MLW

Funny enough, modern cars are very sensitive to iffy batteries. If they are less than perfect, all sorts of issues arise. Probably due to electronics needing a pure, solid 12 v supply.

Funny enough I had a front bank 2 oxygen senor fail on of the 4 lamda sensors), and the VSC light came on about 300 miles later. Car was running very well with no symptoms. When it was replaced the engine management light went off and the VSC light went off. Nervously I waited about 150 miles and switched it on and off, and on and off via the dash button and all worked normally. The mysteries of a modern car computer!!!

I had a lambda problem, but thought it might be a MAF gunged up. As it was it was fine, but I did clean it with.... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00295EEBK/ref=asc_df_B00295EEBK58497396/?tag=googshopuk-21&creative=22122&creativeASIN=B00295EEBK&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309775958298&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9049257035534645885&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9044889&hvtargid=pla-562908091814 Worked really well. Not much stuff came off, but the 'bulb thing' was mauve on one side. and grimey on the other. Took it out of my 2002 LS430, sprayed it at all angles and put it to drain on kitchen paper for 2 hours to dry. The 'bulb' was then mauve all the way around. Did it improve the car.....not really, but it was cleanish anyway. The lamda was the problem.

Oops. I think it may be called a Hunter machine. Kwik-fit do it al t some branches. https://www.kwik-fit.com/wheel-alignment

I think so, give them a ring. Any laser tracker that does a before and after print out will do.

Have it tracked on a American 'Hamilton machine'. It will track what is there, and print out a reading as to what is within, or outside spec. Then they adjust it to factory settings with the steering wheel at 'dead straight normal'. Then the set it up, and print another printout showing it is all within spec. Takes about 30 mins and costs about £45-50. F1 Autocentres https://www.f1autocentres.co.uk/ have done about 3 different cars for me and been very good. When you leave having had it done, the car tracks the road like a dead straight bullet.

I think it said 'smart' on it.

That is very interesting. In so many cars now, e.g.. Prius all the dashboard 'goes funny', FIAT Panda, steering is odd, are often all related to an iffy battery. Todays cars seem to need a big powerful battery.

2002, I don't think it has a tyre resetting option.

While accessing the OBD11 slot I found a black knob buried below the steering wheel . When you turn it around it clicks. What is it?

UPDATE. Took it in to my local garage and they replaced the lamda sensor at the front of bank 2. The OEM part was £96.70p Labour 1 1/2 hours at £66 an hour. All in with VAT £234.84p. Not too bad. They seem to have done a good job, including a 10 mile test drive and the light is now off. As a matter of interest Lexus Cambridge wanted £203 for the part alone!

Update. Put it all back together and all was well for 5/6 miles on a test run, then it came back on again. It is running beautifully. I need the car for 450 miles at the weekend. Not sure what to do. Any good independent Lexus specialists in Suffolk/Cambridge anyone would recommend?

UPDATE It was code P0155. This is heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) 1, bank 2, heater control circuit malfunction. I assume it is the oxygen sensor on the drivers bank of cylinders at the engine end, near the exhaust manifold. Is it easy to replace? How much? I cleared the code, and also checked the petrol cap. It seemed ok, but I cleaned it and put a smear of Vaseline on the rubber seal and metal pipe to make sure it was air tight. As I had bought some MAF cleaner, I have also given this a clean. Some suggest it may be a faulty fuse. To be checked. Their are no systems such as rough running or starting. It is also returning 32 mpg on a long run.

I have a code reader. Where do I plug it in. Have done another 200 miles and it is perfectly normal and on a motorway is returning 32 mpg.

LS 430. (64K miles) After 3 years of faultless running, (35K miles), a problem. Stuck in a 2 hour traffic jam when a motorway was shut. Stop-start for ages. Then the orange engine management sign light up. Will not go out when the engine is switched off. Car running absolutely normal. Have done 200 miles since. Any ideas? Gummed up throttle body???

I paid £4,500 for a 2002, LS430 with 30K on it. It had done about 2,000 miles in its last 6 years and was kept in a garage. Sold when the old gentleman owner died. I paid well over the odds but the condition and history were exceptional. 3 years later it is at 63K. I love it. Wonderfully reliable. The suspension is magic. We do not drive......we waft.

Yes, the same people

I was in the same position. My 2002 430 was updated to about 2012 by these people. https://www.satnavishop.co.uk/ Disc worked very well. At £30 not too bad. Make sure you get the exact one, there are several Lexus ones. As said above, we also have a Garmin (Updated for life- very important to get this one) that covers Western Europe. It was about £75 from a Halfords deal about 4 years ago. It is a basic one but works great. The big advantage is it works on a postcode, the Lexus does not. Both sometimes go wonky and want to take you to Nagasaki, but that is the nature of sat navs. It was invaluable when we were house hunting.

In the last few days topped up and charged my 430 and wife's Mercedes SLK (with a 74 amp battery), Both were 'fully charged' in my view after a 300 mile run each. Both took about 20 hours at 1amp and were 'fully charged'. I bought an AA battery trickle charger last year. For the price it is a real winner. https://www.amazon.co.uk/AA-Battery-Charger-Maintainer-Batteries/dp/B00DW6RHN2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1547331257&sr=8-3&keywords=car+battery+charger+for+aa

All good advice. I normally have a thing about battery charging. In the past every winter I took the battery out and clean it, topped it up and a long 4 amp charge. Seem to do less now, but next year charger on. I would have done more than 17 hours but had to use the car. Hopefully not too much damage.

UPDATE 17 hours on my AA 1 amp trickle charger was OK, and it started. A one mile drive to the petrol station to fill up, involved another start. This was OK but 'not quite' normal. 110 miles on the motorway to Birmingham and a stop, gave 'all back to normal sound'. 300 more miles over 3 days, and I have forgotten about it as all is very normal. Next year a slow slow trickle charge after 10 days me thinks.

Left the 430 with a 2 1/2 year old battery on the drive for 20 days over Christmas. Checked it today and the interior light looks weak. Tried to start, what is normally a great starter, and nothing but a whirling fuel pump. Even the steering wheel would not move. On the charger and all should be well tomorrow morning. How common is this?

Not had to replace mine in 3 years yet. I have a theory that because they are lowered 'below' the bonnet line, they are out of the sun, and get less deformed. In the past on other cars I have used Euro Car Parts Bosch stuff. Usually cheap and not that bad.

Isn't it nice to be European.

I think cam belts on 430's are 90,000 miles. Say 75,000 to be safe.