Niallac

Thanks John.

Once I get it onto OBD, I'll have a better idea of which route to take to get a clear diagnostic picture.  If I think the new transmitter is the problem, I will just get my own tyre place to put another of theirs in.  Not ideal cost-wise or environmentally, but time for maintenance is a problem just now - especially as the motorbike cut out on me on the way to work this morning... 😂 I will post an update as soon as I have one.

Cheers, Niall

Thanks Sami.  I'll need to get the car onto my OBD scanner asap to check this.  Likely to be a week or so before I get the chance...

The part is only available from Lexus as a linkage arm plus sensor, for £££.  I'm reliably informed that the linkage arm for a Yaris of similar vintage is available separately and will fit...

Hello all!

I am the extremely happy owner of a very early (Dec 2005) GS300 S190.  As ever, the car runs like a watch and cossets its occupants in silent comfort - with one exception - the incessant soft ping of the TPMS 'check system' warning...

The original sensors lasted well, i bought the car at 10 years old (and 67K, full Lexus service history) and it was another couple of years before the sensors started failing.

I had 2 of them replaced about 2 years ago, and my local Farmers (tyre depot-type place) made a good job - they clone their own generic sensors to match the codes on the existing ones.

About 9 months ago (January in Scotland, surprise, surprise), the TPMS 'check system' light came back on.  I cleared the fault using my OBD tool, and it didn't reappear for another few weeks.  I've been driving it like that until the MOT was due (a month from now).

I took it in for MOT and service (trusted independent mechanic) and he sent it to his own tyre depot to have the dead (#3 according to OBD) sensor replaced.  It came back from his tyre depot with a new (Schrader) sensor, but also a note from them saying they'd been unable to program the new code into the ECU via OBD.  I don't know why they didn't just clone from the old sensor.  This left both the 'check system' and 'low tire' messages on the display.

I took the car into my local Farmers this afternoon.  They succeeded in programming the new ID code into the ECU via OBD, but when they re-initialised the TPMS system, the two error messages remained on the display.  Even stranger, when they then used their TPMS scanner to read the codes from all 4 wheels, all 4 came back with the same ID code - that of the new sensor. They checked the scanner on another vehicle, and it correctly read all 4 unique IDs on that vehicle, then the same -i.e. all 4 same ID code - on mine. OBD however apparently shows the three existing sensors, with their own unique ID codes and pressure readings, and shows sensor 3 as absent (no pressure reading, tyre temp at -40, etc.  

I am beginning to suspect the sensor that my mechanic's tyre fitted is at fault here.

Has anyone else seen this particular, or a similar problem, before?  I will post a couple of photos of the packaging from the new sensor.  The photo label in particular looks dodgy - not sure how clearly it will come out but the quality of printing on the 'EZ -Sensor' part and the photo are poor.

Guys - thanks for all of your advice. We are now the delighted owners of a 55 plate, one owner, 300 SE, mint, with FLSH. Took it for a test drive, and it's perfect - pulls like a train through the gears, almost silent, and the steering is tight as you like. All I need to do now is fix a 10mm tear in the base of the driver's seat, and it will be perfect! :)

Thanks Staggspeed.

It's 1 owner from new, and 65KK miles. These seem to go for about £4500 on eBay in this sort of condition, but this is from a reputable dealer. My target price is £5K.

Anything in particular I should be looking for? Have never owned an automatic before, I believe it needs to be warm before you get the full range of gears?

Niall

Hello,

I am new to this forum, and currently considering buying a mk3 (2005) GS300 SE. We went car viewing today, as we're looking to upgrade from our current car, an Alfa 147, as we now have two kids to cart about, and occasionally a grandparent.

The GS we saw today is in good nick, and starts and runs well.

Is there anything I should particularly be looking for in a test drive? Any electronics which are prone to failure? I will be checking out the bonnet for corrosion, but is there anywhere else worth inspecting?

I know it's a 3L petrol, but I am hoping that otherwise, the running costs will be reasonable? I do basic servicing (oil, filters, brakes) myself, I take it that it is easy enough to come by good quality service parts, away from the dealers?

What would be a good target price? Book says £5800, but presumably that would assume 100K miles

Thanks in advance,

Niall