erg1948

The attached instructions used by Lexus dealers in Europe to install the Bluetooth Complementary Kit shows removing the console box but I think you may have found all the bolts holding it in.

The two little dashed circles in figure 9 on page 8 appear to show two friction tabs at the front of the console box very similar to the console box in my 2000 LS400. Use a plastic trim removal tool to pry the console box up and out. If you don't have plastic trim removal tools, a stiff blade putty knife or flat blade screwdriver with the blade wrapped with electrical tape (to prevent scratching) has sometimes worked for me.

See a post by Sigers98 on the other LS430 site. He has written a step-by-step for removing the center console box. I started to copy and paste it here but then thought that might be against some rule or another.

Thanks for the replies! I went ahead and updated the Nav to version 8.1, I guess just so I could start out "new". It was $265 at the local Lexus dealer. As you folks said, the update was easy to do. And, as you stated, there aren't any obvious differences. So this will likely be my last udate. I didn't try override before updating, so I don't know what I am missing.

I still have problems with the HIDs. I found a tutorial on the 'other' site for doing a vertical adjustment. I got the low beams where I want them, but now the left high beam shines at the ground, and the right high beam shines at the sky!! This is just silly.

A few days ago, I tried once again to transfer my contacts to the Nav over Bluetooth. Don't know what I did different, but this time it worked perfectly. So I am happy. Yesterday I had a 4-wheel alignment done, and changed out the Yokahama 520's for a set of Michelin Primacy's. The 520s just seemed noisy and a bit twitchy. My '99 had Primacys, and I really liked them. So far, in 10 miles, the car sounds and feels much better.

Today I am having a slight tint put on the side windows, and I have ordered a Vais/Sirius tuner kit that should arrive today. I am going to tackle the install myself, so wish me luck!

Only one problem remains..........I have one parking sensor in the rear that is seeing things. It triggers as soon as reverse is engaged. That is strange because the system does not report any sensor problems during the startup diagnostics. Not sure what to do about that. All the sensors are clean and new-looking.

Gene

Hello. Yesterday I traded my trusty '99 LS400 for a like-new '04 LS430 Ultra. Unfortunately, the new car is black. Beggars can't be choosers. The deal was too good to pass up. I guess my parade might get rained on, but here's the deal........'04 was $27,000 (53k miles, clean title, no damage history) and I got $11,500 for my '99 (90k miles, also clean title, no damage history). More to the point, I paid $15,500 and my car. It sounded good at the time. But, the car is beautiful. So was my '99.

Edmunds and Kelly (for what it's worth) showed the '04 retail at ~$31,000, and the '99 with a trade value of ~$8,000. If that is trustworthy, I did pretty good.

Now, three questions for those in the know.......

1. Nav DVD, currently version 4.1. Any opinions on upgrading to version 8.1? Is it worth it? Does it add any functionality?

2. HID headlights. My '99 had a very sharp cutoff about 40-50 feet out. The '04 seems to illuminate everywhere, up in the trees, neighbors' yards, etc. I have not received an angry flash from oncoming drivers yet. May be it's normal. The auto level functions. I cannot tell if the automatic headlight turning (ala Tucker) does anything wothwhile. But I worry, 'caus I really care about other drivers.

3. Bluetooth. It pairs to both of our cell phones fine, but neither will transfer our contacts to the car. This means we can use the car's bluetooth to receive calls only, not dial out unless you park the car and dial manually. Is there a way around this?

Thanks for any information. Hope your weekend is a good one!

Gene

Gene, thanks for the reply and compliment. Regarding your '99, are you going to have all the work done by a Lexus dealer or an independent shop? You mentioned 90K, so I'm guessing they'll be doing the timing belt, water pump, idler pulleys, accessory drive belt, possibly crank and cam seals, along with the trans mount, strut rods, etc. etc. Another friend of mine has a '91 LS with about 125K that's still on the original T-belt (yes, he's driving on borrowed time... and knows it)... if you don't mind sharing it, curious what that full service ends up costing when all is said and done. Even realizing that the costs of service varies about as wildly as opinions on what beer tastes best, I'm still certain there are plenty of people who could potentially benefit from your upcoming experience. I know I've said it before, but this forum rocks!

