zenzen

Ditto, The grease had long since turned to glue in mine. Didn't know it used a particular lube. Does it have a part no.? When I figure out how I'll post some pics up.

Sounds familiar. The caliper clanks as it releases. It costs virtually nothing to clean up the carrier sliders. I thought I was due some wallet pain for news bushes ect. Only when understood what the carrier was doing twigged where all the noises came from.

IS200/2003/SE - 76000miles. Standard everything. Front calipers are responsible for a host of unpleasant sounds usually at parking speed, can have feel of warped or uneven braking. Now had the calipers off and serviced twice. Last set of pads went in we noticed the carrier was stiff and the pads worn unevenly. New pads and discs around 65000k. Decided to give the calipers some love. Bought a seal kit from bigred via ebay. Can confirm has everything needed and appears quality stuff. Did the work under the supervision of qualified engineer. Heres how it went. Took out the pads, health set but worn unevenly. Took off the caliper. With the caliper on the bench easy to test and see the carrier on both calipers were partially seized. Same slider on both sides. Seals in good condition. The bolts the carrier slide on are the offending items. One of the rubber boots gets stuck, allowing the surface of one slider to be corrupted and start to jam. Buffed the bolts and cleaned everything, new seals, reassembled. Glad I watched someone else do the piston seals first as it a precision job. Back on car and also treated it to some new brake fluid... and bleed,,, and bleed.. and and and.... lots of unplesantness gone. Conclusion - The caliper seals are probably not the problem. Given the kit was £34.00 and I had the luxury of wiser hands than mine to help was cheap for me to do. Would guess most only need to pull to carrier off and polish up the carrier bolts to sort the problem. Pay attention to which bolt is top and bottom, one has a rubber seal at the end. Either each year and or each time pads/discs are replaced, polish the bolts and check the slider action. Do have some pics if that would help.

Big thanks to the Forum too, I found the codes and PDF of the workshop instructions to access the OBD. I did post occasionally but can't find any of my old posts to add too. Have since last post, written it off repaired it (cosmetic bumper) and some other adventures! After 8 months off the road and with a fresh battery fired up first time. Still putting a smile on my face. Still can't decide if defaulting the ABS and TRC off is a good idea. But then it would have only been a matter of time before someone wrote off the back bumber without the brake lights...! Other useful info might be.... the only recall is for the drivers side carpet clip. Really is a danger! didn't hook it back properly and stuck the pedal at WOT. A knock from the suspension that befuddled everyone turned out the be the internals of the shock letting go. No change in performance. Took ages to figure Edit move as you like Mr Steve :-)

Symptoms - TRC warning light flashing with ABS light constantly on. Loss of ABS and Traction Control. All other system operating. No recent work or non genuine parts on vehicle. In original trim with less than 80k , 2003 SE Model. Well serviced and looked after. Diagnosis - Confirmed ABS loss and TRC. Systems have shut down. - Checked all fuses. All good. -Put vehicle on ramps. Visual check no obvious damage. -Accessed OBD manually using workshop manual instructions. Abs light flashed 41 then 46 repeatedly. TRC flashed code 43. ABS Code 1241 = LOW BATTERY POSITIVE VOLTAGE OR ABNORMALLY HIGH BATTERY POSITIVE. Code 1246 = Master Cylinder Pressure Sensor Malfunction TRC Code 1243 = Malfunction in ABS control system -Cleared codes and disconnected battery. On ignition warning lights apppeared. Fault therefore must be detected at check and not a rolling fault. -Mulled it over for the day and read some of the manual. Unusual failure, seemed like the next step would be test the ABS control unit. -Went shopping (she made me) noticed for the umpteenth time people were trying to weld themselves to the back of the bumper and in the week or so the warning lights appeared a few horns I couldn't understand. Wonder if I have brake lights? -checked brake lights. Inoperative. -checked fuses, bulbs and any wiring, checked power to bulb - no power. Pondered. -check brake pedal switch - Inoperative!! Disconnected plug and bridged contacts. Brake lights on. Cycled ignition. Warning lights off. Without bridge warning lights on. -Took out switch, cleaned contacts and dried off some maintenance spray (potentially caused my own problem..dohh) Benched tested and working. Re installed in car allowing for 80k wear. - ABS and TRC functioning. Conclusion. If ABS and TRC only warning lights appear. Check brake light in operation and pedal switch is working. Have yet to road test ABS/TRC function. When it rains I will!

