evilweasel

I knew it! So the HD foam stops the upper edge of the dash from moving - I assume then the dash itself is braced against the windscreen glass. Did the lexus bods have to remove the dash (again?) to apply the foam? If they did, how well did they do it - scratches on the plastics/leather etc? I wonder if it's easily done, as I've got those rattles too, and I really don't want the dash out job...

Top Tip - if the German fast food POI's are up to date, simply drive to Germany when in need of a tasty stop-off snack. :)

Yes, it would be interesting too see a comment from Lexus on this - people just don't want their 32k car pulled apart to fix a rattle - they would rather do it themselves in a less invasive way.

If Lexus put their cars together properly in the first place we wouldn't be in this situation. The civilised world has been building cars for over 100 years now and even then, major manufacturers seem to get the basics wrong.

I think the 'rag' solution is somehow too agricultural for me though... I'm still thinking hard about whether to let the spanner monkeys loose on my dash. I'll have to unmod my DVD for a start, and I really can't be @rsed with the hassle.

I used to work there too - around 15 years ago in the bakery department.... Happy days... Went to school up the road at Heaton Manor - they've knocked it down now I believe. Nice 35yr PFI school now at the Jesmond site.

Thanks NBLG.. Great info on that site - it's frightening to see how invasive the dash rattle fix is...

BTW How is it back home? I used to live in Gosforth and sometimes shopped at that safeways near the Lexus garage on Benton Road...

Anyway - Bugger - just disproved my theory this morning.

I put some thin card along the length of the screen and the rattles were still there. It looks like an effing dash out job.. I'm so dissapointed - Once the dealer does a big job like that I'm sure the car will never be the same again - little scratches everywhere, snapped clips in the dash area, mucky handprints etc... Maybe its a lack of trust with garages - I've been burnt before by them.

I'll have to think long and hard about asking them to do it. Maybe I'll just live with it...

Hello All,

I've been following the forums ever since my purchase of an IS220d back in July - in particular the stories of rattles from the dash area (and other places!) of the car.

Until now I thought I was one of the lucky ones, but over the past few weeks my car has developed the rattle that comes from the dash against the window, when driving over uneven surfaces. I guess it's due to the cold weather.

As I said I have been following the forums and at no point (correct me if I'm wrong) has anyone actually come up with specifics as to the root cause of the rattles, and exactly how they're fixed. Something like 'the mounting bracket behind the seatbelt's upper fastening needs padding' etc...

I have had a quick look and have a theory about the dash rattle (in my case anyway). There is a little play on the upper part of the dash at the contact point between it and the windscreen. Lexus have thoughtfully adhered black foam rubber strip along the upper edge of the dash to make a seal between the two components. There appears to be no adhiesive on the windscreen side.

I have been able to flex the dash against the windscreen and replicate the 'rattle' - it seems to be caused when the foam rubber breaks friction with the windscreen side - making an audible 'crack'. Try pulling your finger along a piece of paper while pushing down and you get the same effect. (best analogy I could think of...!)

I wonder if anyone else has been able to diagnose the same specific issue. I know someone has had a new windscreen fitted and that seemed to fix their 'rattle'. Perhaps the new windscreen had dust on the area mating with the strip and that's 'lubricating' the contact point, preventing friction between the foam and glass. Other theories - perhaps the cold weather changes the rubber characteristics (goes harder), making it more likely to bind up with the glass. In warm weather the rubber may become softer than orginal spec and have the same effect.

How to fix it - maybe a small amount of lubricant between the glass and rubber. Maybe a black cloth tape squeezed between the glass and rubber. It has to be easier than the 'dash out' job some people have had, which hasn't fixed everyone's issues.

I also have a rattle eminating from the fuel filler cap/boot open switch area when the engine slightly labours at around 2k rpm. If you touch the area around the switch the rattle stops. I have had the switch panel off and there are loose plastics galore - you know, clips that dont mate really well. I'd appreciate anybody else's experience with rattles eminating from that area.

Any thoughts, anyone?

