Keith Bowler

Martin - if you are careful you can pick up sensibly priced winter tyres of Ebay for the price of snow socks if you are lucky.

I have no idea what the GPS unit looks like and am yet to understand where it is positioned. I went on a 70 mile run out today down to the south coast and satnav got me there and back with no issue and a 'green' GPS logo all the way - yes it worked for the full journey!! I really think that my problem is due to a damp boot so I am going to replace the seal and then see what effect that has.

yes - I bought one too, in fact the very same one but I cannot for the life of me find any details for the satnav at all

Yes that's where the hard drive unit thingy is - what I am trying to find is the location for the GPS receiver. There seems to be two suggested locations, the rear parcel shelf and the front dash but I cant for the life of me work out where it is on my car which is a Mk IV 1999 model. Someone must know, anyone - I am pulling my hair out with this one!

Changed battery (with engine off) - piece of cake, no problems with anything did not even loose seat memory. Seems to run much smoother now.

Looks good, bet you're pleased - though I don't like the gold badges

Going to replace my battery tomorrow -is there anything I should do before hand? I have not security codes for the satnav/computer etc so not sure If I can just swop new with old. I appreciate that I'll loose seat memory etc and possibly ECU settings but I can live with that.

Thanks chaps - bit the bullet and used a company called IValet, they came down from Cambridge and I must say for the 300 notes i paid they did a remarkable job inside and outside and threw in an engine bay detail to. Well pleased with the finish paint is silky smooth and water just beads and runs off just like it used to on my old GS300. No more swirl marks or holograms either. Mine was in a bad state having not been properly cleaned or waxed for many years. I just need to keep it that way now.

Mike If you still want to follow up yor problem with DVLA have a look here for advice www.pepipoo.com

What about run flat tyres?

Still struggling with this one. Think I may have narrowed the problem possibly to the GPS receiver and a damp boot. Also run the battery flat the other day (long story) and when I got it started the SatNav came back to life, got all excited but by the following day it was back to normal ie not working. When playing around with the calibration function I can get a red GPS icon up and sometimes a blue one and it will find itself but it soon goes off again, same with the clock but I now know they are linked. I have searched for the GPS unit in the boot but am not sure if thats where it is on a 1999 car. Can anyone offer any further advise/ideas or point me in the direction of the GPS location - just hope its not behind the SatNav screen unit!

I always use Eurocarparts and only buy Varta batteries far superior to Bosch in my opinion though that is based on experience with my old GS300.

Interesting to read what you mention about the GPS unit. I was flicking through the sat nav manual and saw in the info on the map screen a note about the GPS. It appears that if the GPS is working you should see a GPS icon on the map screen but I dont see this. I have not had my car long but when I bought it I noticed on the passenger side at the top left hand corner of the windscreen a small rectangular box with what looks like a short antenna, it was hanging down so i wedged it into the screen trim to conceal it. I now wonder if this has something to do with the GPS but cant see any reference to it in the manual. The car does have a Clifford alarm fitted so I suspect this is the internal movement sensor. I will try the battery disconnection trick and see if that helps, as you say if the car has equipment fitted you would expect it to work so i'll persevere.

Once a V8 owner always a V8 owner in my book! My other car is also a V8 but a classic pocket rocket a descrete 'wolf in sheeps clothing' that's over 30 years old now..

Just can't get my Sat Nav system to work consistently or adjust the clock so that it remembers the time. Thought I would pester you chaps one last time to see if anyone has any ideas as to what might be wrong. Sat Nav - I can set a location (well nearly always) using road name and town etc. I can calibrate my location. I get directions to a destination fairly accurately. Problem is I have to do this all over next time I want to use it even for a return journey as the system seems to forget where it has gone which can't be right. When I turn on the map screen prior to using the system am I correct in assuming that I should see on the screen my location? Does the in car system work like my Garmin does? I have read the little owners manual cover to cover which was not much help. I have had a look at the cd drive in the boot to make sure that it is dry etc and all connections are OK and it seems fine. The previous owner updated the maps CD but I am not sure what version it is. Clock Setting - this is really puzzling me, everytime I get in the car the clock is wrong, I reset it through the Sat Nav setup screens but as soon as i turn off the ignition is defaults to some daft time. I have noticed that when you reset the time there is no button to press to log what you've done. It appears that the clock is linked to the operation of the Sat Nav in some way which may explain why the two do not appear to be functioning properly. I have scoured the net and am none the wiser. I would like to get hold of a Lexus maintenance manual but don't seem to be able to locate one for the LS - at least then I could attempt to trouble shoot before taking drastic action by disconnecting the battery etc etc. Any help would be most appreciated before I empty my wallet at my local Lexus dealer.

I bought 5 wheels with tyres from a fellow member from the Scottish borders using a guy on Ebay called SV Logistics or something similar. The courier was actually City Link who were not the best but they said they would not collect if the wheels were not in boxes but in the end the seller just bublewrapped them with some stiff cardboard over the face of the wheel and they arrive without any damage whatsoever.

Colm - I have just switched from as 1995 GS300 sport to a 1999 LS400 and must say that on the whole the LS is a more sedate drive. I love everything about the MK1 GS300 and yes it is a more sporty drive but having used a Mk1 LS400 as a loan car when mine was in garage I was so impressed by the performance. I too was initially put off by the wallowy feel of the LS but then read about the special handling package that was available on the MK4 which from a sporty driving point of view brings the LS on par with the GS but having had my LS for a couple of months now you just can't beat the added luxury that the LS offers, not to mention the silky smooth V8 in the LS. If i were to be perfectly honest though if the Mk1 GS in sport guise was available with a V8 I would not have switched. .

I'd be interested in an upgrade for my 1999 car, but I believe it is the CD system not the DVD one. The old disc I have is definitely a CD Rom and is version 1.1 for the UK. The one currently in use is a 2008 upgrade but not sure of the version ref til i take it out. I just can't get my satnav to work properly, seems to keep changing the location and i just can't get it to fix my home location. I also have a problem with the clock which I posted a while back but still no joy with getting that reset properly. I would like to reboot the computer that controls the satnav but have yet to work out how to do it, the owners manual is no help whatsoever - anyone know if it is easy to do or will i need to take it to my local Lexus 'stealership'?

Better throw my Bosch ones in the bin then and reuse the flat blade ones which I found to be very poor on my GS. I must say I have tried Toyota/Lexus replacements in the past and have found them no better. I do wonder if the wiper arms are over sprung and 'squash' the blades on the screen.

Thanks chaps - I'll persevere with the vertical park on the screen route and bonnet up and see how I get on.

A bit of a daft question but how do you replace the wiper blades. It was a breeze on my GS as I just switched the wipers to the snow setting to free them from their general rest position and flipped the blades over to release them.. I have tried with bonnet up and by force parking the blades at centre of screen but just can't fatham out how to flip the arms to get the blades off. Can someone please put me out of my misery!

Hi Have you looked at the 17" DHP wheels? IMO they suit the MK4 best. I happen to have a spare set which I might be tempted to part with PM me if you are interested..

Does anyone know of a reputable detailing/valet company in the Bromley/Croydon area of SE London. I'd like to get my recently purchased LS mopped and polished and the engine bay cleaned and tidied up. Local company recommendations i have seem to be a bit hit n miss with no real recommendations.

Why do you say that Tony? Most top marque manufacturers have them as an option.

Mike Yes done all that but when I set the clock and hit the GB button the clock just reverts to a daft time. I may have to reboot the computer but not sure how best to do this. Keith