steviej

zeta, have grandpa call his dealer. supposedly there is a recall on some Toyos. I don't know if it is model specific or vehicle specific, or tire serial number specific. check it out. Steviej

if it screws up the electronic modulated suspension, you can always sell it to a non-EMS ES owner for $20.00. I don't have the EMS but my 02 came standard with the strut bar. I assume the EMS equiped new ES's will have the bar standard too. The computer will should adjust accordingly for its presence. give it a go. steviej

keep in mind, strut bars for the same year Camry V6 should fit, and may yield more possibilities than just looking for an ES strut bar. Here is a pic. from a Club Lexus member's ES with a Camry strut bar installed.

the check engine light comes on when one of MANY sensors involved in the emisison/fuel/air/delivery systems of the car either recieves or transmitts a signal not in accordance with what the ECU is expecting. could be as simple as a loose gas cap or could be as expensive as a bad EGR valve. When the CEL comes on, have the code(s) read as well as all codes in memory should be reviewed. Autozone still does that for free around here. Lexus/Toyota may charge you a diagnostic fee. If they do, and you need work done, make sure they discount you the diagnostic fee if you agree to have the work done by them. keep us posted. steviej

true, but it all depends on who makes the buld as to what it is labelled. Some bulbs have two different numbers. ie: 9005s are also known as HB3. steviej

do a search, this topic has been covered before. steviej

95 is a first generation, 98 is a second generation. So, probably not. I have heard that the 01 taillights fit a 97 but then that would be within the same generation. When in doubt, ask a body shop that works on a lot of Lexi. steviej

Service centers at Lexus dealships around here charge about $75-90/hr for labor. Lexus certified service centers at Toyota dealerships are a little less. I havene' checked into any independents in my area, only cause I haven't needed to yet. sorry I can't be of more help. Steviej

gav, where are you located (nothing listed in you screen id)? just so we are clear, the "k" in my post meant thousand not kilometers. I am curious if the US octane rating is the same in other countries, or is there a conversion factor here, too. good luck with your car. steviej

this was happening to my home (yamaha) cd player. turns out the guides that the laser read head and tracking mechanism rode on needed lubricating. DO NOT spray anything into you CD changer. Have it looked at by a qualified technician. steviej

depending on the year, timing belts usually should be changed at 90-120k. My 02 states 90k. depending on the year of your lex, if the timing belt breaks the engine will just die and not cause problems (non-interference type engine) or it will die and could cause problems (interference type engine). The 1MZ-FE VVT-i engines (like mine) are of the interference type. Rough idles can be caused by several things, poor fuel pressure.......faulty fuel pressure regulator poor fuel delivery......clogged or dirty fuel injectors or fuel filter poor air flow at idle......idle air control motor, clogged/dirty air filter, MAF sensor, PCV valve, air temp sensor (is it ever "rough" on cold idle). improper air/fuel mixture......faulty O2 sensors, failing EGR valve, faulty air/fuel sensor (aka, pre-cat O2 sensor) these will usually set off a check engine light Easy/cheap fix for now: 1. replace air filter with new one if not done within the last 15k miles or 12 months. 2. run a couple of tankfuls of gas with a bottle of Cheveron w/Techron fuel injector cleaner (read instructions on bottle) with each tankful. 3. run 91-93 octane gas. 4. if the fuel filter wasn't replaced by 60k miles, then think about this. If maintanence was done by Lexus, all record should be available as to what was done when. don't feel like a dog, this is how we learn. For all you know, someone else may have wanted to ask the same thing but didn't. This is what the forum is for, so ask anything you want. steviej

here's what you don't want to hear. Be careful of those cleaner discs on auto CD changers. The cleaner discs were designed for the full access CD palyers like your home stereo, walkman type, and the one on your computer. The ones where the entire drawer or area where the cd sits is accessable. The little brushes on these cleaner disks may cause the cd to get jammed in the deck or changer cartridge because there is not a lot of room to begin with. Also, check your cd's themselves. When your deck acts up, is it on a CD that is store bought or on a home recorded one? The reason I ask, if it sticks on a home recorded one, what kind of label do you have on it. Labelled with a "sharpie" is ok. Labelled with a stick on Avery type label will cause major problems because the label itself will increase the thickness of the cd and this was not accounted for in the design of the original cd, auto cd player and cartridge. The label hangs up on the workings inside the cd player. I forgot to mention, I don't know what year your car is, but the cd palyers and changers of earlier years may have problems with today's CD-R or CD-RW type CDs. Does the unit have problems with all types, store bought or just home made CDs? steviej

since Jiffy Lube is not in the business of selling motor mounts, I don't think it is a "by the way, while we are under there, we noticed that.......we could replace that at the same time as.....blah blah blah. Just as I tell my patients, always get a second opinion. Take it to a qualified mechanic or Lexus certified service center. The diagnostic cost will sometimes be deducted from the total cost of the repair if you have the work done by the garage that did the diagnostic, BUT you have to ask them to do this deduction before the work is done. If they do not agree, go to another service center. As for "ignoring the problem"......DON'T IGNORE IT. The engine mounts not only secure the engine, they act as shock absorbers. What you may not feel as a vibration or a problem, your tranny, camshaft, crankshaft, pistions, hose connections and anything else attached to the motor may. There will eventually be other problems that will manifest themselves later due to lack of this repair. If the mount(s) are truely bad, then have them looked at by a qualified person. steviej

talk to the general manager of the dealership that performed the work. inform him that you are prepared to take it to small claims court if they do not settle up for the inconvience it has caused you. If that doesn't work, (if you have a friend that is a lawyer, consult them) present the dealership with a "30 day letter". If that still doesn't work, take them to court. They won't stand a chance cause all your expenses were due to their neglegance. steviej

here is the spoiler for the Gen3 ES's from spoiler depot.

that's really narrowing it down zeta..... :D :D :P steviej

make sure none of your rims are bent or warped. They will balance but then go right out of balance as soon as you put them back on the car. any abnormal wear patterns on the tread, if so then alignment. alignments are only about $60/4 wheels...if you have never done it and have no record of it being done recently, then it couldn't hurt. As for the 100k service....if you didn't do the 90k, then do it. It will run you alot of money (close to a grand if you do all that lexus lists under there 90k plan). Check pricing with a Lexus Certified Toyota service center. They usually do the same work but for a little less. sj

independent mechanic or Lexus Certified? what were the exact codes that were causing the lights. Or did your mechanic just do the shotgun approach? steviej

between here and CL, the solution is the same. People just replace the rubber seal/gasket with a brand new one. DIY. sj

Mother's or Meguire's....you can't go wrong. sj

welcome to LOC and enjoy your ride. Looks very nice. steviej

if you get alot of rain, check out my personal favorite...Goodyear Aquatreds. My 02 came with Bridgestone Potenza RE92s, they are ok but will be replaced within 10k miles. I just don't trust Bridgestone/Firestone. Goodyear and Michelins are the top two tires in my area. check out www.tirerack.com and www.tires.com they both have a section on their sites that ask you questions to help determine the best tires (sound, speed, size, rain, snow, etc) that you are looking for to help find what is available for you car. sj

sometimes I hate living in New England. I'm paying $1.85/gallon of 93 octane. crap sj

it is a very inexpensive investment for a large improvement in ride qualitly. (there is a reason they come stock now) Just make sure you get one that fits, doesn't hit the underneath of the hood, doesn't hit the intake plenum in forward gears AND reverse gear. easy DIY install too. steveij

its more embarrassing when you take a girl out and the smell is there before you turn the key. sj