Warning Lights

[DavidNino9]

Afternoon All,

Firstly new to the site as I bought an IS200 over the weekend but this morning driving to work had a major malfunction as on the dash the malfunction light came on along with the TRC OFF light flashing and then the engine just cut out on me.

Upon a quick check over when I got to the office it looked to me like the rad had leaked and the engine was running hot so no idea if the head gasket has been effected but I am thinking the cost of repair is going to be around £1000.

Question is really has anyone on here heard or had to deal with this issue??

Many Thanks

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Firstly... You need to plug the car in to a diagnostic obd2 code reader and retrieve the fault codes. That's always your first move when the EML comes on. The TRC flashing normally indicates a misfire but not always but I wouldn't be too concerned that it's blinking. Happens a lot when the eml is triggered.

You say the car ran hot? Did the temp needle on the dash rise? And if it did, did it go into the red?

You say the rad leaked? So coolant everywhere in the engine bay as if it's been sprayed from a water jet or has it dumped the coolant? If it's dumped it, where has it dumped it? On the floor or no trace? If you put coolant into it now what happens? Does it just come out or does it hold it?

Let's not jump to drastic conclusions mate such as head gasket and £1000!

The eml and trc could just be something as common as a misfire and the rad could just have a leak. Need more info and we really need those fault codes.

[DavidNino9]

Chris thanks for the reply once the lights came onto the dash the temp gauge didn't rise at all.

Also on the Rad leak I pour coolant and water into the Rad directly and it was coming out the bottem right corner as you look down on the engine bay running of the under tray and forming a puddle under the car.

I will defiantly get a diagnostics check done on it so as I know for sure what happened.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

I think you can stop worrying about the head gasket then. HG on these don't go just like that. You'd need to run it overheated for a bit. These cars do give off a bit more heat than others, one if the first things I noticed when I first got one but if your temp needle didn't move should be ok.

Sounds like previous owner bunged the leak up in the rad and sold it to you. The eml could be anything but I don't think your worst fears are going to be realised. Hopefully just a coil pack or sensor or something. The coolant sensor is in that bottom corner of the rad so could well be that.

Come back and let us know how you get on or if you need help once you have the fault codes

[DavidNino9]

Well I have the car back at first the garage replaced the rad as it had a massive water leak but on the way back to the office it began misfiring and the dash board lit up again so took it back to the garage for a check up which was free of charge and they have told be that the HG has gone but couldn't give me a price on the cost to repair so just been really unlucky with my first IS200 altho still think they are great cars.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

I'd want more evidence of a failed HG to be honest. What is their reasoning? Did they do a sniff test showing up exhaust gases in the coolant? If your oil and water are not mixing (making mayo emulsion in the oil or having oil in the coolant, easy to see it floats) if no exhaust gases in the coolant and no mixing of fluids I'd be sceptical. And did your car overheat or loose it's coolant with no trace? And did your car smoke excessively even when warm?

What codes did they pull from the car? I assume they ran a diagnostic to retrieve fault codes?

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

A misfire would indicate HG only if your coolant was being lost into the combustion chamber. So you'd get misfire codes and your coolant would be gone or getting lower noticeably and the car would smoke like a chimney!

[DavidNino9]

Cheers again Chris for your help I shall endeavour to find out as the car still runs and drives.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Maybe take it to another garage mate or even lexus, they charge £45-60 for a diagnostic with no obligation to have work carried out. At least you'll know for sure what up then.

I hate garages that give you the most expensive solution!

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Also the coolant would leak into combustion chambers while car is off so it would be very very difficult to start it and on bad HG failures it'll hydro lock the engine

[BarneyTT]

Have to say Chris, thumbs up for a cracking series of responses in this thread.

David: Really sorry to hear of your problems with your IS and whilst I can't offer any advice I do hope you can get the issues sorted quickly and without too much damage to your wallet.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

I've been through HGF 3 times on 3 different cars. Lol... So I know the symptoms very well. Never on a Lexus tho, MG metro, Nissan sunny and my sisters Daewoo all had HGF with different symptoms. The Nissan was hardest to diagnose as no fluids mixing, no loss of oil/coolant (well very little coolant but not drastic) but it would blow the rad cap off sometimes because the radiator was now the exhaust and the coolant would look like it was boiling in the expansion tank, but it wasn't, it was the exhaust gasses bubbling out!

[eastern lexus]

I had exactly the same thing with my lex it dumped all the coolant while I was on holiday.

I bought a direnza alloy rad from eBay fitted that and its been fine ever since.