Manc

if its stutters it could be your jets are blocked.... look for the info on the Throttle Body.... i already had my engine light on when this happened to me, the light was for the EGR pipe blowing - readout gives 3 codes... but its just a blowing pipe!!! A stutter sounds like a blockage of some sort... i wouldn't have thought the engine would do strange things after a O2 sensor goes... they are way after the engine.... can you not wire up the obd to get the codes? on the OBD version 1, you just loop a wire from 2 of the connectors & the warning light then displays the code... really easy to DIY.. can this be done on OBD2 anyone?

Was just about to mention Chris Vince myself.... he fixed my speedo when it went blank.... a fair price & speedy service... he's your man if he still has the time...

lol, i ended up with a Vectra ..... its a 2.2 - but the twin exhausts are the only similarity with the Lexus.... the Lexus is still sat here too... i cant scrap it for peanuts so if no-one wants it after xmas i might break it as much a s i can then scrap it... i tried to keep that thought out of my head for so long but nobody wants it... its far too good a car to scrap.. Offers anyone? http://www.lexusowne...opic=74754&st=0

Nice one mate.... its a strangely gripping watch.... i couldnt take my eyes off the screen.. what a motor.. i even saluted when it said the man died :) I think i'm gonna start playing the national lottery again... Cheers

Hi mate... i bet it only had a years warranty too.. typical of todays world.... but it could be a few things.. duff battery or bad contact.... when it starts ok, go & get the battery tested again.. they should tell you if the voltage is abnormal or not.. and if the charging is still ok i see its charging ok - then its not the power steering reservoir leaking onto your alternator & shorting it out (common fault with the MK1 & 2 LS!) or it could be a well worn wiring loom causing something to stay on (like the old phone in the centre), or the boot light. & make sure the boot light switch is working correctly... you'll have to open your boot & then put your keys in to ign.. go to boot & find the switch & press it to see if the light goes out.. or take the bulb out for a week & see if the battery still runs flat.. The wiring loom well known for it is the boot loom, it runs thro one the hinges...but it has been known to happen in the front doors too... you'll have to gently expose the wires to see... Good Luck... If not, you could always buy my LS :)

Cheers guys This is so true of my Lexus too... its the only car i've ever had that has NEVER broken down... and its never been in to a garage for engine troubles in its 225k miles & 18 years running... now that is quality engineering

I live on my own & as we all know (well, most of us!!) - money is very tight.... I've head to let my head rule my heart and sell the Lexus :( Here's she is - http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=74754&st=0 This site has been as quality as the car for the past 7 years... A BIG THANK YOU to anyone that has helped or even answered me.... some great links & vital info that saved me £££, much appreciated lads I will be returning to Lexus as soon as i can fatten my wallet :) Cheers

Cheers mate but its probably going... skint as hell living on my own... mot due in Nov & all the rear bushings need doing too... im broke... and devastated with the inevitable loss of the only decent car i owned in my life :(

Can someone 'explain the shock absorber for dummies' ??? Looking around for rear springs i have various options.... i also see struts are cheapish too... they are 2 different parts yeah? i decided to get a quote from lexus for rear springs and struts (because the racing or american sites show pics of the strut without the spring!!) lexus quoted me the same part no. for both?? im now a little confused but this lead me to believe either i'll get the spring already mounted on its strut from lexus or we british call things by different names..... I feel a little embarrassed as i thought i knew things about cars having changed the front control arms with little fuss, changed broken p/s & brake pipes and even fitted an alarm in one of my older cars - was even wired up to the fuel pump to help stump most petty car thieves back then.... i've done the odd service etc etc etc amongst other basic maintainence..... never touched suspension until this Lexus so am realising i still know very little :) is shocks/strut the same thing? im beginning to feel even more amatuer don't worry.. i wont be fitting them myself :) i've been scared off by the mentioning of uncoupling diffs etc..... not as easy as the front shocks then!!!

