steviej

here is the psuedo-silvervison bulb (my DIY).

here is the stock amber bulb.

talk about your transplants!! The things you can do if you have the time and money. there is absolutely no wiggle room under that hood. So the 4.3L V8 fits in an IS? The big question is how fast is it? steveij

ok Chris and piggyncsu, so it must be in the cig socket, wiring or fuse box. Pull out the fuse and see if it is corroded or just not set well, or even blown. My CIG fuse is #35 and is a 15 amp. It is in the panel behind the change box to the left of the steering column. There is another fuse that has CIG on it, but if it were gone so would a whole mess or other things, too. If it is not the fuse, it may be the prongs in the socket are not making good contact with the contacts on anything that is placed in the socket. A simple test with a volt/ohm meter will answer that one. piggyncsu, the fuel pump is tied into the fuel delivery system and that has multiple fuses associated with it. If you a concerned if the fuel pump is running or not.....lets just say if the fuel pump wasn't running then they car wouldn't run nor would it even start. good luck, post what you find. steveij

toyota uses them too, see the parts guy there. The same plug may be cheaper there. also try: http://www.densoiridium.com/index.php they might have a list of dealers on your island. steviej

poneyboy: I agree. steviej

here is the final !Removed!. All the same bulb. Lexus of Norwood, MA $10.00 per bulb McGee Toyota $5.17 per bulb Weymouth Toyota $6.24 per bulb I guess there is no such thing as standard parts pricing. I got eight and Rustolleum Mettallic Paint (chrome). I will post pics by Sunday.....I need to get some in the dark too. steveij

fuse! There may be a couple of them. Will the charger and the vacumm work in the 12v power outlet. If not, the problem may be you charger and vacumm connectors. steviej

since the amp is under the front passenger and the wires must run under the carpet, maybe some wire(s) have a breakage in them and make contact sometime. check the wiring under the seat if you can. Maybe as simple as a connector. I agree with Alan, if it is in multiple exits then the problem exists at the first common point, the amp. steviej

the '02 does not have a light above the ashtray either. The light is in the ashtray and illiminates the entire area when the ashtray is opened up (which for me is never). :P steviej

have a discussion with the service manager of the dealership in question. I would press the issue that you get the 10,000 mile free. If it helps, put it in writing to the GM or the dealership too. This kind of treatment is inexcusable for the price we pay. The 10W-40 will not hurt, so don't worryabout that. Don't wait, call them today. They should steam you engine too. The oil will just attract dirt and form grime......yuk. Speak up, Lexus hates unsatisfied customers. Since I have bought my car I have taken four surveys (2 email, 1 phone, and 1 snail mail). Remember the spoiler.....I wonder if it was the same tech and he has a little resentment to your car....The boss may have come down on him for leaving the nut in the trunk lid. No excuse......let the service manager know the condition of the car when you received it. You will be compensated in some way. Good Luck Alan. Hey, will we see you Sat in CT? steviej

do they flash when you use the "hazards"? If they flash with the hazards then the problem may be in the signal lever....maybe a switch problem. If they do not flash with the hazards then it is most likely in the wiring closer to the lights.....maybe a relay problem. start there and let us know what you find out. steviej

Get this..... The same exact bulb from the Toyota parts guy is $4.00!!!!!!!!! go figure. steviej

my dad drives fuel trucks too. You are right, the fuel is all the same, the secret is in each company's mix. Grandma's secret ingredient so to speak. It is funny to see the Exxon Tanker, Mobil Tanker, Shell Tanker, Citgo Tanker and the Texaco Tanker all filling up at the same loading terminal. A bottle of Chevron w?Techron every other oil change is just as good as the detergent gas from the pump. But I still run the premium. It is down to $1.59 in a couple stations here. (regular is as low as $1.42) steveij

that's the one I got. I will try it on your recommendation. thanks, steviej

I thinkit is a smart fool who makes up those prices......and laughs all the way to the bank, cause some people pay them!!!! I am going to Toyota Sat. am. The 02 Camry uses the same bulb. steviej oh yeah.......the 7440 bulb has one element. And it is the turn signal bulb on the 02/03 ES as you read SW03ES. 7443, have an additional element and one more contact. They are a two stage bulb (ie brake light/tail light all in one bulb)

if it hasn't been done in a while, take it to a professional and have a total tranny flush done by the machine. Not just a drain and fill. steviej If you must DIY, june or July Popular Mechanics has an article about the ins and outs or flushing your own tranny.

