LenT

Do the dashboard lights appear when you turn on the ignition? If the engine doesn’t even turn over Tim, then that might suggest a very flat battery problem. If you don’t have access to something like a NOCO Jump starter then maybe get hold of a battery charger. Mind you, if that’s the original battery then it’s well past its sell-by date and you will have to invest in a new one!

Is your IS 250 2014 a third generation model like mine? I’m no Lexus expert Richard, but I can’t imagine Lexus fitting the TPMS system without the reset button! Do you have a Manual to refer to? The reset button is astonishingly difficult to locate. I had to get on my back, under the driver’s seat well with a torch in order to find it! In mine it’s just under the dash, more or less in-line with the steering column. BTW: if you don’t have a Manual with the car, you can download it from the Lexus website (lexus.co.uk) from the My Lexus section. I hope this helps!

The last post before yours should reassure you, Richard. It’s certainly the case that when I had one TPMS valve replaced and programmed, the system appeared to be reset immediately. However, I’ve also the situation in which the system was disrupted by fitting a new set of tyres and the installer confidently assured me that it would reset after a couple of hours driving. It didn’t - so I found the reset button under the dash (about in line with the steering wheel) and that sorted it out. In other words, the system does indeed require some time of active driving in order to set itself. Failing that, there is a reset button. So I wouldn’t get concerned just yet!

This is something I’ve never had to try, but is apparently a solution to a low battery level causing the key not to be detected: Simply push the start button by pressing the Lexus logo on the key fob against it. Presumably actual contact enables the system to recognise the fob.

This is one reason why BlackVue appealed to me - it’s made in South Korea! The company started up in 2007 and pioneered much of the current dashcam technology. The brand quickly became well established in North America long before it came into Europe. This page from the Home site might be of interest…. https://blackvue.com/about-us/

Apparently not! I found this explanation on the blackvue.co.uk website: BlackVue X-series models (DR770X and DR970X) have in-built power management circuitry that ensures that your camera will never deplete your vehicle’s battery when operating overnight, switching-off should the car’s battery level drop below a pre-set level. BlackVue models such as the DR750-2CH LTE and DR750S/900S/590 require the addition of the optional Power Magic Pro to provide battery protection. This was the distributor’s web address that I bought from many years ago, but they were then called Boros Technology. I think it also now has a different name and physical address, so cannot really comment about them as they may have changed personnel as well as location. I do recall that blackvueuk.co.uk were also a distributor at that time. You.could always contact them directly to clarify the situation.

Solar Panels have already been mentioned. They could be an option worth investigating.

Good basic advice this. The very best examples - correctly fitted - will usually require the use of some serious, heavy duty, dangerous and noisy cutting equipment for several minutes to effect their removal. The latest Diskloks are possibly the best, but a bit bulky to store from my experience of a couple of early examples. I now have a Milenco which has fared equally as well in various tests - with the added benefit of being quite an effective defence in its own right!

My first thought is that may be rather dependent on where you choose to park it. Then I would be inclined to run through the range of security options, starting with glass etching, a visible steering wheel lock deterrent, an immobiliser - such as a simple kill switch on the fuel pump - a steel plate to protect the canBUS and then progress to a Ghost system and a Tracker. You could also install Security Posts and cameras to prevent access to your drive - and then keep it in the garage. Ultimately, chummy might still break in while you’re absent and cart it away on a low loader. The sad reality is that there is nothing one person can own that another cannot try to steal. What all these steps do is make it increasingly difficult to the point that it’s easier to steal someone else’s Lexus! How far you go depends on how much you’re prepared to invest - and how much you would like to own a Lexus. It’s only because it’s regarded as a highly desirable car to own that it’s attracted the attention of car thieves. Ultimately it’s an insured possession to enjoy - like a designer watch - which you will never do if you only contemplate its loss. Taken to extremes, there’s good reason not to even drive it and thus expose it to the dangers of modern traffic!

