M.IQBAL

Hi

My brake pad warning light has come on on my 1996 LS400.

Question is has anybody changed their brakepads?? is it pretty straight forward or is it better left in the garages hands.

I have changed brakepads before on my camry but that did not have any sensors attached so i need advice wether to tackle this myself or take to the garage.

Also what are the best pads for these cars - especially those that dont give out black brake dust!

thanks for your help in advance

regards

miq

Hi,

I have been having an absolute nightmare with my 1998 instrument cluster. The car worked perfect for the first three weeks of ownership then it started to misbehave.

The gauge needles (RPM, Speed, temp and fuel) would drop to zero readings after 10 minutes driving. However after stopping for 10 minutes the gauges would work again for another 10. Obviously a very slow way to get around.

Had the cluster taken out and put into a specialist instrument shop for 12 weeks(@&^*&**&^!!!!!) and they replaced ALL the capacitors and the voltage regulator, even fully resoldered the board by putting it through an oven. In their efforts to fix it they burned the unit out completely. However since the board was given to them faulty they are not taking responsibility for fixing it.

So I need to find a replacement cluster for a 1998 to 2000 model year LS400. Does anyone have any recommendations for a reliable source? Is there such a thing as a specialist lexus breaker?

Any help to get my very expensive piece of driveway furniture rolling again would be great.

Cheers.

Hi

i would try fenand breakers in cambs - 01354 651949 - the last time i rang him for a wheel centre for my MK3 he mentioned that he was breaking a MK4 aswell.

Failing that try Madina motors in oldham 0161 205 7484/85

I would also recommend filling in a parts request on one of the website such as www.partsfinder.co.uk

If any of the above are breaking are breaking a MK4 then chances are the dash will still be available since its one of those parts which rarely goes wrong on the MK4

all the best

regards

miq

hi

its madina motors in oldham - Phone: 0161 205 7484/85 07792572642

apparently it has only done 50K but its been in a front end accident

regards

miq

hi

why do you ask - has it packed up? - if yes there is a breaker in oldham who is breaking a MK3 at the moment?

Very....................VERY nice car - My MK3 was vandelised the other week - some sod keyed the passenge side front to back inc doors - i has cut the paint - so at the moment im really P*****d off!!

hi

ever since getting my LS i have been forced to buy Proper Music CDs from shops knowing that the LS would not play CDRW. Well last night I burned some CDs for home and this morning i just tried it in my LS and to my amazement it played CDRW !!!!!!!!This for me is a priceless find !!!!

I also found out last week (after 5 months ownership) that the LS has speed sensitive wipers - amazing for a 1996 car - certainly ahead of its time!

regards

miq

I have a MK3 do they have speed sensative wipers ??

regards

miq

hi

ever since getting my LS i have been forced to buy Proper Music CDs from shops knowing that the LS would not play CDRW. Well last night I burned some CDs for home and this morning i just tried it in my LS and to my amazement it played CDRW !!!!!!!!This for me is a priceless find !!!!

I also found out last week (after 5 months ownership) that the LS has speed sensitive wipers - amazing for a 1996 car - certainly ahead of its time!

regards

miq

hi

www.driveandview.com should be able to sort it out.

Does ur car air suspension then? - im LED to believe they fitted air suspension to the Japanese version?

all the best

regards

miq

hi

reference to the audio back lights i got mine fixed from www.caraudiorepairs.co.uk for £85 inc delivery

regards

miq

thanks for the reply passman - did you notice any significant improvement in the ride quality and cabin noise - is the MK4 smoother (suspension wise) and quiter or is it about the same?

Hello,

I changed from a Mk 3 to a Mk4 (Not a dhp), last August and don't regret it. However the changes in themselves are not that much, it just feels a better package overall.

Engine -----------variable valve timing and extra 20bhp plus extra 24lb ft of torque at slightly lower revs.

Gearbox---------5 speed instead of 4 Together these make the car seem much faster and generally more responsive than a reduction of less than a second in the 0-60 time(Lexus figures compared), would suggest.

Probably because of the engine and fifth gear I find the car is a bit more economical. I'm averaging 23mpg instead of 20mpg.

