LenT

Do you have a trickle charger? If you’re able to garage it, then that should solve the problem.

I had to top up all four tyres today - and all by the same amount - due to minus ambient temperatures. So I think Peter’s right. You should check the Manual to see if your TPMS provides a low battery warning - I don’t think mine does. As for battery replacement, it can be done but I for one wouldn’t contemplate it. After all, you’ve still got to get the tyre off in the first instance to get at the valve. In terms of age, you could well be in that area, but mileage (ie the total time the TPMS has been active) is also a factor. Presuming that you have now inflated the tyres to the correct pressures, then you could try resetting the TPMS and see if that eliminates any warning lights. If it doesn’t, then at least you know the pressures are correct. What are your tyres like? If you were contemplating fitting a new set, then I would be inclined to replace the TPMS valves at the same time, as you’re having to remove the tyres anyway. When I had to replace a TPMS valve, a large local tyre retailer was able to supply and fit a compatible unit for £65. If you tie a new valve set in with the new tyres, you can probably negotiate a deal. But it can’t hurt to put the same proposition to your local Lexus dealer. You may be surprised!

Sound advice, John. However, my Father was a taxi driver. As a child, I recall frosty winter mornings when he would boil a kettle of water and pour it over the ice-covered windscreen! Amazingly, as I grew up to realise, it never shattered! I’ve no idea why - and it’s not something I would ever try myself. On the other hand, if he thought of it, he’d lay sheets of newspaper across the screen the night before which could then be peeled off to reveal an ice-free screen. Nowadays you can buy a cover for the windscreen to do the same job!

This is the sort of item, Nick. Not that I can vouch for any of them! And there’s plenty more where they came from. So here’s a few alternatives…. https://gbr.grandado.com/products/car-seat-gap-pad-spacer-fillers-for-lexus-es350-es300h-gs350-is200t-is350-lx570-nx200-nx300-nx300h-rc200t-rx350?variant=UHJvZHVjdFZhcmlhbnQ6ODA0NDEzMQ&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw6iPrqfr-wIVs2LmCh0e6wBCEAQYASABEgJwWvD_BwE https://www.wish.com/product/5fbdd3a297c7099deab1cbf8?from_ad=goog_shopping&_display_country_code=GB&_force_currency_code=GBP&pid=googleadwords_int&c=17739879730&ad_cid=5fbdd3a297c7099deab1cbf8&ad_cc=GB&ad_lang=EN&ad_curr=GBP&ad_price=11.00&campaign_id=17739879730&retargeting=true&exclude_install=true&gbraid=0AAAAABOL3PPy5wbNtx5ndPRsfcDupOY4G&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw6iPrqfr-wIVs2LmCh0e6wBCEAQYAyABEgL8I_D_BwE https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/lexus-car-seat-gap-filler--458452437067531676/ https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004352707769.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis!USD!US %2421.96!%2410.98!!!!!%40211b5dfd16705472211593787eb06f!12000028867362317!btf&_t=pvid%3Af0ae89dc-ffb7-48a8-b8a8-41e58c9b10b4&afTraceInfo=1005004352707769__msite__c_ppc_item_bridge__xxxxxx__1670547221&spm=a2g0n.ppclist.product.0&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt Strangely, there doesn’t seem to be anything from the Lexus eBay store - but I may have missed it!

Surprising that these gap fillers - or chip catchers - don’t come with your Premium Pack. But they are available on the After Market - either as Fillers or Storage Pockets and even Lexus branded. There have been occasions when mine have proved their worth!

These days I would think that is indeed the case.

In our day, the comparable test was called The Four Ball test. It involved one large ball bearing rotating at high speed under pressure in a nest of three similar ball bearings - which Slick50 prevented from fusing into a solid mass! A more practical demonstration was conducted at Mallory racetrack. We had three cars of similar age - two had been treated with Slick50. The oil was drained from all three and they set off in convey around the track - led by Roger Clark. The untreated car seized up in less than one lap; the other two continued until Roger called it a day after 50 laps because he was bored!

As ever, you make some very valid observations, Vladimir. Well, I can't speak for Lexus, but this point came up in earlier post. If you're referring to a detergent cleaner supplied by Texaco, then I offered a more detailed explanation in this post: Haven't looked into Millers additives, so can't comment. But this was a blast from the past! I've not heard of ZX1 but looking through their website I would say it is probably identical to a product called Slick50 that I launched many years ago. They are rather shy about divulging its constituents, but judging from their claims and its mode of operation, I would suggest that it's remarkably similar to the PTFE based Slick50 - despite stating at one point that it is not P.T.F.E. molybdenum! In which case it may well deliver its claims, despite not providing the detailed evidence that we had to! I don't think that pointing out that MMO doesn't provide evidence to support its claims is actually 'scare mongering'. In reality, their suggested dilution of one 4oz bottle to 10 gallons (US, presumably) is a dilution of over 300:1 - (I stand to have my maths corrected!) - which I suggest is neither here nor there. As I concluded earlier, modern lubrication technology is now so sophisticated that it's unlikely that any additive is going to produce a significant improvement over the designed parameters of a modern product. On the other hand, it's just as unlikely to do any damage! It's just that a subjective reaction is not the same as highly controlled and comparative scientific analysis. It may interest you know, that we had to support all our claims by providing authoritative analytical evidence to such as The Advertising Standards Authority - and they would not accept even a single 'unsolicited' testimonial as evidence!