Well, as I’m sure they would all do the job, I would start by making some basic choices. So personally I dislike anything that intrudes into my vision on the screen - which means I would find a camera dangling below the mirror a distraction and something that creates a blind spot. When I use my Garmin GPS it’s positioned slightly off the screen and I prioritise the verbal instructions anyway. So the BV style shape is more appealing and has the additional benefit of being very inconspicuous from outside the car. Of these options, what attracts me to the more expensive BV is the 60fps of the front camera. By rights, this should greatly improve the clarity of vehicles approaching and thus aid number plate recognition. To me, this only has to prove decisive once and it will have paid for itself. I note it also comes with the largest standard SD Card at 64Gb - although I would still advise using the biggest Card it will take and saving the supplied Card as an emergency replacement. It may also have some additional features regarding Cloud and App connectivity if that’s useful to you. Now I don’t know if that’s really any help because it’s very easy to spend someone else’s money! But if I buy products that have to operate reliably on the rare occasions they’re put to the test - brake pads, tyres and parachutes come to mind - then would get the best I could afford. And I probably wouldn’t get it off eBay or from China! But like yourself, I’d be interested to hear other views.

No I didn’t do the install. I already knew of a good local auto electrician who’d installed phones and parking sensors in other cars for us and was increasingly doing dashcams. I also had a Power Magic Pro to add in order to provide a parking mode facility. Personally, I wouldn’t let anyone from Halfords near my cars! I haven’t actually bothered with other features regarding cloud connectivity and although I have one of the 900 series I really only use the basic functionality - but that suits me. I only recently got myself a ‘smart’ phone and probably cut off as many callers as I manage to answer!

Would Michelin CrossClimate 2 be a better bet? Very much depends on driving style, mileage, which performance criteria your prioritise and so on. But if you’re after superior wet road performance then they are certainly well regarded. I had them on another car and they were outstanding. I would have had them on the Lexus, but they didn’t make one of the two sizes required. So I opted for the equally satisfying Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric.

They are! They’re in a group that includes such as Nextbase, Road Angel, Thinkware and others that are all more than the Chinese-made systems you can get for around £50. And there’s many owners here who will tell you that those systems are just as good and they’re very happy with them. With most items, my attitude is to buy the best that I can afford rather than the cheapest. Fortunately, I can afford BlackVue - and as I say they were one of leaders in the field when launched so I’ve simply found it easier to stay with the brand. But in considering its cost I also assess its value to me. Before I had the Lexus, I had a Honda Accord - or I did until an HGV wrote it off on a motorway. The other driver’s Insurers were disputing the claim until I was able to extract the relevant files from the BV - which clearly showed the HGV undertaking, then pulling back and out into my lane, hitting the rear wheel. Within days the claim was settled in full without further comment. The difference meant that that one claim alone paid for the camera setup many times over. And also paid for the Lexus! Now of course a cheaper unit might have been just as effective. But what I invested in was the confidence that when it came to the crunch the BV could be relied upon to deliver high quality, dual camera evidence. In my case, the initial cost was insignificant compared to the potential loss.

I’ve had BlackVues almost since they were launched and can endorse AI’s recommendation - and for much the same reasons. But much depends on how much you’re prepared to spend. Placed between the screen and the rear view mirror and they are very hard to spot. Which means chummy will unknowingly activate the proximity sensor while giving your motor the once over. They don’t have a built-in screen but will connect to a smart phone and will do so even when you’re not in the car eg when sitting in a restaurant with the car in the car park! This also means they should be hardwired so that they can be activated with the ignition off. Some models now have a voltage control facility built-in, but for other models, the Power Magic Pro does the job. https://blackvue.co.uk/products/power-magic-pro/ How good the wiring in is rather depends on who’s doing it. A good auto electrician would be my choice of installer. My other recommendations would be to go for a two camera setup and buy - as an extra - the biggest SD Card the system will take and keep the smaller supplied card as an emergency spare. So if possible you can swap it for the main card in the event of an emergency, thus preserving the evidence at the time. Finally, as with all such systems, it’s recommended to reformat the card every few weeks, depending on usage and capacity. This is because constant rewriting tends to introduce errors into the recording. Incidentally, it’s surprising how satisfying it is knowing that the moron in front who nearly caused an accident has been caught in the act - and equally how knowing that improves your own driving as well!

