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Ok folks, we are hearing regularly of common faults on the Ls series, so the thought crossed me to see what they are.

Here's what to do, ONLY reply if you have had a fault on your car, not i here old bill had his car in the garage again.

Say what the car model and year is and what the fault was, and the remedy.

Please try to keep it this way then we can start to see faults only and not read replies to posts about replies if you get my drift.

Lets see if we can build a better picture of what faults we are seeing.

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LS400 94 Mk2 ,water in boot ,took seal off cleaned everything applied a bead of silicone sealant ,was ok for about nine months before leaking again ,my drive is on a bit of a slope which doesn't help .Replaced seal ,no problem in past two years .

Power steering pump leaking ,replaced reservoir O ring cost a couple of pounds ,removed vacuum air control valve and plugged all holes no more leaks .

Running a little sluggish and could feel the gears shift more often ,speedometer a bit hit and miss when it would work .Replaced ECU capacitors ,now runs like a dream again.

Problems with the ECU caps are a fairly common problem in the US ,there Lexus site has a huge thread devoted to it. They may become a problem here too as the cars age.

LS400 96 Mk3 ,water in boot ,replaced seal ,sorted .

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LS400 MK3

- water in boot,replaced seal,good as new again

- cd multi player would not talk to head unit,fitted 2nd hand changer,all good now.

- front axle mount worn causing clonking when engaging reverse,packed out mount with rubber,all good now.

- power steering steel pipe corroded,replaced with rubber hose.

- front fag lighter unit broke up due to getting hot/brittle,replaced with s/h unit.

- front heated seats dont heat,probably wont bother trying to fix

- power steering reservoir o ring needs replacing

- replaced bonnet struts

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LS 400 Mk4 - Boot seal gone - took out, cleaned up and re-sealed with new mastic

Door mirror keeps being slightly out of alignment - need to reset door ECU

Headlight leveller corroded. Did a DIY job on repair, been working fine now for 15 months

Engine starting to be a bit lumpy at idle (only very slightly so), and gear changes a little odd when throttling down - so need to investigate whether ECU is cause here.

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LS 400 mk.2

Driver seat heater U/S

Lcd display relaced

Usual starter motor contact problem ,replaced

Seat/mirror etc. computer, replaced with s/h unit

Broken road springs, pothole Britain to blame

Otherwise dreamland on wheels....

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LS 400 Mk4

Washer bottle float 'sunk' so light on in dash - can live with it, but there are easy fixes

Temperature illumination - both not illuminating - 1, then the other a while back, again can live with it

Rust forming on top edge on roof above front windscreen - both sides - window out and treat and respray should cure for a while

brake discs warp quickly (genuine and blueprint) - replaced 1 set, now needs another - around 20,000 miles a set.

Pete

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When I had my 1994 LS 400:

Very poor airflow from the aircond/climate control system. Fan works OK, suspect blocked filter behind glove box (for those of you who don't know where it is, there are removal instructions and pics in the Owners Manual).

Remove filter, it looks pretty clean. Notice what looks like a twig poking down from ducting above where I've removed the filter. Put fingers into ducting and pull out twig........big mistake. Lots of crud falls out and into the, now unprotected, air con inlet.

It took me a LONG time to dismantle various bits a pieces and get rid of all the crud.

I shouldn't have been surprised at the crud, the car was, at least, 10 years old.

So, every year after that, I did the following:

Remove filter

Place cloth over air con inlet

Poke around in upper ducting with a bent wire to remove all crud.

Clean filter by blowing through with air line (don't hold the line too close or you'll blow a hole in the filter). Blow from both sides. Wear goggles because the dust goes everywhere.

Remove cloth and crud and, immediately, replace filter.

You'll be amazed how much the airflow is improved.

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LS430. Front nearside air shock 62k miles. Rear offside hub 65k miles. Front nearside hub 103k miles. 2 front air shocks 104k miles. Rear offside height adjuster leaver arms 109k miles. Both steering adjust motors have failed.

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1996 LS400 Mk 3 (owned since Dec 2012) - OSF spring broken and replaced at MOT in Nov 2013; OS front oxygen sensor not working and replaced in April 2014; minor exhaust leak on cat/exhaust pipe flange in April 2014, cured by using Wynns Black Gasket Maker (much better than gun-gum etc, as it remains flexible).

1997 LS400 Mk 3 (owned since Jan 2014) - nothing so far, other than replacing aerial (which did not retract) and getting air-con re-gassed (not really a fault but just something that needs doing every few years).

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LS 430 2002

Rear O/S door stuck shut replaced mech linage + motor Lexus Warranty

Lower arm trailing arm bushes split, can be replaced individually ....Not whole arm as suggested by Lexus.

Drivers door keyless entry new sensor fitted under door handle.

Bonnet pull lever stuck out...unable to close and secure bonnet..fix... grease wire as it enters the dash or spray with WD.

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LS400 2000 Mk4 126K (bought at 100K)

Replaced headlight washer pump/motor. (used, still working ok)

Replaced bonnet struts.

Replaced top mounts, front shocks, anti-roll bar bushes and steering rack grommets (bushes). This Improved steering immensely.

Washer bottle float knackered, light on dash. Living with it for now.

Replaced blown brake light.

Replaced auxilliary belt tensioner pulley and auxilliary belt idler pulley. Easy - peasy job.

Plus service parts as and when needed i.e. oil changes, brake pads, timing belt, etc,etc.

