timcunnell

Thanks Norm! thats really helpful. I think I can have a crack at that :) Cheers!

Hey guys I switched from an IS220d to an IS250 nearly a year ago, mainly because I could no longer bear the rattles in the diesel! However, my smooth, quiet 250 has now become blighted by an annoying rattle of it's own - and now I know it is coming from the steering wheel! When ever the rattle starts up (usually at just over 2,000rpm) I can always immediately stop it by placing a hand over the big Lexus logo on the steering wheel. Sometimes I drive for miles with one hand covering the wheel like this! I'm not dreadful at car maintenance - in fact I am quite confindent for an amatuer! I changed the EGR valve myself on my 220d, so I'm not a complete no-hoper! So I fancy my chances at having a look at this rattle issue myself. I just don't really know how to get the cover off the steering wheel! Because it has "Air bag" written on the cover I am just worried that if I try and just full the cover off (is is clipped on??) the air bag might deploy!! Is that nuts!? Anyway - if anyone could basically just give me a quick guide on removing and re-fitting the steering wheel cover I'd really appreciate it! Thanks

Well - after getting a call this morning to say my car would not be ready as it still wasn't fixed, I then got another call to say it was fixed! And then when I turned up to collect the car - guess what! It wasn't fixed!! I got an okay bottle of champagne and an apology. The machanic fiddled in the boot and got it working, and then said the amp would need to be replaced (so in all that'll be new wheels, new tyres, new DVD unit and new amp - and I've not owned the car 2 weeks yet!!). But I told them I wanted my car back while I waited a couple of days for the new amp to be delivered as the CT200h they loaned me was just doing my head in. Anyway - I've tried the voice-dialling again and I MUST be doing it wrong!?! Phoning the wife to say I'll be home in 20 minutes requires more conversation with the car than it does with her!!? Am I missing something!?

+1 to that! Your IS looks amazing in white and those LEDs just add the final touch of class.

As Normski rightly predicted, one of the first things I did when getting to grips with the MM system in my IS was setting up a voice tag for the wife and calling her from outside the house! However, it seems to me that voice dialling someone involves an excessively lengthy conversation with the car! Now, as I mentioned in a different post (the one about LED daytime running lights) I am sadly without my car currently. But I should have it back tomorrow (hoorah!) but from recollection, using voice commands to dial someone involves at least three presses of the voice button, with various spoken responses to the systems questions. So I was just wondering if I've missed something and there are actually quicker commands to call someone? Similarly, on the navigation front something as simple as trying to set "home" as the destination seems to take multiple buttons and commands! Are there shortcuts? And lastly, I've really looked in the manual but I can't for the life of me see where/how/if one can change sitcom settings with voice commands. Is this possible?? Thanks in advance for any guidance for a hopeless noob!!

I know Normski I can't believe it! In fairness there's not much wrong with the car. Just the CD player didn't work! They've had to order a replacement, but then the wrong unit was delivered and they had to get that replaced with the correct one. Sounds like a succession of plain bad luck really, and i don't really mind too much. The other issue was that when I agreed to buy the car it was on the understanding that the wheels would all be professionally refurbed because they were all in a bad way considering the age. Then they changed their mind and said they'd replace the wheels under warranty. 'Great', I thought! But then the guy told me that they were only replacing 3 or the wheels as one had nothing wrong with it. I mentioned to the sales guy that I expected the remaining wheel to be perfect, and he said it would be. Then when I got the car, it had 3 lovely new wheels on it, and 1 that had a massive crub scrape on the rim, a big chip in it, and some bubbling paint. Needless to say wasn't impressed! So this wheel (apparently Lexus GB won't honour the warranty on it!?) is being fully refurbed by some specialist company (at their expense, not mine!). So in all not agreat start, but doesn't alter the fact that the car itself is still absolutely brilliant. Hopefully will have it back tomorrow. And yeah I just saw that the LED DRL's are on the new F-Sport models? I agree though, could be pretty expensive, and a difficult (maybe even impossible?) DIY job. Maybe best to stick with them as they are!

