DaKa

Nice to read this post Rich and to see that you are doing the right thing by your Dad - checking with the forum is the best way. A pristine LS400 just sold for £19,000 on The Market https://themarket.co.uk/listings/lexus/ls400/835b2fb1-e81f-43ee-a3e4-573bbd50fbfd Don't get too excited, but I do regret giving my LS400 to my older brother 15 years ago as then I valued it at only £700. It was a P reg with circa 100,000 on the clock. They are getting very 'collectable' especially in Northern Europe (Denmark etc.). There may be a metal tag/plate under the bonnet at the front where, if the timing belt was done by Lexus, it may state the mileage when changed, otherwise find the receipt in the paperwork as someone buying would otherwise assume it needs doing (and likely the water pump too). The belt is suggested changing every circa 70,000 miles after the first change at 60,000 but a lot will depend on usage, time elapsed and the conditions of storage. Circa 170k mileage, you will be ok to start if on your 3rd belt? Exhaust fix is more of an issue to get it done cost effective, but there are some import options from Rock autos and a couple of places in UK that will repair and you will find a thread for that on this site Best of luck.

2 years back I ordered and fitted new front discs / pads and rear pads purchased from eBay. I pick sellers with good feedback and I had no problem with these - you may find the order numbers still listed of updated by the sellers? FRONT MINTEX BRAKE PADS SET FOR LEXUS LS 430 (2000-2006) BRAND NEW ( 122376966767 ) ITEM PRICE: £24.03 Item FRONT MINTEX BRAKE PADS SET FOR LEXUS LS 430 (2000-2006) BRAND NEWBuy similarView similar items More actions Add note- FRONT MINTEX BRAKE PADS SET FOR LEXUS LS 430 (2000-2006) BRAND NEW ORDER DATE 21 Feb, 2018 ORDER NUMBER 122920961677-1915233395002 SOLD BY nipponautosparesltd(1 item) Order Genuine New lexus LS430 Front Brake x2 Disc 315 mm 43512-50230View order details Genuine New lexus LS430 Front Brake x2 Disc 315 mm 43512-50230 ( 122920961677 ) ITEM PRICE: £65.49 Item Genuine New lexus LS430 Front Brake x2 Disc 315 mm 43512-50230Buy similarView similar items More actions Add note- Genuine New lexus LS430 Front Brake x2 Disc 315 mm 43512-50230 ORDER DATE 21 Feb, 2018 ORDER NUMBER 183070901002-1780397053008 SOLD BY r13k64(1 item) Order TOYOTA LEXUS LS430 BREMBO REAR BRAKE PAD SET 2000-2006,SOLID AUTO.View order details TOYOTA LEXUS LS430 BREMBO REAR BRAKE PAD SET 2000-2006,SOLID AUTO. ( 183070901002 )

Thanks for the information Bluesman - I'll create a suitable post this weekend.

Yes, I'm selling mine LS430 2001 and I'm also in Essex - send PM as I'm not a gold member and can't advertise here. It will be on Ebay soon with a note that I will give a discount any existing forum member

I would have thought that buying a second hand donor car would make more financial sense providing it runs and you know the gears are working smoothly. I'll be parting with my LS430 2001 on this forum shortly, (not sure if transmissions are the same?) so keep an eye out for the ad as I'd like it to go to a forum member

To complete the update from my side on this thread - I took the covers off the steering column and lubricated just about everything liberally. I've not had any issue with the lock since but have been extremely careful not to bash the steering wheel getting in/out. I have however managed to stop the steering adjustment in/out motor working properly, so avoid excessive lubrication of this I guess to others. The good news is that its stuck where I like it and the up/down works fine. I'm going to leave it alone now, before I break something else! 🙂 P.S. Just bought my brothers Merc GLC250d - so the long relationship with my LS430 may be ending soon a 'someone' indoors has told me that I have too many cars - why don't they understand that cars are all different.

Likewise, my last MOT warned of wear on these lower bushes, so keen to hear if any special tools or just muscle is required for this job. With it being such a heavy car I'm always worried about my safety?

It turns out there is a patron saint for Lexus. 🙂 I tried for absolutely ages to get the ignition turning Saturday, all possible combinations, it was very hot and frustrating. On Sunday I had to get the car out of the way as it was blocking others in my 3-4 car driveway - so after many more attempts I put the front wheels on dollies (not easy jacking up one at a time and sliding under) and between my wife, daughter and her boyfriend pushed the car over the block paving out of the way - it's heavy! Further attempts to start after moving, again came to nothing. Having started to look at towing options and who would want a car that can't be started (lucky to get £500 scrap for it) and with the car roasting in the sunshine I gave it another go Sunday afternoon and, knock me over with a feather, it turned and started with only moonier persuasion - phew. I wanted to leave it unlocked with the key in 2nd ACC position but wasn't sure if this would flatten the battery quicker. In the end, I've locked and unlocked the car several times and for now will keep it parked so as to not block others in the drive. In short - now that I can turn/start again is there anything I can do to help prevent recurrence as I can't risk this happening again. e.g. Remove steering covers and lubricate generously everywhere, or, will I just need to be ultra careful not to move the wheel getting out/in? Does anyone know if the issue is Barrel or Column? I had fired WD40 into Lock barrel as best as able - not sure if this made a difference 24 hours later?

