Few Questions About My 2001 Ls430

[ModMan]

Well I'm still in love with the car after having it since Wednesday and now I am planning on fixing the little things that are wrong with it.

Rear Parking sensors

- When I put it into reverse the park assist tells me to check the rear sensors. The one rear corner works, but the rest don't. Coming from a little hatchback I am struggling to park it so want to fix this. Apparently new sensors are circa £200 each so that's a showstopper immediately. However are these sensors shared between any other Lexus (toyota?) models does anyone know as I may then be able to go to a breakers and have a look. Surely these can't be that bespoke?

SatNav

- All the options are unavailable to input an address, although tracking works fine. Faulty/dirty DVD it may be, can anyone confirm?

Car Kit

- It had a cradle for a Nokia 6310 in the glovebox. The previous owner kindly supplied me the 6310 handset and explained that I have to dial/answer calls via the handset. Is there any other way? To answer a call I have to open the armrest, look down at it, and push the green key on the phone. To make a call I have to either faff around dialing the number with the phone in the cradle, or dial the number, push the green button, and then quickly put the handset in the cradle. A pain really as you can imagine (and not too safe as I spend ages looking down).

TV etc

- The car has a monitor in one headrest which is hooked up to a VCR (Yes, a VCR!) in the boot. It is so neatly installed in the boot that it looks factory fit! Is this possible? I would like to take out the VCR and put in a DVD player and/or a TV/freeview box. Does anyone have any experience of these? I keep seeing soarer.tv and although he gets rave reviews here the 2 problems I have are 1) He's on the south coast and 2) he's quite expensive (Not knocking him at all,I just can't justify it is all)

mats

- The floormats have seen better days. Any suggestions where to buy new ones. I'm scared of asking a dealer and eBay shows anything from £18.00 a set to £65.00 a set so recommendations would be nice.

Cheers chaps.

Oh, and today I turned off the radio all day as I so enjoy the silence, it's just amazing to 'waft' along.

[chrisfs]

One thought on the sat nav - are you stationary when using it? The direction buttons grey out when the car is on the move, as a safety feature.

Chris

[steveskeggy]

As far as the car kit goes, look around for a nokia CK7W car kit. The 6310 has Bluetooth, so it would pair up with the kit and with the CK7W you only have to press one button to answer/dial/hang up, that you can place anywhere, and if your handset supports it you can voice dial too, and it mutes the stereo when you have a call. Look on E-Bay, there are loads around.

As far as the VCR/DVD swap is concerned, it should be down to how the VCR is wired, if its just a straight forward video output from the VCR via phono plugs (Yellow for video feed and red and white for audio, usually), then it could just be a swap. If it has a remote that works through the monitor, then you could loose some or all remote functions, if the volume works via the remote then it could be a problem, but probably not impossible.

Keep looking on E-Bay for mats, they do turn up even in the correct colour.

If you can press the Agree button to get to the nav screen then the touch screen is working ok, and if the nav is showing you the roads etc correctly, then the DVD is ok as well. So if you are at a standstill when you press the destination button to input the address, then something is telling the sat nav that you are moving.

This may come in handy in the future:

http://bahamutcars.free.fr/workshop/LS_01-...ents/index.html

(takes ages to load, just leave it to it)

Now here is a question, has anyone tried swapping a Lexus parking sensor for one of the boggo ones that you can get from E-Bay?

May be worth a try because they sure look the same.

[ModMan]

Thanks for the replies. Very useful.

Chris, you were right, I have to be stopped for the buttons to work. Annoying but anyhow ...

I checked with a chap selling parking sensors on eBay and he says they're not compatible. I will remove one and see what it looks like at the back and go and hunt around. Fingers crossed. Is it easy to get behind the rear bumper to pop one out

I'll also see how the VCR is removed, perhaps this weekend, and then look to put something else in.

As for the car kit. Is the CK7W a complete new kit, would i need to rip out the old one, including the stereo to get behind it, or does it just add Bluetooth to the current kit?

Thanks for that link Steve - I'm just waiting for it to load now :)

[steveskeggy]

As for the car kit. Is the CK7W a complete new kit, would i need to rip out the old one, including the stereo to get behind it, or does it just add bluetooth to the current kit?

Old one? you said that you have just the cradle.

If there is an existing Nokia car kit, then it could just be a case of swaping the brain for an HF-5 brain then routing the button.

If you just have a cradle, then yes you would have to fit it. However they are easy to fit, the hardest part is finding the constant live feed (constant live is a wire that is still live even when the ignition is turned off all the way), which you will need some kind of tester for, either a screwdriver test light or a multimeter.

I put my brain in the center console right at the bottom under the little mat, then layed the mat back on top.

This gives easy access to the power socket that is in the console, which is the switched live. The earth can be got from any nut or bolt in contact with the bodywork.

