John N

Excellent review and very fair. Well worth anybody who's thinking of getting a 430 watching. John N

Mine already has a speed limiter fitted. I think it's set to 155 mph but it's never worked. I may go and test it later! John N

I agree with that. In 12 years of driving a couple of LS430s I've had to buy 3 new batteries and each time a genuine Lexus/Toyota battery from the main dealer has been the cheapest option by far. Supprising realy given the price of their Bonnet Gas Struts ! ! ! John N

I only bought them from B&Q because Halfords next door had tried to charge me £5-70p for a pack of 8 washers! That makes Halfords price 71p a washer, and B&Qs price 20p a washer three and a half times the price! John N

After 20 years the gas struts on the LS430 have reached the point that they don't hold the bonnet up on a cold day so I thought I'd shop round for a new pair. The main dealer price for a new pair (inc VAT) was £405-36p so I thought I'd try Ebay. The ones available from the UK through Ebay ranged from £316 to £16-73p a pair. (The £16-73p pair also came with a 3 year warranty!) After pondering for 2 seconds I decided to invest in the £16-73p pair. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-FRONT-BONNET-HOOD-GAS-STRUTS-FITS-LEXUS-SEDAN-LS430-2001-2006-5344059115/183390158334?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item2ab2e7bdfe:g:Vm0AAOSwVRBb1LF4&amdata=enc%3AAQAFAAACgBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickk8Fd9si%2FIbtWQr%2BhnlRwjDSajTfZYse9hPOA6VpFLB48YeEMtJFlyb4Ew0uFt2lVqZEyppZ%2B7kh9ilBmkSXAogDSooo4A7%2BcVBZC2vzde1BZymIdwfWsfaP5oTRWimfrnkv4ShbIEbxCO0iFdClJ%2BFnqpWshkTMa6nHiywkBYrstMok%2Beowovzl4rmKFlUao3Y%2FCYbGUiBE9C7DQ4R1JVE2pB60tDyqn9IjbJTuUJ6%2Fvjfm%2FDHdP4Gw75%2FNMtioSiUWW77njFFj7C765HqHZ%2Bqj9hDdJeR7bq8%2BVwI4S1miDKlN69zGHg4FFdTfU3Dc38glueODNuvO2GHxlb0rNie4xl7dj%2B8L4%2BELEqGUDiQBsMOvwjqer0HkbkwpRjk1Vmp1SUmN5rQDyoc4yUE9vxAdwgxfv%2Fsk4KTTd14UTaooGbrz6Pe%2BMR6ybhB6qwJ7ecmy1WQf1IPQUGUGvJEL08yZbwOCH4Xz%2FS6spfZAUIWPHFu05Q7FBQrPxrWnfgsWkNaSlJ%2BAx2398AK8udqxiy57V4uPxpeboR%2F4QdY9KMkYElIF4c4JeBhV4CrFX6on3fwiIX%2BKqRI5Ds%2FFnZa9AaiBs7QqhxOkdHEk%2FMZkXtqqIUaU8XXfrrmocejJw0QQg0QyQpuBcklSmoDebIs4v4unUTS%2FJngZKwnp1rFl2gjsUOfT9juYCYs8J3z9TAfx%2BatANHBTbEHNddRzCA7m0YD%2FhNsXz9BuXcOr7XyVezj1vL3i6oTNC3hvmtgxWJO08peGc4VLldBB%2BZj0UNJFJTfvQIjEjTsQA6UYeVlEDwFyU%3D|cksum%3A183390158334cb32a55ba4a943639e28b6fc97e49306|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2334524 The only problem was that when I removed the old struts the ball pins at each end of the old struts were not removable and could not be reused. This meant I had to buy 4 new ball pins for £6-99p from the same supplier. (They came the next day.) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4X-BALL-PIN-JOINT-10mm-M8-THREAD-FOR-GAS-SPRING-STRUT-END-FITTING-MULTI-FIT/184161583449?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648 Then using 4 new M8 washers (£4-07p for 20 from B&Q) it took 30 minutes to change both struts. Total price £27-79 to replace both struts and they work perfectly. Why such a range of prices? Could it be because the ones I bought are marked FIAT 500 and the expensive ones are marked TOKICO Made in Japan?

