michaelamiller

The post applies to the ES300 2001 Lexus. Note that this is a two (2) step process. Step 1. Is programming the key for lock/panic, unlock, and trunk release. Step 2. Is programming the key to turn on the ignition and the motor. Step 1. 1. Sit in the 2000 ES300, close all doors, lock all doors. 2. MANUALLY unlock driver’s door only, and open driver’s door, leave open. 3. Insert ORIGINAL Master Key (not the new Master Key) into the ignition, and then remove, don’t turn on. 4. Manually lock/unlock the driver’s door five times (in other words, lock/unlock…lock/unlock…lock/ Unlock…lock/unlock…lock/unlock, while still open. 5. Close driver’s door. 6. Open driver’s door, and leave open. 7. Manually lock/unlock the driver’s door five times (in other words, lock/unlock…lock/unlock…lock/ Unlock…lock/unlock…lock/unlock, while still open. 8. Insert NEW Master Key into the ignition, turn to “On” once, turn to “Off”, then remove the key from the ignition. PLEASE NOTE AFTER STEP 8, THE LOCKS CYCLED ONCE 9. On the NEW Master Key, press and hold the unlock and the Lock/Panic button at the same time for one second. 10. On the NEW Master Key, press the Lock/Panic button for one second. THE LOCKS WILL CYCLE AGAIN after step 9 11. Close driver’s door. 12. Open driver’s door and leave open. 13. On the NEW Master Key, press Lock/Panic button for one second. THE LOCKS WILL CYCLE ONCE AGAIN. 14. Close driver’s door. Step 2. 1. Insert an already programmed master key into the ignition. Do not turn. 2. Press and release the gas pedal 5 times. 3. Press and release the brake pedal 6 times. 4. Remove the key from the ignition. 5. Insert the new key you want to program into the ignition. Do not turn. 6. Press and release the gas pedal one time. 7. Wait 1 minute, wait until the security light stops blinking.. The security light will be blinking for this one minute. When it stops blinking your key is programmed. 8. To finish programming step on brake one time. NOTE: Look for your security light. This light will guide you during the programming procedure. The security light will go off at Step 1. It will remain off until Step 6. The security light will come on and start to blink after Step 6 until the key is programmed. If the security light comes on after Step 4 STOP the procedure and start over again. If you perform this procedure too slowly your car will not go into programming mode. If you can not get your car to go into programming mode make sure you are using a master key and not a valet key.

Thanks for your help, it looks exactly like what I need. I'll proceed to order same. Best regards!

This is one of the best posts I've ever seen. The instructions are clear and concise. The pictures are excellent and detailed. I was easily able to follow the directions and everything worked exactly as described. I'm not a mechanic and have just a little skill at auto repairs and would normally never attempt this kind of repair so this says a lot. I needed every toll described and encounter each difficulty; but was able to proceed based on the detailed instructions. Thanks!

I need to replace the shield located at the bottom of the radiator and I don't know the part number. I need both the shield and supporting membrane, plus screws and fasteners. Can anyone help? I call it a splash guard.

Which brand, model and size tire were you using? I saw that you have only 24,000 miles on your 04 ES; are your tires the original ones? Machelin P215/60R16 94V all weather, the original tire.

Thanks, the car was not totaled, it was repaired at considerable cost. All tires are of the same diameter and are the original ones. The car is not used that much and has a total of about 24,000 miles. Tires were rotated at 20.000 miles. What are rotation sensors? They are the speed sensors on each tire, telling the comupter how fast each tire is spinning. Those sensors controls the ABS and the stability control. Usually when one of those sensors fails , you will get a warning light on your dash. Did you remember if you hear a beeping sound when you were sliding? When the stability control kicks in, you should get a warning light on the dash and a beeping sound. It may also be one of your brakes caliper locking up, I would have that check out. I have a visual indication if the ABS system (traction control) is working, a yellow light flashes and two lines appear. There is no beeping sound and I don't have "stability control". There was not sufficient time to see the lights flashing for the traction control, the event happened so fast. In all previous conditions where I was in a skid condition on snow, I did observe the flashing lights but in this condition it was the application of the accelerator that caused this, never the brake, and I was always in control of the vehicle. I could correct the skid but turning the wheel in the opposite direction and dropping speed. In this case I lost control completely. I have checked the brake shoes and calipers, not sign of pitting, corrosions, rust, or any damage. I would welcome the opportunity for Lexus to make the same inspection to determine if there is a mechanical or software problem. In this respect I have tried to make contact. Do you know of an individual I could address this issue too? Thanks, Michael If you released the brake application and continued to skid, then the ABS is not the issue. ABS will only prevent a wheel from locking up if the rest of the system is working properly. If, as has been mentioned, you have a sticking caliper, the ABS will not prevent the wheel from locking up. It actually works to release brake application to wheel that has stopped moving. Easy enough to test the system. Find an empty and wet parking lot (for less resistance) and apply the brakes. You should get pulsation as soon as you start to skid. Let up on the brakes and you should stop the skid and the ABS. If you lost the ability to steer clear of the rail, then your hunch that a wheel locked up is most likely the case. What you need to do is test the pistons; to determine how much pressure is needed to push them back in. If they're stiff, then it wouldn't take much to lock up the wheels on an icy road. If you haven't done a caliper service in a while, now might be a good time. Your suggested test sounds easy enough to perform and be assured that I will start looking for the wet day and empty parking lot. Can the pistons be tested independently by a Lexus dealer or service station? Is this a difficult or costly procedure? Is there anything that prevents the pistons, if stiff, from causing the wheels to lock? Your suggestions indicate a real understanding of the car and the mechanics. Thanks for your help. Michael

