curiousB

p.s. If you go with OEM pads and rotors you are looking at $564.78 at www.parts.com If you go with substitute brand (from www.RockAuto.com) you are looking at $222.02 New rotors and pads all 4 wheels. For a 20 years old car I'd go with the substitute (Centric) as they’ll probably last longer than the next big ticket repair to come along.

Why would you put in so much money in a twenty year old car?? Wouldn't it be best to just put in new rotors and pads and not monkey with the calipers.

maybe put some craft paper on floor of garage and then park on top of it. Run engine a bit to see if a fuel leak is dripping down onto paper. Did you transport a gas can in the trunk recently? Could some fuel have spilled or leaked out of can and soaked into carpet? That could linger for a long time.

There is a similar issue just earlier today. Someone suggests O2 sensors are needing replacement. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=57594

I looked at the repair manual for the '04 LS430 and it doesn't offer any diagrams or repair info on the internals of the mirrors. It only gives a test procedure and if the mirror behaves like yours does it say to replace the entire mirror assembly. Your options are: 1) Manually move it to driving position and leave it alone (turn off auto mirror switch) 2) Get adventurous and disassemble the mirror and see if it is something obvious like a micro switch that tells computer unit to stop motor when it gets to driving position. 3) Get a new one from on line parts outlet (Champion Toyota is $609.25, parts.com is $495.55 for p/n 8794050432c0 2004 ls430) 4) Try a used parts dealer like http://www.specializedpartsplanet.com/

Well it could be many things. Has anything unusual happened recently just before it became a problem? Did you power wash engine area or drive through a puddle or was there heavy rain? That could point to moisture in some electrical connections which might be impacting the ignition system. Maybe plug wire are very wet or distributor cap and rotor has moisture. Rough idle can be a dirty throttle body which doesn't close properly. Removing it and cleaning it up with a solvent can fix that. It the car won't run at higher speeds or accelerates poorly then it could be fuel pump or fuel filter starving the engine for fuel (too lean). Did you just fill up with gas? Could you have gotten a bad tank of gas? Or did your recently run out of gas causing water in the tank (which would otherwise float on top of gas) to get into fuel system and ejectors?

There are several sources on the internet for Lexus OEM parts. WWW.parts.com seems the best prices from what I can tell. You may find you can stay with OEM and not have a major price premium if you bypass local dealer and buy this route.

I think you are saying the mirror folds out so that the edge of the mirror faces forward and the mirror face is nearly parallel to the side of the car, mirror side facing outward. I had this problem a couple years ago and they replaced the mirror. It was about $1000 repair and not covered under warranty because they claim the mirror was damaged (some paint on mirror). At the time the car was a company vehicle so I wasn't paying the repair bill. As such I didn't fight back too hard. The problem is there aren't too many parts available for the mirror it is replaced as a complete (and expensive unit). The issue is something to do with the switch that determines the mirror is fully extended. It doesn't send the signal so the motor keeps turning the mirror outward past the proper stop point. Maybe you can take the assembly apart and find out why this signal isn't working.

I saw this posting on an electrical problem. Not sure it has any relevance but looks easy enough to check out. Try the trunk wiring harness first http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/lighting/bulbout.html

Interesting idea. The part is pricey but since it is a sole sourced OEM part they stuff it with very high margin. My guess is the part is at most $40 to mfg so the rest is mfg and dealer margin. I guess I can't fault them for making a profit but when the part is designed so poorly they should "do the right thing" and fix it as a TSB and extended warranty item. Since I have already done this fix I'm not going to invest any more time in it. I did find a cheaper place to buy it though $270 instead of the near $400 I paid at a dealer...... www.parts.com http://www.parts.com/oemcatalog/index.cfm?...playCatalogid=0

I have '04 LS430 with Nav and love it. Can't imagine life without NAV now as living in Chicago its impossible to know where everything is. Great for road trips too. The backup camera is nice but a bit gimmicky to me. Nice to have but I would not pay much extra for backup camera.

Well if you measure 12VDC at the point you arced to ground it seems the fuse did not blow. Must be a high current circuit I suppose. Not sure this is good since the fuse is a protection element. Based on this maybe the arcing situation is throwing you a curve ball and the real issue is some error in the repair you did and the ARC, while annoying, didn't do any damage. Any chance you got plug wires mixed up (sorry I had to ask). I guess if crank sensor isn't working there would be an error code in ODMII log so maybe should should try that. Auto parts stores sell these spark test modules to go in serious with plug and wire. Very cheap clear plastic so you can see arc of a spark. At least you could try on a couple plug wires to see if any spark is attempted. Timing maybe be off but at this stage you're not sure if spark is happening but at wrong time, or spark isn't even happening. Knowing which it is might give a helpful clue at this stage.

