laney94

... the fuel light would come on. Now it's coming on at about 300 miles.

Laney, Id be careful about using that fuel light to tell you when to refill. It's there as a low fuel level warning and should be used for that purpose only. I'd stay above the quarter tank level in the summer and half tank level in the winter. Personally, I keep the fuel full all the time in the winter. The less fuel in your tank, the more condensation you get. You can't see the fuel that's going into your tank and all the crud from the bottom of the stations tanks that might be going in right along with it. When you get to the warning light, you're sucking up whatever crap is at the bottom of your tank. Besides plugging up your filter, if there's enough water down there you risk freezing the fuel lines in the winter. Last thing I want to happen when there's a blizzard about and I'm still 25 miles from home!

Well, I think I've found my problem with the fuel economy question... I filled her up and set the trip gauge then drove to work the next morning in freezing temps. The backlight on my dash is out and it takes a bit of warming up for the needles to spring into action and light up, as well as the temp and odometer readings. Well, when they did light up, the trip was at zero miles - it had not been working for the past 15 miles or so. Guess my mpg okay after all - it's my odo that's off. Geeeez.

I recently added a fuel system cleaner to my nearly empty gas tank and filled her up. I immediately noticed more power and running great. But now I have lost about 60 mpg per tank of gas!! What could cause this to happen??? I had a hesitation at about 50mph that seems to have subsided since this treatment, but I'd trade that for my former 20+mpg! Thanks for any suggestions.

Okay, to be more clear - it was GumOut fuel system cleaner that I used. Is there a problem with using this stuff?

Fuel problems fixed by these cleaners are usually to cure fuel restriction or starvation. As such its hard to imagine why mileage would go down. Could be an unrelated problem nothing to do with the cleaner you used. If the car is running well then you should probably perform a very accurate MPG test. Fill tank up at a level filling station, drive car to near empty and then refill at the same station and same pump. Then compute MPG.

Will do Curious B. Actually I don't trust my fuel gauge, so I reset my trip odometer after every fillup and I know at about 360 miles, the fuel light would come on. Now it's coming on at about 300 miles. I thought maybe it was still the fuel gauge, but to fillup, it took 19 gallons which it always has when the light comes on - thus the 60 miles lost. I'll do an accurate mpg check to be sure. I've owned this car for 16 years (since new) so I know it very very well. This is not in its character at all. Thanks for your response.

I recently added a fuel system cleaner to my nearly empty gas tank and filled her up. I immediately noticed more power and running great. But now I have lost about 60 mpg per tank of gas!! What could cause this to happen??? I had a hesitation at about 50mph that seems to have subsided since this treatment, but I'd trade that for my former 20+mpg! Thanks for any suggestions.

Okay, to be more clear - it was GumOut fuel system cleaner that I used. Is there a problem with using this stuff?

Fuel problems fixed by these cleaners are usually to cure fuel restriction or starvation. As such its hard to imagine why mileage would go down. Could be an unrelated problem nothing to do with the cleaner you used. If the car is running well then you should probably perform a very accurate MPG test. Fill tank up at a level filling station, drive car to near empty and then refill at the same station and same pump. Then compute MPG.

I recently added a fuel system cleaner to my nearly empty gas tank and filled her up. I immediately noticed more power and running great. But now I have lost about 60 mpg per tank of gas!! What could cause this to happen??? I had a hesitation at about 50mph that seems to have subsided since this treatment, but I'd trade that for my former 20+mpg! Thanks for any suggestions.

Okay, to be more clear - it was GumOut fuel system cleaner that I used. Is there a problem with using this stuff?

Randy, clearly you need one of the special Lexus hood supports like I have. ;)

It's nice to hear that there are some decent aftermarket hood struts available. I've read several horror stories about bent hoods from using hood struts from Mighty Lift.

I paid $122.02 for a set of OEM hood struts from Sewell Lexus online for my 00 LS but that was back in December 2005.

