Reversing The Ls400

rabnoolas · January 30, 2008

Hope this is helpful to someone.

I am new to the Lexus having bought my LS 400 2 months ago.

I love my Lexus. I am also a pretty poor at reversing. The combination of me reversing a car with the vision and overhang of my series 3 means that it is odds on that I would reshape the rear end at some point. My first move was to fit parking sensors which help greatly. I still park like Reginald Molehusband (for those who remember the advert) but at least I get to a reasonable distance off any obstruction - rather than the 1.5M (about 5 feet) that I used to do.

Then I learn that councils will enforce the rules and levy fines for inadequate parking standards. One of these being no more than 50mm from the kerb. Since I've had comments in the past like "Don't worry I can walk to the kerb from here" and "Is that car parked or abandoned?" I have to be worried. It looks like damaged alloy rims or damaged bank balance.

Then I saw a note about a car that dipped its mirrors automatically when reversing to let you focus on the ground near the car when backing up. I was toying with making a box of tricks from Maplin bits to do this when I realised there's an easy way. I am sure that some of you good people do this already, but it cheered me up.

I programmed position 1 in the memory for normal driving and then changing only the mirror positon for where I needed to see when reversing set position 2 for that purpose. Between the sensors and the mirrors I can now at least park without fear of clobbering a car or a kerb. If you change your seat and steering wheel positions a lot (I don't personally) then this is not for you as you will have to keep adjusting mirrors and seats to keep it all in sync.

The next move for me is either to automate what I've done (so that it activates memory position 2 when you slide the shifter to 'R' and position 1 when the shifter slides away from 'R') or to design a memory system as originally thought. Both would require a brief time delay to stop the mirrors driving unnecessarily as you move through 'R' on the way to 'D' but to make new memory system will need some method of input (control) and take time, design and testing.

Happy Motoring.

Rab

PS I tried to buy new door mirrors from a Lexus dealer last week.....£199.50 each !!!!!Trying to find some from the US. Any ideas?

PPS I bought a Lexus introduction CD for a series 2 LS400 on eBay. Its great fun....contact me if you would like a copy. As long as it is only a few copies needed, I'll send them to members in the UK FOC. If the demand is high then I will ask for a nominal charge for the CDdisc and postage

chrisfs · January 30, 2008

That is an ingenious approach, Rab.

The Series IV has automatically dipping mirrors when in reverse, but I guess the Series III didn't then. The switch to select right or left mirror, in the middle of the 4 way directional movement pad, needs to be in the right or left position, not centralised.

I know what you mean about the cost of the mirrors. About the only thing that didn't work properly on my 400 was the driver's side mirror which, when you started up, would set itself at a funny angle. When I found out the cost of a new mirror (I was quoted nearer £400!) I learned to just press the mirror fold switch and then back again, after which it stayed in the right place.

Chris

steve-bedford · January 30, 2008

Rabnoolas - Great idea. I also find it useful to "front in" to parking spaces which means you leave the problem until later in the day - lol (joke)

Chrisfs - My mirror does exactly the same see my earlier post.........> http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...showtopic=47152

It just moves (the casing this is not the glass) just very slightly but enough not to be able to see the side of the vehicle. As you say, folding the mirrors in and out fixes it. Can that be fixed or does it need a new mirror?

chrisfs · January 30, 2008

Hi Steve. I hadn't seen your earlier post.

I asked Lexus if it could be fixed and guess what, they said it couldn't and it could only be cured by a new mirror, that'll be £400 thank you very much, sir!

So, like you, I just did the mirror fold and fold back thing each time I got in the car.

Chris

steve-bedford · January 30, 2008

I will say nothing other than that if it was a Range Rover, you could buy a new one on eBay for 50p - lol

:D

passman53 · January 30, 2008

Sadly I am old enough to remember Reginald Molehusband. However take heart from the fact that he was trying to park a Morris/Austin 1100 (which was about 5 feet shorter than a Lexus), :winky: and the day came when he got it right. :winky:

rabnoolas · February 3, 2008

Sadly I am old enough to remember Reginald Molehusband. However take heart from the fact that he was trying to park a Morris/Austin 1100 (which was about 5 feet shorter than a Lexus), :winky: and the day came when he got it right. :winky:

Thanks Passman,

:) I will take comfort in that. So far buses and cars have not changed their routes to avoid me. Nice to know some of us can still remember black and white TV. I have a dawning realisation that I need to learn to drive better to make sense of the soothness and power of the LS400. This pursuit of excellence business cuts both ways doesn't it. ;)

Rab

rabnoolas · February 3, 2008

That is an ingenious approach, Rab.
The Series IV has automatically dipping mirrors when in reverse, but I guess the Series III didn't then. The switch to select right or left mirror, in the middle of the 4 way directional movement pad, needs to be in the right or left position, not centralised.

I know what you mean about the cost of the mirrors. About the only thing that didn't work properly on my 400 was the driver's side mirror which, when you started up, would set itself at a funny angle. When I found out the cost of a new mirror (I was quoted nearer £400!) I learned to just press the mirror fold switch and then back again, after which it stayed in the right place.

Chris

Autofloding mirrors and self dipping plus Satnav, the Series IV has some cool features! Maybe oneday the budget will stretch to a change.

While being assisted to lose a few pounds at the Lexus dealers near Chester I wandered round the showroom and picked up a brachure for the GS series. The 450H is some machine. Dream on....

Rab