david_hornet27

Come on BazGTR, I guess you are doing the guy a favour by giving him some advice but why slate him (and other members) for not using the search facility? Searching is not as easy now the site has changed, and sometimes it is easier to ask the question again as it is quicker than sorting the relative answers from the not so relevant posts that a search can bring up. Some of us are happy to help without moaning about it...

Must admit I have always hankered after a big citroen and if I could afford 2 large cars I would have my Lexus and the C6. However I can't afford both and would never ever choose a citroen over the LS400 let alone an LS430! Can see the citroen costing a fortune in repairs and getting very annoying as things start to break inside and out.

Well done on an excellent purchase. Whilst I can't help with the problem of the wing mirror moving on it's own, I can confirm that my car which is also a MK4 does something similar and I have to re-adjust it to the correct position every so often. Mine I think seems to move upwards though rather than outwards. With regards to the dipping in reverse, you need to have the mirror switch set to the drivers side for it to work.

Thanks Steve! Will probably get it up on the ramp again this week and spray WD40 where I think it might make a difference. Problem is so intermitent that it is impossible to find the source of the squeak, and the pry bar came up with nothing last time I looked. Maybe I'm wrong about where the noise is coming from and it is actually coming from the front. I have had an interior rattle recently that when driving sounded like it was coming from the back. Got my girlfriend to drive whilst I was in the back and the rattle sounded like it was coming from the drivers seat so maybe my ears are not the most reliable guage of where the noise is located!!

I haven't usd one but would be very interested to know the findings of someone who has. My first thought is that if there really were benefits then surely car manufacturers would be using the same technology. And if they work then why has there not been more publicity?

Hi Everyone, Have searched this and USA forums with no success... I have a (very) intermitent problem with my rear suspension. It has only happened twice in all the time I have had my MK4, both times when I have been involved in extremely heavy traffic jams which have taken an hour or more to get through while averaging a speed far less than walking pace. All of a sudden out of the blue the rear suspension gets very creaky and remains that way until the car is parked up and left for a while. First time it appeared out of nowhere whilst queuing for the Blackwall tunnel, that was 2000+ miles ago and after I parked up at the cinema the car had returned to its normal silent self when I returned and drove home. It has not happened since until last night when caught in traffic that meant it took me 3 hours to get from Reading to Windsor. (Usually a 20 minute journey). Stayed at a hotel overnight and when I drove home this morning the car was perfect again?! Have recently had the car MOT'd and serviced at lexus and they didn't pick up anything on the rear suspension on their visual safety check, only that the front lower arms may need replacing before next service. I have also had a good look with the car on a ramp and can see nothing untoward. Bit of a wierd one hey??? Any advice or theories would be greatly appreciated... Thanks Guys in anticipation.

Thanks guys. It's interesting from the few posts so far that those that have used premium fuel long term would not go back to 'standard'. Would be interesting to hear if anyone who has used it long term has dumped it and gone back because the price out weighs the advantages. I think I will start using premium next time I fill up and then try a tank of standard after a couple of months to see if I can notice a difference. Will update when I have more info...

This has been discussed briefly on the forums previously without conclusion, and I have googled without finding a satisfactory answer. Does using premium grade or high octane fuel give any immediate advantages in the VVTi engine? Or does the engine have to 'learn' it is consuming a different fuel over a period of time before it makes any difference. Infact does it make any difference at all ever? Has anybody used premium fuel long term and if so what is your opinion? I can't find anything that seems to give a conclusive answer anywhere and don't want to shell out another 10pence per litre without evidence it is worth it. Have been meaning to ask the question for some time but thought it might be too boring. However it seems nobody has anything to talk about on here this week so thought I'd make the effort...

Yes it's been VERY boring on here the last couple of days!! Glad to see I'm not the only one still looking at the forums... Not sure why everything's been changed as it was fine the way it was but hey I guess we'll get used to it.

thanks for the rasurrance regarding the code reader... there seems to be a vibration from the accelarator pedal when I accelarate... any idea what it is? I have a similar issue with my LS. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the spring inside the accelerator pedal assembly rather than it being a vibration linked to acceleration. When the car is not running I can feel the same 'vibration' and it only happens at a very small part of the travel of the pedal and if you pump the pedal up and down through that very small range where it happens you can feel its a spring. I haven't made any attempt to recify yet as it is such a minor problem and I don't notice it unless I am really trying to. I think we forget how spoilt we are driving these big beasts, the refinement and engineering are so brilliant that any tiny little noise or anomally is magnified. So my advice is to try and forget it, unless it is a really big problem, and you will forget it is even an issue. It certainly isn't dangerous or a pre-cursor to a bigger problem. I would reassure you that you are driving an LS and it is very very rare for these cars to have serious (or minor) mechanical faults. The only work that will probably ever need doing is general wear and tear or maintenance. Just enjoy driving it!!! For a 10+ year old car I think you will agree that it will never be 100% perfect 100% of the time, but it is as perfect as you will ever get in my opinion compared to ANY other car. And please take the advice of the guys above and never use KwikFit as they are absolutely rubbish. My girlfriend went to them, against my advice, and had her tracking done. It didn't solve her problem of the car pulling to the left so I had a look underneath and found the track rod end was knackered. They obviously didn't even look at the car in my opinion or they would have spotted this straight away. Replaced the track rod end myself, got the tracking done at Humphries and it was perfect. So KwikFit basically made 30 quid out of her for doing nowt... COWBOYS!! DO NOT USE THEM!! Hope that makes that clear. lol Regards, David

Not sure if there is something wrong. My car has totally standard and original set up and it is crystal up until your ears can't handle it anymore and can feel the bass through the front seat with CD. FM always seems a bit less 'crisp' than it should but not to the degree you are experiencing (I don't think), I am going out in a bit so I will check and let you know... There have been topics on here before lamenting the poor performance of FM tuning in the LS... Just got back. Put the FM radio on and the sound is rubbish when you have it up loud (half way), bass is there but very muffled and hasn't got the kick you get from a CD. Luckily I only ever listen to Talk Sport on the radio, my music comes from CD which is perfect sound wise.

