SH20

Jami that's spooky, just came off Youtube after typing in LS460 warning lights on. A few videos popped up showing Toyota vehicles with the Engine management light, VSC and PCS warning lights on and all of the videos were about making sure the fuel cap is fully tightened. I had been for fuel just before the lights came on so in the morning I will be checking the cap. I remember driving another car which needed a fully sealed fuel system, a Bentley and drove it for 100 miles with the engine management light on only to be told by the dealer I hadn't secured the fuel cap sufficiently. Cheers Jami, I'll report back tomorrow to see if it's the cap.

Colin the warning lights came on at the same time whilst driving. Not sure what "damage" could be caused by driving with the engine management light on. Is there any risk anybody? I want to drive 105 miles to my preferred dealer but I'm getting a sharp intake of breathe when I mention this.

Can you believe 4 warning lights came on today. PCS (Pre Crash System), this is the rear impact detection system. VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), the Warning Triangle and the Engine management warning light. All in yellow and came on together. Car drives fine and interestingly the same 4 lights came on one week after I bought the car two and a half years ago but went off after 24 hours and never came back on till today. Car booked in to the nearest Lexus dealer for initial diagnosis but my preferred dealer is 105 miles away who advised not to drive the car that sort of distance. They did say it sounds like the engine management system has picked up a fault but it can drag other systems into the mix rather than having 4 individual separate faults. What a bummer!!!. I have warranty with Lexus but I have to wait now 7 days before I can take it in. Anyone else experienced this?? If so what was diagnosed??

Hi Mark, there were two reasons I didn't proceed with seat back picnic tables. It wasn't that i didn't install them but as a prototype I didn't feel the end result was worthy of my car's interior. The second more crucial reason was there was a small head rest motor that was causing an obstruction which wouldn't allow the table to close fully. Rather than remove the motor I decided not to proceed. I had a donor seat back to experiment on during the build process. I did think if Lexus had ever designed a table it might have been loosely based a similar idea but of course using Computer Aided Design they would have done a superior job of it. It was only because in the past I had cars previously fitted with tables. One of my Jaguar's and 3 of my Bentley cars. Silly really because they got little use, they just looked nice. You can see why my efforts were miles behind a manufacturers engineered marvels. The Jaguar and Bentley were once mine.

Hi Vasilis as mentioned by a member this glove box fault is a common issue after a number of years. It is down to wear of the catch mechanism. Lexus changed the catch on the newer LS from a horizontal arrangement to a vertical arrangement to stop this dropping of the glove box lid by a fe mm. I found the original fix on You Tube, just type in LS460 glove box fix to watch it. The cable tie fix does work but you have to use the biggest cable tie there is to effectively wedge the lid when you slam it shut. My photos show where the cable tie needs to go. You can see the before and after by virtue of the seam line of the lid to the dash. Steve

I tried an otterman RSR 600, (available only as an option in the LWB model) and was surprised that when fully extended my feet still came into contact with the front seat even though the front seat did move fully forward automatically. At 5ft 10in I expected to be able to recline fully without my feet touching any part of the front seat. Having said that I do prefer the 4 seat version of the early LS600h's with the RSR . The big centre rear console and the separate DVD player arrangement made for a magnificent large 4 seater. Still can't find one in Siena Red though.

Good to hear symon that your 600 has maintained a faultless history regarding the hybrid system. The specific areas you touched on allow a potential 600 owner a good insight as to what to expect should I find an early 4 seat version in Siena Red with Ivory leather. The ones I've seen are either in black or silver, neither colour appeals to me, moreover there hasn't been one that was presented in good order. Main issues are trim missing or damaged, lack of decent service history, galactic mileages and never once have I seen a hybrid battery annual check certificate even when looking at a car at a Lexus dealership. It sounds anal but the colour combination is top of my list but I have never come across 4 seat 600 in Siena Red with Ivory leather. I know every paint colour, leather colour option and wood option produced at the launch of the 460 and 600 in 2007 but only because I have an original sales promotion kit that dealers would take to a customer who couldn't get to a showroom. Bought it on E Bay for £60 but it's of no real practical use but the quality of the kit is outstanding. All leather covered box and 12 paint swatches, 4 analine leather and 4 basic leather swatches and 3 wood samples. I have never even seen some of the paint colours on the road but then again 460 and 600 cars are hardly in abundance.