flames on an ES = toooo much saki. :whistles: i hope he paid you to do this. <_< sj

you can do struts at home if you are replacing the entire assembly. Strut, coil spring, brakets, etc. If you try to get the strut out from the spring and the bracket, you stand taking a shot to the chin when the strut pops. Also you will need a special tool to compress the new strut to get it in. either way, you may want to get a wheel alignment after the replacements. Just bring it in. Catch a deal at Midas or Meineke. Hope you don't have the adjustable suspension. That gets into the big bucks. steviej

I just got off the phone with the parts dude at my dealership The amber 7440 bulbs for the 02/03 ES are $10 EACH. Give me a f@#k%n break. totally outrageous. I'll try this mod with regular amber bulbs at Lappens or PepBoys. steviej

1. yes, by all means go to synthetic. Been using Mobil 1 for 6 years now. Not one problem. con: -It does run $4-5/qt. pros: -changing interval goes from 3k to 5k miles so less oil changes overall -synthetics may increase your mpg and improve your engine performance due to less friction. -major help in cold weather startups. Synthetic oil remains more liquid at lower temperatures. (major selling point for me in the winter being in New England). 2. K&n may help. If did increase my mpg in an '02 by 3mpg. Throw a bottle of Cheveron w/Techron synthetic formula in the gas tank (instructions on bottle) at every other oil change. It can only help. ***Don't use any of those snake oils like ProLong, ZMax, etc.*** 3. I do not think the Avalon is a counterpart to the LS in any other way except it is the flagship of the sedan lineup for Toyota. I think the Avalon chassis is closer to that of the GS, but the Avalon shares the 3.0L V6 with the ES. Both Avalon and ES are FWD, so they share those components as well. For other models, the RX is similar to the Highlander the GX is similar to the 4 Runner the LX is similar to the Land Cruiser steviej

actually, sk, wheel locks aren't a bad idea, same for "the club". For what little money they cost us and what little nuisence they present us, it is not a bad investment. The wheel locks are simply one more visual deterent to protect you from the honest thief. If a professional thief wants your wheel or for that matter, your car, they will get it in seconds, especially if it means that much to them. For the punk kid that wants to pull a prank or score a set of Lex rims, the wheel locks will probably cause a delay in the acquisition so the chance of being caught is greater. The wheels with the wheel locks will most likely be left alone by the random idiot thief. In the long run, if a $40 set of wheel locks saves me a $500 deductable payment and the hassel of getting new rims, then I will pay it happily. Last I checked, stock rims ain't cheap either and the tire is another c-note on top of that. steviej

I figured I would get them from Lexus, cause the amber is soooo bright. That way I can get the right ones for front (7440) and rear (7443), if that is the way I read Sylvanias website. I should just go read the bulbs that are in there. ya think? It can't be more than a fin per bulb. I will post Sunday night with pics and results. steviej

I stand corrected......coool. I have to try this, since I am always using the CD player. Which one did you get? I have a MAXELL CD-340, I will try it. sj

H7 bulds cannot be switched with 9006 bulbs. The connectors are different. The H7 silverstars come from europe. You won't find them on Sylvania's US website. Do a google search on "silverstar bulbs", you should get some hits for UK based buld distributors. There may be some International members that may also be able to hook you up. Silverstars will give you the look of HIDs that you are looking for. Very nice bulb. PIAAs will also provide that, but again...no H7 from PIAA. steviej