steviej

Bfam0003, you are double posting and this gets very confusing. here is a link to my responce in the General Maint. thread of the same subject. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=6041& steviej

Here is the most recent list of TSBs from alldata.com. There seems to be one about you fumes. SU001-03 AUG 03 Suspension - Squeak From Front on Sharp Bumps EL010-03 AUG 03 Lexus Link System® - Error Detected NV007-03 AUG 03 Body - Rear Door Grinding Noise AU002-03 JUN 03 Audio System - Rear Audio/CD Changer Troubleshooting BO004-03 JUN 03 Interior - Front Seats 'Loose' Feeling EL006-03 JUN 03 Navigation System - Map Screen is Blank AX004-03 MAY 03 Cell Phone - Headphones Turn OFF in Cold Weather PG003-03 MAY 03 Body - License Plate Mounting Precautions TC002-03 MAY 03 Engine Controls - ECM Reset Memory Function NV003-03 APR 03 Interior - Seat Track Squeak/Creak Noise NV002-03 APR 03 Engine - Engine Cover Buzzing Noise EL002-03 MAR 03 Instruments - Service Maintenance Lamp Resetting NV001-03 MAR 03 Interior - Front/3rd Row Seats Squeaks/Rattles TC001-03 FEB 03 A/T - A750 Solenoid Identification EG001-03 FEB 03 Exhaust System - Sulfur Smell SS005R-01 JAN 03 Diagnostic Tester - Immobilizer Function PG016-02 OCT 02 Body - Moonroof Initialization Procedure BO005-02 SEP 02 Interior - Seat Belt Extender Availability/Applications steviej

At any time, is the battery light coming when driving around or does the battery light not go out after the truck starts up? it is not a perfect world, this is why we have warranties and lexus roadside service. Allow the dealer to find and remedy the problem, as this is a new vehicle to the Lexus fleet and quirks are bound to surface. At least it is of no cost to you except for you time and aggrevation. We have all been there at one time or another. I checked alldata.com to see if there are any TSBs on the electrical systems of this vehicle and unfortuenately none come up. here is the link for future use: http://www.alldata.com/TSB/74/03740614.html hang in there, it will get fixed. steviej

I use only synthetic in my Lex and my zooky. No drips, no runs, no errors. I flip flop between the Toyo OEM filter and the Mobil 1 filter. The K&N filter is next to be used, cause I'm tired of burning my hand on the manifold when using the filter wrench to get the old one off and the new one tight. The K&N has that cool nut molded on it. for everyones infor, Toyota switched suppliers on their oil filters in mid December. The new filters have a D# in the last part and they are made in Thailand. Time will tell as to whether or not the qualilty is the same as the previous supplier. steviej

the battery light comes on when the battery is being discharged. If the car is running and the light comes on, it usually means the alt. is NOT supplying ample current to the battery so any electrical component currently in use is drawing power from the battery. Take the car to a different Autozone. Have them test your system again. If they tell you it is you alternator, then produce the receipt from the other Autozone. The alt. should have a year warranty on it and you can switch it out any any Autozone. There are several parts in the alt. that can crap out (bearing, voltage regulator). If the silverstars are the same wattage as the replaced buld, then they are not stressing the system. I was thinking more of a short or a bad electical motor that is causing a drain on the electrical system. keep us posted, this is interesting. steviej

90% is fact from experience with the set of Potenza RE92 stock tire that came on my ES. Tread life was short, traction was crap in snow, even light snow. Rain and dry traction was adequate. On the other side, they were somewhat quiet and never needed additional balancing. 10% is from emotion, I have a friend that got pretty messed up from a Firestone/Bridgestone tire blowout.....Ford Explorer thing from a few years ago. I know that is a poor reason, but deep in my gut I just don't trust that company. Totally my issue and not meant to sway any decision you make. I have heard good things about the Bridgstone LS-V tires though. steviej