Any reccomended brands? What do you use? Won't leather wax or conditioner add oils back in to leather and make it shinier?

hi mate, The best thing to use is Leather Balm, The stuff you would use on the house leathers.. :D or Leather wax.. :P

I brings the original leather feel and smell.. Works for me.. :D

Dibslpg

I have a problem starting to develop in my new IS that I have seen in other cars I've owned and tried to stop to no avail. My steering wheel and leather gearknob are getting a bit shiny, as opposed to the matte leather finish when they were new.

I know its the natural oils on my hands working into the leather, so is there a product out there that will prevent this from getting worse, and possibly improve the leather condition back to full matte? Somebody must have had some success somewhere. On previous cars I've tried everthing from Autoglym and ecloths to Fairy liquid and scouring pads, all with similarly dissapointing results.

I'm even thinking of replacing the gearknob with a mostly chrome one and getting a half wood wheel if I can't find a half decent solution. Any ideas anyone?

I have a problem starting to develop in my new IS that I have seen in other cars I've owned and tried to stop to no avail. My steering wheel and leather gearknob are getting a bit shiny, as opposed to the matte leather finish when they were new.

I know its the natural oils on my hands working into the leather, so is there a product out there that will prevent this from getting worse, and possibly improve the leather condition back to full matte? Somebody must have had some success somewhere. On previous cars I've tried everthing from Autoglym and ecloths to Fairy liquid and scouring pads, all with similarly dissapointing results.

I'm even thinking of replacing the gearknob with a mostly chrome one and getting a half wood wheel if I can't find a half decent solution. Any ideas anyone?

Interesting.

The car was empty - 62 litres to fill it up. I've done around 100 miles, half of which on the M40, other half on A roads/urban. I've managed to get, without changing driving style, 43mpg, where usually I'd obtain around 38mpg. I've used a fifth of a tank of this stuff and on current form it looks like I'll be sticking with it. I took the mileage down at the time I filled it, so I'll calculate MPG accurately next time I fill up, and let you all know.

Took my 220d in today for a wheel refurb (damn kerbs!). Also asked them to look at fuel consumption and to speak to Richard at Lexus Poole - I picked up the car tonight and was told that no errors were in the car's event log and to try using BP ultimate etc. and then get back to them. I filled up with it on the way back. I find it hard to crack 40mpg at the minute (tesco's) so I'll be interested to see how good BP's finest performs....

Hello all,

I had a phonecall from Lexus today reminding me that my IS was due for it's service. I advised the Lexus rep that I bought the car on 5800 miles (ex demo) and had it serviced as part of the sale agreement. This means that my 220d needs a service at around 16k miles. I'm on 12k right now and I asked the rep whether the car would remind me by having a flashing spanner or similar appear on the instrument panel. I got lots of umms and ahs but no answer...

Has anyone seen an indication of service due on their 220d's yet?

BTW - Love the car, still look forward to driving it after 2 months, love the toys, looks and drive - (40mpg a bit harsh though)

I'm reading that electric key fobs are among the items not allowed to be carried into the cabin on flights departing the UK. From what I've read, there's no way to start the car without the electronic key. What happens if the checked luggage goes missing and the car is at the airport?

Has anyone travelled with the key for a new GS or IS over the last few days and been able to bring it on board or is it definitely banned?

If you're flying BA it's going to be in the baggage hold along with everything else, apart from maybe your wallet and travel docs. Spectacles and sunglasses also allowed, but not the glasses case. Any carry-on needs to be in a clear plastic bag.

Best thing to do is get your bags plastic wrapped, it might at least put off the thieves in Baggage Handling now they're tempted by all those cameras, iPods, laptops and mobile phones....or is it just restricted to those that work in Jo'berg? My large Samonsite shell case had the locks broken coming out of Houston last trip, but there was a note in the case saying Homeland Security had done it...that's OK then

...and the answer to your question? Hard luck, just hope the trip to bring your spare key to the airport doesn't take too long.

I flew in the UK on Friday from Orkney to Heathrow via Glasgow. I was up in Orkney all week and watched the news reports with a sinking feeling - I had my laptop, car keys, mobile, PDA etc with me and I knew I was going to have to check it all in.

