Andrew 1976

Might not be any use but here goes: Check ALL your wiring is solid and secure. My 1993 LS400 developed this problem a few months back. It started i thought coincidently with carrying lots of passengers and round town driving lots of speed humps etc. The engine warning light was intermittent, went out for days then come back on every now and again. Always unable to find fault. Then one day it came on and the next minute big clunking sounds :tsktsk: , i stopped the engine in a panic and popped the hood to find wiring and fan belt bits wrapped around my engine bay. It turned out it had been a loose wire connection in the engine bay which gradually deteriorated before coming adrift and going into the fan belt. Once it was fixed no more problems for the last six months :winky:

Ok i have looked at the last two threads regarding remote central locking. I have a 1993 LS400 and since i got the car have had the folowing problem with the central locking. I really think it is quite an interesting set of symptoms which might strike some recognition with someone so i can get my remote working again. The remote key fob (one button) does not work however the central locking works with the key being inserted in either drivers or passenger door locks although occassionally i have to turn it twice as it might just unlock drivers door or just lock drivers door if used in drivers side lock. The Drivers side door lock switch next to the handle (Not the one next to window switches) when moved only locks or unlocks the drivers door, not the other doors. The drivers side locking switch on the panel with the window switches locks all doors except the drivers side Yesterday i noticed something interesting, with the drivers door open if i moved the switch next to door opening handle on drivers side (NOT the one on the window button panel) to lock it did nothing for the other doors but moving it to unlock there was the sound of the motors in the other doors operating although obviously they were already in unlocked position. It did not do this with door shut. I know that when i lock the doors with the key the alarm / immobiliser is armed because i have set the alarm off. I also know that the car detects open windows/sunroof when i take key out and/or lock it because it beeps at me. Any suggestions

Hi Peter, I do have to agree with you on that some suppliers espescially it seems classic car part suppliers are exceptionally good. I have a 1964 Ford Corsair and whenever i have needed parts service has been excellent. To be honest though with the Lexus i think it must just be the case that the parts might not be in high demand when compared to fiestas, focuses, micras etc. Someone at work did suggest i buy a modern reliable more economical car. I didnt wish to offend them so actually told her that whilst their focus was a nice car it was not for me BTW i will upload some pics of my corsair and lexus to my album later today if i get chance

Is it just me or does anyone else ever hold their heads in despair at the state of how things are becoming. This was highlighted even more for me recently whilst having problems with my 1993 LS 400 I use my Lexus for work as well as leisure and my cars normally cover 30 to 40k a year. I, like many others am required to work at any time during a seven day week including 24 hr call outs weekends and evenings, holiday times etc. Just after christmas on the 27th my car developed the rumbling grinding noise at the front end. Quick inspection, reading around and using common sense (1993 car with 180k) i diagnosed it as the fan bearing/fan bracket that would require repair. I took the car to my local garage on the Tuesday (29th) after the bank holiday and left it with them telling them what i thought it was. Understandably like any good garage they inspected it to be sure but called me later in the day saying it was the water pump. After a discussion i told them to do the work. The following day (wednesday) another call to me saying it was the fan bearing bracket not the water pump and that they now due to new year could not get a part until the following wednesday. I decided to source the part myself to get the part delivered earlier so after phoning around and eventually sourcing a part and following a long discussion with the parts supplier, clarifying at least half a dozen times the part i needed, with full description (i.e fan bracket) i bought the part off him and he told me the courier would collect same day. Happy days :D An hour later telephone call received saying the courier could not collect until the Monday (last Monday). By this time i had paid and had limited options so agreed to this. Fast forward to Tuesday and the part arrives BUT i open it up to find ive been sent a fan clutch and fan assembly NOT the fan bracket despite my repeated descriptions and clarification to the supplier. :tsktsk: By this point i am now getting a little hacked off so speak in desperation to my local garage again who say yes we can get the part and have it done within next couple of days. This was Tuesday afternoon. On Friday morning having heard nothing i ring them back to ask if the car will be ready and get told "sorry our supplier also sent the wrong part and it will be Monday or Tuesday next week" because of the weekend and weather etc. Now i have nothing against people having time off work over the holiday period, i also understand first hand having worked around road haulage most of my life and with my father doing long distance for over fourty years that adverse weather conditions affect infrastructure espescially transport. However i am currently without my car and have been for two weeks now which appears to be due to two things. Firstly our developed and modern country seems to shut down for nearly two weeks for christmas and new year This is then further impacted upon by our developed and modern countries inability to deal with adverse weather , although i will admit it has been bad. Secondly and more upsetting for me because it can be avoided seems to be the levels of incompetance of other people in this case both suppliers who have just created more problems by not supplying the correct parts. I dont intend to use this to have a go at anybody as i am sure that millions of people out there are struggling and have done fantastic jobs dealing with things in what has been an extremely difficult week in this country and i am sure my problems are insignificant compared to the atrocities in this world but i do feel that two and an half weeks to fix a car in this day and age is ludicrous !!!!!!! What makes it worse is that i am using my fathers Mazda 5 series people carrier for work. It might be only two years old compared to the 16 year old Lexus i drive but my god its horrible , no style, no feeling and just like all the other modern junk my friends and colleagues drive. i will be so glad to get the lexus back !!! Anyway rant over and i feel much better now :D