Perhaps he means it literally - although most people find Lexus seats very comfortable. Still, whatever shape Jonnie’s a## is in, this is one place new Lexus owners will always feel comfortable. 😊

Was it an old Rover?

Just noticed that you’ve mentioned the tyre sizes, but not the brand. Well here’s another thought…are they asymmetric? Are they directional? It could be that you have the two front tyres on the wrong wheels. If they’re asymmetric then the tread is in blocks, with the larger blocks on the outside. Often the word ‘Outside’ is on the tyre wall. If they’re directional, they’ll have a V tread pattern and an arrow on the outer wall indicating the direction of forward motion. Getting this wrong might well produce the effect you describe. This article explains it in more detail. https://www.kwik-fit.com/blog/tyre-tread-whats-the-difference-between-asymmetric-and-directional-tyres#:~:text=Asymmetric tyres can be placed,block facing the correct way.

I take it that the chips are predominantly on the front and bonnet? Have you considered going to a Detailer for the application of a Paint Protection Film? Obviously any current damage would have to be rectified first, but PPF will eliminate those unsightly and irritating pin pricks of paint damage. In fact PPF does have a degree of self-healing! Here’s an example of PPF Detailing: http://www.huntsmiths.co.uk

Unfortunately, Aaron, it’s not quite that straightforward. As I recall the video, the TPMS valve is a sealed unit and there’s no direct access to the battery. The unit has to be broken open to reveal the battery - which is wired in and encased in a thick, white gel to insulate it from road shock. It was not long after that I decided it was easier just to buy a new one! I bought my Lexus from them as a two-year old (that’s the car!) complete with a three-year service contract - which I have maintained. In my personal experience they have been exemplary in the quality of service provided. Occasionally I have used the Collect & Deliver facility, which has worked very well. The last two services were accompanied by a video tour of the car highlighting and commenting on the areas checked - which I found very reassuring. They also like to stay in contact to see if I’m interested in a new Lexus. Unfortunately, they sold me the best Lexus the first time!

Would that be Lexus Milton Keynes?

Although there is at least one video on the interweb of a guy dismantling a valve to replace the battery, it struck me as not worth all the effort. Apart from which, a professional tyre retailer might baulk at fitting valves that they didn’t supply or had obviously been tampered with! This is why they are sold as factory sealed units.

That’s how I felt when I got my Lexus! I found I was actually inventing spurious shopping trips just for the pleasure of driving It. So…all the best with it. As regards the TPMS valves, the average battery life is considered to be seven years - depending on mileage, which you don’t mention. Any tyre dealer or Lexus Dealer should be able to check that and, frankly, if one has failed it makes sense to replace them all, because it’ll only be a matter of time and it’ll be cheaper to do the lot.

Pulling - or drifting - to the left and/or down the camber is most likely related to what’s going on with the front wheels. Again, this could be the result of tyre wear, tyre pressures, tracking problems, steering misalignment, rubbing discs and such like. My point is…it’s not so much that the wider tyres are now on the rear (which they should be) but that the narrow tyres are now on the front AFTER 2500K running as rear tyres. Depending on how enthusiastically those 2500K have been driven, they might well have been subjected to wear and stress that changed their performance relative to the wider tyres. Apart from getting tyre/wheel/suspension specialists to check the car, a close inspection of all the tyre treads might show a different wear pattern for the now fronts as compared with the now rears! Or maybe someone else has a better idea? 🤔

Just come across this topic, but I think this is an important point that Don makes! As a basic rule, it’s never a good idea to mix different types of tyres. As to whether RFs are repairable, it seems that the answer is….it all depends on the tyre, why it’s losing pressure and how it’s been driven on! This explanation by Goodyear might be helpful. https://www.goodyear.eu/en_gb/consumer/learn/can-run-flat-tyres-be-repaired.html

Just noticed that you’re non-UK so my MOT comment is probably not valid! But if by ‘gripping every kerb’ you mean that the steering tends to drift excessively down the road camber to the kerb, then that could well be down to incorrect tracking - possibly caused by wear. Considering what else has been happening, you might also check that the front wheels are pointing straight ahead when the steering wheel is central! After all, it’s possible that the car suffered some front end damage and repair before you got it?