Steevee Leevee

Radio works but no light's on any part of the radio.

Is there a separate fuse, if so where is it located.

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Hi Syd,

Got the same problem, it seems to be related to the fitted phone where it was spliced into the loom. I've had the radio out and fiddled and can get the lights working but when I reinstall the radio/aircon pod it don't go again, loose wire somewhere.

Do you have a handsfree fully installed phone, steering wheel/armrest?

Regards

Steevee Leevee

'96 LS400 180K

Hello all, just found out about this forum as i was searching for heating elements for my 1996 ls400. so thought i would join in as i am a member of many forums due to my interest in cars.

can anyone tell me where i can find the elements for the drivers seat as lexus wants 137 and 87 + vat for both which is a bit steep.

i am told this is a very common problem so there must be somewhere else that does them. also i am after a stereo for it as my display has started playing up which i am also told is a common fault. 

hope to play an active role in the forum as i am a mechanic and tuner on my spare time.

regards

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Hi

Radio display or backlight?

LCD display can be done by Radioman in the states. There are probably mender men nearer home though.

Regards

Steve

Help!

The backlighting to my audio unit, and all its buttons, has gone off.  The fuses "Radio 1" and "Radio 2" are OK.  I have taken unit out (not toooo difficult), and found several small bulbs.  The thing is, surely they cannot have ALL failed at once?

Anyone have any ideas?  The display itself was pants - hardly an uncommon problem - but not being able to see the radio at night is a bloomin' nuisance.

Meanwhile, this 1996 LS400 (bought this summer) is my first Lexus and I don't think I shall ever be able to go back to a four-cylinder, manual gearchange bread-and-butter job.  I shall just have to sacrifice other things to keep wafting along in the manner to which I have become accustomed...

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Hi,

Find post on same subject by Brettster, I'm off to look at mine before it gets dark

Regards

Steevee Leevee

I've had my LS400 Mk.III since April, and I've covered 13,000 happy, trouble-free miles. But this week, it seems to have developed... a FAULT! But - it's a Lexus, they don't do that, do they?

It's a relatively trivial, but annoying fault: the radio backlight sometimes doesn't come on. It's obviously still working, as (so far) it's come on a bit later in the journey. I'd hazard a guess at a loose connection, except that it usually fails to work when starting, and starting working doesn't appear related to hitting a bump or anything similar.

The fault doesn't affect the A/C controls or display, only the radio; and it's the entire panel, including the backlighting of all the dials.

Anybody got any ideas as to what I could try? How easy is it to get the radio out and reseat the connectors?

Regards,

Martin

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Hi Martin,

I have the same problem and have lost knuckles and have many cuts but it goes like this.

No warranty given.

Ease the clock & temp & vent moulding from the TOP with a wide flat tool. This will compress the soft dash top slightly but it returns after a while. Slide it towards you and when loose depress the catches on the wiring plugs and remove.

Remove wooden panel by gear selector, place in neutral first to make room for getting it out. Take a flat bladed screwdriver and in the corners at the cup holder end insert under the panel and ease EVENLY upwards and the grippers underneath with give way. Lift and remove three plugs and by various rotations the panel will be free.

You will now need a 10mm A/F 3" to 4" reach socket to undo the two nuts under the radio. (I had no sockets only a spanner there go the knuckles etc.). Also on mine there is a plastic stud that proved to be really awkward and I could only remove with brute force and total ignorance.

Next remove the two 10mm A/F nuts at the top of the aircon controller, keep separate they are shorter than the bottom ones.

The radio and aircon controller will now be free and can be removed (as a pair) depress the catches on the aircon controller connectors there are four in a line I think.

Next the aerial lead then the radio connectors cd, phone etc. The radio should now be free for you to completely remove and get at the offending loose phone connection as per Brettster's clue.

Be careful not to scratch the sides of the centre console when removing the radio/aircon unit.

I do not know if the battery needs to be disconnected during the soldering operation.

I offer no guarantees that this process will work for you but so far that's what I have done.

Regards and hope this is of help

Steve

I had this problem when i first got my Lex

someone had spliced into the illumination wire to power a phone hands free kit but not done a very good job and the wire needed soldering to make a good join been fine ever since :)

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Hi,

Thanks bretttster for your reply to megabuck about radio light problem. I have the same problem and have had the radio out etc. but could not find the loose connection. I was about to send the radio away for repair but now I'll try this first. I also have and inbuilt phone.

Regards Steve

Hi,

I want to start using the inbuilt Lexus phone in my 1993 LS400 instead of my mobile phone.

Is it possible to take the SIM from my mobile & put it into the car phone?

If so, where is the SIM card slot located in the Lexus?

With the new UK laws on using mobiles, this is really important.

Any help gratefully received

Thanks in advance

Geoff

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Hi,

I have an ls400 1995 with inbuilt armrest & steering wheel handsfree phone.

There are two places to insert the mobile sim card one is beneath the phone in the armrest the other is in the boot offside under the board.

You will need a sim carrier (a card of the old credit card size with a cut out that takes the modern sim size). Talked vodafone into giving me one.

I use a pay as you go card as changing over on a regular basis is a right pain.

I have set the phone to auto answer (2 rings).

Regards Steve

Hi folks,

Well, it looks like this is a reasonably common problem: I have a '98 Series 2 GS300, and recently I've been having some trouble with the locking on the car.