Thanks Martin, I am beginning to understand the theory behind the hybrid systems.

OK , thanks for the feedback, useful. I guess it must have been sitting on the forecourt for a while so if temperature is crucial then that may be why the engine fired up first. The car had stepped out of the Lexus Service network after 7 services and appeared to have been serviced by non franchised garages which I always feel very cautious about. No paperwork to show any annual hybrid battery checks which dealers would or should do so I will not be taking this viewing any further. The one touch Otterman switch failed to put the nearside rear seat into the fully reclined "legs up" position were the front near side seat's headrest lowers, the seat back tilts forward and the seat base moves forward. I had the ignition on so thought the auto button for the otterman would engage. Just have to carry on looking.

Been to see a 600 today at an independent garage who knew less than me as to how it works from switching it on. My son has a hybrid, a Toyota Auris and his always starts off in electric mode and when he reaches a certain speed the engine will start and either take over or run in tandem depending on his throttle use. I turned the 600 on by pressing the start button and the engine clearly started but remained running even when Drive was engaged, I thought the engine would only come in over 30 or 40 miles per hour. The salesman was clueless and offered no opinion. Bit embarrassing really as I have a 460 and thought I would just get in and press the accelerator once Drive was engaged. Could it have been the battery was just too under charged? Any 600 owners out there that would just take me through the basics please.

Forgive the ignorance but I too have exactly what you have and wanted to play my i pod so fitted a device with a supplementary Y harness to preserve the use of the CD changer. Fitted in about 45mins and I'm sure with your phone there will be a device for android from the same supplier who are called Xcarlink. The photo of the pin sockets is merely to show that there is choice and for a 2007 460 type 1 would need to be specified as the male portion needs to fit into the back of the audio head unit in the fascia. Without a Y harness you lose the function of the cd changer. Any use?

Hi Brian, yes I agree, the roads in this country can be appalling but unfortunately a high percentage of the road tax we pay is siphoned off by all Governments to fund other things. The failed strut crept up on me as an odd thump every now and then till it was every bump in the road surface felt like a drum roll from the rear end. I try and nurture a dealer to meet my needs rather than imposing their idea of my needs on me. Lexus Carlisle have been great from day one of crossing their threshold. Hi Malcolm, you're right about LS600's. I've seen every 600 advertised on E Bay, Lexus dealers and Autotrader and the one's around 2007-2009 which featured 4 seat versions with the Rear Relaxation Pack usually have in excess of 100,000 miles and 150,000 isn't uncommon. However I think this is a testament to the reliability of the brand. The asking price is remarkably low because unless you are a fan most people wouldn't touch a large V8 with a pole. If you can stomach some of the running costs of a large car they represent amazing value when a ten year old car costing £80K new can be bought for around £12K and as you say often with full dealer history.

Interesting review. My 460 is 10 years old. Serviced only by Lexus Carlisle from new and I am the second owner. I travel from Yorkshire to have it's annual service because the dealer is outstanding. One rear drive shaft and one rear air ride suspension strut replaced, both under extended warranty at around 65000 miles. Very surprised that one of my rear struts failed at this mileage. In fairness the drive shaft was replaced due to a split gaiter and not failure of the CV joints. 19 out 20 possible extras were specified by the first owner, around 14 of them within the 3 major upgrades you could opt for and they all work or are in first class condition. I too considered a 600 but held back because I couldn't find a 4 seat version with the Rear Relaxation Pack and a detailed battery history. However I think my caution was unjustified regarding the battery pack as replacing the hybrid battery is as common as hen's teeth. Still looking but very rare to find in my price range.

Hi Phil, I have removed one side of my rear seats and your mechanic will need three weetabix when he does take the seat out. There is a reasonable Youtube video showing the process. The base comes out first and relies on two locating wire loops in the seat base frame. The loops push into white plastic inserts. It's hard to pull the cushion up without bending the wire framing on either side of the cushion, however when it's put back you will need to support the cushion from underneath first and push down firmly on either side. This action will ensure the seat cushion wire frame will bend back down and sit level with the centre cushion. One wire is disconnected for the heated seat and then you have to tackle the upper seat. Two bolts at the base of the frame, 2 seat belt bolts and a ducting tube if you have air con rear seats need to be unbolted/disconnected. The seat frame can then be lifted upwards and hooked out of the two brackets. Very heavy. The wiring loom needs to be disconnected and be careful there is a separate yellow air bag wire too, (suggest you disconnect the battery and wait 20 mins to discharge any residual current for the air bag) If the wiring is left connected the best thing to do is support the seat frame after you tilt it forward while the top mounting plate is tackled. Three nuts and a wiring connector. The top plate can be seen with the seat out , just under the rear parcel shelf. Not sure if the shelf does need to come out fully to deal with a top bush. Hope this helps

