johnatg

When you follow the correct prompts you can put the 12 digit number in.

You can at least put it on SORN - go to the SORN page on gov.uk then follow the prompts, including ' I don't have the V11 reminder, just the registration certificate or new keeper supplement' then 'New keeper (using V5C/2 new keeper supplement document reference number)'. Or you can tax it using a similar sequence.

That cannot be true. It is the law that you either tax a vehicle or put it on Sorn on the day that you buy it. Vehicle tax expires at the instant that a person sells a vehicle. You can tax a vehicle or put it on SORN using the document reference number on the New Keeper Slip (Part 6 of the V5C)

The Hybrid Health Check Confirmation document mentions specific points: 1) Diagnostic Trouble Code Check 2) Hybrid battery with 4 sub-points: Internal Resistance, Internal Voltage, Variation Check and Battery Temperature 3) Battery Insulation - between different modules of the battery 4) Hybrid Coolant Components - Pump, Fan and Coolant Level and the Overall Test Status. So basically battery and its cooling system. And then you get the Lexus Hybrid Health Check Pass certificate.

You don't need to wait for the V5C - in fact it is the law that you either tax it or put it on SORN on the day you buy the car with the 12 digit number on the green slip.

The battery terminals go next to the firewall (bulkhead). Given that, the terminals will probably only fit one way round - the leads will be too short otherwise. I'm not familiar with the underbonnet layout on the IS220d but that should give you a clue. The G7 and G8 are the same battery with the terminals the opposite way round. Looking at pics on Ebay of the underbonnet, I'm pretty sure that the G7 is correct. Or alternative batteries with the terminals in that orientation. It's UK code 335. It is likely that the G7 is unusual and they try and fob you off with the G8 (or equivalents) which will be much more common. That situation certainly applies with the IS250 which has a similar orientaion/layout (but a different battery).

Oh - no sorry - you keep the green slip, don't you? The seller should have filled in the yellow part and sent it off to DVLA. Did you check that he did? You can tax it or put it on SORN on line just with the green slip.

Don't understand what you're saying there. 1) Did you send off the little green slip - that's how the V5C is issued in your name. 2) Did you tax it or put it on SORN the day you bought it? You should have done one of the two.

Yep - check the pressures with a gauge but then reset the TPMS. The button is somewhat obscure but it's under the edge of the dash in the area of the steering column. There are two buttons - I just forget what the other one is for - someone? I think it's the right hand one for the TPMS.

The way to get instant acceleration in the GS300h is to flick the down paddle a couple (or more) of times - engine revs instantly rise to the power band - much quicker than just putting your foot down (obviously you need to do that as well). Jolly useful when you come up behind someone you want to overtake and need to wait for an opportunity. I find sport mode a bit jerky. I rarely see the use of the paddles mentioned in regard to GS hybrids (except for a few marginally derogatory points)

The thing is when you lock the car securely with windows all shut. You go in your house and squeeze the key jn your pocket by sitting down or your kid plays with the key. Next morning you go to the car and all the windows are open. Not so cool then. It happens.

I replaced my 2006 IS250 (which I had for over 7 years) with a 2014 GS300h Premier. It is superb and so far (18 months) at least, faultless - it has perfectly adequate performance even if you don't get the kick in the back of a 450h. But its performance suits the car - its a relaxed cruiser. I get my kicks from my supercharged MX-5 (which is quicker than a GS450h). A 300h is a bit less licence threatening than a 450h and if you get a 2016 one the road tax is only £20. My wife is certainly not a car nut and just regards them as transport - but she often comments on how nice the GS300h is. I get about 42 mpg - much more economical than the IS250 (or the MX-5!)

The V5C shows the date of first registration (in UK). That can be a long time after date of manufacture. Dealers would be able to tell you the date of manufacture if they can be bothered to look it up for you. Otherwise the date on all the plastic parts is a good clue - since Japanese manufacturers have used 'just-in-time' supply lines for years, the vehicle manufacture date will be within a couple of months of the date on the latest of the plastic parts you can find.

Lots of petrol stations, especially in rural areas, only sell 95. So eventually no E5 there.

WD40 Contact Cleaner. That's the brand WD40, not your regular WD40 spray. Other brands of Contact Cleaner are available. It's mostly Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA).

As far as I know, all IS250s have the 4GR-FSE engine. Mine was described as a 2006 - first registered in late March 2006. But it was made in Sept 2005. You can deduce when your car was manufactured by careful scrutiny of multitudinous plastic parts on the car - most have a date stamp. So do some metal parts but not many. There is often a substantial gap - can be 6-9 months or even longer - between manufacture and first reg in UK. It takes 6 weeks on the ship and who knows how long in a UK storage yard and then a dealer showroom or lot. Whatever, Rowley - your particular car is in the exclusion list as it will definitely have been made before Sept 2007. Additives (fuel treatments - especially those designed to remove water from the fuel) will reduce corrosion in the fuel system - ethanol is hygroscopic and the water which it extracts from the air can cause corrosion in the fuel system. It's a slow process though and you may well not notice any side effects during your ownership of the car Lexus dealers will be able to give advice - it may be that they can fit parts to replace those which might suffer - might be expensive though.

I think you'll get bubbles anyway - may not be very conclusive

PS beware of excess fuel in the exhaust - it can overspeed and blow the turbo.

P1238 doesn't necessarily mean an injector problem. It can be set when a cylinder is operating poorly. I still think head gasket - common on IS220d. It may be OK with a compression test but show a problem when running. A sniffer test on the coolant might show combustion gases. I'm clutching at straws though.

I'd suggest that you have a head gasket failure. Any signs in the coolant or coolant level? Any signs in the oil? Can you get a compression test?

Locking/windows up and unlocking/windows down are two separate functions/settings and can be enabled or disabled independently in Tech stream. Locking/windows up is indeed useful

Sorry, don't know. But the mirrors folding/unfolding is a pretty good Indication that the button press has worked.

People often put their car up for sale when it needs major expenditure - such as a set of tyres! Rear inside edge tyre wear and damage can be caused by straddling speed bumps, especially if you do so frequently and at speed. My car failed its first MoT (before I owned it) due to a deep cut on the inside wall of a rear tyre. Possibly caused by straddling. Heavy vehicles can damage the edges of the bump and leave sharp bits to catch car tyres. Pass Speed bumps with one side of the car fully on the hump and the other on a gap at the side! Slowly! PS - nice to see you over here Keith!

Most or all of those things work on UK cars. The thing about opening the windows remotely with the key (press and hold unlock button) can be a double edged sword. Nice party trick and once in a blue moon might be useful, but it is also probably the source of phantom window opening. You go out to the car on a wet morning after a night's rain and all the windows (and sunroof if you've got one) are open - and the car is very wet inside. Probably caused by inadvertently squeezing the key in your pocket or wherever. There are several reports on here (and the IS250 forum) of this happening. The facility can be disabled via Techstream.

Don't know if these pics will help - don't understand your problem really. There is an inlet and an outlet to the filter. Procedure list is included. It's detailed in the workshop manual - you have got one, haven't you? (If not, you shouldn't be messing with the car)