drooi

Lots of stubby cigar lighter multi-adapters available at Halfords which will fit without fouling the sliding cover. :) Very low cost too!

Thanks. Actually I had some difficulty removing the whole blade, but the process is easy once you know how. There is a locking catch which needs to be snapped outwards to release the blade. Once removed the arm fitting is pretty universal, allowing most independent makes of blades to be fitted.

Dunno if this has been covered before, but cannot find it in the forum. Does anyone know if the IS wiper blade (not just the rubber) can be removed and replaced with say something from Halfords? I have tried and they seem to be well fixed to the arm.

MarkD, you may be interested to know that the 220D can be programmed to unlock all doors if you open the driver's door after turning off the engine. The driver's door has to be opened within 11 seconds of the engine being turned off (why, Lexus, why?), otherwise you will have to go through the hassle of pushing the central unlock button. Only your dealer can do this programming, and even then they have never heard of it until I pointed it out to them in the manual (yes it is in the manual). Hope that helps.

I would agree with most of the comments made above, adding the following: 1. Remember that the bluetooth will not let you dial whilst moving, or even select an entry from the phone book! That is of course Nannying gone mad, but it is a major inconvenience. 2. The DVD will not play images whilst moving, so has very limited functionality. 3. You cannot add speed camera POIs to the Sat Nav, again a major inconvenience. 4. There is no 7-digit postcode search in my 2007 model, I believe it is still the case with the 2008 models. 5. Most annoying of all you cannot enter destinations whilst moving, a safety feature which will ensure that if I ever buy another Lexus I will never specify a built-in Sat Nav system again. Of course you can over-ride nos. 1,2 and 5 with major hardware surgery, but it's a hassle. Good luck!

For those of you who have a manual IS with MM, and are frustrated with the Sat Nav, Bluetooth, etc locking you out when the car is moving, and wish to do the mod yourself, here are some instructions on dismantling the manual gearbox console box (essential step to doing the mod). It is different from how the auto box is dismantled. You only need to follow pictures 13-17. Thereafter go to this link for the wiring mod http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193739 It is a very long thread, you should read most of it, as you will need to fit a switch between the pink and white/grey wires for the Destination input to work whilst moving. I had mine done at Hannah Autosound, Glasgow today. Took them 2.5 hours, as they got the wires wrongly connected at first. I think they should manage in 1.5 hours from now. A competent DIYer should also manage as long as you follow the instructions meticulously. Now the MM works as it should in the first place!

Can anyone help with opening up the IS220 (manual) console box? I need to do that as a first step to the satnav mod. There are detailed instructions on the ClubLexus (USA) site but it refers to an auto box. The metal strips and the console lid on the auto apparently are held just by clips, so they can be pulled off. However I don't seem to be able to easily pull off these two items on my console box. Wonder if the console box on the manual is different from the auto and the lid is actually screwed down!! Can't find any screws though!

Does anyone have "instructions for dummies" for satnav hack for IS 220/250 manual transmission? The link above is a bit vague. I need a "how to" on dismantling the console box to get to the sat nav unit, the actual wire/wires needing cut, why there seems to be 2 wires needing modified instead of just the VSS one, etc. Wish there was an auto-electrician in the UK willing to do that for us....

Well explained Sagitar, and also well countered Matus. Still doesn't really explain why: 1. The idling speed will not drop to 800 when the aircon only (the aircon compressor) is turned off but will do so when the whole climate control is turned off. I would have thought if the aircon compressor is taking up so much power, turning it off would do the trick, without having to turn off the whole climate control. 2. My previous BMW 525d heats up a lot faster, and never idles at a high speed when warming up. My use of the word "simple" is obviously symbolic. I agree that nothing is "simple" when it comes to technology, but come on, if other manufacturers can do it surely Lexus can too! My experience of diesels is limited, but I do know that in my work where I often get driven in a Skoda Octavia 4x4 diesel the engine heats up quickly, and idles at under 1000 rpm regardless of engine temperature.

Yea during warm-up it idles at 1200. If you put off the climate control (not just aircon) it will idle at 800 nicely. Once fully warmed up will idle at 800 all the time whether the climate control is on or off. Lexus Glasgow says that is perfectly normal. But it is a pain though! I often put off the climate control while sitting at traffic jams, but then it gets too cold....wonder how a manufacturer like Lexus cannot get something simple like this right! There are various forum topics on this throughout this site.

No matter how long I drive in city traffic (could be over 30 mins) the engine never warms up to optimum, which means it idles at 1200. If I take it for a motorway drive it will warm up fine. My Glasgow Lexus dealer refuses to even look at it....says that is "normal". Anyone has same experience?

You all may be interested to know that I have my manual IS220 programmed by Lexus to unlock all doors when I pull the driver's inside door handle. They had some problems initially with my request, but finally found the menu on their hand-held computer. The unlocking has to be done within 10 secs of putting off the engine, rather silly, but better than nothing! DrOoi

I have had the car for 1 month, and the first time the wipers revert to intermittent when stationary is today!! Try putting the engine off when the blades are in the middle of a continuous wipe - that's the only thing "different" I have done earlier today. That useful function (which I had in my previous BMW) is certainly temperamental, but if it is not working try changing the variable intermittent setting to its longest, or putting your foot on the brake pedal when stationary! Curious it is not mentioned anywhere in the manual.