Malc

.... also maybe remove all metallic objects from inside the cabin area and pockets ............. that might help .. how old is the main battery ? that sometimes causes all sorts of gremlins if it's past it's best too I also found that some people's upgraded wifi signal upsets it sometimes ........ new neighbour might need re-educating ! hahahahaha There's further historic posts on this forum about this infernal issue but doubt anyone has really got to the bottom of the reasons really. I'll buy your, to be, washing machine if it really is the only problem ..... used 20 year old washing machines you usually have to pay to have taken away but I won't charge ........ ..............heheheheheh Good luck Malc

...... not me ............. but I would say that the prior week when I was touring Wales I didn't see a single Ls400/430/460/600 either. These are just getting rarer to see than ever, it's sad I think, that one of the best cars ever produced has declined to such tiny numbers. I rarely see another even in my part of Kent these days and I always used to see a few running around Malc

...... I'll follow this thread with interest .............. I did toy with the notion of a used Ls600 and or maybe a Ls460 .................. then reading the thread about the guy with the Ls600 and a warning dash light resulted in a new engine etc under the used car warranty, just to have replicated the issues some short time later and a relatively simple fix ( I think ) by an old fashioned ( Lexus ? )mechanic with a spanner etc and maybe zero cost. Then there's the air suspension and the hybrid battery packs longevity question ................. I don't know, I just find it all very very scary ............... then my need for a replacement car for the 22 yr old Mazda 323f came along in my ex-bro-in-laws 56 plate Honda Legend ............. no air suspension etc ....... not so scary ( and amazingly the Mazda just passed this month yet another MOT with zero cost ! ). But you have of course made up your mind and £18k will buy you a choice of a great number of cars ............. good luck ps chatting with another mechanic guy ( from my usual indy ) he's telling me that he's having to yet again upgrade his plug-in diagnostic equipment AND that many of the warning light appearances on dashboards are a result of age related slight deterioration in wire ends corrosion or whatever it's called and there mostly probably isn't anything really wrong with the bits and pieces ( like engines, gearboxes etc ) that the diagnostics tell one there is ! Good Luck whatever Malc

well, I don't know which Motorways he's driving along ....... I often see a broken down car or two and most are relatively newish ............ Admittedly there aren't too many older cars like ours going along, but when they do they are doing so quite happily Olden times ( 1960's 70's 80's ) saw many a car on the side of the road, resting, broken down, or someone just having a picnic ( remember those halcyon days ) I would hate to be spending £30,40,50,60k or more on a piece of electronic controlled metal that I know is going to depreciate at maybe 25% pa and cost me annual servicing for ever what my car cost me to purchase secondhand ........ and doesn't break down either ! Cest Le Vie ..... good to see Toyota and Lexus represent some 50% of the Reliability Factor in his Report Malc

yes for sure .... my now 188k miles Ls400 cost me £1400 5+ years and 65k miles ago, cost very little in repairs , mainly just the one single UCA at £250 15 months ago and then tyres and a battery and servicing, oil and filters, wiper rubbers and a headlamp bulb about £6 .................. depreciation, well, zero, maybe it's worth that £1400 still eh ! BUT worth a great deal more to me. ( from an ex car dealer , me ) Buy and keep the car you really really want and forget the " need " to part with loadsa dosh from time to time in the pursuit of total imperfection ....... hang on to your Ls400, it's money in the bank Malc

Ok guys, sadly I have received these words of wisdom from my indy ............ not sure what's next !!! Maybe it's best just to live with it not functioning properly ....... BUT it has today begun a better behavioural pattern actually so who knows, it might settle down. Lexus issue. This will be the dash cluster as the rev counter motor would have given up and unable to correctly pick up the signal. It is very rare for the coil to stop sending the switching pulse as this normally causes a engine misfire and power would be down. I would safely say a new dash or repair of dash both of which I can't do. Malc

...... I think that once you are accustomed to the magic carpet ride in the Ls400, whatever car you drive subsequently, if you enjoy that wafting around ride, you will be very hard pressed to find another car with such comfort . The Honda Legend we have is brilliant but the ride is oh so damn hard by comparison Malc

.................... but the beauty of it all can only be that the extra ££££££s she's earning will result in a massive surprise at your next birthday of a gift wrapped Ls600 Malc

Thank you Malc

Thank you so much for this Steve. I'll pop this info across to my indy to help him on his way ! I'll let you know when he's sorted the issue ( or not ). And if anyone has more great info as indicated then that will be very much appreciated Thank you Malc

..... ok, so today it's starting to hit 3 to 4000 revs when I know it should be about there, and more at 1200 when I know it shouldn't BUT very often at about zero when it should of course be higher as it's driving at about 30 - 40 mph. No ideas coming from you guys doesn't bode well I've asked ( texted ) my usual mechanic of about 9 years standing and he hasn't commented ( yet ) What do I do next I wonder ? Malc

