Tomtit

I told the mechanic to leave them off. I don't want this problem again. I suppose I will have to expect this to happen on the LS430 as well, unless they have previously been removed. The workshop manual shows that the LS also has wheel bearing dust shields.

For the benefit of others, this is what happens to the reluctor rings on the driveshafts. The castellations are almost worn away. Without help from this forum I would not have been able to diagnose the problem.

Collected the car today after the local garage had removed the wheel bearing dust covers and fitted the new driveshafts. The car is now braking as it should with no noises. The mechanic said that the job was "a challenge." I bet the language in the workshop was not fit for use in decent company. It took him 5 1/2 hours. The workshop manual made it sound like an hour's work. Waiting for the vacuum switching valve and gaskets to arrive before I tackle the next job.

Graham. I have done plenty of fellwalking in the Lake District and I know what you mean about the weather.

A few days ago after heavy rain a couple of drops of water fell into the car when I opened the door. They seemed to drop from the rubber seal above the driver's side window. Yours may be similar. I will spray some silicone lubricant onto the rubber to keep it supple.

I cannot criticise High Peak Autos. The invoices show that they spent a lot of money putting things right and I don't think that they made a profit on the sale. (I hope they made a profit on my part exchange). When starting the car I did not notice the absence of the MIL, and I suspect that many other potential buyers would not notice it. I always buy older cars and in my experience it is rare to get one without any issues. I still feel that I have come away with a good car and I would buy again from this dealer.

Bob. On the video where the man from High Peak Autos shows us around the car, the engine management lamp did not come on when he switched the ignition on. This suggests that the light had been blocked out before High Peak bought it. I should add that the repair work was done by another garage, not High Peak Autos.

You will need to have a scan done to find out which fault code(s) are present. This will narrow things down and make diagnosis easier.

I have just discovered from the paperwork that the garage tried to fix the P1651 fault code by replacing the vacuum switching valve for the emissions control system, not the valve for the acoustic control induction system. I have looked at the valve for the emissions control and it looks new. It is not surprising that the P1651 code will not go away. I have ordered a new valve and gaskets.

Bob. It is difficult to say. I have spent the afternoon getting the car up in the air and sealing 4 exhaust leaks. Good news: the MIL went out after starting the engine. Bad news: it came back on with a new fault code. P1651 - vacuum switching valve for acoustic control induction system circuit. The paperwork shows that this code was there before I bought the car and a new switching valve was fitted. It was a genuine part bought from Lexus. I had this problem with the LS430 and fitting the new valve was a long job; the inlet manifold has to come off, and that is a heavy item when you are working on your own. Another job to look forward to !

Today I removed the cluster again and managed to access the LED's. I have attached a photo. The black sealant is covering the LED for the malfunction indicator lamp. Needless to say, the MIL is now working as it should. At least I don't have to start investigating the wiring. I may be the only person who is pleased to see the MIL lit up with the engine running. That is part 1 of the problem solved. Now, fault code P0430 with a louder than usual exhaust note will point me in the right direction.

Colin. Thank you. I will have a look at the ECU tomorrow when it has hopefully stopped raining. For information to help others, it is only a few minutes' work to take the cluster out. The bezel is clipped in place and comes away using a plastic trim removal tool. The cluster is held by 4 screws.

Colin. Thank you for that information. The car was M.O.T'd in February this year. I would have expected the tester to spot the missing light. I have watched the High Peak Autos video again and there was no MIL showing when the ignition was turned on. The problem has been there for some time. Someone has previously looked at the instrument cluster as two screws are missing. Inside there is a complex-looking printed circuit board. There is nothing obvious like a burn mark. I don't have the knowledge to test the PCB. I will have a look for connector E6 tomorrow in daylight. In the meantime I have found (in the diagnostics section of the workshop manual) a diagram of the connector at the back of the cluster. I can now work out which wire feeds the MIL. I was hoping to put voltage to the feed wire and see if the MIL lights up. If it does, it would indicate a wiring problem further back. You mention low voltage before the engine starts. If I apply, say, 4.5 volts d.c. to the feed wire would that be enough to light the MIL? I will try the engine ECU as you suggest. Checking at the cluster will give me another option. Thank you.

When I bought the car I was looking into the ABS problem and I did a full scan for all fault codes. The only code showing was P0430 catalytic converter efficiency below threshold bank 2. I deleted the code and thought no more of it. I have now realised that the engine malfunction indicator lamp does not come on at all. It should come on for a few seconds when the ignition is turned on. I need to check for a voltage supply at the instrument cluster. I have ordered the electrical wiring diagram supplement to the workshop manual, but it is coming from the U.S.A. and will arrive some time next month. There is a multi plug at the back of the cluster. Does anyone know which wire is the feed for the engine malfunction indicator lamp, please?

That is good news. It looks really clean underneath.

The LS430 passed the M.O.T. today with no advisories. Not bad for a 20 year old car with 146k on the clock. I am happy.

If you look on ebay at lexussparesdirect you will find some used air suspension struts for sale.

I would be happy with a 119k engine with full history. My LS430 (with the same engine) has 146k on it and it drives like a new engine. I replaced the engine oil a year ago and it is still golden-coloured. How often do you come across that? I have owned more than 60 cars and have never experienced that before. They are superb engines.

Just a brief update: the mechanic put the car on a ramp to look at what the job entails. He rang me to say that there could be 7 or 8 hours work, depending on how badly stuck the driveshafts are. He may have to use heat or even a big sledgehammer and drift if they won't come out. The garage is always booked up for weeks in advance and he could not risk the job going over to the next day due to other commitments. I have booked it in again for early next month. In the meantime I will spray penetrating fluid at intervals. I will post the outcome in due course.

Yes, and like yours the drawers are labelled so we don't waste time looking for tools.

My suspension began sagging on one side but the compressor would pump it up again. Eventually it sagged when left overnight. It was entitled to fail at 19 years old. The suspension strut cannot be repaired. It will cost a four figure sum to replace it, unless you want to take a chance on a second hand unit. At that age, when one strut fails the others may not be far behind. I converted the car to conventional coil springs and shock absorbers. I did the work myself. The ride is not quite as good as air suspension, but for just over £1000 the new parts will probably last the life of the car. I left a post on this forum with details, part nos. etc. On a positive note, the seats will be like your favourite armchair.

Ant. Photo of tool cabinets attached. I sometimes need a pry bar to open the drawers on the Halfords cabinet, even 'though they are not full. I cannot fault the SGS cabinet. Thumbs.db

I have a tool cabinet made by SGS. Far better quality than the equivalent Halfords one which I also have.

I wonder if some insurers are trying to keep their clients by rewarding loyalty.

This year's premium for the LS 430 was £115 less than last year. I am not complaining.