You will have to remove the gear surround , but there is nice big gap at the front under the switch panel that you need to take out to get the gear surround out, which is just the right size for the speaker.

Here`s a link to a PDF on how to get the radio out:

http://www.pro-fit-intl.com/Adobe/LX-52-01-p1.pdf

Its a bit heavy, and there are a few sharp edges so have a protective cloth ready.

You will also need to take out the cup holders, which is 4 screws.

Be aware that the wires and the Mike, speaker and control button leads will have to be routed past the cup holders, just do it in a way that doesnt interfere with the working of the cup holder mechanism.

At the back of the radio you can find the constant live that you need, and the radio mute wire.

If you click on the link for the workshop manual that I gave you, then go to Electrical Wiring Diagram then

SYSTEM CIRCUITS ( 2000.8 - 2003.6 ) then Radio and Player and then RHD, you will find the wiring for the radio, you will see that the mute wire is yellow, just use a tester to see which one is constant live.

Obviously this all looks Highly technical and a bit of a scary process to carry out on a car that you have not had a week, but its a pretty easy job in reality, and it should take a first timer no more than 3 hours if you are being really really careful and pedantic, in a James May way.

Plus it gives you the experience of how to strip the console down and removing the radio in case you want, or need, to do it again.

Make no mistake, this is a worth while job, there is nothing that makes a driver want to give another driver a good slap, than someone in a nice big car riding along with a phone glued to his/her ear.

[dave1]

does the LS430 not have a steering column mounted control for this? My GS430 has factory fitted cradle etc. for Motorola V50 in the centre console with a steering column control, although it took me a while to find out exactly what it was.

[ModMan]

Sorry for the confusion Steve - It has a full car kit i.e when I make or receive a call it mutes the radio and I can just talk, there must be a mic somewhere. However I will crash trying to open the centre consul, and pushing the green phone or trying to dial a number.

The steering wheel has volume for radio, channels etc and cruise control and OBC but no phone stuff.

So it looks like I can just hunt for the "brain" and if all the connections fit, then replace it with the new one and find somewhere to put the button and dial thingi that comes on the new kit?

[steveskeggy]

Sorry for the confusion Steve - It has a full car kit i.e when I make or receive a call it mutes the radio and I can just talk, there must be a mic somewhere. However I will crash trying to open the centre consul, and pushing the green phone or trying to dial a number.

The steering wheel has volume for radio, channels etc and cruise control and OBC but no phone stuff.

So it looks like I can just hunt for the "brain" and if all the connections fit, then replace it with the new one and find somewhere to put the button and dial thingi that comes on the new kit?

Thats good for you then.

Just go to E-bay and type in CK-7W, that`ll bring up the bits that you need. before you buy, just match up the cost including postage of the two items against the cost of a full kit, it may be cheaper depending whats around.

I would check to make sure that the existing kit is a Nokia one, it probably is but best to make sure first. You will need to find the brain to swap it (check the center console first), if its a Nokia then it will look the same as an HF-5 without the pattern on top, even if its not then the wiring has already been done so it may not be too difficult to cut and splice.

When you get it all, the mike and speaker should be a straight swap, the power lead may or may not have a different plug on the end, but the wiring colours should be the same, its just a matter of cutting and splicing.

Just in case:

Red - Constant live

Black - Ground

Blue - Switched live

Yellow - Radio mute

Green - Power Antenna (Not Applicable, just tape it off)

I put my button down near the gear selector, but where you put yours depends on where the brain is and where is comfortable for you.

the other thing abot these kits is that they seem to work with phones other than Nokia, my wifes Samsung jobbie pairs with it just fine, obviously a Nokia phone will work better through it though. I have an N73 with TOMTOM mobile on it, and it mutes the radio whenever directions are given!

Just one last thing, remember because its a Bluetooth it wont charge the phone, but also being Bluetooth, the phone does not have to be in the cradle so you can still charge the phone via the aux socket in the console.

[ModMan]

Steve,

Thanks for the detailed information. Today I got as far as removing half the centre console and that was it. I can see the cable from the existing kits runs towards the front of the car, but after putting a tiny mark on some of the wood trim I decided to give up and shall leave it to the experts. Any suggestions of a good car kit fitter in or around Lutterworth (M1 J20) or Milton Keynes?

2 random pics ...

[steveskeggy]

Shame, you are almost there.

Those wires that go through the vent on the second picture go straight to the brain, which I would guess looking at that is under the wood trim around the gear shifter.

It wouldnt be under the console because there isnt enough room.

If you fancy one last go, then get a dinner knife with a wide blade and pop out the panel with the seat heater controls, by easing out one side with the knife then the other.

Press down on the latch then pull out the plug and lay the panel to one side.

Put your knife between the wood gear shifter surrount and the soft console at the front on the right hand side and ease the surround out, then do the same for the right rear, then the same on the opposite side.