Just thought i would put on an update as i draw to the end of my first week living with the ls 400. B) First job on Tuesday was getting the front tyres sorted. They were certainly illegal when i bought the car (from a garage too!!) and i got the tracking sorted. I did think it would need the wishbones replacing but my mechanic checked them for play and declared them alright. They did look recently done actually. The tracking however was around two degrees out which explained the squeal and poor road holding driving her back. However Seventy quid sorted out the tracking and two bridgestone tyres :) I thought i had noticed a power steering leak when i bought it . A good clean up and check shows it to be a very slow leak as with one week and 600 miles the level has not dropped and no more fluid has appeared anywhere. Strange but i won't grumble i do intend to drop out the ps pump and replace the seals during my next period of leave. Despite no further signs of it i have dropped a spot of wynns ps stop leak in temporarily yesterday which is something i would not normally do, or condone but the thoughts of getting stuck in the wilds in low temps with a blown alternator made me decide that if a leak did re appear it was possibly better to try and prevent it worsening and destroying my alt till i get the pump out. However the ps is silky smooth and almost silent Now its driving nicely i will look at the other faults. Firstly the brakes need doing. I'll fit new pads this week as they are pretty much gone after using what was left on them this week resulting in that nice grinding sound we dont like to hear after prolonged use of footbrake. this should be done tuesday as its my priority to prevent further problems. the car has 177 k on the clock. cambelt was done at nearly 104k so i will replace this over winter if nothing serious goes wrong Next ive noticed i have the nice flickering dash lights on cold mornings. They take about two or three minutes to come on but then they work fine all day. Only seems to re occur if left 12 hours or so. I will drive the car a while longer to iron out any other faults that may occur before splashing out money on this. Overall i am impressed with the car. She drives smoothly, acceleration is good, she holds straight even under braking. All the toys work except the cassette player although i only listen yo radio 2 and 4 or play my ipod through transmitter so thats not a disaster, oh and the passenger side seatbelt height adjuster which tries to move but appears stuck. i'll sort that this week but again its not urgent as i rarely carry passengers. Fuel economy i am happy with. Not worked it out yet in mpg return but seem to be getting adequate mileage for what i am putting in although i am light on the throttle and tend to keep revs down and use cruise on motorway on a similar note which fuel do people use? i have been filling with tesco high octane and shell super unleaded which is what i used in the fto as it did give better response and economy but will it make a difference in the LS? Also does anyone use additives or treatments? i am a redex addict but sometimes used to put boosters and other additives in the fto. So thats it really. I am gradually working through any little faults but also want to see how she runs for the next few weeks before spending lots of money refurbishing her, purely because it is still under warranty and if anything big comes up i will claim for it.