Not sure if there is something wrong. My car has totally standard and original set up and it is crystal up until your ears can't handle it anymore and can feel the bass through the front seat with CD. FM always seems a bit less 'crisp' than it should but not to the degree you are experiencing (I don't think), I am going out in a bit so I will check and let you know... There have been topics on here before lamenting the poor performance of FM tuning in the LS...

Good site, but $40 plus shipping is more than I was expecting. Thanks anyway though. Might just try the local scrappy...

Hello, I have a brand new set of four centre caps that don't fit my 17" wheels. I am only at King's Lynn, so less than an hour away from you, if you want them you can have them for £10. Redsteve. Hi there I* have an appointment at QEH on Friday will any body be in so that I can pick them up i.e. for £10.00 Thanks for your help MJM 444 Hi Redsteve Have sent you a private message with my Email address Thanks MJM444 Hi Steve Thanks for all the trouble you took but unfortunately as pointed out to your wife the centere discs you were offering were not suitable for my LS400 MKIV but I appreciate you help Mike MJM444 Hi All From the above yiou will see I am still looking for some wheel logos or centre caps I have uploade a photo of my model - any assistance would be appreciated MJM444 Sorry having trouble loading attachment Wow! Looks exactly like my LS! I am also missing a logo from one of my wheels so let me know if you find a supplier/ Cheers, David

Thanks Bazgtr, but I had really only imagined attaching something to the end of the existing pipe rather than replacing both back boxes completely. Not sure I could justify that sort of cash just to have visible pipes although I must admit that option is tempting... Anyone fitted the universal bolt on tail-pipes???

Just goes to show what a solid piece of engineering the LS is!

Hi All, Although I am keeping my Mk4 standard in all other respects, there is one thing I would like to add. I have seen exhaust tail-pipes on other LS400's which finish the car off nicely. I don't want anything huge and over the top, just something subtle that shows the car has 2 exhaust pipes and about maybe 2.5 inches diameter. Also I do not want to have to modify or cut the bumper to fit them. Looking at my exhaust it seems as though it would be tough to add because of the shape of the end of the pipe. I have looked at a few on ebay but am not convinced they would work with the Lexus without blocking the end of the exhaust. Has anybody got some advice they could give please? Cheers, Dave

Well done that's good news! Any advisory's??

It passed though and that's the main thing. The brake issues seem to be a bit over the top, if it is braking fine then why mess with it? The other work is pretty easy and you will find comprehensive tutorials on lexls.com. Personaly if that was my car I would work through the issues one by one as you have a year to sort it and none of the issues are dangerous, but it sounds like the mechanic was hoping for some extra work to me... However the 'deformed steering rack' sounds a bit odd, does the steering feel strange?

Thanks Alex. Yes that answers my question, and like you I thought it may have some other more useful function like control of the stereo. Guess I will have to live with moving my left hand from the steering wheel to the volume control! Life's hard being a Lexus owner...

Hi All, I have had my LS400 Mk4 for a few months now, and despite reading the owners manual I cannot work out what the button marked 'function' does on the steering wheel. Can anyone help? Another button that seems to do nothing is the litle one by the bonnet release under the steering wheel. I have read that it turns on the 'beep' for when you lock the car but it seems to make no difference whether it is in or out. It only presses in or out and does not turn as some others have mentioned theirs does. Maybe it is broken...

I bought a 98 series 4 a couple of months ago for £2800 after looking for 6 months for a good one. It took me that long to find what I thought was a bargain (and still do) as anything with a decent history and in pristine condition seems to go for at least £3500 if you look on autotrader or ebay. I still try to depress myself by looking for a better deal and as yet haven't found one as good for the same or less money. I would say if you want a 98 in A1 condition with less than 140K mileage and a good Lexus service history you would be hard pressed to find one for under £3500 unless you are very lucky. Even at that price it is an incredible amount of car, power and luxury for the money and you realise how good it is whenever you get int another vehicle. Was picked up by my mate today in a much newer BMW which was nowhere near as refined. On another subject, I put my LS400 in for its MOT today and it passed without even an advisory! Only thing that needed doing was a side light which cost 26 pence and was fitted by Lexus Reading free of charge. Car was valeted to a high standard when they returned it to me and I would highly recommend using them as they were excellent. Have booked it in for an 'A' service next week as I was so impressed, I usually service myself but thought I would give myself a break and let the professionals have a look.

Thanks guys for the info will see what I can find...

Anyone any idea where I can get a replacement heated mirror for a series 4 LS for a good price? Prices I have been quoted so far are ridiculous! All I need is the mirror as the housing is fine. Have a stick on one for the moment but it kind of lets down what is an otherwise perfect car.

Thanks for the info. Will head up there with my log book tomorrow. I paid £98 for 10 litres. The guy at the Toyota dealer bought out a tin of dextron III oil which had a symbol on it which read 't4l' and claimed that meant type T4. It was obvious it just meant there was 4 litres in the tin. I asked him how much and was told £19.95. Muppet! If I had been less knowledgeable it could have ruined my 'box.