That will release the surround, then you can have a quick look underneath to see if it is there.

Push the surround back in place first, making sure that it is firmly in place, then push in the chrome trim piece that goes around the selector, dont try and fit them all in one go.

Then reconnect the panel and just push that back in place.

The brain should be under there, if not then I dont know where it could be, because those wires that are running through the vent are the external aerial lead (that is most likely not connected) and the data cable that goes between the holder and the brain.

The data cable is built in to that particular phone holder, and at the other end is a plug that goes into the brain, so seeing as the cable is only around 2 1/2 foot long, then the places it can go are restricted to the length of the cable.

It also looks as though the original fitter has run the cable through the ducting that goes from the aircon to the vents at the rear of the console, it also runs under the gear surround, so it looks a good bet that the brain is in there.

Steve,

Thanks for the detailed information. Today I got as far as removing half the centre console and that was it. I can see the cable from the existing kits runs towards the front of the car, but after putting a tiny mark on some of the wood trim I decided to give up and shall leave it to the experts. Any suggestions of a good car kit fitter in or around Lutterworth (M1 J20) or Milton Keynes?

2 random pics ...

[sparkyhx]

Custom mats

http://www.toys4cars.co.uk/index.php?main_...oducts_id=55200

http://www.carmats4u.com/Lexus-LS-430-2001...4554,index.html

http://www.ambassadorcarmats.co.uk/custom2.php

[ModMan]

Thanks for the car mat link Sparky, I'll go through them shortly :)

Steve - I decided to give it another go but gave up after 10 mins as I fear I am going to break something while removing the wooden panel with the heater controls. I'm just bending the knives, am I being a numpty?

[steveskeggy]

Well, err, yep.

No not really, do one side at a time, start with the neartest to you, ease that one out (quite easy) then do the other side (bit more difficult, but still easy).

Same with the gear surround, your side front corner, then your side rear, then same the other side. Though they may come out by themselves.

Be warned, I snapped off one of the clips that hold the gear surround when I did it, but a lump of blue tack does the job just as well, if not better.

[ModMan]

Steve,

That did it, excellent. It just took a little more force that I was initially giving.

Some pics ...

CK7W kit is being bidded on now on eBay, I know I'll only need the brain and the button, but I don't think that there is much in the price buying seperately as I mentioned. Wish me luck. I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks so much!

Daniel

[steveskeggy]

Thats the one.

The power plug will be different on the new one, so make sure you buy one with a power lead.

The good news is that the wiring colours are the same so all you have to do is splice the same colour on the new one to the old, there is a green wire running into the loom, so you may as well splice that one as well just in case it does something, but it will probably just be blanked off.

The Mike and speaker should be a straight swap.

The button comes with a long flat cable, so its a doddle to run it up the edge of the surround to where you want to place it.

If you wanted, and it fits, the data cable could be plugged in to the new one. It may not fit, but all is not lost because of course it will be Bluetooth. you can just tape the data cable out of the way.

Strange how the data cable goes up behind the console, because looking at where it comes from the cradle it must run through the a/c duct, that must have been a beast to get through.

[steveskeggy]

Just one more thing, if you have not used Bluetooth before let us know and we will walk you through the procedure.

If you have then the code is 0000.

[ModMan]

Nice one, thanks for that. I have ordered a kit and shall wait for it to be delivered. The only slightly worrying thing is that I have done a search on google for it with my Blackberry Curve and there are reports of very bad echos. But we'll wait and see.

On the exiting box I assume the "Phone" jack goes to the cradle. There is nothing in teh Data/Handset jack, whats that for then?

Oh as for the cable routing to the handset, well, the rear vent just pops out with a bit of cowling on it. The cowling mates to the rest of the aircon. He cut a small hole in that bit and fed the cable up. It works quite well actually, the rest of the cable goes just down the side of the inside of the centre console.

[TigerFish]

On the exiting box I assume the "Phone" jack goes to the cradle. There is nothing in teh Data/Handset jack, whats that for then?

You can have a normal telephone type handset on the system incase you needed to take a private call, i.e. not through the car speakers. Would be classed as not handsfree these days mind you so a no-no on the move.

"Data" is probably for updating firmware.

[steveskeggy]

Never heard of the echo problem till you mentioned it. having a look around it seems that the 6120 gets it a lot, as do Motorola phones, also afew have said that a phone firmware upgrade fixed it, and a few say that going from Bluetooth to cable fixed it.

I would guess that it depends on a number of factors, the make of the phone, the positioning of the mike and speaker and the shape of the cars interior, I have noticed that quite a few complaints are from people who have cars with a smaller interior, Audi TT/ Volkswagen Golf/ Toyota Supra, and also vans.

You of course are in a position where if the 6310 has the problem then you can also try the Blackberry, I presume it has Bluetooth?