Just to add as youve guessed i did buy it l623 PRB Thats gotta be the best buy ever £100, good luck with it-enjoy I'm pretty sure the FTO wasn't free though ;) £100 in cash + the FTO You are right actually but If i added it all up and said that over last two years of car ownership taking into account my dealing the cost of the fto etc its probably cost me five or six hundred so still a cheap Lexus. :winky: What may interest others is that i also have classic cars. i currently own a 1964 Ford corsair in show condition., oh and of course the Lexus which is certainly a classic and fabulous vehicle B) I love tinkering with cars which is probably a good thing

Just to add as youve guessed i did buy it l623 PRB

Hi Guys, Sorry its took me so long to post as i am having decorating at home and have not currently got home internet connection. I viewed the car yesterday. Body work was as expected quite tidy interior was tidy just needs leather clean and feed. The car has the known power steering leak. The engine sounds ok as i would expect anyway and exhaust seems sound. The small temp and clock display has faded but everything else was fine. The dash display imnitially flickered a little at cold but functioned normally after a couple of minutes. There are a couple of jobs needed its certainly not immaculate but is ideal for a work car for myself. The reason i was attracted to this car was its exactly what i was looking for spec and colour wise. Secondly i have come away with virtually a swap for my FTO which i know needed work anyway for the MOT next month. In reality the car has cost me about £100 and is mot'd till next June. It got me home from Coventry no problems 120 miles. I have also got a three month warranty (which is probably worth nothing but at least if the auto box or engine goes bang in next couple of weeks i might get something!!!) I know that it would benefit from new brake pads so will be sorting that soon. There arte other things that i need to give attention to but will resolve them ASAP. Cost wise as i have stated in real terms it has cost me £100 in real cash and if i get 6 months or until MOT out of it i will be happy. I could have raised more cash to buy perhaps a better or later example as this is not really a massive issue and because i really liked this car decided to take a chance. I have a feeling i am going to need lots more support on this forum over the coming weeks. Firstly how much to get dash illumination fixed and who by, secondly same fior my clock/climate control display. Thanks a lot for the support and information gents it is greatly apreciated. Just hope ive not bought a lemon but hey , for what its cost me might as well give it a bash :winky:

Hello and thank you for the replies. I did like the QX but the ride was never the best so i am looking forward to driving the LS as it does seem to be a much more refined car. Thank you for the information it is very helpful and it is fantastic to have a club that can offer advice and support although with cars like these , espescially the older models i suppose club support is essential. I am going to ring the dealer again later today to confirm a viewing for Monday and will probably put a deposit on it

Hello all. I am a new member only joining the club today. I hope i have posted this correctly as i am not a big forum or internet posting type of person. I am currently looking at buying a Lexus LS 400 my previous saloon being a 1997 Nissan QX 3.0 SEl auto which appears to have been the Nissan equivelant of the Lexus. I had the Nissan for 10 years but scrapped it last year due to it becoming increasingly unreliable for my work use. I swear i cried when that car got towed. In haste and grieving for my beloved QX i bought a nice little imported mitsubishi FTO from my friend who tried to tempt me away from what he calls "barges" My god what was i thinking about :tsktsk: i have therefore been looking for another saloon and because i have not found a suitable replacement Nissan QX to quench my thirst for large japanese saloons i have decided to look at the Lexus. I have always liked the Lexus LS 400 and have decided it is time to get one as i need to go back to a large saloon before i kill myself or go mad driving this little 200bhp sports tin can. (apologies to any fellow FTO owners out there) I am currently planning to view an LS 400 on Monday. It is a 1993 model with 176k on the clock. It has main dealer history upto 117k and looks in good clean condition. Price is around £1200 from a garage (although i am PX'ing my Mitsubishi FTO import for nearly all of this.) I need to know if there are any specific problem areas on these cars to look out for. Obviously its an old car and i am not expecting a mint condition problem free vehicle but i know very little about these particular cars and would like some advice on which areas to scrutinise during my viewing It is just that i really need that little bit of knowledge about the LS 400 so i am more aware and less likely to be ripped off if i can spot a potential lemon!! Secondly are the rumours i have seen posted around that pre 95 models have ? "non interference" engines and therefore would survive the otherwise devastating effect of cambelt failure?