Hey guys So I've owned my IS250 for 12 days now and so far it has spent more time back with Lexus than with me. A sore subject!! Anyhow - they've loaned me a CT200h, which is perhaps a whole other topic of discussion (do people generally like them or what?! They're quite nice inside, but I am desperate to get my IS back!!). Anyway - one of the features of the CT that I do like is the Audi-style daytime running lights on the front. And I know there has been some discussion on these forums and others about aftermarket offerings. BUT, yesterday I was passed by an old guy in a new IS going the other way. And he had LED running lights. And they looked great. So - I wondered if anyone knew if these were now an official option on the IS now? I wouldn't mind upgrading mine at some point if this is the case, as I think they look really smart.

Also if you're interested, it's probably worth buying an OBD II connector from eBay if you have a smartphone. These things cost less than £20 and you just plug them into the port just above the pedals. Then free apps for your phone will give you all the ECU error code info you need. Much cheaper than £90 to have Lexus read the codes for you!!

I assume you have an IS220d? If so, the EGR valve is definitely the place to start. Check YouTube for a video on how to remove and clean it. If you have a basic socket spanner set you can remove the EGR valve and check it with pretty much zero mechanics knowledge. Believe me, it is a really simple job! Good luck an hope you get it sorted!

Ah well, I am DEFINITELY going to give it a go on the drive home later :)

Thanks John, thats a great answer. That confirms what I was thinking readlly, and you put it much better that I could have done!! I agree the engine sounds throatier in 'S' mode, now you mention it. Michael earlier mentioned an ECT switch? Do 250's have this?? (sorry I am such a noob!!)

Well I have just had the manual out for a good read on this subject, and then been out for a drive to try it out! I think I understand it now. So in practicality I think you can use the paddles to control gear changes. By using them as 'limiters' you can basically just limit the gearbox to the gear you're in. For example, when stationary you could keep clicking the left shifter until "1" is displayed. When you pull away the car will stay in 1st until you click the right paddle to shift up, and assuming you continue to accelerate the car will stay in 2nd until you shift up to 3rd. Let's say for this example that you then even out your speed and stop accelerating. The car will stay in 3rd until you start slowing down. If you slow down gradually to a stop the car which change down for you. and ultimate select 1st gear for pulling away again. BUT the gear box is still limited to 3rd. So the car should automatically change up to 3rd for you. But won't go past 3rd unless you change up manually. You can still downshift manually if you wish, in order to use engine breaking, but if you don't the car will downshift for you. So in short, the way I see it is that the car will give you all the benefits of manual shifting, but if you don't shift manually the car will take care of it for you. For example, if you're in 'S' mode and you floor it the car will change down for you. Similarly, if you're in 3rd and you slow right down without shifting down, the car will shift down for you. And if you try to shift up to a gear that you're not going fast enough to select, the car will simply not shift up (though it will raise the limit to a higher gear). This - at least - is my understanding of how it works, But I'd love to hear from others of there's anything I've missed or got wrong?

Wow thanks for all the tips guys! I wasn't sure if this was a bit of a niche subject!! But all suggestions sound really helpful. I am going to have great fun this weekend buffing and polishing :)

Ah-ha thanks Normski! There's some pretty heay tar build-up around the end and inside of the pipes, so I wil give the white spirit a go as I know I've got some of that at home!

Thanks Exdee - I am going to Halford this weekend to stock up on cleaning products! Then the car is getting the full treatment! Might post before and after exhaust pics on here!

Hey guys I just wondered if all you IS250 owners do anything particular to keep your exhasut pipes looking good? I love the look of the twin chrome pipes on the back of the 250, and was really excited about mine. But to my slight disappointment, the valeters didn't really clean up the pipes on my car. A very quick go with some car polish and a cloth revealed that there is some lovely chrome hidden behind all the black marks/tarnish on my pipes, so they're now already looking better. But they need a proper going over, and I wondered if anyone else on here is as bothered as I am about this, and if so - what would be the best products to clean them up with? Cheers!

I'd be very interested to hear what other members far more knowledgable and experienced than myself have to say about this one! I've owned my IS250 since Wednesday and still getting used to it (though loving every second in it at the moment!!). I am pretty sure they are proper shifters to be honest. I tried them out on day 1, on country roads driving pretty hard - and it was great! I think some drivers (at least this is the case for me) are a little uncomforatble with the lack of control you have over what gear you're in when driving an auto, if you are doing some "sporty" driving. 95% of the time I couldn't care less because I am cruising round and sublime comfort and am happy for the car to chose what gear to select. But - when driving hard on country roads I really want control over the gear I am in - for example, changing down on the way into a bend to use some engine-breaking, then accelerating hard out of the exit (as opposed to just hard-breaking on entry to a bend, and waiting for the gearbox to kick down on exit). For me, this is what I thought they were for anyway! Put it this way - there were some slightly newer 250's that I considered which didn't have the paddles, and which I then discounted. For me the paddles were essential. (though it remains to be seen how much I do actually use them!!). I do think there's more to it though. For example, them work in 'D' aswell as 'S' mode, so is this just an override thing or something else? Its an interesting topic, and I am thinking Normski and some of the other expert members might have some wisdom to add!