Hey, I have one of those. Mine must be aftermarket - doesn't say LEXUS anywhere on it! Guess it is time to shell out the $s for some new struts though. But the 'lifetime warranty' is for those you buy after the original ones fail. I probably won't keep my '94 another 16 years!

Beautiful, beautiful car! At least you didn't have my experience with the mats - left them on top of the garbage can overnight after cleaning my carpets - forgot that the garbage truck ran in the morning - yep! He took my floor mats!!

Laney, you won't believe it, I found my mats! Wife had rolled them up with some area rugs and never told me about it. Cleaning out the garage one day this summer and tada, mats! Of course I not only get my mats but now she owes me! :D

Gorgeous!!!

Mine is the same color...beautiful blue.

Thanks vroom8.

Very nice! It's always a pleasure to see someone who takes care of their equipment. I've wheeled and dealed a lot through the years and never had a problem selling anything I put up for sale. I've literally sold some in a matter of a few hours! We once owned a beautiful 1992 Lincoln Mark VII LS. It was a stunning electric current red. We placed it on a resale lot over one hundred miles away and I received a call from a fellow who wanted to buy it. I wasn't able to meet him until two weeks later due to my work schedule, so this guy drove down and paid cash. He said it was the first car he ever bought without at least hearing it run or taking it for a test drive. His comment to me was "as good as the car looked it showed the care I had given it". He later called me and said he was perfectly satisfied. It's a testament to taking care of what you own! Congratulations on a fine job. When you make the move to a 430 I'm sure you'll take as good care of that as well. From a "little further up north"!

Thanks Brett. I figure if it's worth buying, then it's worth taking care of. Yeah pretty much everything I have is in good shape except for maybe my old sneakers. Funny how they disappear once they get nicely broken in ... gotta ask the wife if she knows anything about that. :D

That LS makes mine look like its ready for the salvage yard. lol.

Its been over two years since this was posted... I wonder if the car is still this pristine?

Same mint condition as before. Check out some recent pics down below. Not that hard to do. No snow and no salt sure helps. Even the volvo looks good, will have to post some pics. Your collection looks to be not too shabby. I do like some of the vintage American Iron ... just dig up some of the LeadSled posts I made last year.

Oh yeah, and chelsea just wanted to say hello!

Nice Dog. Hi Chelsea. Glad to hear you found those mats. Darn garbage man - he probably made a little cash on mine!

Thanks guys. Python you're right about the mats. I also forgot to do the tires before taking the shots. You'll just have to take my word for that they look great now. Those are actually aftermarket mats out of the Volvo which I don't drive in the summer. Guess I can add mats to the list for spring.

Funny story that. Just before we last moved, I shampooed the carpet and took the mats out to let the floor dry. Well in the confusion of packing for the move, they got left behind with a few other car supplies. I usually buy regular service items like fluids & filters in bulk. Sooooo ... wouldn't you know it, along with those supplies and a few others like shop towels, hand cleaner, etc., the floor mats got left behind and eventually were either thrown out or taken home by somebody. At least I didn't forget the dog. But I'm rather good at that kind of thing. Like leaving cases of pop behind in the shopping cart because they're at the bottom and I never check that area before leaving.:chairshot: Wife doesn't let me buy pop anymore. :P Now if I could only remember to take the change with me when I leave the store. :D

Beautiful, beautiful car! At least you didn't have my experience with the mats - left them on top of the garbage can overnight after cleaning my carpets - forgot that the garbage truck ran in the morning - yep! He took my floor mats!!

I'm having trouble distinguishing the sexual orientation of an automotive battery. Which post is male, and which is female??

Lordy, I'm confused too. His is a male battery, so that explains a lot.

How'd you find an ES400?

Hah - good catch VBdenny! I believe that'd be a typo.

I'm guessing very likely I activated the anti-theft. At least I hope that's just that. Any thoughts on how to disable?

