SH20

Thanks Herbie and Richiano for feedback Don't have a cigar lighter only an auxiliary socket in the centre console, thought it would have a cigar lighter but as a non smoker never bothered me yet car has ash trays in rear doors. I'm thinking of using the brake light fuse at 7.5amp which has to be ignition on to make them work I hope. I'll try of course to see if pressing the brake pedal with ignition off does or doesn't light up the lamps. Might have to use the fuse box on in the passenger footwell even though I have run the cables to the right hand side fuse box at present. I only want this dash cam to come on and go off when I start up and turn off the engine. I'll keep plugging away though.

Fitted Nextbase 512GW dash cam to my GS450h today. Fitted the optional rear camera too and all works well. Good software for reviewing the 3 minute video clips on a PC. Decided to fit a hard wire kit so all cables can be hidden and used the Nextbase hard wire kit. It recommended an ignition only circuit no greater than 20 amps so the dash cam will switch on and off automatically through the ignition. The fuse box in the driver side foot well has 13 circuits fused at 20 amps or below out of a total of 21 circuits. Using the hand book I looked for a circuit that should only be live with the ignition on and yet the 5 circuits I tried one after the other turned the dash cam on immediately the connection was made BUT WITH THE IGNITION OFF. The hard wire kit comes with a piggy back adaptor with a 2 amp fuse for the dash cam and allows for the original fuse protecting the circuit to be used. So far I've picked the electric tilt and slide steering column circuit, the multimedia circuit, the steering lock circuit, the front auxiliary outlet circuit and power window master switch circuit and the dash cam came on each time I connected the cable to the fuse box. The two cameras are great and unobtrusive and with all cables hidden behind the headlining and pillar trims it was worth doing given I have had two no fault accidents which were both disputed by the other bloke's insurance company. The other bloke lied through his teeth and both claims took over 4 months to settle liability in my favour, hence fitting front and rear cameras. So if anyone can educate me on where a 20 amp or less fused circuit is located and will only work with the ignition on I would be grateful.

Thanks everyone for all the info and tips. I did press the TPMS button under the steering column after setting all the pressures and indeed the light went out and hasn't come back on so far. Not sure what generation my GS is actually, registered Sept 2012 and definitely does not have the visual display on the dash between the dials like j8pfc has on his gen 4 GS. Mine's a Luxury model and I wonder if the visual display mentioned only appears on the Premier GS or does the gen 4 GS differ in many other areas I wonder. This is what I like about a good forum when another member can just point you in the right direction and make another member aware there is a reset button for tyre pressures. I might have ended up going 40 miles to my preferred dealer just for them to check the pressures and press a button to get the light off.

Hi John, many thanks for the tip. I'll try resetting the TPMS button. When I look at the actual valve I can see it is a substantial metal valve with the top of the shaft shaped as a nut, indicative of the TPMS valves I had on the LS. Service Receptionist at the dealer of 16 years said he believed the GS had a ride height system for detecting loss of pressure in tyres. So much for the experts. If it can't be reset by pressing that button I'll ask for this to be looked at under my extended warranty. I've been running the tyres at 2.3.bar or 34 psi for two months now since I bought the car on on the 1st August 2018 so maybe a TPMS sensor has failed. Thanks John for replying to my post.

The tyre pressure warning light came on today on my 2012 GS450h. Not sure what system it has, whether it uses TPMS devices or simply uses height sensitive sensors monitoring suspension height. Checked pressures of course, 2.4 bar or 35 psi but all ok. Anyone tell me what system my car uses. Don't have a visual display option like the LS460 I had for tyre pressures. Any info/advise would be appreciated. Steve

Hi Steve, if I had the computer skill I would do what you ask but don't know how to do a link to an E Bay page. However the company is uniquepoint2014 Type into E Bay 4Pcs Universal rubber Car Mud Flaps Splash Guards Front & Rear 330X220 mm UK. The set showing an inset picture of someone folding one in half are the ones I bought. You get four for £9.99. You should note however that they are not car specific, they are purely a universal one size fits all so no point contacting the seller asking for a set for a RX. The Lexus logo is a vinyl graphic which I bought on e bay too. They are brake calliper badges. The flaps are really easy to fit. Didn't use their self tapping screws though. I used coarse 10mm bolts with a built in washer on the rears and utilised the existing 10mm coarse threaded bolts which secure the front of the vehicle's plastic sills for the fronts. These flaps are soft rubber so they can be pushed into body work shapes.