did you replace your last alternator with the Autozone one or did you get a new one from Lexus? On my old SSEi, I would go through a remanned alt. every 11 months until I got the parts store to just give me the AC/Delco OEM for the same price. Never had the alt problem again. Sometimes off brand remans are not far from crapping out too. Did you put in the alt, or did a shop do it? I'm thinking there is something in your system that is unduely stressing the alt. Whether it be belt tension or some electrical component? If the car is running, keep and eye on it and make note of what is in use, when the battery light comes on and when the car acts "strangely". good luck. steviej

does the white smoke smell like oil or petroleum burning? are you loosing oil when the car is parked, any major puddles. Maybe the oil pan plug is loose, or the filter is loose and the oil is flowing out there. Look around the oil filter and see if it is all wet. Sometimes when the old filter comes off, the gasket stays on and then the new filter is put on on top of the old gasket. Giving you a total of two gaskets. This will allow oil to seep out, but you will see it all over the side of the engine. Take the car back immediately to the shop. 3 quarts in 300 miles is way way too much loss. Look under the car and see if there is oil trails going out the back of the underside of the car. I had a pressure sensor go bad and the oil was coming out the side of the block where the sensor screwed in. The bad things could be a blown cylinder head gasket (but the smoke would be white and smell like maple syrup) and wouldn't explain the oil consumption. If your rings are shot or valve seal(s) are blown or leaking then you may be getting oil into the combustion chamber.....but the smoke should be more of a blue color. steviej

you could put the emblems on yourself with a little line level. The emblems just stick on. There should be a depression or tab to help line you up. The new ones will come with adhesive backings. Michelin Energies are a nice tire, stay true and balanced but I have not heard good things about them in the rain....go with your personal experience on that one. I don't really like Bridgestones and I can't help you on the Faulkens, however, both of them will be cheaper than Michies. As stated before, go to tirerack.com and try the tire selector based on you car, the size you want/allowed and your driving habits to find out a tire good for you. good luck on the keys and lights. steviej

hern, it would help if we knew what year or generation ES you are dealing with. I can say that the 2002+ ES blinkers are very easy to change. Nothing has to be removed exept the bulb it self and they are easy to get at. Pre-02 is a different story. Seek out the thread suggested to you. steviej

I am truely sorry for you Steve. :( sj

could be lots of things, all associated to fuel air mixture and delivery: -dirty idle air control assembly (prone to carbon build up), -dirty throttle body or lazy trottle position sensor -lazy O2 sensor sending wrong info ECU, takes a second or two for the ECU to catch up to the fuel air mixture difference at stop. -could be a faulty crank or cam sensor -lazy MAF sensor -fuel pressure sensor no CEL, right? the only true way to diagnose what is going on is to have a scan tool hooked up to the car at the time it actually pulsates. This way you/a trained mechanic can actually pinpoint what is happening and what may be causing the pulsation. steviej

the diff fluid is usually changed when the tranny is flushed. steviej

it all depends on how good a wax is on top of the paint and under the salt. Salt is not good for cars in any amount but it is hard to say to what the extent. When indoubt, wash it. If you don't like the big drive through type because the brushed touch the car, then find a automatic touchless high pressure washer. At least the major portion of the salt and dirt is removed. We got this new touchless one in my area, called the Laser Wash 4000. It reminds me of Miami, cause it is all neon blue, green and coral/pink. It actually does a pretty good job. steviej

sk, as his screen name translates into, "a little quick". steviej

If you bought the car from the dealership, then take it back and have them handle all your concerns for the car. 1. the keys, switching out the entire set of keys is very costly. One master key (if your trunk, unlock and lock buttons are in the head of the key) will cost you around $350 from the dealership. My wallet key with the chipped holder lists for $156. Try ebay, sometimes they have the master keys there and can be cut reprogrammed to your car. you can also try http://www.lexus-parts.com for the key(s) that you want. You will have to provide the VIN and they can cut the key for you. 2. I have to say, to not have fogs, highs and DRLs all at once is strange. Check your fuses and bulbs, you may have one or several that are not seated or all together missing. Also check the position of the headlight switch on the stick. Are you in the AUTO position. This is all covered in the manual. If you did not get a manual, register your car at www.lexus.com and they will sent you a complimentary owner's manual. If it is like the 2002 ES, the DRL uses the high beam bulbs at half power. Fog light will only come on if the low beams are on, and are shut off when the highs are engaged. 3. What tires are on there now? It all depends on what kind of money you want to spend and what your driving style is. TireRack.com has a fun little click by click decision guide to help you decide what tires are best for you and your style of driving. You can also find out more about the tires that are currently on there. 4. The missing "L" can mean one of three things. a. They fell off and the previous owner did not what to replace them. b. The car was rearended, the trunk lid had to be replaced and or repainted and the body shop did not replace the emblems. c. The previous owner wanted the "shaved" look and removed them himself. It is a current trend. let us know what you find. steviej

