Barry14UK

If you give the VIN number to a Lexus dealer they should be able to help you.

There have been several threads on this subject and on one I posted an alarm system which would have had to be activated if the pipe was cut. Perhaps as an additional refinement a dye could be released in the process. Stealing cats has become quite a problem in the USA and some mainland European countries as well as the UK and it calls for serious collaboration between automobile manufacturers and security experts. Unfortunately, the Police are overstretched already so the scumbags have a very good chance of 'getting away with it'.

Maybe some gumming up of one or more piston rings. I don't know the set up in your car but mainly the oil control ring can be responsible although I have seen cases where compression rings have become stuck. Was a compresssion test done?

Spare parts are a very profitable part of a car manufacturers business and as you say much of this consists of parts made by others and you pay extra through buying through the dealer for having the part in the car maker's packaging, logo or part number stamped on it. (First learnt this many many years years ago when I bought a headlight bulb from Mercedes in their package as part of an order for spares but later found the same bulb for less than half the price at a local factors but minus the Merc wrapping). Similarly,as an example, I bought correct Lemforder control arms from a factor for my BMW which would have cost a lot more from a BMW dealership. So while the sales of spares produce a good return for Toyota or whatever manufacturer. there is an incentive to maintain a supply. There is also the matter of reputation. Many customers would not buy a car if the car maker only stocked spares for say 5 years after the sale of the model ended. Also, I read in the USA that it is a requirement that spares should be available for at least 10 years after production of a model ends. Somebody said this is how Honda dealt with the situation :- 'Ken Morgan former Lecturer of business law and economics (2019) Answered September 8, 2018·Author has7.2Kanswersand11.5Manswer views Honda supports their vehicles for 15 years after they stop production. They have this as policy. What usually happens is that once a model stops production by 10 years the make a very big final batch of parts and then sell them off to various auto parts companies. Honda UK did this with David Silver Spares (a Honda parts company). They sold all the spare parts for their bikes made and discontinued in the 1990s. They’re about to do the same for the discontinued vehicles for the 00s' So it rather looks like it should be possible to obtain parts for older Toyota and Honda models for a long time, although due to cost it may not be economical to pay the price of buying new for a very old car.

A few things to consider when contemplating keeping a car for many years. Manufacturers eventually stop supplying parts and in such cases you are then looking at non original parts (where these are indeed made and available or buying used parts that may or may not serve well. Notwithstanding how much time and money you put into an old car, unless it has classic status, insurers are not going to pay you much more for total loss in the event of a claim and are likely to write off good cars for even say a bonnet, wing and headlight. For a car produced in large numbers, Lexus cars hold their prices comparatively well but there comes a time when they become so outdated in terms of technology that they don't fetch much. Who knows that with the drive towards economy and being more 'green' whether in due course hybrids will be viewed with the same disdain as diesels are now and if owners may be penalized under future legislation. So you don't accept these prospects and keep punting money into them, there comes a point where you need to get something newer. I still have my 2001 E39 5 series BMW which apart from three small jobs needing to be done is in very good condition. However, the models was sold in huge numbers in various forms and as both petrol and diesel. Essential spares are still available new from BMW at present, other suppliers or breakers. I also have many spares from another E39 I broke for parts. But it is worth so little now that it is not worth me selling it. In fact it is only because the Lexus is more comfortable for my back on long journeys that I bought the Lexus, otherwise, I would still be using only the E39. If you do decide to keep the RX 400h long term, you might consider buying a few good second hand parts now that may not be available in a few years time. such as headlights for example.

Yes he seems to fumble his way through at times and takes some risks. However, for somebody who has done over 1,660 videos, mainly pulling electronic items apart and often modifying them, he has acquired vast experience and tells it how it is highlighting defiences rather than extolling product virtutes as some do who are promoting certain products for manufacturers.

Well it wouldn't make sense to drive it again until what is causing the problem has beeen found and rectified. If you are assured in writing that this haas been done you can take a view as to whether to keep or trade.

Thank you for confirming what I assumed. I will leave brackets in place in case I have to be pulled out of a ditch or whatever! I wouldn't want to tow with this arrangement, although force of habit I do have a tow rope in the boot. Decided I won't have sufficient use to get proper tow bar fitted.

I assume it's just a button type battery easily checked with a meter.

Hi Peter, Thank you for posting pic but I don't see that. on my car. About two thirds is covered by a plastic undershield with a triangular bracket bolted to the chassis showing as it projects down through the shield on the near side. The plastic shield stops short fairly close to the rear silencer and just further out still is the counterpart triangular bracket attached to the other longitudinal chassis member. You couldn't fit a bar directly between the two brackets as it would foul the end of the silencer. I was thinking the brackets may have served as tie down points during shipment . These brackets are not currently serving any purpose. I propose to fit a connector to one so I can take my external mains supply to it and thence inside boot to a connector for my smart charger. This will then enable me to plug into the connector weekly to top up my battery without lifting stuff out of the boot to access the smart charger. It's threatening to rain at present but when possible I will get my trolley jack out and raise the car's rear in order to take some pics. I couldn't see a dedicated lifting pad in the centre rear but will sort something.

