Hi to everyone and a Happy New Year, soz its late.
Get ready for this one, I have not been well lately, so I have not been using my 1999 LS400 MK4.
On Saturday I went to start my pride and joy, she didn't look healthy, ie dim dash lights no start. So out came my trickle charger and left her charging, till sunday morning.
I looked at the charger and it said the battery voltage was full, Yahoo!
I inserted the ignition key and turned it to start, nice to hear that purring V8, music to my ears.
Then I looked down and on my satnav touch screen it displayed Security Screen, Input security number. Not a problem I thought, I remember reading on the USA forum about using the last four digits of the vin number. I tried that, no joy. So I looked through all my paper work, nothing! Oh dear! I think.
I rang the Lexus contact centre in my book, spoke to a very helpful and polite lady. She couldn't help and patched me through to Lexus Leeds. The lass in Leeds was very polite, she was sorry but its Sunday someone from tech will ring you back tomorow. No problem I said Thanks for you help.
No call came so I rang Lexus at Bolton who supplied the car from new. I explained my problem to be told its not four digits, its three digits. The handbook says four, so tried that no joy. He also said we dont keep those type of details and when we sell the vehicle we dont set the code its left unlocked from new.
So it must be the previous owner who changed it. The cure for my problem? remove the satnav unit and send it to Belgum to have the code read! So I rang the previous owners company and spoke to the transport manager. Who said the only person to drive that car was the MD. He spoke to him and confirmed nobody had entered any security code and that the car had been fully maintained by Lexus Bolton.
Then I rang Lexus Leeds, spoke to a guy from tech, he explained that I would have to drive from York to Leeds and let them put it on their diagnostic machine. If it failed to get the code I would have to have it sent away to have it read, but alot of time the unit has to be replaced. Also they could not look at my car for at least two weeks. The charge for reading the code is £55 and there is no guarantee it would retrieve it.
Then I rang Lexus contact cenre again who told me to ring Lexus GB 01737 363634. I told Steve about my problems and he said if the car was sold by Lexus Bolton the area manager should have this info. The mechanic at Lexus Bolton who will contact him for us and ring you back, no return call yet.
Does anyone know of some good OBD software available that would do this job, I have plenty of experience in electronic diagnostic's I have been in the electronics industry since 1974 (good old valves)or would my local Toyota dealer be able to do this job.
So hopefully any advice or positive input would be gratefully received. :winky:
StayLucky and happy reading.
Jim
