carnut1980

P0420 LEXUS - Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold Bank 1 Apparently Possible causes are: Three way catalyst converter Bank 1 Exhaust tube Intake air leaks Fuel injectors may be faulty Fuel injector leaks Spark plugs may be faulty Improper ignition timing Engine Control Module (ECM) I also read somewhere else that it could be a cat converter. car is a high mileage 2007 gs450h, new MOT, full lexus SH, recent service, runs perfectly, but the EML did light up the other day, i read and cleared it, but surely if it lit up and this code showed, then there could be a minor issue? What should i do first? Give it a good motorway run? Or perhaps add some injector cleaner into fuel? If its an oxygen sensor, which one? I have techstream software somewhere, would that tell me? cheers guys/girls!

cheers john. I have already had a look at this thread. My car is a 2007 gs450h. Fuse is good. No visible damage to window tracks

My 2007 gs450h rear demister doesnt work, but the mirrors heat up fine, so i am assuming the switch and fuse are fine. Does this run off a relay? where would the relay be, and how would i check if it was sound? There are no obvious defects in the thin metal tracks on the rear window. What else could it be? thanks

Is this a big job, to change the AC pump? I have discovered the AC system is leaking from there. I( can't quite tell if the cam chain drives the AC pump, or if its an auxillary drivebelt. Part no: 0420000241 Are any special tools required, or has anyone attempted this job before? cheers

hi all. A somewhat lazy post, as its ****** it down and i haven't had a lot of free time. My 2007 gs450h has low front pads. I have bought some and intend to change them ASAP. Is this job likely to require anything other than a jack, and socket wrench? Will i need water pump pliers to push back the pistons, or is it just a wheel off, prise out shims and pads, and replace with the new ones? thanks

My front tyres are worn on the inside. I will be replacing them anyway, but i don't want the new tyres wearing unevenly. I have the trackace laser wheel alignment kit. Beats spending the same money to get tracking done. I get the general idea of how to use the kit, but what if my problem is camber is uneven, and how would i go about adjusting this myself, if possible? Car is a 2007 lexus gs450h. Cheers guys/girls

Failing that, buy yourself some low mileage replacements. There are sellers on ebay asking only £25 per unit

The first set of pics show the battery dismantled. It is heavy, at around 65kg, but there is ample room to do it in the boot. Its hard to lift the thing over the 4 bolts, 2 either side, but even if i had put it all on a trolley and brought it indoors, i would still need to get under it. I left each end hanging over the back of car (car mats protect the bumper) and then i could just turn the thing around and work on the other side. Various wiring loom clips stayed in place. I cheated a little by leaving the 12v battery where it was, and i didn't bolt each cell back, as theres a distinct lack of room to get underneath if you leave the wiring loom clips in place. If you bolt down cells 1, 2, 14, 25, 39 and 40, theres access from underneath, then everything should stay put The entire unit was detached from the car, but left in boot. Largely because i'm lazy. But it worked! Another guy on here did a great write up, with pics, for the same job, but he took the thing indoors on a trolley, and i'm not sure if he replaced all the cells or just one

Does anyone know where the oil filter is on this beast? I believe its accessed from underneath, once i remove the lower front cover. I'm told it uses 6.3 litres of 5w30 fully synth? cheers guys/girls

In no particular order

OK its all done! Wow what a fiddly job. I bought two UK based low mileage prius batterys, stripped them and extracted all 56 battery cells, as well as the fans, relay boards and voltage sensor modules. I even grabbed the copper 'double washers' as they were pristine, and the 56x2 nuts, which were cleaner and had a slightly larger contact surface area, although still 8mm. Whole job done in 7 hours, in situ, IE, the battery never left the boot/trunk. The battery graphic on the central screen no longer goes from 7 green bars, to one blue, in a matter of minutes. It stays put, and slowly goes up and up. Early days, but i can get higher speeds in just electric mode, plus MPG has already risen. I can sell the remaining 16 battery cells, as well as the fans, relays etc. The two prius battery units came to £900 all in. Far better value than getting a gs450h unit with 130k for £1800. I can make half the £900 back with the remaining bits i sell, plus i am sure i will save on MPG overall, and it was quite satisfying, considering i know of no mechanic, lexus main stealer included, who would actually change the cells themselves. Although they could all change the entire unit, which is a 2 hour job. Plenty of pics if required. Car is a 2007 gs450h SE-L with 324k miles. Yes, you read that correct!

