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Is300 Starting Up Problems


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my is300 is taking about 3 to 4 secs to fire up do i need to change plugs and leads or other reason for this i dont use it as much as i uesd to as am out of work could that be reason any help much appreciated

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The IS200 doesn't have H/T leads but I believe the IS300 does. I'll leave someone who knows more about that engine to comment further, but it might well be worth changing the plugs as a precaution, especially if they haven't been done for some time - it might help, but even if it doesn't then at least you'll have nice new, efficient plugs.

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Do you start her up and then switch off (basically not running the engine to warm up) for example; start the engine to move a few feet on the drive or out the garage maybe? This will be the reason why it takes longer to fire-up.

Does it still do it after a good long run?

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Do you start her up and then switch off (basically not running the engine to warm up) for example; start the engine to move a few feet on the drive or out the garage maybe? This will be the reason why it takes longer to fire-up.

Does it still do it after a good long run?

I agree. My 300 sometimes takes a fair bit of cranking over before she fires and I am sure that it only happens when she's been doing loads of short (i.e. less than 3 mile) runs round town. After a decent run, she'll be totally fine.
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Do you start her up and then switch off (basically not running the engine to warm up) for example; start the engine to move a few feet on the drive or out the garage maybe? This will be the reason why it takes longer to fire-up.

Does it still do it after a good long run?

I agree. My 300 sometimes takes a fair bit of cranking over before she fires and I am sure that it only happens when she's been doing loads of short (i.e. less than 3 mile) runs round town. After a decent run, she'll be totally fine.

mine is like that too. i think my spark plugs are needing changed.

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My is300 is the same and there is a good reason for it.

When the engine has been standing for a day the oil drains from the oil gallerys. So the engine does'nt start straight away until the oil is up to preasure. Most damage to engines is done in the first 5 seconds of starting so Lexus has built in a way of protecting the engine. Im 99% sure im correct as other expensive cars have this feature.

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When the engine has been standing for a day the oil drains from the oil gallerys. So the engine does'nt start straight away until the oil is up to preasure. Most damage to engines is done in the first 5 seconds of starting so Lexus has built in a way of protecting the engine. Im 99% sure im correct as other expensive cars have this feature.

The IS200 doesn't take any time to start up though. I don't see why the IS300 should either.

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The 300 is variable valve timing which is possibly oil controlled. Im not very clued up with these lexus engines but the rover vvc engine is oil controlled. Also Honda Vtec cars have lowered rev limits until warmed up to protect the vtec system so im geussing the vvti protection is oil priming before start.

There must be some lexus engine gurus on her who can confirm this :unsure: .

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I've had two cars with the Rover VVC engine and they always started straight away.

My IS200 also doesn't like starting, but very occasionally. The plugs have now been changed so it's not that. When I say occasionally I mean once or twice a month tops, almost always in damp weather. When it does happen, it needs cranking quite a bit, and when it does start it struggles for a second tops, then it's fine. It's so rare I live with it.

I wonder if it's fuel starvation, but I can't how it could be happening.

Interesting idea about the oil needing to get round, but with VVTi, wouldn't the system just reset when oil drains out?

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I've had two cars with the Rover VVC engine and they always started straight away.

. When I say occasionally I mean once or twice a month tops, almost always in damp weather. When it does happen, it needs cranking quite a bit, and when it does start it struggles for a second tops, then it's fine. It's so rare I live with it.

my is200 has done this twice to me since ive had it,, i use my car at last twice a day and this is offen only a 7 mile trip during the week and long runs at weekends.. but on these two times it was a stuggle to sart justg would not fire like said as if starved of fuel or similer, but when started runs fine no missfires or anything , normall start up takes no more than 1 sec 2 at tops.. when it was a problem them two times it took 3-4 seconds

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my is200 has done this twice to me since ive had it,, i use my car at last twice a day and this is offen only a 7 mile trip during the week and long runs at weekends.. but on these two times it was a stuggle to sart justg would not fire like said as if starved of fuel or similer, but when started runs fine no missfires or anything , normall start up takes no more than 1 sec 2 at tops.. when it was a problem them two times it took 3-4 seconds

I use my car pretty much the same as you, short trips in the week (7 miles each way to work) and longer runs at the weekend.

I just found this comment from an article on AutoExpress about the IS200 :

dirt on the spark plugs can cause problems with starting in hot weather.

But again my spark plugs are only a few weeks old so I can't see them being dirty already!

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The 300 is variable valve timing which is possibly oil controlled. Im not very clued up with these lexus engines but the rover vvc engine is oil controlled. Also Honda Vtec cars have lowered rev limits until warmed up to protect the vtec system so im geussing the vvti protection is oil priming before start.

There must be some lexus engine gurus on her who can confirm this :unsure: .

The IS200 is VVTi as well. My IS200 used to have the very occasional startup problem, but since I changed the plugs I don't have it as far as I can tell.

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May be be talking rubbish here but I notice from the manual that the key fob has a Battery driven transponder in it which cancels the engine immobiliser when you insert the key in the ignition. What if a run down Battery doesn't transmit the code. Does the engine still turn but there are no sparks. I don't know. I have been having intermitent starting problems for some time and checked the fob Battery. It read 2.5V, it should be 3.0v. I've replaced it and am watching this space. It was necessary anyway, cost £2 from Moparts (car parts place).

The Battery was last replaced by Lexus at 4 years. It is now 8 years old. Could be co-incidence.

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May be be talking rubbish here but I notice from the manual that the key fob has a battery driven transponder in it which cancels the engine immobiliser when you insert the key in the ignition. What if a run down battery doesn't transmit the code. Does the engine still turn but there are no sparks. I don't know. I have been having intermitent starting problems for some time and checked the fob battery. It read 2.5V, it should be 3.0v. I've replaced it and am watching this space. It was necessary anyway, cost £2 from Moparts (car parts place).

The battery was last replaced by Lexus at 4 years. It is now 8 years old. Could be co-incidence.

When the car was first launched it was a well known problem that 300's where difficult to start. After 6 months of the launch Lexus issued an ecu re flash that only Lexus dealers could do to fix the problem. This was Lexus service bulletin number EG-2004. The fault was basically problems with over fueling when engine at temperature between certain degrees. Take you car to your local dealer and ask them to check that your vehicle had its ecu updated.

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My IS300 gets used all day every day and then spends all night in the garage until the next day, and I can honestly say that now even with 80k on the clock, she fires-up straight away.

Not had any issues with her taking a long time to start, unless as I stated earlier that shes started from cold and then stopped before shes warmed-up.

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Yesterday I drove my IS200 pretty hard because I was late for going somewhere and there was good open roads, and today it's not liked starting both this morning and at lunch time.

I'd not noticed it before, but can driving style affect it I wonder - has anyone else noticed?

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