Had the GS 450h a week now and went to the local dealer to get some mud flaps and a touch up stick. Bought flaps previously for the LS460 I had and I have seen them on IS300's. I was a bit surprised therefore when the parts lad came back out after searching his computer and said there are no Lexus flaps listed for my 2012 GS. Never really been a fan of after market flaps and was resigned to just not having any until I saw some on E Bay which were a bit different. Most flaps even the ones the manufacturer list are usually hard plastic with little of no give but then again they are profiled to fit the bodywork. I bought 2 pair of after market flaps solely because one of the photos showed one being folded in half. This was because they were made from very flexible rubber. At £9.99 a pair most people would say "No way" would I have them on my car. I found that the very flexibility of the moulded flap allowed for them to follow the shape of the bodywork. The photos show this more clearly but I know they won't be everyone's cup of tea at all. They protect the paint though.

Hi Ben, for what it is worth I tried to purchase the actual logo badge in the centre of the airbag when I had a LS460. The dealer advised me there was no listing for the badge itself. Part of the air bag only even though at some point the badge must be fitted to the air bag as a separate part by the supplier who builds the airbags. Likely the GS will have the same problem. I guess a breakers yard with a blown air bag might be an option whereby you could remove the badge.

Once more I have adapted the jacking plates I made a few years back and so far have used them on 4 cars including the GS450h I have just bought. As usual the sill flanges on my car were buckled as I expected, the fronts significantly more than the rear. The car is 6 years old and as such the effects of swing arm damage was obvious. This can be down to mis aligning the swing arms and not getting them centrally on the sill flange. The huge weight of the car is often just too much to be supported on an area of steel no longer than 4 inches by only a quarter of an inch thick . If members use dealers for servicing etc on a regular basis I suggest you have a look at your own car's sill flanges were the car is officially to be jacked up. If they are folded flat or distorted it will be down to how the car was raised. I'm guessing a lot of members have their own methods to support the car when working at home, wooden blocks, adaptions to their trolley jacks etc but when it goes to a dealer and/or a garage the car is at the mercy of the technician and how careful he/she is. Four poster drive on car lifts raise the whole car on it's own wheels so no undue load is placed on the car. I agree it is easier for a technician to work on a car when it is raised on the sill flanges and the wheels are hanging but the manufacturer's simply don't give the right amount of strength to the sill flanges to avoid buckling. The jacking plates now fitted on my car are not actually for the benefit of garages, although they always find it easier to raise the car as there is no guesswork where the swing arms should be located. No, the jacking plates are for me to quickly remove wheels when required, cleaning etc. The full load of the car in each corner is fully supported and doubly so when a trolley jack is used. My jacking aid is removable quickly as the main body of the device is held in place by 2 bolts. Very similar to how a car is fitted on a body jig during accident damage repairs when the car is held on it's sill flanges. The bolts pull the bracket against the sill flange as they tighten. The round foot screws to the bracket. The blue tape makes them visible to the technician.

Hi Luigi, I knew the cheaper materials and lack of features might cause me an issue but after a month I had enough. Great engine, great economy, good looking car but this car was built to a price. The all wheel drive was great as it was like a go cart but you just know when it's not for you. I had a 2009 X Type, a 2007 XK and a 2008 XJ in the past and none of them made me feel like I do about the XE. I was very spoilt with the LS but a great example of the trim on all XE's is the tiny plastic oblong "cup" for a door pull that screamed out cheap. The squeaks and rattles because of cheap hard plastics rubbing against each other was too much. Regret the purchase and lost money overall. I saw most of the YouTube videos on the R Sport XE AWD and a lot of motoring journalists raved about it but it will never compete with Lexus, Mercedes, BMW and Audi for fit and finish. That said Jaguar's current XJ is a dream to sit in and drive because the quality is there to see and touch. I'm keeping the GS for 2 years while under warranty and expect to change it in 2020 for another Lexus of some sort. I've learnt my lesson leaving Lexus.

