steviej

if you plan to do alot of maintenance yourself, then invest in a manual. you can get a Haynes manual for the 97-01 ES on Amazon.com for about $20. steviej

golfnutt, as for your driver's seat, I think you will find that a good automotive upholsterer will be 1/4 the cost of a new seat. steviej

if the new pads installed were semi-metallic or metallic they will squeal upon light pressure but should stop squealing when harder pressure is applied. It is common on metallic pads. However, during the installation, the mechanic should have reinstalled the brake pad shims and applied some "disc quiet" to the back of the pads. These two items may not have been done. steviej

that "somebody" owes you $300. sj

I wouldn't be surprised if it included rotors. If it did, then yes that is about right ($450 an axle). As for rotors, very few people cut rotors anymore. They are made thinner to help bring down the weight of the car, so usually there is not enough rotor thickness left to cut or resurface and still have the rotor remaining within factory specs when the pads need replacing. It is easier just to slap on a new rotor. Here is an idea. Price the pads and rotors online: www.irontoad.com, www.lexus-parts.com, www.newlexusparts.com see how much the parts would cost if you bought them online and brought them to the shop to have the work down. You may have to find a shop that will allow you to do this. It may cut the cost a little. steviej

by pulling the fuse, it has cleared your "habits" that the tranny/ECU has learned so to speak. Pulling the fuse is in essence clearing the memory. The programming reverts back to the factory default and you begin the learning curve/process again. People say to go drive the freeway so it will learn quick acceleration and fast shift points. However, the learning process takes time and about 1000 miles or so to be really effective. I don't one run on the highway will set that programming in stone. Not to burst your bubble, but you most likely will slowly regain the ES behavior that was present before you pulled the EFI, because that is the way you drive over a long period of time. steviej

at 17k miles, are you looking to replace the OEM pads because they wore out prematurely or do you just want a different type? Brake pads should go for at least 50k miles before needing replacing. steviej

kudos to you on the write up. I will let it stay here for a few days, then I will move it to the Tutorial Workshop section to join all the other threads regarding DIY procedures. Thanks for your hard work, steviej

Dave, if I weren't going to the meet up in Toronto then I would be there. It would be the perfect playing field for my tranny/ECU to relearn after the relash this coming Monday. steviej

your reputable tire dealer can be adjusted. Maybe they meant that the only aspect out of spec was your toe and that was all they could adjust??? Go to another one. steviej

I fixed that for you. steviej

sounds like a combination of dirty IACV (idle air control valve) and throttle body. Common problem, as the miles go up, carbon builds up on those items. Rough idle and no start conditions are usually the symptoms. The stomping the gas pedal points me to the IACV. Do a SEARCH on "control valve" over the past year just in the ES thread and you will see what I am talking about. both can be cleaned manually or professionally. You may also want to consider having a motorvac done (speciallized service that cleans the entire top end of the motor). You have to hunt around for a shop offering this service in your area. steviej

consider an aftermarket tranny fluid cooler if you really want to do this. steviej

Assuming the smell is that of brakes in hard use: if you can measure the thickness of the remaining material on all four brake pads in the front. Assuming they were all mounted new and at the same time (big assumption given the front end work), then they should be wearing even if there is not brake problem. However, if a caliper is sticking causing a brake pad to drag constantly, then I would expect the thicknesses to not be equal. The pads of least thickness could indicate the sticking rotor. Also, is the amount of brake dust the same on each side, check behind each wheel too? This may help to pinpoint one side versus the other. steviej

Alan, the ECU is being reflashed next Monday (5/23/05) then I leave for Toronto to see the Red Sox do some Canadian bird bashing. I will wait about 2-3 weeks to post up my feelings only cause I want the reflash to learn my habits before I make claims that it worked, was an improvement or was a waste of time. For what it is worth, my service manager did say that he highly recomended this one where as he strongly advised me to not have the original reflash done. Trust me though Alan, I'll put it all on the table for you. I'll even come down to NY to let you drive mine first if it is favorable. You gotta buy the coffee, though. steviej

rule of thumb by most people that i know in the business is to change the oil at least every 6 months regardless of the miles. It is not so much the break down of the oil if any at all, it is the prolonged exposure of the interals to any acids that may build up and sit in the oil. Prime reason why anyone that stores a vehicle (car, boat, motorcycle, etc) will always put in fresh oil before the vehicle goes to bed. as for the oil filter, Toyota OEM, Mobil 1, K&N, Wix, Amsoil are all superb choices. steviej

that yellowish stain is surface oxidation from the water, (aka; surface rust). It is removed quickly upon application of the brake the first time. steviej

"when one eliminates all possibilities, what remains must be it" Sherlock Holmes. try not driving aggresively (fight the urge) and see if the smell is still present in the garage. steviej

try www.car-parts.com it is a listing of salvage yard parts. you may even find a yard near you as a lot of NY yards subscribe to this listing. fill in appropriate information and you will get a listing of who has your part and where they are. you can also try www.newlexusparts.com and fill in the required infor under "collision" not mechanical. steviej

the adjustable suspension is an option totally unrelated to the Coach amenities. This option was more locale oriented than package oriented. The filters go in the compartment that is up to the right of the gas pedal behind the compartment. SEARCH on "cabin filter" and you will find many threads in the past year discussing said topic including installation instructions. If the O-ring is not causing a CEL then it is ok for now. Did you price a new gas cap from the dealership? Also try online parts distributors. Here: Filler Cap only $13.24. steviej

recently I have noticed it happening on Saturday nights around 10pm my time. I have already posed this question to administration. A while back it used to happen on Friday nights and it was due to some subprograms running at a specified time. This would cause the server to slow up. I think the time was moved and thus Friday nights were no longer a problem. I wonder if this is a similar situation. steviej

Lexusfreak, I read somewhere that K&N makes the TRD filter. steviej

when I say "cover me, I going in." you and Lexusfreak cause a distraction and I'll do it. steviej

The Nissan dealership should replace the cd player as a good will. What kind of warranty did you get on the purchase from the dealership (30 days, 60 days, etc???) steviej

actually I didn't look back. I could tell by the tone of your post that it had to be the high end interior of a low end automaker. I simply hit the websites of several automakers (Ford, KIA, etc) KIA was number three on my hit parade. steviej