Never used the Data socket, but as Tigerfish said it can be used for a wired headset, it can also be used to connect to the serial port of a PC, so you can connect to the internet using the phone as a modem, remember these kits have been around for a few years now, when I first fitted one, I had a Nokia 5110 and didnt have a mobile that could access the internet for years. So in its day the data port may have been useful, but now the things it can do are either redundant or pointless.

Either way, the HF-5 brain doesnt have a data socket, that hole is used by the button.

Nice one, thanks for that. I have ordered a kit and shall wait for it to be delivered. The only slightly worrying thing is that I have done a search on google for it with my Blackberry Curve and there are reports of very bad echos. But we'll wait and see.

On the exiting box I assume the "Phone" jack goes to the cradle. There is nothing in teh Data/Handset jack, whats that for then?

Oh as for the cable routing to the handset, well, the rear vent just pops out with a bit of cowling on it. The cowling mates to the rest of the aircon. He cut a small hole in that bit and fed the cable up. It works quite well actually, the rest of the cable goes just down the side of the inside of the centre console.

[ModMan]

Well, thanks to you lot I managed to get the old car kit upgraded to the Bluetooth one you recommended.

The existing power plug to the HFU-2 brain looked like this:

The new brain had a different plug, I could not get the pins out of the old plug and I didn't want to cut the plug off, just in case for whatever reason I went back to the old brain, I used sone inline connector type boxes which just crimp onto an existing cable and you can then join a new cable in. It looks a bit messy here, but once it was all done it was wrapped up in electrical tape and it tucked nicely out of the way.

Then put everything back together and decided to put the button here. That way the buttons' cable is not wedged between the panels, it comes out of the gap by the cup holder. The cup holder opens and closes fine still and doesn't interfere with the button.

I didn't remove the old cradle and the plug wouldn't fit in the new brain so the Nokia Cradle won't do anything. My kit did come with a new data cable, but I don't know what model Nokia it is for, so i didn't bother installing it. My main phone is a Blackberry and I also have a Nokia 6310 I have to carry too. I haven't tested the Nokia yet, but the Blackberry is fine, although the other party says there is a bit of an echo. I will try with the Nokia and see if it's kit or handset related. The new kit also came with a new mic, I wonder if it's any better than the old one in the car, but the mic appears to be in the overhead bit where the sunglass holder is and I don't fancy stripping all that out!

Overall though I am very happy and grateful to the help here - Thanks!

Oh a pic of the cable if anyone knows what phone it will fit?

[steveskeggy]

Glad you got it done.

That cable looks the same as the one for my N73, I thought all the pop port ones would be the same, but the one for my N73 wouldnt work on my old 6230i and the one for the 6230i would work with the N73, but it wouldnt mute the radio.

Its the same old story, why didnt Nokia find a system that worked (the pop port) and stick with it?

[ModMan]

Well, the CK-7W was driving my callers nuts with the echo when paired to my Blackberry. Pair it to the Nokia 6310i and it was absolutely perfect, so something was amiss, even after playing with the Blackberry's "Echo" settings I still could not get it to be acceptable. Pity really as it is a lovely kit.

Onwards and upwards ... I bought a CK-15 and installed it today and the echo problem is gone, so I am chuffed. The nice thing about the Nokia's is that they all appear to use similar plugs, so i didn't have to touch the mic and speaker. Even the power cable was the same as the CK-7W so I re-used them.

Not too keen on the external screen as I hate clutter, but I mounted it on the dash to the right of the instrument cluster - right on the doot shut line.

For £45 you can't complain, off to put the CK-7W back on eBay now I guess.

Here's a pic of the kit. It's been superceeded by the CK-600 I think, but I couldn't see too many advantages as the 600 needs to be wired into the car radio for the speakers too, it can do music streaming which is nice, but too much hassle to install.

[Hunt.trophy]

How have you gotten on with your parking sensors? Mine have failed and beep all the time.

Lexus want €3,000 for the fix. Ouch!

[ModMan]

I haven't actually. I can get my hand around inside the front bumper and can feel the sensor but can't see to remove it. I'll have another go this weekend, if I can remove it then I'll see if it's got any part numbers on it to source some spares.

Is there a guide anywhere on how to remove them does anyone know?

[jsmithe]

The problem with the parking sensors has been discussed on the german LOC.

Apparently it's caused by some corrosion on the surface of the sensors (as they're made of aluminium instead of plastic, they may corrode if they get a small knock or a stone chip).

You can repair it by gently scraping off the paint on the central part of the sensors, cleaning it with pre-paint and then re-painting it with a touch-up brush. Just make sure you don't paint over the rubber (?) ring on the outside of the sensor. That should make them work again an will only cost you a few minutes and a little bit of paint.

I hope this is of help. :)

Cheers

JS