It's one particular door (the near-side rear) that's causing some trouble. When I lock the car, it sometimes doesn't lock. Similarly when I unlock the car, the door will often remain locked.

It happens with the "lock all" buttons on the drivers/passengers doors too. You'll hear the thunk of doors locking, then about a second after, you'll hear another, lesser thunk, where the car seems to think that one of the doors hasn't locked properly.

The child lock is off. The door is always as locked from the inside as it is from the outside. I'm guessing it's not the remote battery, as the problem occurs from the lock-all buttons within the car. You can lock or unlock the problem door easily using the button on the inside handle. This always works fine, suggesting it's probably not a locking motor problem.

What's the diagnosis, do you think? Will I have to shell 300 notes for a central locking computer, or is it worth disconnecting the battery for a bit and resetting the car's brain?

Lemme know your thoughts!

Russ.

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Hi, I have exactly the same problem on my '95 LS400, some rapid locking and unlocking from the drivers door master locking switch will eventually free the blighter but only for about half a day. Is getting in the door and looking for something sticking a big job?

Regards

Steevee Leevee

Hi all,

I'm new to the club. Just bought myself a 97' LS400 with genuine 30.000 miles on it. And yes, I do know they are genuine. The car got everything except the manual for the built-in phone. This Motorola fixed unit includes a set of command buttons under the steering wheel. Now I have no idea what the buttons do except for the big one which is for taking the call. Anyone out there who knows more about this?

Motorola wasn't cooperative at all, in fact they told me to get lost.  The local dealership was also no help at all. It's a shame if you consider that the same unit cost about 1500£ retail at that time.

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Hi,

I have an inbuilt Lexus phone and manual (printed in Belguim)

Part No.PZ409-F1272-P1

Do you have a corded handset in the armrest?

Have you inserted your own sim card?

The three small buttons are for making handsfree calls using your own pre-set numbers, twelve in all using combinations of 1, 2, 3, 11,12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32,33. These are easily dialled by pressing your pre-set number and pulling the Dial Bar towards you, (dialling is easy indentified by the radio system muting automatically).

If your system is the same as mine then auto answer after two rings can also be programmed.

The microphone is also part of that control unit on the steering wheel.

Regards & hope this helps.

Steevee Leevee

Hi all,

I'm new to the club. Just bought myself a 97' LS400 with genuine 30.000 miles on it. And yes, I do know they are genuine. The car got everything except the manual for the built-in phone. This Motorola fixed unit includes a set of command buttons under the steering wheel. Now I have no idea what the buttons do except for the big one which is for taking the call. Anyone out there who knows more about this?

Motorola wasn't cooperative at all, in fact they told me to get lost.  The local dealership was also no help at all. It's a shame if you consider that the same unit cost about 1500£ retail at that time.

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Hi Steve

Has it always been like this?

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Hi Colin

Bought at 79k and yes as far as I can remember. I know the engine has to increase revs to power the compressor but it is as if it has increased by too much and the excess goes through to the transmission. I'd get a proper Lexus service done but the last time I had one done I needed new brake pads !!!!! They were less than a quarter worn. It takes a lot of earning and I can only spend it once.

Regards Steve

My mkIII ls 400 166k miles is very economical without the aircon running. If I run it the car accelerates & decelerates with the switching on and of of the compressor.

If I am braking at low speed and the compressor shuts off (under thermostatic control) I'm suddenly overbraking and can almost come to a dead stop.

I have been re-gassed but that has nade no difference.

She drives like a dream with no air con and like a runaway horse with it on.

Does anyone have any advice please?

I have posted this question before but there seem to be more knowledgable people out there now.

Thanks

Steve

yeah I mean put a sun strip with paul and julie on a nova and suddenley you have cruise missile with a lawn mower engine in it,but put the wrong alloys on Ls and you could have kelly brooke with steel toe cap boots on      

give me kelly brook with hobnailed boots - she can drive my lex anytime!

but i agree with you, apart from getting mine re-sprayed, all i've done is put clear indicators on the front (which is when i discovered the outer ones on each side don't even have bulb holders in them!!)

i'm now in the process of moding the outer ones to take another chrome appearance indicator bulb. other than that, she's standard.

Re-spray, where? How much? Colour? Mine's silver getting a bit marked anmd 1 door is not quite matched.

Regards

Steevee Leevee

A little late to reply, but just thought to share this with others.

I had the same starter problem for my 95 LS400. The starter is under the intake and the dealer wanted $1200 for this 2-day job. I went with a private but Toyota certified mechanic. I spent $400 for it. This is definitely a week link in the Lexus design.

Even later reply, I am in the UK and have a 95 mk 3 which a recall for a starter motor rebuild (free of charge and a replacement car for the two day job). They said that they had a fire in one in the States and recalled every LS400 for this rebuild. Not bad for a motor with over 100k at the time. I'm just wondering.....

Regards Steevee Leevee

My ls 400 152k miles is very economical without the aircon running. If I run it the car accelerates & decelerates with the switching on and of of the compressor. If I am braking at low speed and the compressor shuts off ( under thermostatic control) I almost come to a dead stop. She drives like a dream with no air con and like a runaway horse with it on. Does anyone have any advice please?