Max_UK

TigerFish, You've made me a little happier. Tried starting today & all was ok. It may be worth re-inserting all the electrical plugs in case the problem was caused by a dodgy connection. I did try an internet search for a replacement booster but could not find anything in the sub £500 range? Will keep looking. Regarding the alarm: when in the garage, the car is not locked or alarmed. Also (& may answer a new thread posted in the main section),I removed the boot lamp some time ago in case that was discharging the battery. Thanks again for the reply, Regards, Max

My wife no longer drives her 1998 Lexus GS300 due to health reasons & while I try to decide what to do with it, it has been in our garage. The battery (replaced about 4 years ago) does not seem to like being left for much more than a week, so have been regularly charging it up every couple of weeks or so. I moved the car out yesterday, & found the headlight switch in the "Auto" position & moved it to "Off" Could that have contributed to the short battery life? Decided to give it a run this morning & immediately realised that the brakes were almost inoperative, a high pitched whine could be heard & there were quite a few warning lights up on the dash. On my return, I checked this forum & came to the conclusion that the car wasn't worth repairing. Seems a pity as the rest of the car (apart from "corner rash") is in good nick & has less than 50,000 miles on the clock. Went back to the garage, started the car again. All symptons still suggesting brake power booster failure, so in a fit of pique, I reved the engine hard. All warning lights went out & brakes were normal. Took it for a short test drive & everything was OK. Now the dilema. Was it a glitch caused by letting the battery get too low? or will it return at a dangerous moment. Can't sell the car with the possibility a buyer could have a problem & don't quite trust it to use myself. Is there a market for the spares or is it the tip. Any advice welcomed. Regards & confused Max

As ColinBarber states: Did mine a couple of years ago & cost under £100. Fairly simple job, 30 minutes or so but I can't locate the thread at the moment. Electric door lock actuator (Drivers door on mine) had to be purchased from Lexus & was approx £130. (Slightly annoying as it was only a small 12V motor that was faulty, but non repairable without destroying the housing) Again it takes about 30 minutes. (always quicker if doing jobs for the second time) :winky: Good luck with your repairs & finding the fuse. Regards, Max.

@finest1, Is your aerial installation anything like the one here? http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/audio/powerantenna.html A very comprehensive tutorial. I would think that all retractable aerials use a similar unit & the only difference would be which side of the vehicle it is mounted on. For my right hand drive GS300, it is on the right hand side of the of the boot. (looking in) Regards, Max

@IrishGS300 Had a similar problem last year, check out the thread below. Lexus Aerial search on Ebay brings up one for £17 plus £ 7 postage so roughly £24. Quite a simple repair in the end. Regards, Max

The one on ebay is from a Mk 1 (I think). Doesn't look the same as my Mk 2. mlillywh, you might find this thread of interest: http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=36275&st=0&p=384045entry384045 The cost of replacing the digital display will be a lot cheaper than a new radio assembly (up to £2000 from Lexus?) & any second hand unit could also develop display problems. The repair job is not that "technical", maybe you could "ask a friend" :D . If you want any further info, let me know. Regards, Max.

Had to replace my aerial earlier in the year & used car-masts-uk via ebay. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Antenna-Mast-Lexus-GS300-GS-300-GS-430-Electric-Aerial_W0QQitemZ160183921850QQihZ006QQcategoryZ100915QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcm ZViewItem Excellent & prompt service. Fitted in minutes, the only problem being getting the antenna to fully release. Basically, undo the top nut, & then, have a helper press the "AM" and "TAPE," or "AM" and "CD" buttons on the radio and simultaneously turn the ignition switch to "ACC." This should fully extend the antenna mast and release it from the motor. (The radio display will show Antenna) From this useful site: http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/audio/powerantenna.html Hope this helps, Regards, Max.

Used to be a common problem on earlier GS300s, (mines a 98 & have done the "repair") If your car is of a similar vintage, this thread might help: http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=36275 Regards, Max.

