routerbooter

Is nobody taking into account the difference between the driving experience of an automatic when compared to a manual? The IS was designed to be a car for the driving enthusiast. If you have an automatic IS you're only doing half the job. It's like having an automatic Ferrari. What's the point? Yes the IS300 is quite a bit faster than the 200, but if you can only get an auto version then I'd say you have to think of what you're sacrificing. If speed is all you crave then you're a speed freak, not a driving enthusiast.

LOL, never thought of looking there. Thanks Stevie. Weird though, Fujitsu is a big computer manufacturer but never seen a car audio unit made by them.

OK, maybe someone can clear this up for me. My friend, who used to work in the Toyota/Lexus parts warehouse told me that he had been told that the stereo unit in the IS200 was made by Nakamichi, yet I have also heard that it is actually a Pioneer unit. Does anyone know for sure?

Just been on that site, and saw this: "Updates start from £109 plus Delivery ". Don't know how you got yours so cheap?

You guys don't like orange?? I think the standard dash looks pretty cool.

Stevie, what size rear plate did you have? I've been on to the Demon Plates site, and you can get a standard large rear plate, which seems a little too big for the IS200, or the custom plates listed, which are nearly as wide as the standard plates.

Is there any particular size of number plate that fits an IS200?

I think 400 quid is way over what I'm willing to pay. Don't interiors come with the roof lining?

I'm only after a half leather black interior. Where do you suggest I look, because I've had no luck so far. Is there any instructions as to how to replace an interior? I wouldn't really consider reupholstering because it still leaves you with cream plastic, leather etc.

OK, there's gotta be other peeps out there who are struggling with a cream interior. I'm sure it looked lovely when the car was new, but after a couple of owners, one of whom smoked, mine looks like crap. I would have liked a black interior, to match the outside of my car, but trying to locate one from either a breakers yard or ebay is a painful process, and fitting it is probably even more painful. Which leaves me with only one option. To make the cream look as good as I can get it. I've tried car upholstery cleaners with zero effect - since it's really the upholstery, ecsaine, which lets everything else down badly. Has anyone had any experience getting stains out of this material?

Many thanks Stevie. I used the first part of the first set of instructions to program the new key to lock and unlock the doors, and the the set you supplied to program it to start the engine. It works!!!

That doesn't sound right though, unless you have to remove and re-insert the key. The immobiliser should be disabled (i.e. the Security light goes off) when a correctly-programmed key is inserted. Yeah, that's how I know the programming hasn't worked. It goes off when the master is inserted, but even though the spare can lock and unlock the doors I know it is not correctly programmed because the security light still flashes when it is inserted. I aasume the last bit of the programming instructions is related to actually being able to start the car (the previous part concentrating on locking/unlocking the switch on the drivers door) and it is this last part that is not working for me. It says hold the lock and unlock buttons on the key down simultaneously for either 1.5 or 2 seconds (depending on which instructions you have) then, within 3 seconds, hold any key down for a minimum of 1 second. I have done this numerous times and it just won't allow the key to start the engine.

AFAIK you should still be able to reprogram your new key, even if the maximum keys have been programmed, and one of the older keys would be overwritten in the cars memory thats all, just hope ur current master key isn't the one thats overwritten, is your new key a 3-button? I have used the key programming method and it worked 100% Yes my new key is a three button one. It was the only used key being sold on ebay. I have yet to see a stub key for sale on there. The car locks and unlocks itself after the first part of the procedure (flicking on and off on the door switch) which is what it's supposed to do, it just seems to be the last bit with the holding the lock and unlock buttons on the key itself - I've seen intructions that say hold them down for a maximum of 1.5 seconds, and some that say two seconds. Anyway, it's this bit that just doesn't seem to work. I assume the immobiliser is still operational as a security measure. The security light on the instrument panel keeps flashing when the key is in, even after the programming procedure has completed.

Has anyone tried programming an IS200 key using the instructions posted elsewhere on the forum? My car was only supplied with one key, luckily the master, and so I got hold of a blank key and a used key from ebay, put the inside of the used key into the blank key, got it cut and tried programming it to my car. I can get it to lock and unlock the doors but not to actually start the engine - it just turns over but doesn't catch. The bit that doesn't seem to work is the last bit where you hold the lock on unlock buttons down on the key and then hold another key down for a minimum of a second. My mate suggested that the car might actually have the maximum number of keys already programmed to it, which I find worrying that there might be three other keys out there which will open my car, and suggested that I use the proceedure to reset all existing codes, then reprogram the master key, followed by the spare. However if it resets all the codes and then fails to reprogram the master successfully then I can't drive the car and will face a hefty bill from Lexus! Any thoughts?

Many thanks guys. Will take it in to get the wheels balanced and see if it solves the problem.

I had my IS200 sport out on the open round for the fist time since I got it today, and as soon as it got to 85mph the car started juddering quite severely. Does anyone know what the most likely cause of this would be? The car also veers to the right when braking, but I'm assuming this is just a matter of wheel alignment? Thanks

hey up matey, but where abouts in leicester you from?? I live in Thurnby Lodge

Thanks Janey. I would consider swapping the interior for a black one, but sounds very expensive!

Hi Like many people I have a half leather interior, but I was wondering whether the non-leather seat material can be dyed. My problem is that my IS200 has a cream interior and the cream seat material is stained. Since the interior is a little bright for my taste anyway, I thought it might be possible to dye this material (which is also on the doors) a different, darker colour, giving a two-tone effect and covering the stains. Since my car is black, my initial idea was to dye this material black, but I don't think black and cream are a particularly good combination. Has anyone else tried this, or even considered it?

I unscrewed the screws and saw one end of the ribbon cable (it didn't appear to be loose) but the cable proceeded into the middle of the unit so I couldn't check whether the other end was loose without taking the whole thing apart. Is there a guide to replacing the ribbon cable, as this would most likely seem the cheapest way of proceeding, certainly before trying a new screen, or new entire unit.

Can I get replacement ribbon cables, and if so do you know where or how much? Thanks

I remember seeing that you had the same problem as me with the screen going blue then just going blank. I tried everything that everybody suggested but couldn't get a hold of the ribbon cable so I am now thinking about replacing the screen itself within the housing unit and get rid of the ribbon cable that's there altogether. I think someone has done this as this rings a bell. I'm just fed up saying to people 'My car's got satnav as well but the screen's f******' Hi Did you manage to sort your screen problem out? I'm having the same problem with my sat nav now. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks

Had a look for a walkthrough but can't find anything. Would be grateful if you could dig yours out for me. Knowing how tightly ribbon cables usually fit I doubt whether it's come loose on it's own, but I'll try anything at this point.

Do you mean unscrew the sat nav unit? Haven't got much to lose since it's not working anyway, but is it a simple thing to unscrew it, check it and then screw it up again? I guess if the ribbon's ok it must be a burnt out screen, and if this is the case I don't suppose the screen can be replaced rather than the whole unit?

Ok, I've now had everything out and checked all the connections and I can see nothing amiss. Do I now assume that the screen has somehow burnt out? It's a little strange if it has, since burnt out sat nav displays isn't a topic I've seen anyone raise so I can't imagine it's a common problem.