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1999 MK4 LS 400 164k miles

New front brake discs/pads (Pagid)- pulsing pedal.

New bonnet struts-no gas left in em!

New front direction indicator- tiny hole in lens and bracket near screw broken.

New battery(was 4 years old),,replaced with the big Bosch version that requires the Battery tray chopping.

Boot lets water in

Tilt adjust on steering just makes a "squeak" noise

Electric aerial stuck half way up but makes noise trying to move.

Everything else pretty much spot on and car drives very smooth and quiet :flowers:

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My '95 Mk 3 -

Sound system LCD faded and incomplete - had another head unit with good LCD but no lights (another common fault) so unplugged screen unit and replaced it. Very pleased when it all worked OK!

Rust creeping out from under driver's door window trim - not fixed yet but will probably replace door. One of the few lapses in quality, I expect the trim clips score the paint when installed - but hey, 19 years and 290,000 miles, can't complain.

Boot leaked - removed seal, cleaned surround and seal, squeezed it a bit tighter all around (it has internal light steel reinforcement which opens up over time) refitted paying attention to seating it properly - now dry for the last year.

I have found the angle of the accelerator pedal on all of the four LS400s I have had uncomfortably flat in relation to the floor - I have to bend my foot forward just to cruise. I pulled the (fairly flexible) pedal sideways, towards the brake pedal, disengaged the notch moulded on the back from the steel rod, and pulled the pedal back. I wanted it to end up nearly upright, just below the height of the brake. I found a plastic bush, about 3/4 inch across and 1/2 inch wide, drilled it to fit nicely over the rod, and held it in place with a spring clip each side. This rolls on the rod, and the accelerator pedal moulding presses on it. The pedal does not flop back at you - it has enough spring in it to press lightly on the roller. Now very comfy over any distance, and easier access to that lovely surge of power!

ECT switch on console, to modify gearbox response, not working - nor does the yellow 'ECT selected' light come on. Replaced with a switch known to work - still not working. No fuse that I can find. This is the only item on the car that is faulty.

On -On - to 500,000!

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Forgot to mention 2 other little faults; front ciggy lighter doesn't work (very common) and sometimes the steering wheel retracts noisily when you switch off.

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LS 400 Mk4 DHP 1999 in Sapphire with grey leather.

Boot seal gone - living with until becomes a problem - interim put holes in floor bungs to drain out water

Rear Headlight leveller strut corroded. Replaced with second hand unit

Replaced bonnet struts.

Washer bottle float failed, replaced with second hand unit.

Aerial failed to fully retract - replaced with auction site sourced new mast

Few fastening/clips from engine undertray - waiting to find part nos before ordering

Rear nearside door seal replaced with second hand one as original had been ripped stopping door closing correctly occasionally.


Front disk and pads replaced.

Problem with front cigar lighter socket

Corroded alloys - waiting to be refurbished - probably cause of slow leak to on tyre

But do have a full toolkit with a working torch and original handbook documents including additional book for Satnav, and LEXUS Audio CD on how to use the vehicle.

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1999 LS400 DHP - 2 years owned by me 119000 miles on clock

- dodgy alarm resulting from stripping out aftermarket Scorpion alarm, double locking on the remote seems to turn off siren and remote horn so no more notes left on the car when I park it asking me to park elsewhere!

- drivers side indicator wing repeater seems to take in water/always full of condensation when its damp outside

- boot leak, appears to be sorted by new seal from SealsDirect

- new rear brake discs and pads

- fuel consumption has never got above 20 mpg average but I do drive it hard and don't do that many long runs. Anyone any ideas!

- new front suspension parts

- 4 new tyres (Bridgestone Potenza runflats which do not appear to last)

- front nearside knock, not suspension related, suspect dodgy shock or broken spring.

- front bumper spolier/splitters replaced

- had to replace satnav drive in boot due to water ingress affecting it

Nothing serious really, not sure what else I would trade it for other than an LS600

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1997 LS400 Mk3 - just over 78,000 miles on the clock

- a completely scatty alarm system that has a mind of its own - there must be a fix for this?

- front seat heaters not functioning

- bonnet struts failure - replaced with SGS brand new parts

- leaking tweeter speakers - fixed by me :outforcount:

- constantly losing air from the tyres and alloy wheels in poor condition

- blowing center exhaust section - repaired, the welding around here was sub standard - cleaned up, welded and sealed.

- rear subframe heavily corroded

- some minor rust on the body

- only very recently - slight knocking sound from front suspension at low speeds?

- squealing front brakes for the first few minutes of driving, then mysteriously stops.

- damaged front bumper lip - now removed

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Rear sub-frame heavily corroded ....... can't be surely with a '97 at 78000 miles ..... is it just surface and cosmetic ??

If you find a solution to the " mind of its own " alarm system do please tell !

Thanks

Malc

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Hi Malc,

yes - I think it is just surface although it was picked out as an advisory on the MOT, something along the lines of:

'suspension outriggers corroded to within 3mm of chassis frame'

The alarm system completely foxes me, I have tried most of the tips on here and nothing appears to prevent it from doing its own thing - you can go for days with no problems and all of a sudden it'll go off and then stop. It will do this repeatedly, very often at unsociable hours. If I can find a decent automotive electrician and a wiring diagram for the car, I am sure it could be repaired using a standard process of elimination.

I will of course share this happily if I make any progress :outforcount:

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