Although I owned a LS460 between Oct 2015 and June 2018 the 11 year old 460 was sold to a keen trader chasing me for it on a straight cash purchase. I had contributed to the LS forum on a number of occasions and the LS was the best car I ever owned to date. Having owned 3 Jaguars in the past I thought I would go back to Jaguar and bought a 2017 XE on June 7th 2018 and have just agreed a deal to trade it in after 7 weeks for a 2012 GS450h in order to get back into a real car. The trader agreed a fair equity for my car which allowed me to buy the GS, it also allowed me to buy a 2 year Lexus extended warranty from his local Lexus dealer and 12 months road tax. He in turn has agreed the costs of a new MOT by the Lexus dealer, the service costs for it's sixth annual service including the hybrid check as part of that service. Not bothered about giving up a 2017 plate car for a 2012 plate car at all. The Jaguar was a mistake, end of. Really impressed with the GS, it just feels so good. Thought about the GS300h but for such a big car changed my mind and thought the V6 would be the wiser choice for me. The Luxury spec is just fine and has enough comfort controls for me. Lexus derby demonstrator originally and then bought by the last owner who serviced it religiously this making the 2nd real owner. The GS was all the money, even expensive by comparison to what is on the internet and dealers but I'm ok with it. Currently still viewable on Quality Cars Today of Sheffield. Black on black with 44K miles. Full Lexus Service History between 2 dealers and now a third Lexus Sheffield. Glad to be back

Thanks to John/Sorcerer for putting the video on the Post. Why it had to go Malc, simple answer is I ran it for 2 years and 8 months under Lexus extended warranty for peace of mind. 12 months warranty the dealer gave me when I bought it and then i extended it for another 2 years. At 11 years now I just felt I should sell it while it's condition and mileage were likely to be attractive to someone. That someone was Phil Walker of Sheffield who sells a few Lexus models of all types. He only buys good stock and won't look at anything that doesn't have full Lexus history. He wanted to buy it when he first saw it about a month ago while I was searching for a GS300h Premier but couldn't find one without travelling into the London area. Got fed looking so decided to buy a Jaguar. I'll probably go back to Lexus in about 3 years as the LS was the best car I've owned. Did find a 3 year old white GS300h F Sport but they cost so much and was simply over my budget. Ended up with a 2017 Jaguar XE R Sport AWD diesel which I know bears no comparison to the LS but that was never my intention. It's more about running costs now. Steve

Sad day on Tuesday 29th May when I handed over the car to a trader in Sheffield who was chasing me for over a month to buy it for his stock. If you want to hear a grown man nearly wetting himself with excitement then type Phil Walker Car Sales in Sheffield into Google and watch his video of my ex car. He just loves Lexus. It's the only car I will truly miss. At 11 years old it was time to move on and I've gone back into a Jaguar having had 3 of them in the past. The LS460 is now up for sale at this trader's premises. I must admit although it was all my own work getting the 460 to the condition he will now benefit from it still made me smile when I hear someone praise it so much. I don't think he will have it long. Sorry don't know how to attach a video off the Internet otherwise I would. Steve

I have an unused code reader for Lexus from Icarsoft. Anyone interested send me a PM.

Believe it or not I was on the M1 travelling from Leeds to Sheffield to deliver my car to a trader was was buying it off me for his stock. He still bought it at the original agreed price after I told him I had heard this low sound at 70-80mph. Absolutely nothing up to 70mph. He said his close friend at Lexus Sheffield, the after sales manager, had mentioned this issue to him previously saying some customers notice it and some don't. With the audio on most times I can't say I did myself but noticed it on the very day I was selling my 460. I'm now looking for a Lexus GS300h Premier (Hen's Teeth) which have a few toys but extremely low road tax and better economy which is why I am changing cars. Enjoyed my 460 over the 3 years I had it. Best car to date.

Is there any truth to the comment I heard today from a trader who suggested that the 460 can develop some low resonance sounds from the transmission which manifests itself as a low hum in the cabin for want of a better word at speeds around 70-80mph? Urban myth or anyone heard/experienced something similar as I experienced it today on the M1.

