Ride height sensor

[inchley313]

Has anyone here got a spare R/H rear ride height sensor for a 2003 Lexus RX300 SE-L? If so, how much with postage to the Isle of Man please?

 

It would appear the second hand one I fitted nearly 3 years ago has failed and I could live in the gap between the wheel and the arch!!

 

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[PCM]

Like this???

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rear-Passenger-Right-Suspension-Ride-Height-Sensor-Aisin-HST025-for-Lexus-RX330/192551084910?epid=222979698&hash=item2cd4f0636e:g:pycAAOSwV0NbCVtY 

[inchley313]

Like this???
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rear-Passenger-Right-Suspension-Ride-Height-Sensor-Aisin-HST025-for-Lexus-RX330/192551084910?epid=222979698&hash=item2cd4f0636e:g:pycAAOSwV0NbCVtY 

Yup! That's the one! Just wondered if anyone had one as I don't really want to spend the best part of £200 on one!

I have one ordered from China but will take 3 weeks to get here. It's a bit of an experiment as they're advertised on eBay for £9.95 with free shipping.

I will let you all know if they're any good, if it comes through ok and works, I will be ordering 4 to keep in stock ready for next time!

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[Herbie]

That sensor from China should be fine.

In the meantime, have you taken yours off to see if its repairable? Could just need the internal contacts cleaning or one of the springs replaced.

[inchley313]

That sensor from China should be fine.
In the meantime, have you taken yours off to see if its repairable? Could just need the internal contacts cleaning or one of the springs replaced.

Yes. First off, the lever is very stiff to move, theres loads of corrosion inside and one of the gold springs is seized in place and snapped in half (it was also seized to the lid of the sensor).

Safe to say FUBAR!

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[inchley313]

My £9.95 eBay China special arrived a couple of days ago so have just had the car in my workshop, got it up on my lift and replaced the sensor. I am pleased to report that it is all working again as it should. I had to drill the screws out of the old sensor to separate the metalwork from the plastic to use on the new sensor but the cover screws from the back of the old sensor made great replacements for these!

Decided to clean and paint the brackets etc while I had the sensor stripped down.

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[Lager shandy]

There maybe a temp fix for you I imagine the sensor is just a swipe varible resistor ,take the other one off Measure the resistance at normal height buy a resister and solder in the unit .or I imagine most ride height sensor units are the same and you could try one off another lexus model.( Quick edit Ahh sorry I just realised you have already solved your issue.)

[inchley313]

Just a quick update, it's been a couple of months now since this fix and the £9.95 eBay sensor is working perfectly!! Definitely going to order more of these to keep to one side ready for the next failure!!

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[The-Acre]

2 hours ago, inchley313 said:

Just a quick update, it's been a couple of months now since this fix and the £9.95 ebay sensor is working perfectly!! Definitely going to order more of these to keep to one side ready for the next failure!!

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Which really makes you wonder just how the price for genuine parts is justified.  I took my 11 year old Volvo door card off recently to repair a speaker and I noticed the window motor is Chinese, the same for my ex 2003 Vauxhall.  I'm glad it's working for you, and good info for others.

[Barry14UK]

Supplying spare parts contributes greatly to the profit of manufacturers,  If manufacturers can get parts made cheaply elsewhere they will do so.  I remember on a W124 Mercedes I had in the late nineties the under bonnet loom degenerated to the point I was getting a bad misfire.  I was told it was made in Poland and was known to fail.  Also,even back then some Mercedes components were being made made in China.  I don't know whether Lexus buy in parts from China but being aware  that Chinese tend to make anything they can sell, it comes as no surprise to me that they will make a version of Lexus parts.  Some of what is made in China is very good, I was surprised how good some HS drill bits I bought were but some stuff is very inferior. I remember buying what was ostensibly a North Face jacket from a large Government supported store we were expected to attend as part of  a tour of China.  It was cheap, and on close examination the material and stitching showed it was not genuine.  Maybe they have improved in recent years but I would not automatically accept everything they sell as aftermarket products is of the same quality as sold by major manufacturers, even if the OE parts were made in China. 

Having said that, the difference in price of the level adjuster as detailed in this thread would probably tempt most people with an older car go that way, even if the part might not be so long lasting. 

[inchley313]

I suspect it is not going to last as long as a genuine one hence the need to stock a couple. But if I get a couple of years out of each one for a tenner, I'll quite happily keep changing them out!! ;)

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[joerx]

sorry for the late reply to your post Ian but I added a post sometime ago with a photo of mine could I ask is there just the one RHS on the rx400h ? as I`ve looked all round the car and can only see the one on my driver side rear did you just buy the bolt & ball joint parts that are on eBay ? sorry for all the daft questions but I`m pretty new to these cars I only noticed it had snapped when I changed a wheel 

[inchley313]

sorry for the late reply to your post Ian but I added a post sometime ago with a photo of mine could I ask is there just the one RHS on the rx400h ? as I`ve looked all round the car and can only see the one on my driver side rear did you just buy the bolt & ball joint parts that are on ebay ? sorry for all the daft questions but I`m pretty new to these cars I only noticed it had snapped when I changed a wheel 

Hi Joerx, mine is the SE-L model with air suspension so has the sensors on every wheel. If yours is on standard springs and shocks, it will be the SE model. I think the SE had the one sensor or maybe 2. One is on the O/S/R wheel and possibly one on the N/S/F wheel. These sensors will control you self leveling headlamps.