The plastic screw plug on top of the radiator is where you put the anti-freeze in the first time you fill the radiator. Then when the radiator is full to the top, replace the plug, and fill the reservoir bottle with anti-freeze. Take the car for a short run, watching the temprature gauge, after it has reached normal operating temprature park the car and allow the engine to go cold. You should find the level in the reservoir bottle has gone down, as the air trapped in the heater escapes. So top it up and repeat the process until the level in the reservoir stays on the normal mark. John N

It does work fine (mine has for the last 2 years). Just use the port with a plastc screw plug on top of the radiator the first time you fill the system with anti-freeze. Then fill the reservoir with anti-freeze. After that top the system up (when it's cold) using the reservoir filler cap as the air trapped in the heater bleeds out of the system over the next few days. John N

Off subject, but the LS430 makes a brilliant tow car. It has the power and torque not to notice the caravan behind, but you have to be carefull to keep to the 60mph speed limit. The self leveling suspension when set to 'sport' keeps the car level and controls any bounce. You do need to fit an additional transmission cooler if you are towing anything heavy for any time, and keep the transmission in 4th gear at all times. John N

I've just tried to look what size jubilee clips I ordered, but my Ebay purchase history from 2 years ago doesn't show what size I bought. Just measure the diameter of the hoses, you don't have to measure them exactly, as jubilee clips have a wide range of adjustment. That's one of their advantages. I agree with The-Acre on this. The corrosion in the unions occurs because owners don't change their Anti-freeze every 5 years and the corrosion inhibiter looses its' effectiveness. This can be made worse if you have a leak on the system and keep topping it up with plain water instead of Anti-freeze, it dilutes the corrosion inhibiter faster. Worse still can be the back street garage that will refill the system with plain water after they have worked on it to save the cost of anti-freeze! Keep the Anti-freeze in the radiator up to strength and you shouldn't have any problems. I only use an external transmission cooler in addition to the cooling coil on the radiator because I tow a big caravan. John N

This is the radiator I fitted to my LS430 two years ago, and it has been fine. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIT-FOR-LEXUS-LS430-AUTOMATIC-MANUAL-RADIATOR-2000-2006-2-YEAR-WARRANTY/152429318586?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Picked it as it was one of the few offering a 2 year guarantee. I used ordinary 316 stainless steel Jubilee Clips for all the hoses, these are better than the original spring clips which are designed to be fast to fit on the production line. Being adjustable you can release them or tighten them up to cure any slight leaks. Although the transmission cooling hoses were twenty years old they looked in perfect condition, so I just reconnected them. Use a couple of brake hose clamps when you disconnect them to avoid loosing transmission fluid. It's an easy job and I've had no problems. When you come to refill the radiator and header tank with antifreeze it will take you a few attempts to get the air out of the heater system. The first time you fill the system take the car for a short run with the heating turned up full and get the engine up to its' normal temprature. Then when you leave it to go cold you will find the system needs topping up again, top it up and repeat the process. It may need topping up a couple of more times, but when you no longer need to top it up all the air will be out of the heater system. Good luck. John N

It may be 20 years old but mines still a baby at 115,000 miles. John N

Brilliant Jimmy I'm pleased you've had a good result. I tried all the so called 'air-con' specialists I could find in Noth Manchester and non of them wanted to attempt a repair like that. Unfortunatly it's a long way to Ebbsfleet from here. John

Hi Jimmy I know replacement pipes are still available, phone the spares department at your local Lexus Main Dealers, with no delivery charges thay can be a lot cheaper than importing them. (Don't forget to ask if there's a Trade Discount, on the price they give you. Being cheeky costs you nothing, but can save you money!) I was quoted just over £1,000 from Lexus Stockport last year to replace both rear pipes. But when the clumsy fitter in their workshop destroyed the unions between the front and rear sections of pipe,Removal.pdf it meant all the A/C pipework on the car needed replacing! At that point I cancelled the job and blanked off the rear pipes instead. Who has advised you to replace the expansion valve and why? They are usualy bomb proof, and like the evaporator are the last thing you want to touch. You have to strip the whole dashboard out of the car to get to them, and that costs serious time and money. (If it's not broke don't fix it.) If you do go down the road of replacing the rear pipes make sure the work is done by someone with a lot of experiance of working on A/C gas lines, mistakes can be very expensive. Best of luck John N Location.pdf Replacement.pdf Components.pdf

First question. Have you had the A/C system leak tested by an A/C expert using flourescent dye? Do you know for certain the lines are leaking? They are just aluminium pipes and if they are not leaking just take the opportunity to corrosion proof them with Ditrinol or Waxoil where they run under the car. They will probably last for years if you do. If they have a leak, which pipe is leaking or are they both leaking? The pipes are an imperial size the larger low pressure pipe is 1/2" outside diameter and the smaller high pressure pipe is 5/16" outside diameter. But you need to use special fittings. The company that makes repair kits using hoses, blanking kits and specialist A/C fittings is an American firm S.U.R. & R. AUTO PARTS INC. Search for https://surrauto.com/air-conditioning/ I used their fittings to blank off the fridge lines to the back of my car, they are not cheap but they made the job easy and they work perfectly. John N

It's not an issue with the mechanism freezing, it can happen at any temprature below 12 deg.

