Rupert Dubreaux

Hi Krzysztof ,can you not just read the codes from the flashing check engine light using the jumper wire ,why do you need the bulb?

LS400 94 Mk2 ,water in boot ,took seal off cleaned everything applied a bead of silicone sealant ,was ok for about nine months before leaking again ,my drive is on a bit of a slope which doesn't help .Replaced seal ,no problem in past two years . Power steering pump leaking ,replaced reservoir O ring cost a couple of pounds ,removed vacuum air control valve and plugged all holes no more leaks . Running a little sluggish and could feel the gears shift more often ,speedometer a bit hit and miss when it would work .Replaced ECU capacitors ,now runs like a dream again. Problems with the ECU caps are a fairly common problem in the US ,there Lexus site has a huge thread devoted to it. They may become a problem here too as the cars age. LS400 96 Mk3 ,water in boot ,replaced seal ,sorted .

Hi Andy ,I found the same thing with my Mk2 after replacing the ECU capacitors ,ran almost like a new car not one with a 165,000 miles on the clock. If only there was a cheap fix to restore the bodywork. I have now done the ones in my Mk3's although response seems better there was not the dramatic effect like the older car had .The Mk2 ECU is a lot easier to remove from the car as well. As Steve points out this is not a job for those without soldering skill and the correct tools ,unless you want to mess up your ECU .

Hi Rafel and welcome. The Mk3 front seat heater element is a common failing unfortunately and probably expensive to repair . As for the seat moving about I have not experienced this ,apart from making sure it is securely bolted to the floor I don't know what to suggest. Congratulations on the baby's and good luck with your car.

Hi Tony and welcome.This is quite a common problem on the earlier models and has been covered a few times over the years, this is how I did mine it is fairly easy if you can solder. First off you need to remove the cluster from the car ,then dismantle it as per the Lexls links below ,make sure you follow the first one exactly regarding when to disconnect the battery. http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/electrical/instrumentcluster.html http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/electrical/clusterdisassembly.html You only need to follow the second one to board removal part . Once you have the boards separated you need to find and replace the following electrolytic capacitors ,it is ok to use ones of slightly higher voltage . They are readily available from places like Maplins ,you will need a small 15 or 20watt iron ,the capacitors are surface mounted to the board but are just ordinary capacitors . C212 (on the small Board) 10 uf, 16 V C142 (on the big Board) was 4.7 uf, 25V C147 (on the big board) was 10 uf, 50V These were board numbers in my Mk2 I assume the numbers would be the same on your Mk1 as the clusters are similar . Reassembly is just a reversal of removal ,just remember to not connect the battery until everything is plugged back in . The biggest problem I had was unplugging one of the connectors on the the back of the cluster it was a right cowson and caused much swearing and cursing before it finally gave in . Best of luck with your car.

Thanks for putting this link on Chris those parts diagrams will be useful ,save me having to trawl through the manual all the time.

Glad your trip went well Malc ,you have covered more miles in a few weeks than I manage in a couple of years .

Good to hear.

Glad to hear you have it sorted Martin .Did you get your leak fixed Hugh?

Hi Martin ,the corroded cooling pipe seems to be fairly common ,all three of mine are corroded .Only the 20 year old one was leaking I just replaced it with a 1 metre length of 10mm copper pipe from my local plumbing supplies cost about £4 .It is a fraction shorter than the original but seems to work fine ,if your rubber hoses are perished you will need to replace those as well. It should be an easier job on a Mk3 as there is no electric fan in the way .

If my tyres were wearing like yours Mike I would get the alignment checked somewhere else .

For peace of mind if it was me I would go the whole hog and change all timing belt idlers ,tensioner and water pump as well using Lexus oem parts . As for cost the previous owner of my latest Mk3 paid £893 at Lexus Canterbury in 2009 ,this included an oil change and air filter but not the water pump . Hugh's Sheffield Lexus deal sounds pretty good ,if you could find somewhere a bit nearer your location doing something similar .

Hi Rich and welcome. You are correct that the 1995 is a second gen ,known as a Mk3 .If the car has been serviced regularly you should be ok ,the power steering system can leak and if there are any clunks when turning slowly or going over speed bumps it may need some suspension work. The timing belt will be due next year if using the US ten year replacement rule, this can be a bit expensive unless you do it yourself . Most servicing is fairly straight forward on the LS ,if you can turn a spanner they can be low cost to run .Plus you get comfort and reliability few other cars can match. Good luck with your VIPing.

Ken hi, it sounds as though you are using the cruise the same as me and mine works fine ,if you push the stalk up and hold it the car should accelerate ,worth trying to see if it functions at all . If the control cable to the throttle body is very slack it may not function properly . As Bluesman mentions in your other thread these cars are great , and if you can do some of your own repairs and servicing not to expensive to own.

Ken hi , is it the LCD or the back lighting not working with your radio ,the latter is fairly common on the Mk3 ,if you search the forum there are some threads about fixes. It is usually a couple of surface mount resistors on the PCB that go dry and need re-soldering. Another member kindly sent me a PDF of the repair process ,which I used to fix mine ,unfortunately I have lost it in a PC hard disk failure . As for the the cruise control , are you setting it as per the hand book? none of my LS's have ever had the cruise light flash. It wont work below a certain speed ,about 28mph I think . Enjoy your car .

Both the Mk3 and Mk2 have rear seat heaters as well ,my grandchildren think they are the dogs whatsits .

Hugh hi ,use Dexron 3 ATF for your power steering ,not ordinary power steering fluid . The U shaped part is the fluid cooler and tends to corrode and weep with age ,the price from Lexus is probably going to be costly . A suitable length of 10mm copper pipe has been doing the job on my old beater for several months now . Good luck finding your leak.

Azeem hi, all mine are the same no flashing lights when set with the remote just a couple of beeps . No lights flash when the alarm is activated either, in the owners handbook there is no mention of flashing lights just horn sounding and engine immobilized .

Colin hi ,I cant help with the part numbers off the top of my head ,Steve 2006 will probably know though. The sensors are the same for left and right banks ,those with the plugs on are quicker to fit but you will pay £20 to £30 more for them. These are the ones I fitted to my Mk3 and they seem to work fine ,just a bit of soldering and insulating of the wires required . http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260917636972?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Good luck with your replacements.

Opie oils on ebay have a good deal on at the moment for any members who change there own oil. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171194827732?_trksid=p2055120.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Love it,very tastefully pimped . Must be worth at least £250 ,wonder what the reserve is .

That back seat cover sounds like it would be good for grandchildren as well .Would then just need some back of front seat protection ,they like to wipe there muddy shoes after they have scraped them on the lower door trims just for good measure.

Hi Andy, just measured my 94 at 14in and the 96 at 14 and 1/2in ,both are on standard mK3 16in wheels .

Thanks for this Ian ,as Mike says it works fine with Firefox .

And a happy new year from him!