Clean up the battery connectors with a wire brush and be sure bolt torqued down well. Replace rusty bolts with new. Loose connections won't allow the 200-300 AMPs a starter motor will draw. Other things working but they are a very light draw on battery compared to starter motor.

Yeah, the positive female terminal is completely corroded on the battery. Might have to be replaced but that's a hell of a lot better than the starter if it is it! Thanks man for the tips will get some new bolts too.

On my 94ls, to disable the security feature, lock and unlock the passenger door with the key. Sears just put in a new battery for me and they spent 20 minutes trying to start the car before they asked me about the lock out feature.

Search mileage threads here in the forum & you will find alot of info on everyone's mileage....

Exactly!! Here's the most recent one: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=18493

Don't get mad at me guys, but i don't think i'm really gonna invest alot of money in my ol LS. Just isnt worth it. I mean, i got her for only 2 grand almost 2 years ago.

I think we all get to this point as time progresses and the odometer numbers rise. You have to get more picky about what repairs you do to an old car that you might not keep too much longer and won't be worth diddly when you trade it in.

500K...that's quite impressive!!!

188,925 on my 94 ls400 - just beginning to replace some mechanics, ECU and Air Control Valve, but never fails to start - had her since new in 94. I do have the blacked out dashboard everyone talks about, all I can see are the lit needles. Everyone asks how do I know how fast I'm going - I just tell 'em that "80mph is straight up"!!! haaaah! Love my ls!

Dave sent me the sketches of the bumper, but he and his manager agreed it was aftermarket and suggested that I needed a full bumper cover - I concur, they didn't really know about this part - even with the pics I sent them. Thanks for the input guys. It does look much better with this molding.

Fiveofakind, yes I've had a problem with cracking paint on rear bumper, that's the next expense I'm in for.

94 ls400 - I am trying to find a replacement part for a rear side spoiler for underneath the rear quarter panel - had a blowout and the steel in the tire chewed up the piece of molding. I've emailed David at ParkPlaceTexas.com and he feels this is an after-market part - not Lexus. We bought this car new from Lexus of Nashville 14 years ago - I don't think they added an after-market kit. Can anyone tell me if this is a stock part? Please see photos of driver side 1/spoiler and passenger side without.

Ok, if you cannot start it even after seating overnight, that's one more data point. When you say it does not start, does the engine crank or there's no sound or just clicking from the starter solenoid? When that happen, how do you get it to start again?

Thi

The engine cranks fine. The starter and battery are new. When its malfunctioning, it just won't fire. Not even once. It's as if you had no fire to the spark plugs but as I undersatnd it lack of fuel pressure could do the same thing. The problem is the malfunction is intermittant - it recurs variably after 1,2 days or it waits a week or a month. Then - it just won't start. Absolutely without warning. Car can be running fine, stop to get gas or run and errand and then it just won't start.

I am having the exact problem with my 94 ls. Mechanic is telling me it's the ECM but I'm not convinced. I have 188K miles and it's never failed to start right up until last week after work - starter would crank and crank but no fire. Left it at work and next day at lunch tried it again and it fired right up and ran great. Drove it home in the evening no problem, then did a fillup and to the grocery - came out of the store and it would not hit a lick! I'm browsing through this forum for any ideas - Because the problem is intermittent, it doesn't appear to me to be the computer - wouldn't a bad computer cause it to never crank?

On a side note - when I came out of the grocery and car failed to crank, I found a puddle of gasoline under my car at the gas door. I didn't overfill the tank - what would cause this? Thanks for any help you guys - I love my car and want to keep it, but I can't afford to let the mehanic start changing out parts till he finds the right problem.

Interesting! Well, I have no gas leak, but maybe you have a different problem. The mechanics wanted to start changing out parts for me too with me funding the research!! First they changed the fuel pump, telling me it had low fuel pressure. No change. Then they changed the "fuel pump control module", for about $550, no change. At least I got a refund for that. Its at the shop again and they want to change the plugs, wires, cap and rotor. I really don't think that will fix it either since the engine runs perfectly smooth when it runs.