Well this doesn't paint a flattering picture of your dealer. Since you're in Illinois there are 4-5 Lexus dealers in greater Chicago area so you have other options. It might be fun to visit the service writer and have him explain in some detail what the repair entails. DRaw him out in a lengthy detail about the part where it is wht it is so hard to perform..... and then show him this thread. Have a camera ready as his facial expression could be a Kodak moment.... Maybe take Pam Zekmann (famous Chicago expose' reporter) with you....

Not sure about the '91 LS but my '04 LS is located in back of glove box. About a 5 minute job to swap and no tools required. $220 sound more like a 15k mile (minor) service, oil change, rotate tires, multipoint vehicle inspection and test ride. Are you sure they don't mean we change cabin filter as part of a minor service? I can't believe any dealer is this dishonest.

Did they give you the old DVD? Maybe reinstall it and see if all symptoms go away. It could be just a badly pressed DVD (or a cheap r/w copy that may not play right in your machine). Take a look yourself and see if it is a printed label DVD or just a generic r/w bought from office depot.... If it was a dealer and they used a knock off that would be surprising... if its an idependent that did it probably a good chance he bought a knock off from eBAY or Craigs list.

Here's a couple ways to search for a vacumn leak(s). Its a bit dangerous so be careful. I think propahe method might be cleanest and safest. Method I How Do I Find if I have a leak? The best method is to go to the Auto Parts store and get a can of Starting Fluid. This is basically Ether. This is a very volatile substance that is easily sucked into a leak and causes a dramatic change in engine running condition. With the car at idle spray carefully around the base of the carb or throttle body, at the area where the manifold meets the head, around vacuum hoses and any connections either below the carb base or after the Mass Air or Air Flow Meters. Any noticeable change in idle speed or quality will indicate a vacuum leak Methond II ENGINE VACUUM LEAK DETECTION Okay, now that we have covered what a vacuum leaks do, how do you find components that leak vacuum? One way is to visually inspect all the vacuum hoses and connections. Look for disconnected, loose or cracked hoses, broken fittings, etc. Hey, you might get lucky and find the problem in a few minutes, or you might waste half the day trying to find the mysterious leak. Vacuum leaks are often the elusive needle in a haystack. And if it is not a hose leaking vacuum but something else such as a gasket, worn throttle shaft, injector O-rings, etc., you may never find it using this technique. A faster technique for finding intake manifold vacuum leaks is to get a bottle of propane and attach a length of rubber hose to the gas valve. Open the valve so you have a steady flow of gas. Then hold the hose near suspected leak points while the engine is idling. If there is a leak, propane will be siphoned in through the leak. The resulting "correction" in the engine's air/fuel ratio should cause a noticeable change in idle speed and/or smoothness (Note: on engines with computerized idle speed control, disconnect the idle speed control motor first). Aerosol carburetor cleaner can also be used the same way. CAUTION: Solvent is extremely flammable, so do not smoke or use it if there are any sparks in the vicinity (arcing plug wires, for example). Spray the solvent on suspected leak points while the engine is idling. If there is a leak, the solvent will be drawn into the engine and have the same effect as the propane. The idle speed will suddenly change and smooth out.

Not sure replacing plugs was your best first item to try. Its hard to think through how a plugs would have worked a couple weeks ago and suddenly overnight they are bad. That's not a likely failure mode for a plug. If you have a voltmeter you could measure the point that you shorted to ground to see if it is at 12V still. If its zero you must have popped a fuse somewhere. At least hopefully it is a fuse as that is a lot easier to replace than a wiring harness. What model and year do you have?

I have '04 so not sure it is the same. Mine is located in back of glovebox (front passenger side). There is a door in back of glovebox. Remove it (snaps no tools required) and then there are a couple snaps to remove the filter holder tray. The filter just sit in this tray and snap it back, then the cover and your done. 5 Minutes max.

Are you saying you plan to install new shocks again less than 1 year later? That can't be right. There is some discussion in this forum about bushings in front end. Maybe want to look into that before you do a do over.