Ist question: are members allowed to formally advertise their car on this forum?.

Just a line to say my preferred dealer checked the car today and there was no fault code history in the vehicle's memory as per member's posts who correctly stated any code cleared was likely to clear the history. Car behaved normally for the 230 miles round trip but at least I feel confident that a true report was given to me and there was no charge unlike my local dealer who wanted £120 to plug the car in. Bought a code reader off e bay which is a step up from some of the cheaper generic models and lists manufacturer specific codes depending on the make etc. Next time any lights come on I will at least be able to see what parts are potentially giving cause for concern.

Wow, I feel I am in the company of scientists after reading Colin's and Bob's last posts. Goes to show how advanced engines have become and yet we all just take it for granted, turn a key and go. Fantastic insight into what is chemical Engineering really. Thanks guys. I think I will go back to Carlisle where I feel more confident in getting some real assistance.

Thanks Colin, very grateful for all this assistance. If I tell you that the chap who connected his generic code reader and witnessed the word emissions on his screen then cleared the error warning which turned the 4 warning lights off. The battery was not disconnected but has he removed all the history now or will the car still retain some data for the Lexus Garage to read early next week?. About an hour ago the service manager of Lexus Carlisle rang me to discuss a date for a loan car, can you believe it, at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon a dealer contacts me to help me out with a loan car. Just great attention to customer service. Anyway he gave me some background on fault sequencing and said it's a bit like 3 strikes and your out. He said the car was actively monitoring the fault in the background on two previous occasions without me knowing anything about it but didn't activate warning lights. The system then does a third check and on the third occasion basically says enough already and puts the warning light on, advising the driver to contact a dealer on the info panel between the speedo and Rev counter. Very clever of course but I'm now hoping the dealer will still be able to read something when they plug their own device in the OBD port. Do you think they will? Cheers Colin

That's very useful Colin. The car started up normally today, no warning lights. May I ask another question please. Does the car store error codes or warnings in a memory of some sort so a dealer can see what the history is on recent fault codes. If I get to Carlisle and no lights come on I guess they won't be any the wiser if there is no record to view in stored error codes. If a dealer can view the history of fault codes it must make it easier to replace a part etc. Thanks again Colin.

Thanks Colin, didn't realise there could be so many codes Re: O2 sensors. The code reader machine was one of those that maybe a lot of technicians have in their tool box, a very basic generic hand held unit that points you in the right direction rather than the dealer's reader that is specific to Lexus models. The only word that came up was emissions and nothing else. It was the garage who said it was likely to be an O2 sensor. Anyway my choice is to go 5 miles to a Lexus dealer I don't trust or risk 105 miles while the lights are off and go back to my dealer who services/MOT it annually and is just the best at customer care. The lights will probably come back on at some point. Maybe Colin you know what happens when a fault message/code is cleared, does that mean the fault is still a fault but the lights are off or has it somehow reset the system to operate normally.

Thanks Bob, good to know. Turns out the code reader didn't specify an O2 sensor, it merely stated emissions error. I'm guessing the code reader was a very basic one but the reader cleared the fault and all lights are off at present. I have a booking on the 20th at a dealer nearby but have no confidence in the dealer who seem more interested in making sure the investigation charges are met by me. My preferred dealer, 105 miles away, is only interested in helping me get to the bottom of the fault. They told me over the phone the 460 has four O2 sensors, each bank has two, one before the cat and one after the cat. Feels like being between a rock and a hard place at present. I guess the easiest thing to do is travel 5 miles to my local dealer and at least get them to check out the car and see where I go from there.

Confirmed today an O2 sensor is at fault after a chap i know plugged in his fault code reader and it read emissions fault and listed an O2 sensor. He cleared the error code and for the moment the warning lights are all off. I'm guessing they will reappear soon enough. At least it points me in the right direction so I just need to get up to Carlisle at my preferred dealer. I'm hoping this is a part that comes under my warranty. Does anyone know if my car has 4 of these sensors, two per bank? Steve

Checked for fuel cap not tightened enough but no change, warning lights still on. Can someone tell me where the OBD port is on the LS460 please. A friend of mine has a generic code reader and it may help me identify the fault area/fault codes. Cheers