is200 Newbie

If it makes you feel any more "secure" I had this last year - happened once and found it to be the same issue as you have had reported but the reports were against condensation - found a few people have had the same issues on similar cars in the states. I looked at changing the box oil at that point but just left it as it doesn't seem to be a DIY job. I believe the gearbox is cooled by the engine cooling system but haven't researched to see if this is correct. The fault has not come back since.

Nice job .... Colgate or Aquafresh?

Anyone using their door card as an armrest while driving finding white marks left on it from their elbows? A real easy way to remove this is to press one of the tacky dash board grippy non-slip mats over the area and it will lift the marks off. If ingrained then leave it on for longer. Saves the need of using chemicals on it.

If it is the O2 sensor then its advisable to change both as they will have both been in there the same time and you don't want to go back in a few months to get the other one done - don't know (if it is) if Lexus will swap both out? Your car is at the mileage where they start to throw faults up and start failing. If the lights have gone out and if it is the sensor then they will probably come back on again and go off until they totally fail and stay on solid. The blinking off / on and knowing what the code relates to is a good indication to get the sensors on order as it will give you a few weeks warning before they finally go ... it would give you a chance to, if you were doing them yourself, get them on order. They are cheaper and easier to find from the USA.

Not a very good picture - put on 2 months ago and still on strong - found a suitable one on eBay, not OEM but I think it was advertised as for general use. Costs between £8 and £13 on eBay Search Black 35.8 inch Guard Car SUV Body Bumper Protector Trim Cover Protective Strip

This is the look of the grill I modded after finding the mesh on eBay - came from the USA - the grill mesh matches the lower bumper mesh The eBay listing number for the one I used below is 360916182862

I looked into this a while ago after a fault code indicated condensation on a sensor in the box but I cleared the code down and it has not come back. Looked into changing the oil but never got a positive answer - some say it can be done, some say it cant and its apparently a DIY nightmare job. I will put mine into the dealers at 100k for the change as its not been changed as far as I know and I reckon, I know its a lifetime fill, (define lifetime) but there will be some breakdown of the oil ..surely at 100k? Do these have adaptive resetting?

Good point about the camera - I have one fitted but never considered that and it could coincide with when it was fitted. I will unplug it later on today as it is not hard wired and see if the reception improves ....

I have had a look through previous posts and can only find one option I could try but the cost at £400 is not an option. The radio reception on the FM channels on the ML unit in my car does not seem to be as good as it has been. I do have an issue with the DVD and normal CD's not working. MP3's and AUX channel is fine. Anyone have a resolved issue with their radio reception? Does anyone know if there is an aerial connection port on the back of the unit? I have had it out before but cannot remember seeing one (wasn't looking at that at that time) Was thinking if there was, I may be able to run a wire to act as an antenna to the car body or a good pickup point for a signal?

I am a bit shocked really that the garages you took this to could not find the fault Surely having two people involved would surely identify where the noise is coming from (one turning the steering wheel and the other in the wheel arch (presuming the wheel is off)) I would change your garage to be honest. You could narrow it down yourself by using a sound bar or stethoscope with the help of another person - the noise will always be heard through vibration through other components but it will be more intense where the noise is emanating from. Get someone to sit in the car and turn the steering wheel. Someone in the wheel arch with the sound bar or stethoscope. Safety first though, make sure the car is securely on jacks

A quick way to determine what it is if its something obvious - take the wheel off and have a mooch about trying to see if any parts are loose... move parts to replicate the noise

I have one spare carrier with pins don't know what side it is from and it comes from a 250 - used and not seized. but reading your post again I cant see how the brakes are rattling as the pads are held in with pinch springs (or whatever they are called) and your brake components should all be secure, no bolts should be loose at all. there is a rubber washer shim on one of the slide pins (shown in the first picture) that's designed to be an anti rattle washer for the brake but I have ran a 200 and this 250 at times without this washer and there is no indication of any noise, Are you sure its coming from the brakes or is this just an assumption from what the garage has told you and the work they have done? Brakes should not rattle - they will squeal if the calipers on its way out or they require copperslip but not rattle. Is it just on rough roads that its noisy? Is it noisy on smooth roads? There was an issue reported on the forum about shocks a while ago when they were on their way out and they were producing rattling noises, I think from failing valves within them... A bit more info......

Picture below is from a how to in changing the callipers that I posted a while ago for both the mounts and callipers. I don't know who has told you that you need new bolts for the front. Unless the bolts holding the calliper carrier are seized on the car - haven't heard that before. I think they more than likely mean the slide pins (x2). These will seize if they are not regularly maintained. Its a good idea to know how to do these as like you are experiencing now, every couple of years you will be looking at a cost to either replace or un-seize them. It is an easy job. No real mechanical know how is required but if you are not sure, best not to mess about with your brakes (same for the rears and if you are looking at a full replacement of callipers for all 4 corners then you will have a hole in your pocket to the tune of around £1300, dealer price, fitted !). The top picture shows the carrier / two securing bolts and the two slide pins. The bottom picture is of the new carrier. You will probably find that the whole assembly is easier to find rather than the carrier itself. If you find a carrier then its important to ensure the brake pad pinch clips are included on the carrier - if not then rescue them from the old carrier. I may have a used spare one in my garage - I will have a look and let you know.

