New Member, Lots To Do (I Think)

[Rob-Halifax]

Hello all

I've been reading the forum pages and to be honest, the stuff that you guys seem to know is amazing.

I bought a 1996 GS300 Sport about 5 years ago, it ran with noproblems for a couple of years during the summer months but it was soo bad in the winter,I took it off the road in sept and put it back on the road in march each year. The last timewe took it off the road was 3 years ago, then we moved andleft it down my daughters drive thinking we would come back for it when we got settled at the new address and summer came again. To cut a long story short, 3 years later, I finally managed to find the time to get it, it arrived on the back of a tow truck 3 weeks ago. The engine, although it's done 180k, started first time as soon as I put the jump leads on it, quiet as it always was, no vibrations and I was in love again. I started to make a list of what I thought it would need, new paint in lots of places cam belt etcetc, the list was quite long, then the big one, the exhausts were blowing. Looking on line for decent prices for exhausts, I came up with an avg priceof around £300-£500. Then I spotted (on ebay) the answer, another one, the exact mirror of my GS, this one is a 1997, there was a phone number so I rang him, offered to buy it and went to pick it up last weekend. It drives great, the body was in much better condition than mine, the engine has done only 91k, it's taxed and tested till July. Left me thinking that Iwill be better using my car as the part donor and keeping this one attached a couple of pics to this post, one shows thepassenger side interior floor,can anyone tell me what electronics are behind the carpet in the area indicated by the arrow? (the guy Iboughtit from had pulled the carpet out atthis point and I noticed some wires underneath but don't know what he played with).

Initially, I have identified the faults with the new GS, they are:

Aircon light flashes and does not blow cold air.

Heated rear window does not work.

Key fob only locks the doors and activates the alarm, the light on the fob does not indicate that the open button is being pressed, this means the alarm goes off all the time - annoying.

The lights on the gear selector do not work.

BUT, the biggest potential problem I have right now is that on my first GS, the interir was great and I loved it, this one is brown and I don't love it so much so I will probably think about swapping the complete interior out.

As I said, I am really new to all this and don't have massive amounts of cash to throw at it, but I have to admit, i'm kinda looking forwardto having a go.

Any initial advice on the above faults and actions or further advice in connection to what I should be looking at to identify further faults would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Rob

[TigerFish]

Welcome to LOC B)

Nice pickup, same colour as my old mk1 GS300 Sport. I must admit, when I first got mine, I wasn't a fan of the two tone brown/cream interior. But once I got used to it, the other interiors (grey ones) looked really dull and boring!

Lots of things could be the problem on the AC, most common would be a leak and therefore no refridgerant. First off you can try a reset of the ECU, pull "ECU-B" fuse for 10 seconds in the main engine bay fuse box. If the fault returns, try:

INDICATOR CHECK
1. Turn the ignition switch on while pressing the air conditioning
control AUTO switch and R/F SW simultaneously.
2. Check that all the indicators light up and go off at 1 second
intervals 4 times in succession.
3. Check that the buzzer sounds when the indicators light up in
2.
HINT:
• After the indicator check is ended, the diagnostic trouble
code check begins automatically.
• Press the OFF switch when cancelling the check mode.
DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE CHECK
(SENSOR CHECK)
1. Perform an indicator check. After the indicator check is
completed, the system enters the diagnostic trouble code
check mode automatically.
2. Read the code displayed on the panel. Refer to the list of
codes on page AC–20 when reading the trouble codes.
(Trouble Codes are output at the temperature display.)
If the slower display is desired, press the A/C switch and
change it to step operation. Each time the A/C switch is
pressed, the display changes by 1 step.
HINT:
• If the buzzer sounds when a trouble code is being read,
it means the trouble indicated by that trouble code
continues to occur.
• If the buzzer does not sound when a trouble code is
being read, it means the trouble indicated by that trouble
code occurred earlier (such as poor connector contacts,
etc.).

Codes:

Failing all that, get the refridgerant/system leak checked.

Selector bulbs are just a case of removing the center console panel and changing the two bulbs in the panel. I describe the panel removal in this tutorial I did for the main AC panel illumination (albeit I didn't go into detail for the bulbs for the selector).

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/43145-ac-control-bulb-change/

A couple of additional shots regarding the selector bulbs themselves

Does the light come on for the heated rear screen and do the heated mirrors still work? Check fuses "Guage" (powers the rear screen relay), and the "DEFOG" fuse (powers rear screen and also feeds the "MIR–HTR" fuse for the mirror heater circuit). (In the footwell fuse box(es)). Failing that, a multimeter on the actual connections to the rear screen to trace the wiring.

From what I remember, the wiring running by the arrow on your pic is one of the main looms heading towards the rear of the car. There will be a whole load of different things in there.

For the fob, if the light isn't coming on when the button is pressed, I would suspect a shagged button on the fob.

[Rob-Halifax]

Hi Rick

Thanks for that info, it'll give me something to start on over the next few days.