They are soft close locks, but the squeak comes when you press the key remote to lock or unlock the doors, not when the soft close works. John N

I’m looking for good advice on how to stop my door locks squeaking when the weather turns colder. In the summer when it’s warmer they operate quietly but when the temperature falls I get a loud squeak from two of the locks. For a few years I had the same problem on my previous LS430 and despite trying every type of oil, grease or silicone spray I could find, the squeak always came back in cold weather. I did eventually fix the problem on that car, but only by changing the lock actuator, which was an expensive fix. John N

Ebay - Serch for 'LS400 1997 climate control screen' Lists a supplier in in the USA selling new ones for £27 + £10.98 shipping. John N

The easy way to see it explained is to go on YouTube and search for 'LS400 timing belt replacement' the videos show the process quite clearly. John N

Out of interest, how much have your parts cost? When I bought a new timing belt and water pump last year from my local main dealer I paid £45 for the belt and £130 for the water pump, inc Vat. John N

I changed my timing belt on my LS430 a few years ago, that requires you to turn the crank aux drive belt pulley, which has the timing mark on it, to 50 deg past top dead center before removing the timing belt, at that point the three timing marks on the belt should all align with the the marks on the left and right camshaft pulleys, and with a mark on the bottom of the timing belt pulley at the front of the crank, which is behind the aux drive belt pulley. These are the sections from the repair manual I have. John N Timing Belt Refitting.pdf Timing Belt Replcement.pdf

I had an S Class Mercedes 12 years ago. It was the most unreliable and poorly built car I've ever owned in 55 years of motoring. But when everything was working right, it was the best long distance journey car I've ever driven. The problem was there were only two weeks when everything was working right in the two years I had it! Things haven't changed, Lexus have just been voted the most reliable cars by Which readers. The current reliability ratings for breakdown costs which give a score of 100 to the average car, rate the Lexus LS at 79, (21% cheaper than the average car). Compare that to the Mercedes S Class which has a rating of 345! If you do get a Merc let us know how you get on, but don't say you haven't been warned. John N

Start with very simple stuff. Check your tyre pressures, I found these warning lights coming on when I had a soft rear tyre. When a tyre is going flat it turns faster than the one on the opposite side and this can confuse the stability control system. John N

I had the same problem on my first LS430 when it was about 14 year old. The amp just died, so I replaced it with one from a scrap yard, which cost me nearly £300. That amp was still working fine when the car was 19 year old. I did price a new replacement from Lexus, can't remember the price exactly, about £3,000 I think, but they did offer a £1,000 discount if I returned the faulty amp! That was because the amps fitted to the early cars were known to be prone to failure. The early amps were part No. 86280-0W040 and the upgraded amps were 86280-0W041 both models are interchangeable, but the upgraded ones are more reliable. I can't find any amps on Ebay in the UK, but if you serch for 'Breaking LS430' you will find a few breakers yards with listing, just message them and ask if they have an audio amp available. John N

I'm afraid not. It does not matter when the tow bar was manufactured, it goes by when the car was registered. Any car in Europe etc. registered after 30 July 1998 can only be fitted with a towbar that has been 'type approved' for that model of car. The towbars for the early LS400 were made to recognised standards but were never 'type approved' for the car. Prior to the changes towbars in the UK were certified to the appropriate British Standard, in Germany to the appropriate German Standard etc. Manufacturers had to pay to get their towbars certified in each country where they sold them. That cost had to be passed on to the customer. After the changes once a towbar was 'type aproved' for a specific model of car it could be sold in any country using the ISO standards. Although the 50mm ball is the ISO standard coupling, 2" balls and pin couplings can also be used and fitted to type approved towbar. The fact that the vehicle V.I.N. states a maximum towing weight is a seperate issue, it can only tow that weight if it is fitted with a 'type approved' towbar! John N