That's good - I took mine to the extreme a while ago just to see what was "available" from the tank - only done it this one time and wouldn't do it again. This was motorway driving and a small A road percentage - if I can remember right the indicator needle was still above the minimum so possibility for a bit more out of it but that would be on fumes !!. This was on Shell V power

Sorry guys .... ever heard the expression Happy as Larry? I updated the quote with Admiral today on a multicar policy as opposed to the original one I done last week based on myself as a driver only - Have added my wife to my policy and I have added me to hers so we can both drive each others although she wont drive mine. The only real change has been the quote on the multicar policy ... £139 against mine / fully comp. I am not going to complain with that .... has insurance come down lately?

Fraid so - Lexus have not issued the pattern parts in order for non-oem manufacture of the exhaust. Same for the IS250 Consider almost £3k fitted for centre and back boxes for the 250 - that's a slap me in the face price (almost a one year fee to put my lad through uni at that cost) but not available from anywhere else. You can find them on the web, check ebay for used or the stainless steel ones from bespoke manufacturers. I don't think used makes sense for these but on the other hand beware of the stainless ones as picking a bad one can create unwanted noise in the cabin at cruising speeds.

............ and the owner is ?????? surely not???????

Nice job - done mine a few years back and came out really well. Very satisfying seeing what they started off like to what they looked like when finished. I didn't take the rubber off tho.

This is with Admiral - not a multi car policy but may enquire to see if its cheaper. Wife has two claims against her (accident no injury and a write off due to flood) I have one write off against me for flood Fully comp - normal excesses so its pretty good. It has never been excessive to be honest. My 20 year old lad has been driving 1 year, just renewed at £520 with Hastings and he drives a 1.6 Ford KAsport which was the cheapest insurance I could find - dearer for a 1.0 corsa !! Might put wifey on it but she wont drive it.

Decisions decisions - Insurance becoming due. Guess getting older has its benefits Lowest quote from Admiral at £180 per year or £170 with wife on policy....... Think I will take the £180 - get my drift !!!

Is this price hike in 2017 going to make a newer used car more desirable in order to avoid these hikes in the cost of tax?

In changing the discs from stock would this be a notification to the insurance company?

My thoughts exactly - do my engine oil every 6 months as I intend to keep the car and I want to look after it, I use Magnatec A5 only because it sometimes goes on offer in local store so I will usually buy two tubs and have had no issues with it so have stuck to it. I don't think changing the oil every 6 months is overkill as I don't do that many miles a year. Longest journey may be an 700 mile round trip and annual mileage is around 5k with a lot of that under 7 miles each way on a daily commute. I am not a mechanic or an expert on oils but I cant understand why people don't treat the oil in the car as an important item. It will breakdown to some extent - its designed to hold the impurities produced by metal on metal and one of the reasons it (in the engine) turns black. I am waiting for diff parts so I can change that oil - its too easy a job not to have it considered as part of the service schedule - even at a 50k mile point - for someone that's done it before I reckon a 15 minute job (including the drain) I am curious now and will compare the old diff oil to the new just to see the difference - car is on 92k miles so I am sure there will be a noticeable difference between them both. In a warped way I am kind of hoping there will be so I can prove to myself its been worthwhile. I would like to do the gear box oil also but that will be a dealer job

That's not a lot of miles or age wise to have the oil changed. I have only ever seen a note of "inspect diff oil" in the service schedule so have presumed this is to check against any leaks and this indication of "inspect diff" goes up to 120k miles in the service schedule with no mention of a requirement to change the oil. The diff will take 1.4 litres of oil so your 14 x 100ml bottles is right for an oil change - possibly the 100ml sachets used had a fill nozzle on them and they were used rather than two bottles with a pump to fill the diff. Sounds like the 11 x 100ml was a top up but that's a big top up. The OEM Toyota oil is spec'd at 75W/80 (not that different from the 75/90 you have in yours) and purchased in 1 litre bottles but I have read some people change their oil at regular intervals from 25k up to 100k - mainly in the US. There's debate on whether the gearbox oil needs changing or even checked for that matter if there's no leak or issue in its operation. This is definitely a dealer job or a garage job. I would not attempt this on my own - at some point I will have it done though as I would consider It would benefit from the change (more than the diff) as after all the oil acts as a medium to hold any dirt or impurities etc and it does do a lot of work. This raises the question about the long life oils used in cars these days - those that use filters such as the engine oil - it would make sense to consider an oil filter that would also in itself be a long life one so it would be good practise to get a good quality filter to ensure the oil could do its job as intended.

I don't mind doing work like this - its how you learn about how the car works and how to maintain it. I have never done it before but read up on it and it looks easy enough. I have the tools and am waiting for the parts to arrive. I have located the fill and drain plugs and have a good level surface to aid the drain of fluid ... I cant see there being an issue really. That's a good price you have yours done for - the parts alone from Lexus cost £42 and 40 of that is the oil. Comparable oils cost the same as the OEM fluid. Is that a dealer price? I would expect it to cost around £100 from Lexus and most of that being the labour charge? Once I have done it I will post a how to on the forum with the tool sizes etc...