Sure, I would be happy to share all info when the work is done. I am having the work done by York Automotive in Boring, Oregon (note the comma!), starting this coming Wednesday. Boring is about an hour's drive from where I live, but the shop owner is a Lexus-certified mechanic who decided to start his own business. He did most of the maintenance when I had my '90 LS, and I was always happy with his work. He charges substantially less than the Portland-area Lexus dealer. I trust him enough that I told him to just do whatever he thinks the car needs. When I scheduled the work he mentioned most of the items you pointed out in your post, plus 100% fluid changes, spark plugs and wires. The starter I have a question about. He said he would just replace the contacts; I might ask him to replace the starter instead.

Gene

Great post! Entertaining as well. I too have a '99 LS with pretty much the same symptoms. Just turned 90k, so it goes in next week for the full load of service, plus a tranny mount, strut rod bushings (the "banging" you are experiencing) and a fix for the infamous "click" when attempting to engage the starter. Yes, wallet wide open and a load of plastic to back it up :( .

Gene

I am using PIAA blades on our '99 LS, Pacifica and F350. They are excellent and last a minimum of one year. They gets lots of use here in the Pacific NW!

Gene

I have the following concerns about my '99 LS:

1. Wander at freeway speeds in spite of two 4-wheel alignments

2. What I consider to be excessive road noise at freeway speeds in spite of trying 3 kinds of tires. I settled on a set of Michelin Primacys.

3. Low-speed clunk like going over a speed bump or turning into a driveway.

4. Too much wind noise at freeway speed (obviously not bushings, but still a concern)

When I bought the car I had an inspection done by Lexus of Portland (didn't buy it from them). They said the car has cracked strut rod bushings and a bad transmission mount. At the time the car had 79k miles, and is now at 85k (paid $11,700 last May). There is no evidence or record of any damage (according to the inspection and Carfax). Other than the above, the car could pass for new. I drove a '90 LS for five years, and I could swear that car was much quieter than my '99. But my memory could be grander than reality.

The car is quiet on city streets and brand-new freeway asphalt. But at 60mph and over there is definite road roar. I used a sound meter and ran a stretch of freeway with varying surfaces from new asphalt and concrete to rough, exposed aggregate. The meter reading ranged from 65 to 72dB at 60 mph. Specs from at least one road test (found on Wikipedia) said their measured noise level in the '99 LS was 58dB @ 62mph. Unless they were running on glass, something is wrong with mine!

Thanks for any information.

Gene

Gene,

My 00 LS400 has seat heaters ( the switches can be seen to the left in my avatar) so of course it has all the wiring and connectors. I think I remember that people have verified in the past that LS400s without seat heaters do not have the wiring for them.

It is very easy to remove the wood console panel if you want to verify this. Really, it's a two minute task. Some people use a screw driver but I prefer to use a one inch stiff putty knife with its blade covered with a layer of electrical tape. Start at the sides towards the back of the console wood and gently pry the console wood up -- it is held in place by six friction fittings. Two on either side near the cup holder, two on either side near the gear shift and two on either side near the ash tray.

Be gentle as the console wood is fairly fragile -- way more that the gen 1 LS I had which had much thicker console wood. I use the putty knife to spread the force on the wood and to reduce the chance of cracking it. A screw driver works well as long as you know exactly where the hidden friction fittings are located.

Before the console wood is removed you will need to disconnect the connectors for the VSC button and ash tray light -- it's a little tricky so be patient and perhaps use a flashlight to see how to compress the tab in each connector in order to remove it.

The console wood snaps easily back into place -- much easier than removing it. Don't forget to reconnect the VSC and ashtray connectors first! I forgot once.