Hi all, just wanted to ask if anyone has ever removed either a front or rear exterior door handle from a 460. Tried Youtube but no luck. Steve

Bought a siena red 460 in 2015 and have run it for 2 years. Two warranty claims under extended warranty which I would not have liked paying for, a rear drive shaft and a rear air ride strut, both cost £1000 each to fit. Serviced and MOT'd twice under my ownership under a service plan, no issues or advisories. 66,000 miles and to be honest the best car I've owned. Not ever experienced a 400 or 430 which seem to have legendary reputations, but this first Lexus covers all the bases for me. At 10 years old it drives and feels like a 4 year old car and not a squeak or rattle due to the high build quality and superior materials. I'm the second owner and the first owner opted for 19 out of the 20 possible options back in 2007 and every one of them works or has not deteriorated in that time i.e comfort pack.

My near side rear suspension strut was replaced last month under extended warranty but the bill was £1000 !! Although I didn't have a squeek I did have a thumping sound every time I went over the smallest bump. These air ride struts are very expensive when they go wrong. I was told there is no repair kit or schedule for the top mounting.

Confirmed by my dealer, the thumping sound was the near side rear air ride suspension strut. £1000 repair but done under my extended warranty. Held in place by one huge 19mm nut at the bottom of the strut and 3 nuts at the top plus electrical connections. The rear near side seat had to come out as the top mounting plate is inside the car as opposed to the old style of shock absorber of long ago which was accessed in the boot. But at 65000 miles I was surprised that it had failed at a modest mileage for a 10 year old car. I guess the off side strut is potentially the next issue I might be dealing with.

Thanks guys for the feedback, No height issues either side and certainly doesn't drop on the near side overnight. It just feels like something moving up and down causing the thud. The very best example of the thumping sound is when I go over a sleeping policeman i.e the hump that goes across the full width of the road at about 3 mph. When both rear wheels hit the raised tarmac the body rises and then falls in a second and this is when the sound is most noticeable. Taking the speed bump at a slighter faster speed increases the severity of the thump. So I'm convinced it's all in the vertical movement of something. I'm wondering if the top plate bushing of the strut is worn. It's a very dull surpressed sound like it's muffled. Anyway when it's sorted I'll report back what was replaced to cure it.

Dear all, anyone experienced what I can only describe as a thump coming from the near side rear suspension when the car travels over any irregular patch of road surface. Only exception is motorway use because the tarmac tends to be super flat and smooth. On any other A or B roads no matter how fast or slow I travel the rise or fall of the suspension over bumps coincides with a thumping sound either a single thump or a few rapid thumps depending on the road surface problem. It can be heard as low as 3mph or any speed above that. Best way I can describe the noise would be when an exhaust section or box has become mis aligned and comes into contact with the body as the body rises and falls over uneven roads. That's how it sounds but I suspect the air ride strut is bottoming out somehow and wonder if anyone can confirm what component is responsible. My dealer who serviced the car and did the MOT today confirmed they heard it on road test and their subsequent examination of the suspension couldn't find anything which might account for the annoying non stop thumping. I needed to get back home which is 120 miles from the dealer I use so agreed to come back to investigate further. I have Lexus warranty and will hope it will cover the fault eventually when someone can explain what's going on. Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Moved the making of some trays for my 460 to the finished stage but prior to installing them into my front seat backs. Using the scrap donor seat back allowed me to get to the finished stage 2 point. Have to decide now to actually install them. Chose grey vinyl to match the grey around the doors and dash and beige vinyl to contrast against the grey. Completed these two trays some time ago but too busy looking for another house put this project on the back burner for a while. New house found so thought I would post these photos. Used aluminium sheet wrapped in a carbon fibre effect to avoid marking the wood veneering. As to if or when I fit them I haven't decided yet but I was happy to make them. Once I started I just wanted to get to this stage before I decide to complete the job. Photos attached.

