es300ed

First let me say that I am NOT handy. That said, you may want to reposition the headlight assembly yourself. I fould that to be a bit tricky when I replaced the assembly. After a few trys it fit nicely. You shouldn't have to do this after paying Lexus to do the job. But if all else fails it is a job that is fairly straightforward if you follow the instructions posted earlier.. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out. Ed

I don't know if this is your problem or not but I just failed inspection because of a "dog bone" mount. Lexus wanted $180 to replace it. I had it done by my trusted local shop for $81. I didn't notice any noise due to the cracks in the dog bone mount so it may not be your problem. Ed

Thanks CUMan. I did what you suggested on my 96 and it now blinks correctly. I actually failed a safety inspection in Virginia because of the fast blinking. One difference - I think I turned the bulb holder clockwise to remove it. Took me about 45 minutes but I'm extremely NOT handy. If I can do it, anybody can. Thanks again for saving me some $$$. Ed

This may sound like a silly solution but I did it for almost 10 years on a 1992 Volvo 240. I removed the bulb and then used about paper towels wrapped in a tight spiral (one at a time), inserted each into the hole where the bulb came out and let the paper towels soak up the accumulated condensation. After about 5 paper towels it was just about dry. I had to do this once or twice per year. Didn't solve the problem but worked for me. Ed

Just a guess so and I may be way off so take it for what it's worth. It's possible that the car came off a lease and was purchased by a "reseller". If that is the case, I would have to wonder why a "real" dealer isn't selling the car but is letting someone else sell it. I ran into this a few years ago while looking for a slightly used Camry. In my mind if a car is in top shape the owner will sell it directly or the dealer who takes it in trade will sell it. Again, I'm just guessing here. Good luck. Ed

I'm the 3rd owner of a 96 Es300 with 85,000 miles. Looks and runs like it's brand new. Only real complaint is the wind noise. I plan on keeping it for at least a few more years. Ed

I have had to replace a battery twice in my 96 es300 keys. The first time the Lexus dealer parts department guy (I did not buy the car there) did the job for free. The second time (different key, probably different guy) they charged me something between $5 - $10. If you are already having something done, like an oil change, it's an easy way to get the battery replaced. Ed

My 96 es300 has the same problem. I can live with the minor odor when stopped vs. the cost of making the repair. When others are in the car I usually hit the air recirculate button to avoid the smell. Ed

The keys with the built-in button for locking and unlocking are nice but I wouldn't pay too much extra for the feature. I don't know how much the regular key would cost but that may be something you could negotiate for. Ed

We purchased a 1996 es300 a couple of years ago. We were the 3rd owners also. Have 81,000 miles on it. Its a great car. Several repairs/maintenance items have been necessary. These were (1) both cv boots had to be replaced, (2) battery "blew its top" and was replaced, (3) tune up, (4) new tires, (5) new belts. Hoses will be replaced next along with a timing belt. One complaint is the wind noise from the passenger side door - common on these 1996's. I think its a great car and plan to have it for many years. I have found that local mechanics are FAR less expensive than the Lexus dealer for common repairs and maintenance. By the way, make sure you get all the keys (two with transponders to unlock the doors; 1 "valet" ket w/o the transponder; 1 "wallet" key). These keys are expensive to get/replace. Good luck. Ed

Last year the factory battery on my 96 ES300 "exploded". Actually blew it's top and burned some insulation on the inside of the hood. Looked and sounded like an explosion and I had thoughts of many dollars in repair costs. All it cost however was a new battery. Do yourself a favor and get a new one. Ed

sounds like my 96. when cold it doen't start IMMEDIATELY but takes about 1 1/2 seconds of cranking. Have had a tune up but no difference in this. I just accept it as something minor. Ed

As a decidedly non-technical "lurker", I really appreciate all of the selfless effort skperformance and others in openly sharing their hard earned knowledge. I have learned lots on this board about what to do and not to do with my 8 year old "baby". Thanks. Ed

I got a 96 2 years ago with 52,000 miles (paid $15 or $16K). Now has 79,000. Lexus tells me what needs to be done and their cost when I have an oil change. Can you get an idea what repairs or routine maintenance might be needed because maintenance and repairs on this car tend to be more costly than "regular" cars. That said, I'm very pleased with mine. Looks and runs great. Ed

Welcome and good luck with your "new" ES300. I too have a 96 with 78,000 miles. I'm the third owner and got it 2 years ago with 52,000 miles and with one exception it has been a trouble free car. The one exception was a battery that blew its top. It wasn't a maintenance free one and I didn't know it and let the acid level get too low. I get 25mpg on the highway and the car looks and rised like new. You made a great choice. Ed

I have a fat head key for my 1996 es300. I have needed to replace the battery twice. Both times I had the dealer parts department do it. One time I wasn't charged anything; the other time I was charged something like $5. It was convenient to just have them do it. Ed

I'm the third owner of a 96 ES300. It had 50K 2 years ago and now has 75K. I see no evidence of sludge even though I don't know if the prior owners had regular oil changes. I have the dealer do the oil changes. Why? In the beginning they didn't spill oil on the frame when removing the old oil filter like my local mechanic did. However, the last two times the dealer also spilled oil on the frame. So why do I still go there? No appointment needed; coffee and snacks; internet access from their waiting room computers; wash and vacuum the car; and here is the real reason (besides me being lazy) - they give me a list of things needing fixing. No I don't have them do any of the work but it gives me an idea of what MAY need to be done. Ed

I drove my wifes car to the dealer and bought the replacement battery. I then took out the old battery and replaced it with the new one. Then I took the old one back to the dealer for disposal. I think the cause was a spark in the battery caused by low water/acid level. What I really learned was that I (and my children) will always use safety glasses when doing any work around a battery (jump starting; changing a battery, etc.). I always saw the warning labels about wearing safety glasses but disregarded them because I never heard of one exploding on anybody. God apparently looks out for drunks and fool! Ed

I checked the new battery last night. It says Lexus on it and was purchased from the Lexus dealer. It has the same appearance that the old battery had - two plastic "strips" each covering three holes. It doesn't say "maintenance free" and I guess I'll have to check it every year or so. When I purchased it the maintenance guy said no engine or electrical problem would result from the battery problem. He was right - he must have seen this before. Ed

Steiej is correct. I changed it on my 1996 es300 and I found that a small flat screwdriver helped with gently moving the cover forward about 1/4 inch. Then pulling the housing towards the front was much easier. Just don't use the window for leverage on the screwdriver! Ed

There was no prior indication that it was going bad. I don't know if the old battery was aftermarket. I purchased the new battery from the Lexus dealer and I'll check tonight to see if it's a sealed, maintenance free battery and report back. Ed

I have a 1996 ES300 and wanted to share with the board that not all batteries are maintenance free. Late last year I attempted to start the car and the battery "exploded". Well not exactly exploded, although that's what it sounded like, but blew off the caps to the battery. I replaced the battery after washing out the affected area (some insulation melted in the hood) and had no problems afterwards. I always have the oil changed by the dealer but they apparently don't check the water/acid level in the battery. Hope this helps someone avoid the problem I had. Ed