Good luck.

Thanks once again! If I decide to persue this little project I'll post again to let you know how it worked out.

Gene

Well... there is a fairly complex 14 pin connector that plugs into the seat heater switch module -- there is not a separate connector for each switch. The repair manuals for my 00 LS400 do not include information about voltages and I do not have the separate electrical manual. I wouldn't know if the switches would be compatible with aftermarket seat heaters.

I'd say that, at the minimum, you would need the connector for the seat heater switches and a few inches of its wiring harness to splice into the wiring harness for your aftermarket seat heaters. Maybe you could get it from a salvage yard or even from Lexus. Lexus sells some partial wiring harnesses for collision repair.

It sounds like a long shot but where there is a will, there is a way. It looks to me that the wiring harness for my seat heaters is built into the wiring harness for other components -- I've removed the console wood from my 00 LS a bunch of time over the years. I doubt if it is available separately but I could be wrong. It's not like European cars where there is can be a separate little wiring harness for an optional item of equipment. I've wired up all sorts of extra features on older Mercedes cars (rear fog lights, headlight wash/wipe, rear seat audio control) and generally on Mercedes its been "plug and play" with all the components including separate wiring harnesses.

Heck, if you want to try this, why not go all the way and obtain a Canadian market console wood that also includes a headlight cleaner switch. That'ill keep you busy! I'll bet the washer nozzles for the bumper are available separately and I suspect that the washer fluid container has a place to plug the headlight washer motor into it like Mercedes cars do. You are fairly close to B.C. which might make it a little easier. I've bought a variety of items, including mudflaps for my 00 LS400, from Metro Lexus in Victoria on Vancouver Island -- the parts guy I worked with is Paul.

If you are worried about cold weather, Canadian dealers sell a fairly inexpensive block heater for your 99 LS.

Good luck with your project.

Thanks Jim. It sounds like you have been under the console enough times to know that the plug isn't already there. I was hoping that Lexus would be like some others and have the plug just taped up inside. There is a center console on eBay that I am watching, ~$100 US with shipping. I have a few days to think about it. The console is complete, where all I need is the wood parts and switches. A thought, I could email the seller and see if they could cut the plug off the harness, assuming they still have it.

Thanks again.

Gene

I bought a '99 LS that is not equipped with heated seats. Now that the weather is turning colder I am beginning to regret that. I am thinking of buying a used LS center console that has the factory switches, then install aftermarket seat heaters. If I can use the factory switches, it would at least look like original equipment. Do you experts think this is do-able? Thanks for any help!

Gene

I had a similar problem in my '90 LS. Mine had not been converted to R134 yet, but I don't think that is relevant. After a recharge, the AC would work for awhile then start blowing warm air. My terminology is going to fail me, so be patient. My leak turned out to be inside the car's (evaporator?) enclosure, inside the car. The leak was not visible without disassembling the case. It was not the (evaporator?) core itself that leaked, rather it was a small part attached to it. It was a sort of valve (expansion valve?). Sorry, this has been about 5 years ago and I cannot remember the part names. Hope it helps, though.

Gene

Double check the owners manual.....you might have iridium plugs in there.....not platinum's. ;)

I will be changing mine (iridium) at the 60k mile mark personally.

I noticed a sticker underhood on my '99 saying to use iridium plugs. Is that good, or bad? Or, in other words, not as long-lasting as the platinums? This is the first I've heard of iridium plugs.

Gene

The wood in the 98-00 is lighter than the wood in the 95-97...it wont match.

Thanks :( .

My '99 LS came sans heated seats. I would like to add them before winter. I would like to use factory switches if possible, meaning I would have to buy the wood panel in the center console. Does anyone know if the wood panel in the center console is the came for the 97 thru 00 model LS's?

Thanks for any help!

Gene

My 1995 Lexus LS400 "gears down" when I let off the gas pedal.