Well - I am back from the dealers. And the upshot is that my car is booked in for two days next week to be looked at! The service manager (head mechanic guy) came out and to be fair he was very helpful. But he admitted that he was at a loss to explain why it wouldn't work and said it definitely wasn't normal! I am pretty unimpressed that the car was handed over to me with a non-functioning DVD!! The guy admitted that their various pre-sale checks only include checking that the radio works. But of course the DVD should be working too. Maybe I'll end up with a whole brand new ML system. I guess that would be good. They better not try and charge me a fee for the courtesy car though!!!

Haha I know what you mean Norm! I have a feeling it is soemthing stupid! I am going to go over at lunch time (any excuse to drive the car really!:) ) so will let you know what happens.

Thanks Norm. The CDs are CD-R, and also levels look okay. The strange thing is that the volume controls have no effect. They work fine on radio, but on CD literally nothing happens when I alter the volume. I am assuming I should see the volume changing in the corner of the screen, the same as when on radio?

OK - I don't seem to have any actual original CDs with me! (at work). But I have just inserted a DVD, and...more problems. The DVD is recognised, and it starts playing. But no video! And NO audio either! The screen displays the chapter and track numbers, and the counter is ticking over, but the volume control has no effect! Does this sound fairly terminal!?

Thanks guys. I think I need to try an original CD asap then to see if that works! Will report back

Hey guys So I finally picked up my IS250 SE-L MM yesterday, and I am REALLY happy with it! :) I just have a small niggle at the moment with the stereo. Now, maybe this is just me, and I have to admit I've not yet read the manuals (something which I am planning to, and indeed looking forward to!). My problem is that I tend to buy my music online (from iTunes) and then burn albums to blank CDs to play in the car. So I've been loading a few of my favourites into the new system, but they won't play! The strange thing is that the discs are recognised, and even the track names display correctly, and appear to be playing. But there is no volume, and indeed the volume control (either the volume knob or steering wheel controls) have no effect at all. I am guessing (hoping!) I don't have a fault with the system, but at the same time it doesn't seem like a problem with the blank disks because of the way that the tracks are being recognised. So I was wondering if any of you guys with the ML MM system play recorded CD's, and does anyone know why my volume isn't working? (radio is fine by the way). Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Fair play Matt. I thought that was a rather detailed reply, and towards the end of that post I was beginning to suspect you may have some affiliation with AA Autowindshields. I apologise if I've unfairly tarnished the name of The AA. These are only two examples and by one fitter. I am sure this isn't a fair representation of AA's workmanship and service overall, and to be fair, the girl's car that leaked was sorted out very quickly. As another member has mentioned, forums are surely a place where we can post out views and opinions based on experience. At the same time, others are welcome to take notice, or consider what they read to be total nonsense. If you can't make sweeping and unfair statements on an Internet forum then where can you make them!? I genuinely hope that people who've read my previous comment will appreciate that I've just had a bad experience, and that they'll use all available resources to form a fair and balanced judgement.

Just to qualify my comments about AA Autowindshields - my post did refer specifically to the Ipswich operation. As far as I am aware there is one guy with a van who does the fittings in this area. Certainly the same bloke did my windsrcreen and my colleague's. On my car this guy fitted the trim/seal along the top all wonky and "wavy" like he's just rushed it, and tried to get me to sign a form to say I was happy with the job, while a piece of side trim was sticking up in the air. When I pointed this out he said it would be fine and just glued it down, rather than re-fitting it properly. Since then it has always looked wrong. In the case of my colleague's car the same guy did not re-fit a piece of trim along the top. SHE pointed it out and he told her the peice was not necessary. The next time she drove in the rain she got wet. So in summary - I was not saying that AA Autowindshields are crap. I am sure they fit the same glass and their fitters on the whole are no different to any other firm. I was saying that the guy operating round my way is crap, and I think I have illustrated through my two examples that I am justified in saying this.