Yes I would post and Yes I have written twice to Lexus on this issue. I sincerely feel that if we have these events and they remain unexplained all Lexus owners will loose. If something is wrong with the car and it is not fixed then the problem will occur again & again, while no other car was involved and we received no injury, the next person might not be so lucky. The tires I use are designed for winter driving and rated accordingly by Consumer Reports at the top of the list. I don't believe in using anything but the best, my choice of Lexus in example. Thanks for your reply. Michael

Thanks, the car was not totaled, it was repaired at considerable cost. All tires are of the same diameter and are the original ones. The car is not used that much and has a total of about 24,000 miles. Tires were rotated at 20.000 miles. What are rotation sensors? They are the speed sensors on each tire, telling the comupter how fast each tire is spinning. Those sensors controls the ABS and the stability control. Usually when one of those sensors fails , you will get a warning light on your dash. Did you remember if you hear a beeping sound when you were sliding? When the stability control kicks in, you should get a warning light on the dash and a beeping sound. It may also be one of your brakes caliper locking up, I would have that check out. I have a visual indication if the ABS system (traction control) is working, a yellow light flashes and two lines appear. There is no beeping sound and I don't have "stability control". There was not sufficient time to see the lights flashing for the traction control, the event happened so fast. In all previous conditions where I was in a skid condition on snow, I did observe the flashing lights but in this condition it was the application of the accelerator that caused this, never the brake, and I was always in control of the vehicle. I could correct the skid but turning the wheel in the opposite direction and dropping speed. In this case I lost control completely. I have checked the brake shoes and calipers, not sign of pitting, corrosions, rust, or any damage. I would welcome the opportunity for Lexus to make the same inspection to determine if there is a mechanical or software problem. In this respect I have tried to make contact. Do you know of an individual I could address this issue too? Thanks, Michael

I have no proof that the ABS caused the problem - the only indication is that I applied the brakes, lightly, not for an emergency stop or the like, and the reaction was the complete spin out. At 30-35 mph this seems unwarrented. What concerns me in this situation is that I have written to Lexus twice, with no reply, and over a period of three months. I would like to hear what the "official" opinion is and if there are any other occurances so that I can be guided accordingly. Thanks for your input. Michael

Thanks, the car was not totaled, it was repaired at considerable cost. All tires are of the same diameter and are the original ones. The car is not used that much and has a total of about 24,000 miles. Tires were rotated at 20.000 miles. What are rotation sensors?

A few weeks ago we took I-435 on the west side of the Kansas City metro about 30 miles to KCI airport. It was an icy day and there must have been 100 cars off the road both in the median and off the shoulder into fields. I-435 on the west side of the Kansas City metro area is mostly as straight as an arrow with a few sections of very gentle, hardly noticable curves. Many of the cars off the road were quite new and likely had ABS and some sort of stability control system. As we puttered along at no more than 35 mph and often slower, some people flew past us at over 70 mph. We saw a few of these people later sitting in their cars in the median or in adjoining farm fields. All the technology in the world couldn't save these people from themselves. I kept thinking: why are these people driving so fast when they can see all these cars off the road and tow trucks pulling them out? Duh! Darwin was right! I've run off a road only once in 44 years of driving. It was on a perfectly straight section of I-70 in a rural area east of Kansas City. I was going too fast for the conditions. I was lucky there was nothing to hit and that I went down an embankment into a nice grassy field. That experience pretty much scared the crap out of me and I have since slowed way down when the roads are slick or even "greasy" from rain and dust. I've had my "learning experience". Maybe this one is yours? I agree with your assesment and I too am extremely cautious under these conditions. At the time I was doing no more than 35 and thankfully so. Even at that speed hitting a guard rail can cause inmense damage. I have been driving some 50 years and have skidded; but never like this. This was a uncontrolable skid, which could only, in my opinion be caused by one of the front wheels locking. What worries me is the new software being installed that is supposed to prevent this appears to do the exact opposite. I believe by posting this, it will help in determining if others have the same experience, only then will some effort be made to correct the problem, and if non exists as may be the case, it will go a long way to make me feel confident that I am driving a safe vehilce. Best regards, Michael

Because there is no other reason, momentum of the car would cause it to continue on a straight course if nothing else were present to change direction. Suppose one wheel locked while the others were free to rotate. The locked wheel would cause the spin I experienced. The application of slight breaking should insure that no wheel locked based on the ABS system software. Losing taction should only cause the vehicle to proceed in the direction of momentum, not change direction.

During cold conditions, slippery road, a slight application of the brakes caused my 2004 Lexus ES330 to skid into the side rail. No other car was involved, straight road. Has anyone else experienced similar failure of the ABS software? I am afraid to drive the car in similar conditions. Damage to car was extensive.

Dear George Jetson, Thanks, I just check out the Y pipe and the flex connections look OK so I don't think they need to be replaced; but if the mechanic suggests this, I'll know what he means and act accordingly, i.e. replace them as this is beyond my expertise. Trusting the mechanic is a real problem based on past performace and this is a new shop I'm using. I think making the choice between replacing the manifold or drilling out the sensor is something the mechanic will have to do once the old manifold is removed and I don't want to second guess him as I will not be there nor will I have the expertise to make this call. I tried the heat and the hammer on the sensor, no luck, it is in really solid. I think I have done as much as possible with my limited knowledge and facilities. Michael A. Miller