Best best is to isolate the problem a little further to get some more specific suggestions. Its not clear whether you have a battery problem (can’t hold charge) A charging system problem (can’t replenish the battery from all the drain/loads on it) You have some power leakage when the car is off that is draining your battery Changing the alternator is pretty expensive and then following it up with a new battery is less expensive but hardly free. Here’s what I would try. Get a voltmeter (DVM) and measure battery voltage (at the battery terminals) with car turned off (no battery load). Should be around 12.6 volts (fully charged 12.9V, fully drained < 11.4V). Start engine and leave running but turn off all accessories you can (radio, lights, a/c, …). While motor is running (be careful) measure battery voltage at same point as #1. Should be around 13.5-14.5V. With car running start turning on electrical loads, headlights (high beams) A/C blower on full speed, rear defogger, sound system,…. Check to see voltage at battery is still at same level as #2. If battery voltage is < 13.2V then your alternator is unable to service the load. This could be a faulty alternator, a slipping drive belt, or loose/broken/corroded wiring between alternator and battery. If the battery level seems fine with engine running and full loads then I suspect a leakage current after you shut off car. Maybe a trunk light always or a power inverter left in cigarette adapter turned on, or… something is slowly draining the battery. To check for a leakage drain attach DVM to the battery and record reading. Come back in a couple hours and see if reading has dropped (indicating battery is draining). Of course it could be a faulty battery cell. Seems unlikely given it’s a fairly new battery but you could measure specific gravity of each cell with a battery tester if the caps can be opened for each cell. If one (or more) cell is flat then that indicates a bad battery. Anyway steps above should be able to help you isolate the problem to most likely culprit.

Online parts sales OEM Lexus Here's a few, probably other I don't know of: http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/ind...m?siteid=213747 http://www.irontoad.com/Merchant2/merchant..._Code=2004ls430 http://rockauto.com/catalog/x,make,LEXUS,v...h%20for%20TRICO http://www.sewellpartsonline.com/select.asp?cat=ENG http://www.lexuspartsonline.com/index2.htm...p;siteid=214281

I just went through my old records for my ’04 LS430 and saw my dealer replaced differential oil and transmission fluid at 33,203 and again at 47,505. I saw on this forum a maintenance schedule and TSB (http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=44661) that seems to indicate transmission ATF fluid is a non serviceable item. Is it lifetime lubricated with only the need for periodic check to ensure it’s topped up? Also the schedule I have doesn’t seem to show a change interval for spark plugs or differential oil? Anybody got that info handy? I tried this web site (http://www.edmunds.com/maintenance/select.html) but it doesn’t seem to ever show changing differential oil, transmission fluid or spark plugs.

You must drive a lot to change oil monthly?? Only needs new oil every 5k miles. A full tune up is a bit of a misnomer in this era of cars. It’s a terms from the old days of distributor caps, rotors, and points in the ignition. Few cars have any of these parts today with electronic ignition (eliminated points) and individual coils for each cylinder (eliminated distributor cap and rotor). I would refer to Lexus maintenance schedule for service requirements. The schedule I have shows oil change every 5k, cabin air filter every 10k, brake fluid change every 30k, engine air filter every 30k, new timing belt every 90k, coolant change every 100k. Missing from the list is anything about transmission (filter or fluid) and spark plugs. Not sure why these were missing as they seem they should be changed out on some schedule.

I've had mixed experience over the years. I had a Volvo several years back that anything other than the OEM pads warped the front rotors. So I stayed with OEMs after lost a set of rotors. On my ‘04 LS430 I had non OEM (Bendix) semi metallic pads for 12 months and the surface of the rotor developed this spotty coloring as if the pads were depositing something on the rotor surface. The rotors warped recently but that was more to do with an overzealous tire installer with an impact gun. I’ve since gone back to OEM pads for the car as you can buy them online much cheaper than the dealer and pricing gets close enough to knock offs that it’s no longer a price penalty. Car is braking beautifully since last brake job (turned front rotors (were slightly warped), replaced rear rotors (rotted out) 72,000 miles car) and new OEM pads.

I agree swapping calipers is a safer repair. Less time, fewer variables to contend with. You're also certain the calipers will be properly functioning. Sounds like you should flush old brake fluid before you put in new calipers. There might be some crud in the lines. You don't want to contaminate the new calipers. When you look what a rebuilder does to remanufacture a caliper its seems a pretty good deal for $80-100 or so a side. - All units are disassembled down to the casing and steel shot blasted to ensure a thorough cleaning. - Only original equipment type cores are used in the rebuilding process. - All threads are inspected and tapped. Only new bleeder screws and copper washers are used. - All casting bores and seal surfaces are tested and inspected before assembly to prevent leaking and ensure a proper fit. - All steel pistons are tested and inspected for roundness, pitting and cracking. All good steel pistons are refurbished. Defective steel pistons are replaced with new ISO 9002 Certified steel pistons. - All phenolic pistons are replaced. - All units are assembled with new ISO 9002 Certified rubber components that meet or exceed O.E. and S.A.E. standards and with the highest quality assembly fluid and silicone grease. - All caliper ear hardware (rubber bushings and slider sleeves) are installed. - All units are tested after assembly and run through a quality assurance program. - Hardware (bolts, clips, sleeves, springs and rubber components) and Brackets are supplied and mounted where applicable. - All threads are inspected and tapped. Only new bleeder screws and copper washers are used. - All calipers are individually shrink wrapped before boxing to ensure high quality and trouble free product.