Traction control has been useful once or twice during the icy weather. VSC has never yet operated but then I don't drive like a lunatic anyway.

Additional side air bags which hopefully you won't need.

HID lights are good but then I was happy with the 4500K xenon bulbs I put in my old car.

Sat nav not an issue for you but I much prefer the layout of the audio and climate display, just a personal thing really.

As I said not really that many changes but all of them add up to what I think is a better car.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

thanks for the reply passman - did you notice any significant improvement in the ride quality - is the MK4 smoother (suspension wise) or is the same?

hi

im currently running a 1996 series 3 which has a fitted sat nav and im looking into a series 4 as i fancy a change.

question is is their much difference between them in terms of ride quality/toys apart from:

a) series 4 has sat nav (I already have one)

B) some series 4 come with DHP - which im LED to believe although gives better handling it does compromise on ride quality (smoothness)

c) some series 4 have Xenons - i have upgraded my bulbs to PIAA xteme white giving better visability

so is there anything else which a series 4 has which series 3 doest which makes it all that better???

all opinions very welcome

regards

miq

HI

Simon i havent had a chance to look into it yet mate - just been busy - if i find out anything i will post it

regards

miq

hi

fergus i dont think the Mark 3 has seat airbags?

when i removed my seat on my 96 i just undid the 4 14mm bolts and out it came - replaced it no problems have occurred

hope this helps

regards

miq

steve mines a 96 MK3 and it says "made in Japan" on the windscreen - wonder why they had to make it so prominent - it as same with my Camry

regards

miq

hi - that is definatley the Pioneer KEX-P8256-ZT and yes they do suffer from missing digits and backlight syndromes - mostly found on the MK3 LS in the UK

regards

miq

Finally we get some sunshine and im able to give my car that long overdue wash and Meguirs Gold Class Polish - the results are as follows:

Lets hope it stays dry now !! lol

regards

miq

thanks jelly bean - i am thinking about it:

What are the costs of getting replacement elements

How easy is it to undress the seat and is it easy to put back together again looking just like it did at the start?

any advise fully appreciated

regards

miq

hi

i have a repair procedure for the Pioneer Stereo fitted to the Mark 3 LS400 in PDF format - it comes with detailed instructions and diagrams on what to replace - if its any help let me know and i will email it to you.

If you car is older then it might be worth spending £2 and getting a repair manual from here www.manualsparadise.com - Again they wil email you a Full instructions and diagrams in PDF format.

hope this helps

regards

miq

hi

Geoff thanks for you reply - i have only had the car 3 months and upon reading this site i have come to the conclusion that it is the elements because the passenger side works fine. The electrics seat adjustment on the driver side also works fine meaning the electrics are all good - so for that reason i havent investigated the electrics.

regards

miq

Hi

i have just replaced the drivers seat on my MK3 with a seat from a similar car which had only done 50K miles. Obviously the condition of the seat is almost new however the heated seat elements (which i was expecting to work) still do not work - surely they should last longer than 50K miles??? The switch lights up etc but no heat - Should i just give up and accept it??

I used to have a 1993 Pajero and the heated seats worked a treat.

regards

miq

hi

there is some info here from a USA site

http://www.carstereohelp.com/stereoremoval...S300CDChgrR.htm

its not exactly the same car - hope its some use

regards

miq

welcome to LOC

Very nice clean car - color scheme is just perfect - grey interior is easier to keep clean than beige

happy driving

regards

miq

My Mark 3 which has original wheels takes 178mm caps - when i bought my car all four caps were missing - it was very hard to find in them in the UK especially with Gold logo so i ended up buying them from the US - £100 inc delivery for 4 - they were refurnished but good as new

regards

miq

hi

i used www.hubcapzone.com in USA for my 96 LS400 centre caps with gold badge - lexus were quoting me £65 each - I got 4 for £100 delivered to the UK

Have a look on their website - chap to speak to is Mark (remember they are 8 hours behind)

On the other hand there is a V reg one being broken - listed on that popular auction site

hope this helps

regards

miq