victorjohn

Well the verdict is in. Just got my LX470 back a couple of days ago and have the results. The ride is soft and plush again. 100% improved. It's funny though because I think I was expecting even better results but I can certainly feel the difference. I can still feel some bumps but I can tell that the actuators are doing their job and absorbing the brunt of them. Bumps that were harder before feel much softer now as reference of comparison and the general ride just feels much smoother now. I think that's what surprised me the most. I had forgotten how smooth it was. I still love my LX470 and plan to keep it for a while but will probably go to the LX570 at some point. At 265,000 miles my LX470 is just getting broken in so I've got a ways to go still. Along with my burnt out dash and center console bulbs replaced it feels like brand new again.

Hi Eugene, We should know the results by tomorrow. Along with the actuators I'm having a number of burnt out dash lights and center console lights replaced. On Friday they had the dash torn apart but not all the bulbs were readily available so they'll have them on Monday and will button the whole thing up. If all goes according to plan I'll have my rig back tomorrow and will see how the actuators are performing. I've memorized a few places where there were specific bumps so I can compare before and after. I very curious about the results too. I'll post an update by mid-week after I've had some time driving on them. Stay tuned! Victor

Just replaced my driver's side parking light lens and put in a new bulb. A rock likely took a sliver of plastic off the lens and it began to take on water. It was on the side of the lens closest to the headlight and about an inch high and maybe a 1/8 inch wide or less but big enough for water to get in. Noticed that bulb recently went out so decided to replace both. I bought a replacement lens on Ebay for about $60.00 - New OEM lens. The lens actually came out easier that I had anticipated. I removed the top side Phillips screw and it seemed to loosen right away. It wasn't difficult wiggle the lens from the fender. I simply unplugged and removed the light fixture and replaced the bulb and put the fixture into the new lens and reassembled. Was expecting a whole lot more hassle on this based on what I've read others tell but it was pretty easy. Love DYI and saving a few bucks.

Hi All, Just wanted to relay my latest adventure in the world of LX470 Suspension. I have a 2002 LX470 with approximately 262,000 miles on the odometer. I bought it in 2004 and it had about 40,000 on it at that time. It's been a superb vehicle and still runs great. I feel like this vehicle was built for my lifestyle - skiing, small boat trailer, kayak on top, etc. I get it serviced regularly and have followed the Lexus service guidelines and intervals carefully. I have noticed however that the ride is not quite as smooth as it was in the early days. It's not bad or bouncy like some of the posts that I've read but it doesn't absorb the bumps quite as good as it used to. I've come to learn that the suspension is semi-active and is managed by these four squashed softball sized units referred to as accumulators or actuators. I use both terms as I've seen them used interchangeably however I'm not sure that it's entirely accurate. A Lexus Service Manual I have calls them Actuators but others call them Accumulators. I called my local Lexus dealer who quoted me $3,800 to replace all four. I have since found them on Ebay (OEM's) for $347.22 each and a local Japanese auto shop to replace them for $100 each which all adds up to less then $1,800 installed. Still not cheap but more than $2,000 less than what Lexus wants from me. These things aren't cheap and one reputable guy I talked to thought this is even less than Lexus pays for them. Not sure about that but I like the idea of saving $2K. They come direct from Japan so shipping can take up to 2 weeks but the shipping was free. I considered going with B&B but saw a few posts that made me think twice. I can't qualify whether his product is the way to go as I've never used them but just saw enough bad press to steer me to OEM's and for about the same price I think. My goal is to get to 400,000 miles which is another 140,000 miles or so. I'll update this post after they've been installed on how much ride quality has changed. Also, I am attaching (or attempting to attach) the Lexus Service Manual pages that pertain to these suspension components. The service manual is actually for the 2005 LX470 but I don't think there's much difference. LX470 suspension.pdf

My 2002 LX470 is at 262,000 miles and still runs great. The only thing I need to tend to are some burnt out dash bulbs and I think I'll look into having my suspension accumulators replaced. The ride is still "ok" but not as smooth as it used to be. I can feel the bumps a bit more than before but after this many miles I guess it's not unexpected. Otherwise I still love this rig and plan to put a lot more miles on her.

That's great information Paul - Thanks! Gotta love these forums. I thought I hit pay-dirt when I found a website that claimed to have repair manuals for the LX470 from 1998 - 2007. It turned out to be a mishmash of repair manuals from different years of LX470 and Landcruisers. The closest thing I could find was a running board diagram for a 2004 Landcruiser which of course doesn't have the running board lights and also has a slightly different configuration. The download was only $10.95 and when I emailed the 3rd party who manages it and explained that they didn't have what I needed, they refunded me. Not an enormous amount of money but still a bit of a hassle. I've found another site which claims to have a similar service to what you described as an online database of OEM manuals specifically for the 2002 LX470. I'll check them out and we'll see what happens. I'll still plan to upload a diagram here (if I can get one) to help my Lexus brothers who may encounter the same thing. Thanks again Paul, Victor

I've just spent the past week researching this. I have a 2002 LX470 and it seems that you may need to remove or at least loosen the running boards to gain access the running board lights. There are some that claim to have been able to access the bulb fixtures without removing the RB's but I tried and couldn't do it. There are 2 bulbs for each running board - one in front and one in back. The tube in the middle refracts the light from both sides. I believe the puddle lights underneath are very close to the light sources themselves. From what I can tell, you'll need to get a "bulbrite 715210 - 10 Watt - T3 bulb" or #891. The bulbs are cheap - less than $3 each. I'm planning to attempt this myself. I've heard some crazy stories to where one guy was told by the dealer that he would need to replace the entire running board!! Not true. I'm in the process of getting a diagram for the running board and electrical components. If possible, I'll see if I can post somewhere here on this forum. Not sure how easy it is to remove the RB's. There is an electrical connector in the front to unplug and a Phillips screw on the front side in the wheel-well. The RB's sit on four "L" brackets each of which have 2 bolts. I'll keep you posted Tommy.

Same thing just happened to me as well. Had visions of thousand of dollars of front-end repairs dancing in my head. Boy, was I relieved when I realized what it was. I've never used it before so was unfamiliar with it's tendencies. There is suppose to be an indicator light on the dash to show when it's engaged but mine never came on. Live and learn.

New Update: I spoke with a Lexus dealer mechanic who told me the only way to remove the CPU was to remove the seat. The dealer charged me $100 to remove the GPS CPU for me so I can mail to Mass. for repair. They'll ding me another $100 to put it back in. After all is said and done I'll have about $550 not including shipping to repair the unit. I guess it's still better than the $5,000 that Lexus would have charged me for a new one.

I see that many of my LX470 brothers are suffering the same problem that I am with their GPS systems. The "No Disk Detected" error message has been on my screen for the past 4 months and I plan on doing something about it. I spoke with Lexus dealer who will only replace the entire unit - Unit cost is $5,000. There is a much more inexpensive way. On this site, there is a link to a repair shop in Masachusetts that will repair it for $387.00. However, you of course must remove the CPU unit located under the front passenger seat. I can't seem to get enough clearance to be able to remove the unit. A freind of mine builds truck interiors for Kenworth and wasn't positive but said that Lexus may use a special bolt to hold the seat down which must be ground down to remove the seat. Does not anybody know how to get the CPU out without removing the seat?