I bought the sensor on it's own but a quick search on eBay and you should find the link rod. If you can get a sensor with the rod fitted, fitting is a damn sight easier!

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[mikesands]

Mine is the last of the 400H generation (2009) and it has standard springs and shocks.  I'd be very grateful if someone could point me to a chinese version of what I need for the rear ride height sensor (sounds like I only need one).

Thanks

Mike

[ColinBarber]

1 hour ago, mikesands said:

Mine is the last of the 400H generation (2009) and it has standard springs and shocks.  I'd be very grateful if someone could point me to a chinese version of what I need for the rear ride height sensor (sounds like I only need one).

Thanks

Mike

Here's one - prices seems to have gone up:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEADLIGHT-LEVEL-ADJUSTER-SENSOR-FOR-TOYOTA-PRIUS-TACOMA-LEXUS-RX-ES-MAZDA-RX-8/233783813889?hash=item366e99e701:g:~28AAOSwHHBfoVxF

 

or not via eBay which is cheaper:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33056820011.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.723b732ePXl56U&algo_pvid=e6c800fc-d6b2-4afa-ad59-e9f2c8e27d2c&algo_expid=e6c800fc-d6b2-4afa-ad59-e9f2c8e27d2c-1&btsid=0b0a050b16185591281841723e65cb&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

Remember that whilst your vehicle was registered in 2009, it was manufactured in 2008 - hence you need use 2008 when searching for parts.

[Wyeman]

On 4/16/2021 at 8:47 AM, ColinBarber said:

Here's one - prices seems to have gone up:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEADLIGHT-LEVEL-ADJUSTER-SENSOR-FOR-TOYOTA-PRIUS-TACOMA-LEXUS-RX-ES-MAZDA-RX-8/233783813889?hash=item366e99e701:g:~28AAOSwHHBfoVxF

 

 

It's coming from Llandrindod Wells, not China so perhaps that accounts for the price change.

[ColinBarber]

20 hours ago, Wyeman said:

It's coming from Llandrindod Wells, not China so perhaps that accounts for the price change.

Yes, all the middlemen have stepped in. There are around a dozen different sellers that have brought them into the UK and added their margin to it. Most hopefully do actually hold stock in the UK but I've certainly experienced a UK seller where the part has come directly from China.

There are still a couple of sellers from China I've found, e.g.:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294052223090?epid=0&hash=item4476e0d872:g:L8cAAOSwfCZgRfdz

[Las Palmas]

Are there any such sensor in the CT200h 2016 with LED lamps? Should be  think.

[Iluvmybmw]

@inchlei313 would you mind to snap a pic of your front left height sensor? I think mine is missing but I don't know what it looks like or where and how it's suppose to be located.

[Japanesebob14]

I noticed my rh one of these appears to have snapped - I didn't know what it was. My rx350 doesn't have air suspension, do I need this thing?

[Herbie]

50 minutes ago, Japanesebob14 said:

I noticed my rh one of these appears to have snapped - I didn't know what it was. My rx350 doesn't have air suspension, do I need this thing?

Yes, you do need it. It's the headlight level sensor, nothing to do with air suspension.

[Japanesebob14]

Oh...😳I must admit I feel a bit silly, not having the faintest idea what it was. Thank you Herbie, I shall replace it then.

[Herbie]

Never feel silly to ask questions Matthew. As someone once told me, "The only silly question is the one not asked."

[LenT]

On 4/30/2022 at 8:08 PM, Herbie said:

Never feel silly to ask questions Matthew. As someone once told me, "The only silly question is the one not asked."

Generally sound advice, I think Herbs.  But like most aphorisms there’s often an alternative position.

Forgive me if I’ve mentioned this before, but the one I like is:

”Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, then to open it and remove all doubt!”

[royoftherovers]

On 11/17/2019 at 11:33 PM, Barry14UK said:

Supplying spare parts contributes greatly to the profit of manufacturers,  If manufacturers can get parts made cheaply elsewhere they will do so.  I remember on a W124 Mercedes I had in the late nineties the under bonnet loom degenerated to the point I was getting a bad misfire.  I was told it was made in Poland and was known to fail.  Also,even back then some Mercedes components were being made made in China.  I don't know whether Lexus buy in parts from China but being aware  that Chinese tend to make anything they can sell, it comes as no surprise to me that they will make a version of Lexus parts.  Some of what is made in China is very good, I was surprised how good some HS drill bits I bought were but some stuff is very inferior. I remember buying what was ostensibly a North Face jacket from a large Government supported store we were expected to attend as part of  a tour of China.  It was cheap, and on close examination the material and stitching showed it was not genuine.  Maybe they have improved in recent years but I would not automatically accept everything they sell as aftermarket products is of the same quality as sold by major manufacturers, even if the OE parts were made in China. 

Having said that, the difference in price of the level adjuster as detailed in this thread would probably tempt most people with an older car go that way, even if the part might not be so long lasting. 

A pal of mine once bought a very cheap set of golf clubs in Shanghai manufactured under the name of PONG He thought it said Ping !.😊