Lexus are aware of the problem & if asked will change the keyless system to a newer version. I posted a similar story about a friend's 250 Auto & thanks to a reply from this forum, he got in touch with the local Lexus dealership. They updated the system under guarantee & he hasn't had a problem since. (The big problem with moving the car is the steering lock. No way to turn the wheels if the key isn't "recognised") So if the car is fairly new, a visit to the dealership should aleviate future hassle. Regards, Max.

It sounds like a new lock actuator is required. Had the same problem in the autumn with my 98 GS300. The part is available from Lexus spares (mine took 2 days to arrive). Dicussed here: http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=36498&st=0&p=386225entry386225 There is a good tutorial on stripping down the driver's door to fit it on LOC USA. (I think) I have the gist of it in pdf form & can email it if required - give me a PM if you run into trouble. regards, Max.

I've just had to do the aerial (antenna) replacement as my wife had mysteriouslly bent the aerial on Sunday. Ordered a replacement from car-masts-uk via Ebay. £27.55 including postage, & it arrived Tuesday morning - great service. The tip from darkan9el & Lexls.com is the one that worked for my 1998 GS300: The full tutorial is at: http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/audio/powerantenna.html Thanks to all contributors, Regards, Max.

A friend brought a new IS250 with all extras last July 2006. (Selling me his older BMW) We tend to meet up at Shoreham airport for a coffee & natter on Saturday mornings & untill this morning without incident. I arrived first in the BMW (sorry but SWMBO was using the GS300) & couldn't remotely lock the car. Not a problem, used the key. Friend arrived 30 mins later, parked nearby & couldn't lock the Lexus at all. We then tried to start his car & "Key not recognised" displayed. Ran him home to get the spare fob, same result. Time to scratch heads. Another driver of a BMW was asked if he could park in the general area & lock his car remotely. He couldn't. Finally a newish Lexus was about to leave the carpark & he was accosted. Obligingly, he stopped the car & couldn't start it. Embarrassed, we managed to push him 20 yards or so when he could then start. Simple then, the IS250 was parked in an interference "hotspot" (Mobile phone mast about 200 yards away?) All we had to do was push it 25 yards to the entrance where we thought it would be clear. Auto box selector manual over ride pressed, car in neutral, parking brake off & push. Only problem is the steering lock, firmly engaged with the wheels set "straight ahead" & the car parked at right angles to the exit. The Lexus dealership were unable to help (understandable on a Saturday morning). More head scratching & finally the AA were called (a truly very nice man), heard the saga & hoisted/towed the car a few hundred yards round the perimeter road to a layby. Car started perfectly with all systems functioning. Has anyone else had similar problems & is there any way to use the "emergency" key in the fob to either start the car or at least release the steering lock? This has certainly worried my friend. What is the point of a beautiful car if its unreliable in certain areas. What if it happens in a more hostile place & late at night? It's certainly caused me to rethink buying a "keyless" Lexus. Any advice would be welcome, regards, Max.

Interesting thread. I've not yet had this problem, but have saved all the relevant methods for future use. It does seem strange that different owners have different results. Sometimes with a complicated list, it is easy to get things out of sync. Also, how long does the battery have to be disconected for things like "remote" or "imobiliser" reprogramming to be needed? LexusTech, please don't give up the forum. For people like myself & others, any access to info is very welcome. The more who contribute, the more we all learn. Regards & a Happy New Year to all, Max.

Sorry randyreindeer, I can't be of any help to locate your spares, but I had to thank you for such a great post. Tears of laughter are streaming down my face. Thought it was just me that did that sort of thing. Been meaning to check & clean the MAF sensor on mine, but not so sure now. Best leave well alone (If it aint broke, don't fix it) Hope you get sorted soon, Have an "accident free" New Year, regards, Max.

Thanks for the replies guys, but in the meantime I've "bitten the bullet" & bought 15 litres of Mobil 1 0W-40 plus filters from our local factors (CAF) @ £37/5 Litres. Will be doing the oil changes soon & will post back if it pours out of the engine . I'm optimistic as the engine only has 35K on the clock & is oil tight at the moment. regards, Max.