Yes, you would have thought the barrel was the issue, but reading some other club lexus posts, the suggestion is the steering column (which is very expensive even if you find a donor). I've tried jacking up the whole front of the car to make the wheels turn freely, recharged the battery fully and still no luck. This occurred before as per my post above back in May - I did nothing except try the folloiwng day and 'bingo' it turned. I fear this could be fatal - so if anyone out there knows how to circumvent the, what I must presume is mechanical rather than electric steering wheel lock, please let me know. 'Trick of the Trade' desperately needed, else 'we buy any car' scrapage. I've felt for a while that I'm on extended time with this car, albeit its running beautifully, I just felt sure that when it went, it would be a big bang and smoke etc., not a stupid steering lock that killed it! Does anyone know the patron saint to pray to for Lexus LS430s?

So 3 months on without any problems turning the key, today the issue decided to repeat itself. I may have pulled slightly down on the left of the steering wheel as the column reset as I depressed the ignition barrel (keyless), but no obvious reason why the steering lock should now not allow me to turn the ignition. I've tried with key in barrel and a far tug left/right but to no avail. What a pain - will try again in a few hours but I think the old girl is trying to tell me she no longer loves me and time for change 🙂

I also had to replace my near side rear hub assembly a few years back o/a bearing. I imported a pair (thinking I might need both sides done) from USA and my local garage charged just 2 hours labour to fit near side - I sold the extra hub shortly thereafter and got most of my money back. The only problem was the mechanic didn't tighten the drive shaft allen key bolts with enough torque and they came undone, middle/end of the 3 connected by a joint washer and when it threw out it daamaged one of the rear AC pipes in a place that could not be repaired easily. Make sure the same doesn't happen to you as the bolts/washers are circa £50 and it took an age to get them. In the end I had to blank off my rear AC.

While clearing out my garage I found a couple of 7 inch 178 mm lexus centre caps. I cleaned them up and they are very useable but far from perfect. If you are missing the same from your car, and a regular on this forum, then send me a PM with a pic of your car/wheel and I'll send them to you free with my compliments. I hope this freebie offer doesn't contravene any site rules?

So just to update that it was just a little more force needed to release the steering lock, turning it clockwise, but not much more, perhaps one of those weird things?. I noticed when the steering returned to its rest position again that the wheel appeared to give a slight click to the left just before it stopped? I started/stopped it a few more times and the movement of the wheel (e.g. twist left at the end before stopping) seems to have stopped and I've had no problems turning the barrel since - so all good and I'll know what to watch out for if it recurs. I'll be sure to keep the battery charged while we are so little able to use our cars - no doubt the DVLA are working out how much they can refund us all on our road tax!

So I put my battery on charge and went back 24 hours later only to find that my charger had fused o/a power cable wires twisted and frayed. Fixed and back on charge another 24 hours later and when reconnected, power at last, and alarm activated (always makes me jump) and with hardly any persuasion the ignition barrel turned and all seemed well again. That is until this morning, 48 hours later, and despite the car unlocking and seemingly charge in the battery (the battery is less than 12 months old) the ignition barrel (with or without key inserted) is not turning. It pushes and the steering wheel return out/down to its driving position, but the lock doesn't turn as if steering lock on again. Has anyone had similar, can I disable the steering lock, permanently or otherwise? At the moment I'm not using any force to try and turn the key as don't want to make matters worse. I notice both the red and green lights next to the start key are still occasionally flashing, but not sure what they normally do when starting? I've put it back on charge again, my thinking being that the power disconnect may reset the alarm? Not sure what else to try if the key doesn't turn when I try and start next?

I noticed a posting earlier about trickle chargers for batteries, but too late for me as mine has gone flat when I went to start it today. The worrying thing (this happened a few weeks back but after 10 minutes it cleared itself) is that I couldn't turn the ignition, with or without the key in place? I have the battery on charge now as the alarm was making some weird clicking noises (presumably o/a flat battery) until I disconnected it. The battery will change soon enough, but I'm worried as to why the ignition wouldn't turn and wondered if anyone else has experienced the same? I suspect that as my wife was last to use the car, she may have inadvertently pulled herself out of the car using the steering wheel while the 2 x motors returned it to its 'docked' position - just a guess?