Couldn't launch the two links scythe, maybe because I use a Mac Book, no permission it said. Thanks though for sending. Recently drove a 600h L and simply liked the fact up to 40 mph it's all battery power, so quiet. The LWB is amazing with the Otterman and 4 seat option so with the lower tax band I think for me it's an upgrade. No perceived difference in ride, power, mpg etc and the prices are not so much different to a good 460. I think maybe the thought of the battery giving problems or failing would put people off but all cars are a risk to some degree or other. I owned 3 Bentleys and they were more trouble than the pleasure of driving them. A warning light usually came on once every 2-3 months. Not so with this 460. Re: options, yes I do enjoy the options and those that rely on electronics and/or motors all work, the rest based on trim etc can't fail and no matter what a salesman might offer or think of a car with a full set of options or no options at all Lexus UK still offer older LS models for sale on their website if they are good enough, even 400 and 430's appear from time to time. The definitive answer on options came from the official 2007 book used by dealers back in 2007 which my dealer gave me recently. Thanks for all the feedback/comments.

Since owning my SWB 460 registered 2007 I have never really been sure what the original owner chose from the options list. I have noticed differences between 460's but I had assumed wrongly that the equipment on my car was, in the main, standard. I tried the original dealer whose sales records no longer go back to 2007, or so they say, I tried Lexus UK but the very nice lady who tried to help me wasn't up to the task but finally I got the info I wanted. Anal? yes I agree. Here are the facts without listing every item: In 2007 there were 3 models, LS460, LS460 SE and LS460 SE-L LS460 12 options LS460 SE 7 options LS460 SE-L 1 option NB: A wood leather steering wheel was an option on all 3 models and the Key Card was an option on the LS460 and the LS460 SE The original and previous owner to me was a Caravan Park Owner and he chose the 3 upgrade packs which were available (18 options across the 3 upgrades) He also opted for the Key Card, making 19 options in all. He decided not to order the car with the wood leather steering wheel option. Had he done so the car would have had all 20 of the available options at the time. I fitted a wood leather steering wheel (no heat function as it was a retro fit) but not because I wanted all 20 options as I didn't know what was standard equipment or an option at the time I fitted it. So why did I do this?. The reason: In October 2018 I want to trade up to an early version of the LS600h L, the one which has 4 seats, Ottoman and fixed rear centre console. Eventually I can say to the Lexus salesman that my present car has every option that was available so he can't down grade my car by saying it was all standard equipment. Admittedly the wood leather steering wheel isn't heated and I could refit the original if I needed to. I'm aware options don't always affect future values but I've locked horns with some "Smart Alec" franchised salesman before who think they are one step ahead of the customer. Anyway just thought I would share my obsession for detail.

Having a drive shaft fitted under my extended Lexus warranty was only the result of a fantastic dealer, Lexus Carlisle where I bought the car from back in Oct 2015. I live 117 miles from Carlisle and went to them because I have it serviced there under my service plan. I had approached Lexus Leeds who laughed me out of the building who said no chance of getting a rubber cv joint gaiter replaced even if I did have Lexus warranty. Carlisle took the complete opposite approach and did everything for me. They said I could wait in their customer reception area where I spotted the book, supplied me with coffee, biscuits, soft drinks etc. Although I was there just over 4 hours before I journeyed back to Yorkshire I couldn't have been treated any better. Lexus Leeds, a joke of a dealer. I'm still in two minds to drop Lexus an e mail and tell them what a shambles the Leeds dealer is at representing a quality brand like Lexus.

Waiting in the Lexus dealer's customer lounge /coffee area yesterday while a new rear drive shaft was being fitted under warranty to my own 2007 LS460, (split rubber boot) I noticed this hard backed book on a coffee table and thought how odd a 10 year old book, specifically for the 2007 LS460, was lying amongst various other reading material including all the newest model brochures. Intrigued I went through it, all 96 pages and thought I would love to own this book. I asked the service manager if the parts or sales departments could tell me if the book was still available at it had a Lexus part number on the back of it. He came back and said it was out of print but as it belonged to the sales department the sales manager had said if the customer wants it then he could have it because it was an old obsolete publication. I was very happy to hear that. The book is very detailed and covers every model variant in 2007. Full colour photos and assume all dealers got one when the new 460 was launched.