Just a quicknote on the keyfob situation.

I have two keys and keyfobs, both keys work to open/startthe car as they should but both fobs have the same issue, whilst the light comes on on both fobs when the lock/activate alarm button is pressed, the lighton both fobs do not come on when the unlock/deactivate alarm button is pressed. I would have thought it odd for both fobs to be buggered in the same way or is thatjust me being too much of an optomst?

Cheers

Rob

[IHgs300]

Welcome to the club Rob.

[Rob-Halifax]

Rick, I couldn't find this fuse...

"Lots of things could be the problem on the AC, most common would be a leak and therefore no refridgerant. First off you can try a reset of the ECU, pull "ECU-B" fuse for 10 seconds in the main engine bay fuse box"

But I did find one that said AC Comp on it, took it out, and then re tried the AC, pressed the button and the light came on and stayed on, any idea's what that means? Not sure if it was AC cold as it could possibly need regassing but the light stayed on.

Cheers

Rob

[TigerFish]

It would seem unlikely that both fobs are screwed. You could try resetting the fob. Sit in the drivers seat with the fob held over the center console, remove the fob Battery and press the lock button for 10 seconds (to fully drain down any residual charge in the fob). Put the Battery back in (maybe try a new Battery at the same time). Try the fob. I believe they are rolling codes, so maybe they have gone out of sync. The reset should help with that. You could try a basic resync, try keeping the unlock button pressed for a few seconds, let go, do it again, then press as normal to see if it resyncs.

If the AC lamp now stays on solidly (no flashing), then that would suggest any fault has cleared itself (or temporarily atleast). If it doesn't blow proper cold when the lamp is lit continuously, then I would suspect a regas is in order (but do the diagnosis process I posted above first to make sure there are no fault codes still). That doesn't mean it will stay gassed of course, for it to have been lost, it would have to have gone somewhere which would normally mean a leak. It is possible someone let it out, I have seen someone on here suggest bleeding the system by undoing the valve caps and depressing the valves (there are two, a high pressure side valve, and a low pressure side valve). They recon'ed the hissing was an air lock being bled out, it was of course the refridgerant being let out!

[Rob-Halifax]

Ooops, I did the key fob process whilst sat at my desk (what a moron), when I tried to use it on the car, it doesen't work at all now.

I'm not sure if I use the key to open the car, will it stop the alarm when I start it or will the screaming noise continue until I get home to the second key fob?

[TigerFish]

It had probably just ended up out of sync again. It should resync after a few goes as described above (is the light on the fob working?)

Been too long since I had the mk1 to remember if the alarm will just switch off :(

[TigerFish]

P.s. when trying to resync, also try pressing lock/unlock alternating.

[Rob-Halifax]

Light is still working, I'm concerned about the alar screaming in my ear whilst driving / trying to re sync the fob lol.

I'll let you know how I got on.

[TigerFish]

Light is still working, I'm concerned about the alar screaming in my ear whilst driving / trying to re sync the fob lol.

I'll let you know how I got on.

lol...

To resync (with the button presses only - rather than the Battery out job), you don't have to be in the car. You want to be out the car, just using the fob as usual. After a while, it will realise it is the right fob, just out of sync, and resync the codes.

You will find this happens if you change fobs all the time, one fob doesn't know the code has moved on because the other fob used the code, if you see what I mean.

[Rob-Halifax]

makes sense

The fob isn't playing ball though, yet

[Rob-Halifax]

Well, I got the one fob to play ball, I ended up withthe same situation, key fobs, both not unlocking/dissarming but both will lock and arm. After trying some crazy stuff (lock door 5 time etc etc) I was still no better off. I decided to take one ofthe fobs to bits and have a proper look, I was amazed at what I found. Inder the rubber buttons inside the fobs there are obviously two connections inside on the circuit brd, one of them is like a tiny metal button in the board,this is the arming button, the other (the dissarm) has 3 tiny metal contacts in the circuit board with nothing like a button to activate them. Instead, they have a tiny, very thin (like tinfoil) circle of metal, the idea being that when the button is pressed, the metal disk will touch all 3 contacts at once, this will unlock/dissarm. Not al all,on both fobs, more pressure is needed than you can apply so the disk does not make enough contact to work, if I cross a screwdriver over all three contacts at once, the doors unlock and the alarm is dissabled. For now, I have left the alarm dissabled and will use just the keys to unlock/lock the doors until I can figure it out unless you guys have a better idea? the tiny metal disk btwis about 2mm across and such a weedy little thing, it was bound to fail).

