as this involves additional wirings, labor, etc.

Check your throttle body as it could be gunked up with dirt, vapor contaminants, etc. This causes the air/fuel mixture to be inaccurate, thus affecting how your engine reacts upon start-up.