The freezing point of ethyl alcohol is -117.3°C. best I could find on google, try saying ethyl alcohol after drinking Jack Daniels at -117!

Hello flex, 1.) couple of more bits of information need, is the suspension standard or after market? If you load the passengers can you visibly see the arch drops too low? Couple of usual suspects are the arch lining dropping in the arch or the shock absorber has seen better days. 2.) constant squeaking that gets worse with more lock tends to point towards the power steering pump belt, worth checking it before spending money

I don't post much but I can say how disgusted I am with colbecoz comment: "A well, poor old me... I just loooooove Lexus. Can't help it. I'm an addict. (nope not goin in to re-hab.. lol). Abit like havin someone insult yer wife.... well, hmmmm, maybe not.. lol" I mean common, someone insults the goodlady.... well we can talk about in a sensible adult fashion... insult the lex and its pistols at dawn!! Beside you can always get a replacement whereas a good lexing is hard to find... hehehehehehehhe.

Hello, when I first saw the IS200 it did if for me in the looks department, which is a personal choice. I came from a background of turbo charged 4x4 ricer toys, my fav being the little Mazda 323 4x4 turbo, basically a poor mans scooby do. I've owned a lot of cars ( I didn't say nice ones!) and usually get bored of them after about a year. I think I have my own case worker at DVLA!! I've also dabbled in a very amature way with motorsport (rally stuff). I had a Alfa 2.5v6 156 at the time (yes I know! but ya gotta own one in your life!), and a friend of mine came to visit and had one as a company car. Being boys we took them both out along my favorite rally slag route across some moorland roads..... There was no comparsion. In every way except maybe straight line speed the Lex shone through. For a car thats listed at no more than 160hp out of a 2.0 lump I was impressed by the torque across the range, ok so your not going to win any drag races, but for a standard car I've driven nothing better than handles that well and stops that quick. The steering is pin sharp and the feedback soon lets you know your close to the limit of grip ect... the 6 speed box is highlight, it will let you dawdle around town pulling 1500rpm or scream though the A roads like a huligan. After think about it for a while, I was talking with one of my friends who asked me "If you bought what would you change?" I took a moment and couldn't think of anything. That sold it. Went and bought one. After a few years of ownership I still have fun driving it and I've been impressed with the build quality and the sensible way toyota designed it to be serviced ect... very few niggles in that department. No at 60k on the clock and is fettled by myself and goes to my engineering mentor for the more indepth servicing. Gets about 1/2 sensible driving and 1/2 err well not so sensible.

HI guys, what a warm welcome! Thanks :winky: Yeap keep yer eyes pealed Whoosh, got to love the moors for a spot of eerrr...senic inspection. Couldn't agree more Parthiban, may I say love your paint job too :D Take a miss on butchering the airbox, maybe I'll treat her to a decent filter and leaving it at that. Found something else to enthuse about too, very obvious when the engine is warm, the tickover quitens down, nice touch... I may have gush for a couple more weeks sorry....

Hello, finally managed to join the dizzy heights of Lexus ownership. Just as soon as I've learned to drive the forum software I'll post a pic!! Wanted an IS200 for a while, I had the chance to drive my friends Lex like a huligan a couple of years back and loved the way it drove. Bought an 03 plate with 39k, SE edition in Strathcaron blue. I've been in penury hell for the last couple of years and consigned to a chav cav 1.8....in green!! THE HORROR THE HORROR! First impressions: Took about 50 miles of trying to steer the Lex off the road, abusing the 6 speed gearbox and welding my face to the steering wheel everytime I touched the brakes before the sloppy big grin attached itself for the other 150mile drive home. I've heard a few tales about the gearbox and the engine being lazy around 2000-3000rpm, having had a chance to get used to it all I can say is LEARN TO DRIVE!! The gearbox is fantastic, pick 3rd and 4th round town and light throttle, trudles around happily. Prevoke the vvti over 4000rpm and its a drivers car again. Its more like driving a 4 pot than a straight six. The steering is sharpe the brakes are obidient. Not really pushed the handling yet but it feels tight and runs round corners on rails. So far I'm very impressed and half deaf over the standard sound system. A couple of questions for the owners. Just how much high rpm abuse can the IS200 take on a daily driver style? Is the car really that well balanced or am I going to get a nasty understeer/oversteer moment at some point? Is the airbox restrictive? And are the gains in response worth spend time arsing around getting a cold air system in? and err hello!