Justin, go with your gut feeling. If your dealer is local, you might want to keep you business there. What will be the transporation costs for the ebay item? I love the IS, but I find it to be a little cramped for me. I like my space. However, there are endless possibilites for mods on an IS that I lack on the ES. Good luck in whichever decision you make, I am sure alot of your quesitons can be answered here. As for the rust.....it is just surface oxidation. Happens to most brake rotors that are idle for a time, especially if there is moisture in the air. Upon first depression of the brake pedal, the surface oxidation is removed and the rotors are shinny again. Nothing to worry about. steviej

Just ask the Service Manager if they are comfortable working on your Lexus. If you trust the dealership and have a good relationship with them, by all means, continue to use them for routine sheduled maint. You will find them cheaper than the Lexus Service Centers. They will most likely alert you when they encounter a problem that they feel must be taken to a Lexus shop. Coolant and Tranny, most definately at 30k. Check your manual on the plugs. My 02 is every 60k on the plugs as is my friends 98 Avalon. On your next service or in your driveway, carefully pull a front plug to see what the general condition on one is. Note the brand, check to see if someone has already replaced them. good luck Alex and welcome to the club. steviej

try http://www.lexus-parts.com steviej

7000K does not mean it will provide more light than the 4000k Silverstars. This rating is not for illumination. It is the rating for color. The 7000k will be closer to a blue/purple than the blue/white of the 4000k. Find the "lumens" rating and compare that to rating of the Silverstars to see which will brighten the darkness better. What kind of return policy and warranty do you get with the auctioned product if you are not satisfied or if they burn out in less than a year? I agree with what juan01 and Lex3486 said, go with what we know. steviej

I know a whole bunch of owners. Many around Worcester and Springfield as well as RI, CT and New York City/Long Island. Something will happen this spring. I will definately keep you posted if not mentioned in this thread. steviej How's a meet at Foxwood's sound?

nice pics. you need more snow in the background to make me feel better. I have an olympus also, Stylus 300. Maybe we should have a sub-forum called OOC. :D steviej

I have an 02 but it is pretty much the same thing. I run only premium fuel (93 octane), have synthetic 5w-30 in the pan and have a K&N drop in filter in the air box. I get 22-24 mpg around town and 28-30 on all out highway. steviej

whenever dealing with any salesperson on the phone, always get their complete name before conducting any business. If the conversation takes a turn for the worse, then politely ask to be transferred to another salesrep or the manager of the salesrep you are currently having a problem with. Always keep your cool and the other person will see that the problem lies within. Explain to the manager you situation and see if they can't come to an agreement. Be prepared to provide sales quotes if needed, and be prepared to go local if you do not like the way you are treated by a phone salesrep. Have you tried contacting the TireRack liason to this forum? You are the customer and you make the last decision. steviej

believe me hank, I have done all that. The Sport A2's seem to wear out prematurely.... The Conti Extremes tend to get flat spots when the sit for a while... all according to reviews on TireRack.com and DiscountTires.com I have my name on a set of 4 ContiExtremes, but they are not due in for 3 weeks. If I cna make it to April first, then the 18" wheels go back on and I will put the all season tires off until next October. I have been done the roster on all brands. Michelins, Goodyear, etc. I don't want to go less than an H rating and at 215/60-16, that leaves me a little thin. I won't replace with the Bridgies RE92, I want guiet, good rain and light snow traction as well as good dry traction and most of all I want at least 30,000 miles out of the tread. am I too demanding. steviej