Hello :) Once i've fixed the rear susp issues i might treat the car to new wheels... i been reading up & see there aren't many that fit straight away.. am i right in thinking this? i'm not too bothered about what type of wheel it is as the current ones do look tatty & i took the nut covers off cos the paint had come off most of them... i had to coat the nuts in wd40 for 24hrs before taking the wheel off .... this annoted me & made me realise the car needs bringing back up to the sort of condition it should be... Will the is200 & sportcross wheels fit? there seem to be a few of these on ebay?? I cant afford new ones due to all rear bushings and rear springs need replacing too... and the egr pipe.. amongst some other minor issues :( dont understand the offset but believe it to be 50??? does anyone know the correct specs and what i should be avoiding???

i saw a cheap compressor was not wise but did everyone manage ok??

Alright Phil.... most of my friends (who havnt drove or even sat in it!!) say i should get rid.... but the ones who drove it are all positive..... i've had it 6 yrs now & it only cost me 1 set of tyres for the first 3 of those years..... the front susp arms have been my biggest outlay... but deep down i want to take it to 500K... and then maybe get myself on telly with the Proclaimers :) lol... the fuels a bit of a pain... but i can cope for now.. Its the only car i ever became attached to - apart from my 1st sporty one.. a 205 gti :) but this far outweighs the liking of the french go-kart... i can't explain it really but im sure most of you already know :)

Jim - thats a great link.. Thank You

Started waffling didn't i??? I forgot to ask how easy/difficult it was to get the rear arms off to replace bushings??? I can get access to a press and a decent engineer at work, but the parts gotta be off the car obviously... this is my cheapest option.... and have seen the wd40 reference so am presuming its a toughy???

Mine passed the MOT with dodgy looking rear brake discs... the guy laughed about them but said it passed the braking efficeincy test with flying colours so he cant fail it... but i did buy them weeks later when i got a few shudders.... thought i'd do it myself but couldn't get the old discs off..... & buying proper tools was more expensive so i threw my tools out of the pram & took it to the garage Sir John I commend you Sir :) I've got those same sinking feelings about future repairs to my car... but when you think about it.... mine is 18yrs old, done 230,000 miles & and only just starting to get rubbers failing the past year or 2... its never been into a garage for a engine failure/troubles/issues..... (now that is incredible!!!).. the only faults have been normal wear & tear parts & the odd electronic hiccup like the dash & the a/c display..... not a bad cost to fix either if you stay away from the dealers.. they wont fix it they want you to buy a new dash console!! ££££ ...the rear suspension is now my headache after sorting all the front end last year :( but still just wear & tear parts !! the exhaust flange is split at the bottom (bloody councils!!) but should be fixable when i find a decent welder.... and that is about it.... could do with a window switch my side, and a service & gear oil change... but she runs really well..... gearbox is sound, engine is smooth, 2 smalll rust spots that should be easy to sort... Oh i did i mention my rear springs just cracked? to go with the bushes i need :( Over the next 6 months i prob need to spend upto £1000 with diy parts & the odd garage fee, but when i think what i'd get in place of it........ well...... errrrrr.......................... there's nothing on my current financial scale that can match it really... its worth keeping until the gearbox fails or bodywork is showing its rusty brown bubbles... or the engine packs in - but i cant see that just yet Its a dilemma indeed but i've gotta keep it, i know it & what its had done or is in need of.... i'll only end up with another LS or maybe GS but i'll be starting all over again wouldn't i??