When that happens, I would think that they want to check each spark plug wires and see if they have spark. If not, trace back to ignition coil, ECU, ... A low tech solution, remove each spark plug and see if it's wet from fuel; that means there's no spark goes to it.

For fuel, they can check the signal at each injector, fuel pressure, fuel pressure regulator, fuel return line.

Hope you get it fix. Hope you find the solution for it.

Thi

Well, my guy thinks he has narrowed this down to the ECM ($1200) ouch!! He has determined:

* NO FUEL PRESSURE

* NO SPARK

* NO INJECTOR PULSE

Can anyone recommend where I might get this computer for less $$????? And if this sounds likely to be my problem???

Ok, if you cannot start it even after seating overnight, that's one more data point. When you say it does not start, does the engine crank or there's no sound or just clicking from the starter solenoid? When that happen, how do you get it to start again?

Thi

The engine cranks fine. The starter and battery are new. When its malfunctioning, it just won't fire. Not even once. It's as if you had no fire to the spark plugs but as I undersatnd it lack of fuel pressure could do the same thing. The problem is the malfunction is intermittant - it recurs variably after 1,2 days or it waits a week or a month. Then - it just won't start. Absolutely without warning. Car can be running fine, stop to get gas or run and errand and then it just won't start.

I am having the exact problem with my 94 ls. Mechanic is telling me it's the ECM but I'm not convinced. I have 188K miles and it's never failed to start right up until last week after work - starter would crank and crank but no fire. Left it at work and next day at lunch tried it again and it fired right up and ran great. Drove it home in the evening no problem, then did a fillup and to the grocery - came out of the store and it would not hit a lick! I'm browsing through this forum for any ideas - Because the problem is intermittent, it doesn't appear to me to be the computer - wouldn't a bad computer cause it to never crank?

On a side note - when I came out of the grocery and car failed to crank, I found a puddle of gasoline under my car at the gas door. I didn't overfill the tank - what would cause this? Thanks for any help you guys - I love my car and want to keep it, but I can't afford to let the mehanic start changing out parts till he finds the right problem.

Ok, if you cannot start it even after seating overnight, that's one more data point. When you say it does not start, does the engine crank or there's no sound or just clicking from the starter solenoid? When that happen, how do you get it to start again?

Thi

The engine cranks fine. The starter and battery are new. When its malfunctioning, it just won't fire. Not even once. It's as if you had no fire to the spark plugs but as I undersatnd it lack of fuel pressure could do the same thing. The problem is the malfunction is intermittant - it recurs variably after 1,2 days or it waits a week or a month. Then - it just won't start. Absolutely without warning. Car can be running fine, stop to get gas or run and errand and then it just won't start.

Have you now been able to reset your security? On my 94ls, you must lock and then unlock the passenger side door with your key. This resets the lockout feature.

I have a 2000 LS 400 which starting to exhibit starter problems. The battery is brand new and has been tested. Car worked fine until a few weeks ago. The car would not start. Turning the key resulted in very loud clicks coming from the back of the engine (location of the starter). I turned the headlights on and again tried to start the car. Same clicks and no decrease in the intesity of the lights, ergo probably not the battery (confirmed with testing).

I had AAA tow the car to a mechanic. He called me the next day and said the car was fine? I got a ride over and sure enough the car started right up. It worked fine for two days, no problem. Sunday AM I jump in the car and no start.

I talked to a friend and he mentioned that the security system in the car may not be allowing the starter to engage. I did notice that when I picked the car up from the mechanic all the radio stations had be reset. Accordingly I think there may be something to my friends suggestion. I tried removing the ground cable from the battery for a while. After reconnecting I hit my security key to lock and unlock. The door worked fine, got in the car and still no start.

Any recommendations? How can I reset the security in the car?

Thanks