steve2006

So basically Toyota have allegedly fiddled the figures, been found out then issued a recall that no one seems to know about to have the car checked to ensure it is safe to drive after being stolen due to CanBus venerability. You couldn’t make this up!

The woes of driving a JDM import in my case a 2004 model year Toyota Celsior means that it is not exempt in any ULEZ area and to make matters worse Toyota UK cannot issue a compliance report as it is Japanese specification. Fortunately I never go to these places but if ( or more likely when) this system is introduced in Nottingham and Derby I will by then hopefully have my bus pass and the £3000.00 odd a year it costs me to run the car will be reallocated to Uber journeys.

Given the well documented problems with Lexus models rear callipers seizing due mainly to lack of maintenance on the slide pins ( not even a Lexus service item) why are these single piston callipers still being used even on new models? Back in 2001 with the introduction of the LS430 Sumitomo twin pot callipers were fitted on the rear brakes effectively eliminating the slider pin problem but this as far as I know was the only model at the time to get them. All other Lexus models with a few exceptions like the ISF and RCF continue to this day to use single piston sliding callipers. ”In pursuit of Perfection” I think Lexus gave up running when it came to rear brake callipers.

Perhaps the price reduction is to reflect the increased cost of insuring these vehicles and should be marketed as such. ”Lexus offer a £2500.00 insurance premium contribution for the first year as there is a good chance you won’t still have the car in the second year”

Hello Alan and welcome to the LOC. Lexus are generally well spec’d as standard with cup holders and storage compartments so I would think demand for additional things would be limited hence the lack of availability. For RHD cars Japan is the source for most “modification” items, they drive on the same side as the UK and like their “gizmos” The big problem is actually buying them directly. As an example I drive a JDM Toyota Celsior which as an extra has a “trash bin” mounted in the passenger footwell. Made from coloured coded ABS with a removable black innner tray it complements the rest of the interior. There is one on eBay and the asking price is $200.00 plus shipping from Japan! Crazy money in my opinion. Check out Yahoo Japan you may find what you need there.

There are also the 2 VVTI oil micro filters which could be clogged up as they are not a service item.

Does sound like oil starvation, have you checked the oil level since the service? Also is it a genuine Toyota oil filter?

Hi Mike good to see you back 😀

Great result and thanks for the info, only time will tell but if it lasts 2 years it is still 10% of the OEM part plus if you paid with PayPal you effectively have a 180 day warranty.

52114-11021 is the part number however I have 52114-11010 for JDM front. Rear 75121ABRACKET, REAR LICENSE PLATE 75131-110201

Yes you did well, mine increased around 25% on renewal

I was a bit late this time as I normally get the MOT done a month early but been in Italy so got it done last Monday. Another clean pass which given the state of the roads I didn’t expect but it is the emissions that amaze me for a 20 year old car.

Probably because Aviva only increased their profits by 9% and gave an 8% share dividend but still increased your premium double that amount!

Apparently this is a common problem and very expensive to fix out of warranty.

What with increased repair costs and hire vehicles these insurance companies must be really struggling to survive!

I have found that although they list the parts as available and provide a delivery time you then after paying tend to get a message saying part of the order is out of stock with no indication of a delivery window. Last time I placed an order for several parts they had the thermostat but not the O ring seal so I ended up using LPD and cancelling the complete Amayama order. Also bear in mind that VAT may be applied and the courier’s “ admin” charge.

Could you post up a video of the noise?

If you are still considering anthracite coloured wheels these are that colour on my Celsior, not OEM wheels but gives you an idea what they would look like. These were done maybe 3 years ago by my local body shop and they painted all the wheels not just the face side plus the centre caps to match. Back then cost me £280.00 all in for the 4.

If the spark plug leads, distributor caps and rotor arms are original replace them. Common problem on the LS400 (same engine) is the passenger side coil pack failing when it gets warm due to its location above the exhaust manifold. Any problems with the above will not flag codes or turn on the Engine Management Light, you do not need a code reader either, just a paperclip to check for any fault codes. I’m impressed that you managed to find a MAF with it being a Karman Vortex type ( don’t ever use cleaner on it as it is optical and not a hot wire type)

“It’s cosmetic and therefore not covered under warranty” is the likely response from the dealership. I don’t understand where Lexus are heading but in my opinion it is generally in a downward direction. From a company that once offered gold plated logo badges as an option to a point, due to possible quality issues, the badge fades within a couple of years.

Hello Suresh and welcome to the LOC. First thing you need to do is get the car scanned for fault codes which should lead you in the right direction as to the cause.

Ted’s horn is now working again 😀 Initial diagnosis suggested a defective clock spring as there was no earth path present when the horn pad was pressed so it was decided to fit a separate horn push switch. However while reassembling the column shroud I noticed a broken black and silver wire between the moveable part ( tilt and telescope section) and the fixed part of the steering column. Turns out this is the earth connection between the 2 parts and many years of movement had caused this wire to break out of the crimped connection. Reconnecting this wire restored full horn operation as the earth path was now present again. The first photograph shows the crimp connector and the wire circled and the second the earth wire on the exploded parts diagram.

Hi Ted, hope you are well. Unfortunately I sold my year 2000 LS400 electrical manual to another member but cannot now remember who it was. It is very unlikely to be the airbag itself, from what I recall there is an earth wire to the steering wheel centre metal frame ( black wire I think) which is riveted to it, this rivet becomes loose so no longer earths when the pad is pressed. There is also a 10A horn fuse and a horn relay involved. What you could do to eliminate theses components is get in the car, close the door and then lock the car with the remote. Then open the door which should activate the alarm sounding the horns confirming this section is working. You could just fit a separate switch for the horn somewhere convenient bypassing the horn pad if this is the cause of the problem. If you are really stuck you’re welcome to drive down to me just over the county border.

Wasn’t there another case recently when the interior was a completely different colour to the one ordered?

Clip starting at 3.39 apparently involving a black IS220d.