Britprius

According to my list of fault codes it relates to the air inlet servo motor circuit, and I assume this would be the motorised control flap that either gives outside air or recirculated air to the cabin. On some Lexus cars this mechanism can be damaged if the control is not in the re circulation mode before changing the air filter. "Not sure on the Is220" John.

The GS450H has a 70 Ah battery as OEM, and few petrol cars go above this figure. John.

Not wishing to bring doom, and gloom to the situation, but it is not unknown for a failed high voltage inverter to cause this problem on the GS450H. Only a check on the codes will give the real answer. Without these it is just guesswork. There are mechanical, and electrical reasons for loss of drive, but having warning lights suggest an electrical problem. If you can get the codes read, and posted here we can be more precise. John.

Thanks. I learn something every day. John.

I have the same unit as Ian, and it also works on my GS450H 2007. John.

Does the Mazda have keyless entry I doubt it. This seeming extra that makes life simpler comes at a cost as far as battery use is concerned, and standby time. The car is constantly checking for the proximity of the fob. This is why I fitted a larger capacity 110 Ah when the OEM battery 70 Ah expired. This gives near 65% extra capacity, and standby time. John.

There is usually a fuse extraction tool in the main fuse box under the bonnet. Looks like small plastic tweezers coloured white. John.

The gas used in both types of system is the same (R134A). It is the lubricant that is different, but in answer to your question yes a single re gas from contaminated equipment can cause compressor motor failure. This is not usually an instant failure, but a breakdown of the motor insulation over weeks or months. John.

All the T/L hybrids use the same type of motorised scroll compressors. The motor is a three phase AC variable frequency unit cooled by the gas that it pumps that is very efficient being speed controlled dependent upon cooling load requirements. The compressor has to be driven by an electric motor because with a hybrid at any given time the engine may not be running, but there may still be a call for cold air "as with sitting in a traffic jam or even cruising down a long incline on a motorway. John.

I would not go to Halfords under any circumstances, and have them even check the AC pressure. The hybrid Toyota/Lexus cars use a different lubricant in the AC system (ND11). This lubricant has a high electrical insulation properties compared to the lubricant used in normal cars (PAG) where the compressor is driven by the engine, and not by an electric motor as with the hybrids. Just using gauges, and lines that are contaminated with PAG lubricant can cause compressor motor failure sometimes months down the line because of it's conductivity to electricity. This makes it impossible to prove damage by contamination some time later when it occurs. A new combined motorised compressor is I beleave around £2500. You have been warned. The compressor will not be harmed by low gas pressure as the system has a pressure switch built into it to restrict it's operation in this event. John.

Disconnecting one of the battery terminals "preferably the negative for safety reasons" is perhaps the simplest way, but this will mean re programing the electric windows, and such after re connection. The other aternative is to use a solar charger. John

I have just checked the system with Techstream, and there is no facility for increasing the flasher warning volume. It would not be to difficult to fit a warning buzzer of some description to enhance the noise level if required. I will look into the possibility of modifying the flasher system to give a fixed number of flashes. John.

Hi john. This is something I had not thought about even though I have exactly the same problem. I will get Techstream out, and on the car in the morning to see what I can discover, and report back here. I had considered altering the system to the later setup where operating the stalk gives a set number of flashes without the stalk latching in place. John.

Reza, there are many good manufacturers of batteries, but if you stay with known brands "such as Bosch, Varta, and Exide I do not think you can go wrong. All of these manufacturers do 5 year guarantee versions for very little extra cost. If your car is left standing outside a solar panel charger would help keep the battery charged, and extend it's life. If you do purchase a solar panel make sure it has an output of at leased 20 watts. The cheap small 10 watt panels are a waste of money. John.

It is a misconception that AGM batteries "last longer". The length of time a battery will be able to stand idle is governed by 3 things or possibly even 4 if temperature is configured into the equation. Cold weather has the effect of reducing battery output. (1) the amp/hr capacity of the battery. The higher the better. (2)The quiescent current drawn from the battery. The current draw by the entry, and alarm systems while the car is turned off. (3) the self discharge rate of the battery. This is quite low usually around 1.5% of capacity per month. So an AGM battery of the same amp/hr capacity as a flooded lead acid battery will hold up for the same period of time. AGM batteries however are supposed to stand up better to being discharged without being damaged as much as flooded batteries. AGM batteries are however more easily damaged by being over charged or charged at a higher rate than the maximum specified, and can therefore be damaged by some alternator charging systems that will put 80 to 100 amps into a battery that is partially discharged. This leads to drying out of the cells as the only liquid acid is held like a sponge in the glass mat separators. Flooded batteries have copious quantities of liquid in the cells that can also topped up with distilled water as this is gassed of in high rate or overcharge situations. AGM batteries are considerably more expensive than flooded batteries, and tend not to have the often long guarantee "5 years" that flooded batteries have. Use as high a capacity battery that will fit in the carrier. I replaced my GS450H 70 amp/hr battery with a battery rated at 110 amp/hrs modifying the battery tray. At the end of the day however you can only keep drawing from the well for so long till it becomes empty, and rain is needed to fill it again. John

As member PRT68 (Paul) says above you can get black plastic covers "also chrome" from Wheelfurb and also Ebay for under £5 a set. The size you require is 21 mm. John.

This is a common point for the exhaust to break due to age metal fatigue, and corrosion. It may be possible to have it welded. If the insurance agree to replace it they will possibly only pay a small percentage of the bill claiming betterment. "Making the exhaust better than it was before the accident". John.

I strongly suggest you book an appointment with them as you can imagine they get very busy. For a one day service you would need to be there for 9.00 am and not to expect to leave before 5.00 pm. Although the prices a good being realistic it may not be cost effective traveling up from Kent. John.

Wheelfurb videos. John.

Yes. John.

Ironic is it not? You mentioning the Reliant Robin, and finding out your nearest branch is at Tamworth the home of Reliant. John.

I can supply addresses, and phone numbers if required by anyone, but Google will bring them up along with a video of the work involved. John.

As said in my post they do guarantee the work for 12 months. The reason only three wheels are shown is that after removing the wheels from the oven they were not happy with the finish of one wheel so the completely redid the work on that wheel, and it was put back in the oven. I paid the grand sum of £156 for the work. £100 plus £20 VAT plus £35 for tyre removal refitting, and balance. Color wise I went for one of there standard colors close to the OEM finish. John.

I removed the plastic wheel spokes, but left the TPMS sensors for them to remove. I did however spray the valve nuts with WD40 a for week or so before, and loosed them before taking in the wheels. I would think Tamworth would be your nearest workshop. John.