Having been involved in the launch of motor oils and 'performance improvers', I know that the biggest stumbling block is the acquisition of authoritative independent testing to support any claims that are made. So it's significant that MMO has apparently failed to present any such evidence. Apart from that, such is the development of the additive packages that modern oils contain that I doubt any manufacturer would approve the addition of any other product to their blend. So it's possible that doing so would invalidate any claim regarding damage or loss of performance.

I think it’s a little more nuanced than that. After all, if different axles have tyres of different tread patterns and composition, then they will react differently under the same driving conditions. Of course, you may never put yourself in a position to discover this. But no-one plans an accident. I think this article from Continental details the general recommendations. https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/b2c/tyre-knowledge/mixing-tyres.html

Yes, you’re probably right there! Phil also makes a very good suggestion. Another thought is to check the valve ~ which you may have already done! A little blob of washing up liquid should reveal any bubbling caused by a slow leak. And a missing dust cap is often the cause by allowing grit into the valve.

How old are your tyres, Paul? It’s not generally appreciated that after about six years - depending on usage and exposure to UV light - tyres start to deteriorate . You should have a 4-digit code on the sidewall. The first two digits indicate the week of manufacture , the second two the year.

My Dealer experience is much the same as Vladimir’s. My Lexus is much the same age as yours, Martin. I get regular emails from my Lexus Dealer acknowledging that I’m very happy with my IS250 but wanting to keep in touch and looking forward to the next service. I don’t really see that it’s to your advantage to dismiss the possibility of ever buying another Lexus - if that’s how you’re feeling - because of your problem with one Dealer. After all, it’s not the car that you’re dissatisfied with. And you may well have helped other LOC members make their own judgement about the merits of dealing with this particular company. If there’s no convenient Dealer alternative then maybe look for a good local Indy to provide servicing.

I see the problem, Simon. You might want to consider a NOCO battery booster then, which will at least get you started. I’ve had occasion to use mine and they’re very effective. https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/583DA99D-B3DA-456D-9F41-0D20496488E7?maas=maas_adg_85FCF8C390B7891AE170567A800B7847_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzsPY7c7d-wIVD4BQBh1EzA02EAAYASAAEgJcrPD_BwE

Yes, I’ve had the same warning on very cold mornings. Usually disappears once the tyre warms up. On one occasion it led to my having the tyre valve sheered off and having to have a new TPMS fitted! But that’s another story…. But I don’t think pressing the reset button is the answer. The warning light is telling you that one - or more - of the tyres is under inflated. The reset button simply resets the pressure limit to whatever the tyre is recording. So you’re now driving around with under inflated tyres! The only answer is to get to an air supply, check the tyre pressures and re-inflate to the correct levels. If it keeps happening, check the tyre and valve for leaks. And maybe buy your own inflator?

Just curious, Simon. Do you have a trickle charger?

As has been suggested, this may simply refer to a basic protective film applied to provide some protection during shipping. It’s not to be confused with the kind of Paint Protection Film (PPF) which is invariably applied by specialist Detailers and is a very different proposition. This is typical of the product. https://www.huntsmiths.co.uk/

This may be something you’ve already done, of course, but have you considered having it professionally detailed with a high quality ceramic finish applied? It won’t stop it getting dirty, of course, but it’s dramatically easier to get clean - and you end up with a superior and longer lasting finish than the factory produced.

My IS250 certainly came with a SpaceSaver - and the moulded tray! I’ve even had occasion to use it after a helpful passerby sheared the valve trying to get the dust cap off. Which would have rendered the compressor and injectable gloop totally useless!

Very good advice! Invest in a NOCO Boost - and if you can, a CTEK trickle charger - and you should never be caught out. But you ask about the battery. Is it the original? If so, then it’s already done very well at nine years old. You should think about replacing it, especially as winter’s coming and it’ll be under extra load.

Apologies if you’ve already tried this - or I’ve completely misunderstood you - but you should be able to remove the mechanical key from the electronic case and use it to unlock the boot lid. You don’t say which 300h it is, but the key lock should be located under the lip of the boot lid. Just wondering how you got into the car if there was no power to open the boot (trunk)? Incidentally, it may be worth changing the key battery if it’s not been done before. I hope this helps!

My Elan had metalastik drive donuts off a Hillman Imp and wheel trims from a Morris Oxford. Colin Chapman was renowned for raiding the parts boxes of other manufacturers. The only difference was that you paid twice as much if you got them from Lotus!

They are the Ultimate visual deterrent- possibly second only to a Doberman in the passenger seat. I had the wheel covering version on a soft-top Elan and to my knowledge no-one ever tried to tackle it. But it was a faff to slip on and then unlock every time. And it did live on the floor behind the passenger seat. The other slight negative is that it did leave an impression on the steering wheel. On the other hand, it’s probably the cheapest and easiest security device to kick off with! You could have it working today. One point about the Ghost and similar systems: for chummy to tackle them directly, they first have to know they’re there. As for CANbus attacks, as I mentioned earlier, there are mechanical and electronic products that will isolate it.

It could be just a matter of physics. With every drop of 10C in ambient temperature, the tyre pressure will reduce by up to 2 bar. So that could be enough to trigger the system. It has certainly happened to me in the past. Using the reset button apparently just resets the system to accept the pressures in the tyres at that moment. Best answer is to reset all the tyre pressures to the correct level when cold. Steve’s point about the battery life is also very relevant. If you have the original valves then they are eight years old and - depending on mileage - may well becoming to the end of their life!

Sounds like the best possible result, Herbs. And the six month follow up is standard procedure and by then you’ll be an old hand at it. All the best for the future.