Onto the next - Air Con: I haven't yet had the time to try out your diagnosis's yet Rick but I will, in the mean time I went into the fuse bux to look for the ECU-B Fuse,I was going to pull it as you suggested, instead, I found the A C Comp fuse,being an inquisative sort of idiot, I pulled it, then went to see if it had an effect on my Air Con, well, the light stayed on and did not flash, I can't really tell if the actual air was colder when I activated the air con but the light did not go off. I figure that this means one of three things, the Relayis faulty,the circuit that the relay facilitates is faulty or none of the above and I am completely barking up the wrong tree (I fancy it may be the third option cuz I have noclue what I am playing with here lol)

I think the next question I need to research is what does that relay do/control butin themeantime, I have developed a leaking radiator cap, I thought to myself, not a proble, I have a whole car full of spareparts so I can swap it from that, not so, they have different radiator caps on them and probably different radiators come to that, bugger, now I have a new radiator cap to find.

[Rob-Halifax]

Rad cap problem solved, new cap from my local accessory shop

[Rob-Halifax]

Rick

Re: Air Con

Followed the proceedure (I think), pressed the Auto and RF/SW buttons together, all loghts flashed 4 times but no buzzer sounded, at the end of the lights flashing the readout said 00, I think this means normal. After the four flashes and the end readout, is there a proceedure to continue with the chack process or is the four flashes to signify the start and the end of that process, little confused with this one. BTW, Found and pulled the ECU-B fused and replaced it after 10 seconds (rough count).

The bit that's confusing me is the bits after the HINT antry, amd I supposed to press more buttons to enter a different phaze etc and is the check supposed to last for a longer period or is it instant? if so then your list of codes below would suggest that it is normal. In which case, it might just need to be refilled I guess.

Re: Heated Rear Window

I think (could be wrong) that the only fuse that could be difective and only efferct the rear window would be the Guage one, this may be just my logic but if I read it right, the others effect the heated mirrors too?

Well, the heated rear window light is on and the heated mirrors get warm so I figure that they are working. By this logic I replaced the Guage fuse, looking at the old fuse it seems to look ok, I replaced it anyways. I think that the heated rear window is still not working though.

Cheers

Rob

[Rob-Halifax]

Oh, btw Rick, I'm sold, I'm keeping the brown, it's growing on me.

[TigerFish]

There are more diagnostics (cycling through all the settings etc) but I don't think they would be relevent at the moment. The buzzer sounds if the fault still persists, no buzzer sounds if the fault was stored, byt has since rectified itself). Pulling fuses can clear stored faults, so it could be that they have been cleared already. No new faults have been detected though as 00 would indicate no faults.

For the rear screen, I think you need to check for a voltage at the element on the rear screen next.

[TigerFish]

Oh, btw Rick, I'm sold, I'm keeping the brown, it's growing on me.

lol. :)

[Rob-Halifax]

Anyone? Rick?

When changing my headlights/fog lights to HID with a conversion kit, would I need to get one that catered for Can-bus technology or is it not on my car?

[TigerFish]

Just the plain vanilla kit will do. You may need to reverse the pins on the plug that connects into the car wiring as on the kit I used, they were wired the opposite way round.

[Rob-Halifax]

lol, nothing is ever simple on these cars.

Not knowing what you are talking about right now but i'm sure It will all make sense when I come to do it.

I'm looking at something like this one .. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HB4-6K-AC-HID-Bulb-Conversion-Kit-Lexus-GS-300-QF9562-/330873271326?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4d0995741e

Will it do the job?

[TigerFish]

HB4 is the wrong bulb type. I'll double check later but it is either 9005 or 9006 bulb type (the car has both, one for main, one for dip, just any remember which way round off the top of my head).

Edit: Bit of a senior moment there, HB4 is 9006 .... lol. For some reason, the pic in the eBay listing looked like the dual filement type on my Iphone. On the laptop it look better.

[RayKhan]

You really are Mr GS Rick.

Rob its nice to see a MK1 I still think it was the nicest shape nod I miss my blue one

[Rob-Halifax]

Hi Ray

I looked at a few MK2's before finally settling on the MK1, the MK2 just doesen't float my boat, I think it lost some of it's soul in the upgrade, I just love the pure lines on the MK1 so I'll stick with it.

And btw, yeah, Mr GS indeed, who the hell needs a manual lol.

In the mean time, Rick, does that mean that I will need three kits in total? (1 for the main, 1 for the dipped and 1 for the fogs)

There will also be the sidelights but I dare say I don't need HID's for those, just notmal LED's will do the job I think? (if I knew what normal was that would be good too) lol.

[TigerFish]

Kind of depends with the main and fogs. I tried hids in the main beams (9005) on mine, and the warm up time when first switched on (gets better if main be stays on for a while and only switch off for short periods) meant you got no benefit initially, so proved to be cr&p for me. So it really depends on the how busy the back roads around you are. Only reason I can think to swap fogs is for the colour match, but unless you cruise with them on, who will see? Yellow (yellower) is better for fog penetration anyway, so they are counter productive from a performance perspective. For LED sidelights, the cheap LEDs are too blue (even the white ones) so don't match the headlamp temp at all, but the more expensive Philips 6000k 501 LEDs are excellent, but are about £20 for a pair (well worth it IMO).