Razor61

Maybe they have disintegrated like mine, I would never have thought about them to be honest. It was the plastic bits coming off when washing that prompted me.

A few months ago while washing the car I noticed bits of plastic coming off around the windscreen area. After investigating I found that the plastic guide things for the wipers had disintegrated. Technical term for the parts is ‘step, linear wiper’. Anyhow, I got new ones and fitted them today, wiper arms need to be removed and the plastic cowls because they are screwed in underneath the cowls. Bit of a faff removing the wiper arms, a story for another time, but got them off and the cowls. Cowls washed and treated to make them look like new, new ‘step, linear wiper’ things fitted, all reassembled. Has anyone else had the same thing happen? The broken bits on the car after fitting new ones

Can’t say for sure cos I don’t know what charger you have but I’d say you are right, keep it on trickle when not in use and disconnect when you use the car.

I'd advise against that, the ECU will lose it's 'learned' settings and other memory settings on the car, i.e. radio stations, steering wheel and seat settings. Battery maintainer/trickle charger is the way to go, you can use the 'tails', connect them permanently to the battery terminals and plug/unplug the charger as needed. I use an Optimate 4, there are others of course, and have used it for many years without any issue and you can get Solar powered ones as well.

In my experience, for what it’s worth, start with a new battery and take it from there. Problem may be gone after a new battery but, as said earlier, keep the battery on trickle charge when not in use for a while. I had a Saab 900 Turbo with starting/battery issues, charged it and car started then issue reoccurred. Local mechanic said some sort of drain on the battery and killing it and would take some investigation. Took the car to an auto electrician, he checked ‘things’ and said battery is knackered, didn’t take him long either. Fitted new battery and problem gone. Ever since then, any signs of bad/lazy starting or flat battery in a morning……..new battery fitted and all ok again.

Sounds like you need a new battery. Part# 28800-YZZZL £130 from LPD website - £150 from local Lexus dealer but they may match the LPD price.

You can download from here: Toyota-Tech.eu

Damn it, something else that’s missing from my car……..the Lexus torch still in the wrapping and working. Working Lexus torch I have but not in the wrapping so will need to rectify that as soon as possible🤣

Good point, this is the result if you don’t. This LS400 is for sale on eBay.

There is one LS400 for sale on eBay with the ‘all important battery insulator’ still on the car🤣 The only other LS400 I’ve seen with the battery insulator still on the car was the Gold LS400 I went to see in St Anne’s a few weeks ago to advise the owner about the condition and what it was worth. Just some info on that car which I can share, it had most of the common issues apart from the steering pump, it was dry with no leaks, but the Gold paint wasn’t faded. Few scrapes and rust spots on the Gold paintwork but not ‘patchwork quilt’ like some I’ve seen.

They all had them from new as far as I know and it probably got thrown or lost over the years. That’s why they are as rare as rocking horse poo.

It’s on the Audi Sport forum now😀

Thanks, they weren’t there when I bought the car and the correct positive connector thing wasn’t either, positive lead was fixed to the battery terminal with as screw into the terminal on the battery. I bought all the bits from Amayama when buying other parts. positive batter terminal that was missing

I remembered where I’ve seen it before, I had an Audi A4 a few years ago and it’s a VAG part. Looked at the thing more and there is a VAG part number under one of the flaps so definitely not a Lexus/Toyota part. I didn’t expect any identifying marks but there is.

As mentioned in a previous topic, I managed to find a battery insulator/cover. Cleaned up and fitted it today, pics below. I also got with it an insulator blanket thing which isn’t for a LS400 as far as I can see but I may be wrong. I sort of recognise it from somewhere, picture of it below and maybe someone can recognises it and what car it’s off. LS400 battery insulator fitted. The battery blanket

There are some LS400 mk3 spares for sale on Facebook which may be of interest to someone. Link is below. I had a look at the shell and what left in the car and the cluster, radio and ac control is still there. The bits listed on Facebook plus other bits I think. Located in Bolton. https://www.facebook.com/share/DQjdfAsK8JXaML31/?mibextid=79PoIi

Small update on a part that was missing from the car, the plastic battery insulator or cover that fits over the battery. It’s the part circled in the pic below. After 2 years of searching I’ve found one with some type of lagging/insulation as well and it was in Bolton 10 mins drive from where I work! I saw an advert of Facebook for some LS400 spares, went to have a look but they were for a 95 mk3 so not for my car. There were 3 other LS400’s, 1 mk3 and 2 mk4’s plus another mk3 in storage, Gold, in excellent condition and may be for sale soon. All this down the road from where I work. Had a good chat with the guys and I asked about the battery insulator and they said they would have a look and let me know, hey presto they had one. Will pick it up tomorrow and I’m really chuffed, not the most important part of the car but makes it more complete. Probably complete now because I can’t think of anything else that’s missing.

So you are in Greater Manchester now? I work in Bolton and live in Darwen and, depending on where you are, I don't mind taking a look at the car. I may be able to give you some pointers and advice, PM me and maybe we can sort something out. I can't quite figure out something though, which part of car is shown in the picture below, do you know which part of the car this is? And the suspension arm shown below, front lower suspension arm I guess (not the front strut bar), does have corrosion but it doesn't look like an MOT fail to me. That's assuming the picture was take for that reason and not the oil that can be seen.

You could try the guys below but as said earlier they may not want ship it. Worth asking though, they are near were I live and I've bought a couple of bits from them. ACD of Lancashire home page

Yes I did visit last Sunday afternoon, documented my findings along with what I thought about how much it's worth etc. I sent this to Jayne to look through, if Jayne wants to share this then ok or is fine with me sharing it here then I can.

Sounds good👍

Not easy to say really. I live in Lancashire and if you are reasonably close to where I live, I don’t mind having a look and give you my opinion if you like. Send me a message if you want to do that and we can arrange it.

Maybe the tensioner causing the issue has freed itself and may stick again. The video posted by Ying Zhu by the car care nut is the one I mentioned earlier and remembered watching.

Just to be clear about the noise in electric mode only - is the noise apparent when it is electric mode only or is it 'not' apparent when it is electric mode only? I remember a video by The Car Care Nut on a Toyota V8, can't remember if it was the 2UR-FSE though, and there was a noise caused by one of the Timing Chain hydraulic tensioners. LH side only iirc (passenger side in the UK) The issue was that the hydraulic tensioner was stuck and wasn't putting tension on the timing chain guide so it was slack. Not slack enough for the chain to come off though, the tensioner can't go all the way back in because of a locking mechanism which is a failsafe. Can't remember what the noise sounded like or whether the noise was from cold or when warm. Maybe this is worth investigating though.

Just to add, I look on eBay regularly for anything LS400 related that may be useful to buy or is sensible to buy for the future. This is the first time I have seen a service manual for the audio or audio/sat nav for an LS400, if it was for a 97 -2000 LS400 it would not be for sale anymore😉