Thank you for your response Herbs. These 'jump starts' are great but need treating with respect otherwise can smoke or even explode as was shown with a market leader in a video but not in the one I will link to. I found it interesting to watch this tear down of a defective unit and from about 13.06 on (if you don't wish to watch the whole thing), the guy opens the diode pack and shows the importance of this, hence I mentioned it to you.

Had a look under rear of my car today. I have a substantial bolted on bracket with elongated hole projecting downwards on either side. Lexus make reference to a drawbar for towing in the handbook, although there is nothing connecting these brackets or connected to them. Any idea if these brackets are part of a tow system or what other purpose they serve

I just received same email from Lexus Cheltenahm so expect others will too.

Herbs, Thank you for posting and hope you have not badly strained your back. I empathise as I also have back trouble and it takes a few days to recover after contortions. I am actively looking into installing a 'jump start' and like you have concluded that connections indirectly to the 12v battery are more easily made from under the bonnet rather than directly to the battery in the boot. I follow the connections you made under the bonnet and how you brought extended leads through the bulkhead. I believe the unit you installed comes with the little diode housing on the positive lead to stop backfeed to the jump start. Did you include this on the extended cables you made up? I assume your leads terminate in the socket you showed where your meter was hooked up. Presumably you would plug the jump start into this socket when needed.

Sorry, the information I was given and passed on was incorrect as presented so apologies. I think this may have been misread https://www.whatcar.com/news/government-ends-coronavirus-mot-extension-early/n21612

Just a reminder for those of us that have been able to defer the due date for MOT's due to the 'C' virus. The period of grace ends on 31st July so testing stations may be busy around this time if you have not arranged for this to be done yet where appropriate.

I thought this thread was about 'foggy head lights'. The subject has been completely changed from that posted by the OP which is a discourtesy and furthermore is now directed specifically at a model outside this forum range so should be on a more appropriate section of the club.

I think we are looking at different situations here and I wonder whether a bit of preliminary work could lead to less hassle when needed as problems tend to happen at awkward times. Is this feasible? * Bolt onto accessible underside of car a bracket that will carry a waterproof plug for connection to mains and to take mains power inside of car boot when wanted. * Install smart charger in boot. * Install Power pack in boot. * convert an existing socket to make permanent (or add new) inside cabin so smart charger can be connected to it and then to 12v system when required. All that would need to be done then would be to connect external plug to mains. * Power pack could also be boosted as required by connection to mains via the external socket. * This would save raising bonnet or boot lid and emptying out contents in boot. * When 12v battery eventually needs changing the power pack can be readily connected inside the car without other temporary connections and without losing settings. I think this could be made to work - it's just that more needs to be done at the outset to make it easier when situation requires. i

If I remember correctly, Herbs has his neatly installed in the boot area ready for use if necessary. As he implies, you don't really 'jump start' the engine, you supplement or virtually replace the 12v battery this way to wake up the computers etc which then enable the traction battery to fire up the engine as necessary. As I see it, you could have a well charged traction battery but it can't do it's job unless the 12v battery is able to initiate the process. Of course it's best to avoid letting the 12v battery ever drop to a level where it fails to do this because each time this happens it will reduce the life of the expensive 12v battery. Therefore, if the car is not used regularly say once every couple of weeks or so, it makes sense to use a smart charger or one of those solar jobbies. Naturally, an older battery is going to hold it's charge less well than a newer one so that would affect need for checking/charging frequency.

? correct forum and post not very explicit

It has to be remembered that the MOT tests things are operating at only that brief moment in time. What should be noted is how the brakes perform overall and also individually against each other where ideally both sides should match the time and progression of the other. A sticking caliper would show up in this test. But with wear and partial seizing of components there can come a tipping point when a disparity develops. The only other thing I can think of that has not yet been mentioned although is a very remote possibility is that the back plate may have suffered a blow whereby it has bent and is rubbing against the disc

This sounds to me like brake pads have worn though friction material maybe caused by sticking caliper or could be a stone has got caught up. I have even known where the pads over time have so undercut the disc that a considerable lip has formed leading to metal on pad and disc meeting. You could see what difference it makes taking out pads and possibly disc. I had a Camry once where there was no movement in the bearing but it gave a constant slight whistling sound which went when I replaced the bearing but quite unlike the sound yours made. If you you find you do have a disc/pads problem you need to check the other side also and if there is a substantial difference establish cause. Then having remedied this you might well have to fit new ones on either side unless it was just a very small stone on on side which I doubt it is.

Maybe said with tongue in cheek but I know a person who learnt the piano accordion and he provides free entertainment sessions at care homes

Met a guy at a kit car show some years ago. He liked building and working on cars. When he retired he built a Kit car and when he finished it sold it and started another one. He told me it had stopped him 'from going nuts'. This is rather an unusual one and he had the facilities to do this. Another person I knew joined a choir or learnt to play a musical instrument. There really is a great variety of things one can do.

U3A have many diverse groups in my area ranging from walking to various sports, languages to philosophy, bridge to discussion groups, photographic to book discussion, among others. I am sure there are many such U3A groups throughout the UK. Some meet weekly or fortnightly and others once a month. Some members attend more than one group. This would not be a complete replacement for a normal working jobof course but could provide some added interest and occupy some of your time.