Am I having transmission problems? 115k miles on odo...

Thanks for any suggestions!

Are you sure the trans is really "gearing down"? My '90 and now my '99 LS made me think the same thing at first. For cars I was used to (Fords, CHryslers), when you let off the throttle at freeway speed they allow the torque converter to unlock, so you essentially coast with little or no engine braking. The LS's do not unlock the TC until below about 50mph. It really does feel like a downshift when you let off the gas. Then, at just below 50, the TC unlocks and you coast w/o any engine braking. I learned to like it when I got used to it.

Sorry if I am off-base, just my own observation.

Gene

Just an update on tires. I went to America's Tires to order the Michelin Primacy MXV4's, but they talked me into trying the Yokohama YK520's instead. They would exchange for the Primacy's withing 30 days if I wasn't happy (for another $200 or so!). Any way, the 520's are great so far. What was road roar is now a hum. Smooth and crisp handling.

Now my question.....has anyone else used the 520's on their LS? The 520's are H rated, not V. Still better than the S rated Symmetry's that were on there. Any opinions on H rather than V-rated?

I did check Consumer Reports tire tests. They top-rated the Primacy, but info on the 520 was nowhere to be found.

Thanks once again for any opinions, good or bad.

Gene

I'm almost certain its the tires in both erb and tcb's issues.

The Michelin Symmetry is a fairly crappy all around general use tire with a T speed rating. Replace the tires with a really good set of V rated touring tires (Michelin Primacy MXV4 would be my choice) and you will see a huge improvement in noise.

Same goes for the HydroEdges, those are too aggressive a tire for the LS.

To clarify my noise issue........imagine pumping the tires to 40-45lbs. I should have thought of posting that to begin with. I think I will attack this with a visit to Lexus of Portland for a vehicle inspection then, barring them finding something bad, I will swap out the tires for the Primacy's, assuming I can find a set in the NW.

Thanks for all of the replies. This is a great site!

I am slowly making this LS "mine". Added the Weathertech in-channel window visors (I know, sacriledge to some) and Sirius satellite radio. I will install seat heaters next fall. And, soon as I can find a place, get the radio display fixed. I would post pictures, but everyone here knows what a pearl white with tan trim LS looks like :) . But if anyone insists, I will post anyway :D .

Gene

How's the ride? Is it soft, yet controllable, or does it seem a bit harsh, with the bumps of the road rambling through the car? I ask, because maybe the previous owner replaced the struts with aftermarket, instead of oem? that can make a difference in the amount of road noise translated up the struts into the cabin. The Lexus brand is quiet because of the soft rubber bushings in all of the suspension components, including the struts.

This sounds plausible......but would the struts need replacement before 80k miles? I'll have to check this out. You might be right because there does seem to be some harshness as well as noise. But I guess that could be tires too. I think I'll just bite the bullet and have the local Lexus dealer check it out. They did pretty good by me with the '90 LS. Not particularly cheap of course. I wonder what they would charge for a simple vehicle inspection.

Gene

Thanks Tcbted. I wish mine had the Nakamichi. It doesn't have that , nav, air suspension or heated seats. I want to get the radio display fixed as it looks tacky with the missing LCD segments. I will add heated seats sometime this fall.

Gene

Back on the forum after a 3-year absence. Sold my '90 LS in 2005, last week found a '99 LS that I couldn't pass up. The car seems perfect except for some missing segments in the radio LCD. My only real concern is road noise. I don't know if my memory of my '90 is just too golden or what, but this '99 just seems noisy. I ran a Carfax before purchase and the report is clean. 79k miles. Paid $11k. So why the noise? I suspect tires more than anything being missing or bent. The tires currently mounted are Michelin Symmetry and appear to have about 80% tread remaining.

Can anyone offer some input? Do I need to change out the tires, or is the '99 just noisier?

Also, any ideas on how to repair the radio display will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Gene

Call Shane out at York Automotive in Boring.