I have had it 9 months, i have serviced it once myself (oil plus filters). Was a chaffeur owned car for the prior 6 years, who had a pre paid service pack with lexus. Looking at the history, it had done up to 63k in some 12 month periods, but like i say, serviced every 3 months. I have also changed the 12v battery since, and a rear hub. The AC has a leak somewhere, so i am trying to track down a workshop manual but not having any luck. I can't see any dye with my UV light . But access and visiblilty are limited, and i'm not sure how to get to the evaporator to check it over. Its in passenger footwell somewhere i think. Bottom line is its a LEXUS GS450H SE-L, silver, 2007, top spec and in very good nick. Cost me £2600. Yes you read that right. I will indeed upload some pics

Define PPE please

Its not just the VAT. If customs choose to randomly pull a large heavy metal box like that, aside, i have no idea how or if it would eventually get to me!

Yes thats what i thought. A breaker in lithuania can do gs450h battery with 130k for £850 all in, but doesnt take into account anything customs decide to do. He can also do a very low mileage prius 1.8 unit (28 cells) for £500, again not taking into account what customs do, and if customs add VAT, then it sounds like the battery would never actually make it to me, i would get a surcharge card/email, and would have to pick up that heavy thing from wherever, and pay the charges. Might be better off biting the bullet and buy the 1.8 unit from UK for £750, or i can get a low mile gs450h unit for £1000, exchange (presumably i am meant to swap it over while i am on site), then the seller can sell my own high mileage unit , or indeed each cell individually

Can anyone recommend me a good online/paper/hardback workshop manual for a gs450 h hybrid? The closest haynes do is for an older 3 litre toyota. I really need to get to know my AC sysytem better to find the source of a leak. Thanks

yep 322k, yes i messaged that guy on ebay, thing is hes over 100 miles away, he did say to 'bring it and he would have a look', but its not really of any use to me. He would need the car for several days, so i am looking at almost 500 miles all in, being without a car for a week, and no real guarantee his refurb would help on a car with this mileage. I think my best bet is to replace most, or all the cells, with much lower mileage ones

yep, 322k, 07 plate, serviced every 3 months by lexus, for the past 5 years ,so the best part of 30 main dealer service stamps

Yes i have had some small items from lithuania and latvia, but would something the size and weight of a hybrid battery assembly, likely produce any issues with customs?

I am looking to buy a used but low mileage HV battery unit, to take apart, and swap most/all my current cells with .My gs450h has done over 300k and although it drives fine, i do keep getting the p0a7f code showing. I can clear it, but it usually comes back every 2-3 days. I do understand that, like with any rechargeable batteries, they lose their ability to hold charge over time/miles. The engine will always cut in and charge, but i feel i could be getting a little more power/economy, and indeed, more battery/less engine usage with general driving. My question is this: The prius/Auris/CT200h 1.8 all use the same cells, in a smaller battery unit (28 units instead of 40 on mine) Does the IS300 also use the same, and how many cells in that one? part number G9280-76010 I have already had my HV battery apart twice, so i know what i'm doing. I also have the techstream software. All cells show over 8v, but overall battery is 51%, so could be far better, and no doubt this explains why i keep getting that fault code. One or two sellers do the gs450h unit, so would save me taking mine apart fully, just swapping over, but it obviously costs more, and the mileages are higher. Some of the 1.8 units only have 30k on them Also, some units are in latvia or lithuania. Has anyone ever had an issue with customs, and had to pay a hefty fee? Thanks in advance guys/girls

They did, but because of all the covers and trims, and they were quite busy, they only could get at some parts of the condenser, and didn't see any dye, though visibility wasnt great. Would the dye still be present, 2/3 months on? I have a UV light and more time than they do, to thoroughly check? cheers

Thanks. I know most garages will check for leaks. they have done, and there s a leak. How can i visually inspect the compressor?

Thanks ambrosejohn. Is there any way i can test the compressor in situ? or indeed, if i remove it? will it power up on a 12v feed? I just don't want to buy another compressor (£200 second hand), before i know for sure that its the cause. I do have code B1423, 'open in pressure sensor circuit/unusual refrigerant pressure', which i kind of guessed beforehand. Where would you go from here? cheers