I was going to suggest the front control arms / bushings / balljoint... but if you say the garage doesn't know then i dunno.....im sure they would have picked that up as parts move a little more than they should... Thats how mine started to go when turning out of the drive, i'd get 1 or 2 sharp loud knocks.......then it developed into a few creaks/groans over the bigger bumps / kerbs on the road, then every dip made a noise after 2 weeks... it was the bushings that went but i needed new arms.... take it somewhere else and ask them to check the front bushings... is your brake disc cover okay? these can sometimes catch if they have seen some miles

Thanks people.... i just saw the pic on the other recent post :( strange but it happened when i stood on the opposite side rear passenger cill, it sounded like it was that side at the time but driving it the past 2 days it sounds like my side when i go over bumps/dips... but im gonna take a look on my dinner hour tomorrow.... well dinner half hour they give you nowadays.. Health & Safety dont seem acknowledge the bad indigestion these rushed dinner breaks cause us..... but if a signs up, everythings ok with the world :) sorry... im waffling aren't i?? Thanks again.... i'll let you know.. i wish i'd found this post before the other i read... i wrote a massive reply..:tsktsk: never mind, speak soon.. i'll let you know

and remember those bolts are on at 136lbs so you will need a breaker bar and a swear box. LOL... :) i'll end up using the bar on the swear box... but those moments are funny when you look back.. been there done that.... i remember being there a few times in fact... cut knuckles when you slip etc... people step away from you and go back inside the house etc.. great times :) Can i ask another question on these rear bushings please???? I had a warning the MOT before last.... it was for both Nearside/Offside "lower (bush to hub) suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush"... I didn't get around to doing it and this years flagged up not those bushings, but N/s & O/s "rear wheel bearing has slight play".. now reading above somewhere i noted one of you said that these bushings sometimes get mistaken for bearings.. is this correct?? you've just cut my bill in half :).. next MOT is due in Nov. but the O/s rear bush has just gone... sounds similar to the sound when the front arms/balljoints caved in... the grinding over bumps or turning.. excuse my lack of knowledge but would these be the same bushes as the above mentioned Priracing.com £40 delivered ones?? i can't book it in for inspection until next week and the anticipation is killing me... i've read about bushings, suspension arms, trailing arms, strut rods, and whatever else... even diffs & cams??? now im a bit lost i've got a '93 LS and know it has upper & lower rear arms, but is there a 3rd arm in there somewhere too? Just going off my MOT warnings, its the lower bush... how would i check if the bearings are really ok and it is just the arm?? it drives fine except 2 loose rear end moments at 40/50 mph - which, at the locations they occured, i thought were rather odd, but it was country lanes so could have been anything.... and of couse the recent knocking / grinding .... Or would i really be that unlucky to have the lower bushes, wheel bearings and maybe the upper bush to go all in the same six months? wow.... that would be expensive :shutit:

Hi, I too have been researching these bushes. My car is judderings when braking and castoring at the back. The car has been in my workshop for a week, jacked up, Wheels off, and ive been lubricating all the suspension nuts and bolts with WD40. I got the bolts off the rear bushes on saturday. I have found Prirace.com in the UK that will supply the rear trailing arm/axle carrier arm bushes for under £40 delivered. Im about to order a set today. Hi mate.. are you sure its not Priracing.com???? prirace.com is just mg's/spitfires by the looks of it.... Just to let everbody know... :)

Think mines got the same problems.... im not pricing mine up until next week so let me know what you find.....

I can go on.....