Just got back from a 4 day 900 mile trip from Kent, to and around Wales and almost immediately we left the Rev Counter dipped to zero, only revving would bring it back up to any sort of useful ( or not ) reading but never more than about 1200 revs. So it's definitely not stuck. No amount of cajoling would get it back to it's usual impeccable performing self. Any ideas on getting it back to normal performance ? Thanks for any thoughts everyone. Malc

Jim, I just asked on the Lexus Customer Relations blog and they sent me an email confirming. Malc

hey, hang on a minute ..... just searched the forums here and I wrote a piece in Jan 2015 in that I had just checked with Lexus if my car had been recalled for the starter motor replacement that was announced many years prior... it had been and there were no Recalls outstanding. Maybe you too could check if yours was dealt with under that Official Recall, and if not, well, maybe, just maybe Lexus will replace it for you Malc

.............. so so sorry to hear of your bad news; can you tell us the mileage at which the starter motor has packed up ? I've just watched a video of changing the starter motor on your Cayenne ........... can't imaging the total cost wouldn't be nearly double what you're paying for the Ls400 to be fixed ! and please tell what on earth costs £800 on the Suzuki Swift ? just a service at the main dealer maybe. You and me know that the Ls400, especially the Mk3 will probably outlast the others even tho' she's 22 years old ( mine's 21 next month, a special birthday treat due I guess ) Malc

.... it's NOT a postcode lottery, there's absolutely no luck about it at all ........... in my experience insurers ALWAYS load the premium mid stream when you move, simply coz they can, and DO. AND what's more they are not obliged to justify the loading either. This happened to me with SAGA a few years ago now. I used another insurer the following year and then this current year back to SAGA who actually quoted me a sensible price ..... and at my miscreant postcode that they so solidly loaded when I moved home ! There's absolutely no rhyme nor reason for insurance premium understanding, they do absolutely what they want and are totally unaccountable and secretive and can get away with it. ( rant over ) Malc

.............. on that basis they would never get used coz Lss' never need any major work ! Malc

.... hahahahah.. me too, to a lesser extent ..... my 1994 Mazda 323f amazingly just passed it's MOT, still copious rust and growing but still ok for the MOT ........... so what do I do with 3 every day useable cars between the two of us ? ( none of which I can really bear to sell ) Malc

............. I have a Nationwide FlexPlus account which includes ( for £10 a month ) EU wide breakdown cover for any age car BUT of course if vehicle repatriation is involved then no-one's going to do that if the cost of doing so is greater than the value of the car ! I have it for simple breakdowns in the EU like roadside punctures/wheel changing, starting issues and maybe recovery of me to the UK even if I had to just abandon the car . But of course the Lexus doesn't ever breakdown Malc

............. there's never any rhyme nor reason for the insurance quotes, well, none that one could believe and give credibility to ! Just despair and go with the best for you, not worth agonising over, if and when you have a claim you just know you're going to be totally screwed Malc

....... as a prior car dealer it was always a major issue finding a warranty to sell with a car, that would actually ever pay out when a seemingly legitimate claim was made. We only sold good used vehicles and every one seemed all ok on the day of sale etc ... saldy faults develop, sometimes very quickly and like all insurance companies, they want your premium but make an art of wriggling out of paying ! The key to a successful claim always seemed to be a great rapport with the warranty selling agent itself, their reputation is at stake if they put you into one that's too challenging to deal with. Just ask at the time ( prior to ) purchase exactly what is covered under the warranty being sold to you. Most sales people will obfuscate and be very very vague but you have to persevere to get clarity and to the actuality of the facts. Hope this helps a little Malc

hhmmm ...... open the windows sometimes maybe Malc

...... but had you read the prior words on this forum ( wherever they may now be ) you may have noted that semi-synthetic is actually a better option for an aged partly worn engine. It's not just a question of spending money on a different product it's what I've actually been understanding is perhaps the better option for the car and it's continuing good running. But hey, at the end of the day it's entirely your choice whatever one reads on the forums ! Malc

. hey, I'm from the Ls400 forum I've been trying unsuccessfully at the moment to contact the guys at " mirror in a can " place ( in Suffolk I think ) Keep in touch and I'll let you know how or if I get anywhere with this. Malc

............ somewhere there's a part of a link on the Ls400 forum BUT in essence it is said that many car body repair shops sort out the opaque issues on headlamps by a tried and tested method that involves them in a little work and a trade kit costing about £25/30 .................... to sort both headlamps. I might suggest you ask one of those, it's common with insurance repairs to replace just one busted headlamp setting but making the other again like " new " Malc