You can carry keys, but not electrical keyfobs. I could have split my key and carried on just the metal bit, checking in the fob, but that would still be no good if they lost the fob. You could get into the car, but not start it. As it happens, I checked the whole lot through and got it back at Heathrow. Phew!

In future though, I'll see if I can lock the fob in the boot in a steel box or take the Battery out, and carry the metal key with me. I'll be able to get back into the car with the metal bit , recover the fob and Bob's your uncle!

I really hope these carry on restrictions don't last too long though....

Has anyone else experienced caller ID problems in the MM on their IS250?

Noticed caller ID didn't come up when a friend called today, just his phone number. After some

playing about, discovered that if the number is in the MM as +44 xxxx you wont get the name

come up, if it is 01234 it does.

Pretty poor, as who doesn't roam these days and keep numbers in their phones in international

format :(

I discovered this also - I had to edit my entire phonebook to make caller ID work.

I read sometime ago on the forum that there was a glass holder that would replace the ashtray/cigarette lighter in the new IS220d model, however I cannot locate the post and would be grateful if anybody could supply me with more information or a part number.

There was a post about a sunglasses holder replacing the blanking panel near the moonroof controls/roof light near windscreen in some markets. I don't remember one about the ashtray being replaced.

Are you planning on having a glass of wine with a glass holder. There are two other cup holders near the ashtray and one in each door.

Brian :)

There is a part available from a US website - pricey though... See the below thread.

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...st&p=363078

Still haven't got one yet - I'm looking at the possibility of using a grab handle flipdown sunglass holder from another type of car.

if you hold te unlock button on the remote the windows will roll down at the same time all 4.vice virsa for the lock

See this thread - http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...&hl=windows

It's happened to me too. Fortunately it was dry. I've been more careful with the key (don't sit down with it in your back pocket!) and it's not happened again. Maybe the wireless key reciever in the car is just v.sensitve and picks up the signal even when the key's in the house!

Try this link i think its maybe what yourre looking for.

US site but contains quite a few universally available handsets.

http://www.lexus.com/models/bluetooth/

Infinity.............

Interesting. Good info - Looks like Motorolas don't show Battery and sig strength either. Maybe it's only on Sony Ericssons....

I wonder if we can start compiling a thread listing to what degree your phone is compatible with the MM Bluetooth connection. There are AFAIK 3 things to look at -

Whether the phone connects reliably

Whether the whole phonebook can be uploaded, or just one by one

Whether the signal strength and Battery power remaining is displayed on the MM screen.

I'll start the ball rolling...

Nokia 6230 - Connects reliably, one by one, no sig/bat reported

Nokia 6230i - Connects reliably, one by one, no sig/bat reported

Sony Ericsson T610 - Connects reliably, all at once, sig/bat reported

If we all contribute, we'll have a decent list of what phones work, and how well.

I'm hoping that somebody has a Nokia that uploads all the phonebook, and shows sig/bat, as I cannot get my head around SE phones!

Happens with mine between 1st and 2nd too - just thought it was a 'feature'... It would be interesting to know what this mod is, and whether its FOC...

Unless I'm being blind I can't seem to find a pause function for MP3/CD playback on the ML system. Does anyone know how to do it?

The only way to pause that I know off is to switch it off!

A glaring omission from Lexus, I must say!

Unless I'm being blind I can't seem to find a pause function for MP3/CD playback on the ML system. Does anyone know how to do it?

Thanks for that - think I'll join!

Anyone know what Lexus MK, Lexus Bristol or Lexus Oxford offer?

I'm from Newcastle, but live in Milton Keynes. It must be a geordie thing, but I am also looking to find what benefits there are and how to get them, if you become a gold member.

B)-->

Nice idea - a great excuse to fit 18" Hoshis.... In the meantime I want to keep my 17inchers looking good. Do Lexus do an official touch up kit with the right colour paint perhaps?

Just kerbed my wheel on the way home tonight... Any recommendations on what paint/laquer to use to touch up?