I would fully expect to be able to buy the same car or a car of equal value with whatever sum they gave you after an accident.. but thats not the case... 3 qtrs of the value of the car is all they pay out minus your excess (which can be very high if you wanted a cheaper quote). I valued mine at £1500 - its a 50k car and cannot be worth anywhere near 500 unless its scrap... if someone were to bump me, i know for sure they would write it off... the labour charges alone would exceed the 3qtr value in most accidents with this car. They'd prob offer 700minus excess which takes the p!ss to be honest.... what could i get for £500? It shouldn't cost you at all if its anothers fault, i'd want that car bringing back up back to the condition it was in the second before the crash, parts paint, labour the lot... if they can pay someone £1200 for 'whiplash' without even having that person properly medically examined with no bias results due to funding, then i want my car fixing as it was.... or a cash sum that would cover the cost of replacing the car with an equal car and insuring it etc.. when you look into it, it would cost me twice the value of my current car to suddenly have to change... and all i'd get is 500 quid.. that shouldn't be allowed.. Insurance Co's have been mastering the art of 'legal fraud' should we say for years now... i've been had over by several since 1992... including holiday ins too.... i had a few accidents in my 1st 3 yrs of driving, 2 were my fault, 3 were others.... most of which ended up 50/50 as they say???? another scam... I'd like them to explain in detail the reason behind the massive price hikes since i started driving 17 or 18 yrs ago... back then they blamed all the car thieves everywhere.. now they say its all the uninsured drivers..... well excuse me but shouldn't they be made to pay for thier sins when they have an accident..?? and are you sure there really is "all the uninsured drivers" that you say there is?? In todays Britain?? with every police car equipeed with equipment to combat this? plus roadside monitors that take the reg of vehicles entering & leaving most towns & cities in the UK???? are they sure its not just to cover the cost of thier secret friends in the claims dept of the murky financial world... they actually encourage 'victims' of accidents to claim.. is this why so many cases are now 50/50? Cars are now safer than ever with more & more gaining 5star awards, braking is so different now than the old drum brakes, etc etc etc Car theft is now minimal compared to when i was growing up... The doctors we had to go see after an accident... he virtually filled in the words for me.... and that was 1995.. its scandalous.... but all money motivated.. I've heard of 18 year olds being quoted 5000 pounds for a 1.0ltr car... its ridiculous and it needs looking into... Why have we got to change every year now beause they like new business?? its like they are all scavengers after each others customers, its quite pathetic... shouldn't good business be built on reputation? so what if they dont earn the extra 50 million, they already have 600bn in the bank.... its morally wrong, ethically wrong, a great big scam that needs somebody like Dispatches looking into it.... the ombudsmen just seem to sit there and do nothing (must be on the payroll too) and i know they are more cars on the road now & possibly more accidents, but shouldn't the influx of new drivers be the influx of extra cash they crave and not every premium being raised every other month followed by lame excuses for it.... It certainly is a can of worms if opened, but it needs looking at... if there is anyone honest left in todays world....

This happened to me last year, the o/s/f.. terrible sound but was in a driveway so jsut looked underneath, saw it and just twisted it off, quite easy as it was hanging on by a quarter of what it should do... 2 bolts looked part of the bodywork anyway so maybe a pair of tin-snips will suffice... a new shield is quite expensive so i left mine off.. i try to remember to turn wheel before washing it to hose behind the calipers but i always forget... i doubt she'll last another decade anyway so you shouldn't have any troubles My heatsheild above my driver side tailpipe has just done the same thing but is balancing on the pipe now... its completely free but i cant pull it out without force so its staying there to do its job... the new ones are very expensive for the size of the metal.... the only scrapper i found had no wheels & was sat on its exhausts with another car on top so i presumed they'd be no good either!! isn't that typical.... it doesnt rattle that often and its not loud when it does so again.. its staying where it is for now

Hi, Long time no see.... the old 'gal has driven well.... but this years financial calamities have restricted me from acting on last years mot warnings..... The other day I stood on the passenger side rear door cill ( i was reaching accross the roof..) i then heard the loudest sound ever to come from the car... a big bang/crack... i've not jacked it up yet but can see nothing obvious loose or broken.... It drove well with 4 people & a boot full for 80miles, then another 50 with just me & the boot full.... no creaks or groans and drove smooth... the day after someone pointed out that it looks low at the back.... now i know they do sit low at the back anyway but it did look slighty lower.. but equal on both sides.. The day after that i heard a noise as i pulled out of the driveway to go to work, the stereo was on so i missed it but noticed it... no more noises on the trip to work.. bt on the way home it did creak several times over the larger bumps/dips etc... it now does it with the large but soft dips in the road and i fear the worst.... it's a bit like the noise when the front ball joints went... but not as sharp or as often... did get warnings for both rear lower susp.arms and rear wheel bearings.... has anyone had either of these... what sort of cost am i looking at? I got 2 weeks off in august to sort it out so any info would be good... Thanks