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I purchased a replacement head unit from a “junk yard” in Texas via the internet for $350. The removal instructions (with pictures) are available at the following site: http://carstereohelp.com/strlexus.htm It wasn’t very difficult, the only problem was that I was afraid to pry and pull with the necessary force to lift the center wood and also the vents.
Unfortunately the do not have instructions for the removal of the CD Changer and once I get that figured out I’ll see how their repair capabilities are and let you all know.
The dealer quotes I received (Northern California bay area) were $1,500 for a rebuilt head unit and $1,000 for a rebuilt changer (installation extra, of course).
I also checked with Pioneer Electronics and Lexus and both said that these units were “built to spec” and that there are no OEM compatible products available. In other words, if I want to keep the factory head unit (proprietary size in the center console) I HAVE to use that same changer.
Undaunted with this, I’m going up to Marin Lexus to check out a 1998 LS400 with Nav and air suspension. Only 48k miles. Hope it’s cheap since it looks like everyone says that the suspension will need about $4k worth of work between 75 and 100k miles. Can’t be certified since it’s a year too old so I’ll have to get a 3rd party warranty.
Wish me luck!
Fritz
fritz@akerlund.net
In sum, a world of difference - very positive.
The 5th gear in the auto trans makes a welcome improvement in gas mileage on trips - but be careful; there's ZERO engine braking when you take your foot off the gas at speed, unlike the 4-speed auto trans in the earlier LS400s.
And the increase in HP from 260 to 290 will be readily apparent.
Good luck!
It's stuck in up position, and it's a real pain to drive. I've set the "auto" mode off because I am having this problem...
Anyone know what could be wrong? How hard is it to open up the steering column to take a look? If someone has service manual on this procedure please post.
Help me
Dan
Maybe I need a new motor for my steering wheel?
Q45man, can you help me with any comment? Have you or anyone replaced a motor for the steering wheel?
Advise anyone?
thanks paul
Both fans should run at full speed, 12 volts across each, as the coolant temp rises. If coolant temp continues to rise with both fans at full speed/volts, A/C is shut down.
I would still consider marginal (190F??) coolant (engine)overheat as a possibility, especially under your circumstances.
Given a 92, I would ascertain proper radiator cooling flow before any other work.
The 92 I just bought in AZ has dark tint on rear and rear side windows and a lighter tint on front side windows. Without the tint and given AZ bright sun and heat I suspect A/C and engine cooling simultaneously would be marginal enough (parked, engine idle) that even a partially blocked exhaust catalyst would give your indications.
To test this possibility use a garden hose to spray the radiator/condensor assembly after the A/C shuts down. A/C should restart almost immediately if coolant temp is the cause.
It's time for a major tune up.
Installed new rear brake pads, forced piston to retract, fluid level in reservoir rose, trac diagnostic next, code 19.
Removed fluid to below max line and no help.
Lots of caution notes regarding overfilling brake fluid reservoir but no information regarding how to fix. fairly sure I have no fluid leaks but "19" says brake pressure pump is cycling too often.
Anyone else experience this and know what to do to fix?
I know you are not a fan of fluid changes, but over 10 years, you'd be surprised to see the level of particulate contamination in brake fluid, not to mention water content.
I'd suggest a brake fluid flush as well.
When all else fails, there's always the dealer.
Diagnostic indicates brake pressure pump is cycling too often. Must be a leak within the system, to the low pressure side say, or accumulator gas pressure side may be "flat".
But I still don't see how brake pad change, resulting in "over-fill" of the reservoir, could have resulted in this failure.
Coincidence maybe?
Dealer would be the last resort, but I'm betting they would simply start out replacing parts, assemblies (pump/accumulator), etc, until the diagnostic doesn't come back.
Parking brake set, firmly, tranx in drive, voltmeter monitoring the output of the Trac brake pressure motor, each time the accelerator is "tipped in" even ever so slightly, the relay enables the brake pressure motor.
On the tenth "tip-in" the trac failure indicator lights.
Repeatable even in cruise control on the highway.
Operationally this is exactly what it should do if on "tip-in" a rear wheel slips, but there is no indication of rear brake application nor dethrottling.
The ECU is correct, the Trac motor is cycling more often than it should, but why?
Same with driver side wheel only off ground.
Front wheels thoroughly blocked to prevent movement.
Does everyone know this thing applies brakes to both rear wheels simultaneously?
Not just to the slipping wheel?
How stupid can Lexus be/get?
Corrected on later models with 4 channel ABS?
It turns out that in the speedo assembly I removed the Trac failure lamp in the "shroud" above the speedo hade had the bulb removed.
Now, do I really need a (useless??) Trac system that applies braking to both rear wheels while dethrottling simultaneously, or do I simply remove the bulb in the new assembly?
Trac code 19: "TRAC motor ON and OFF operation is higher than a predetermined number of times (accumulator pressure leakage)."
Trac code 19: Circuits/devices to check...
"(1) Fluid leakage in actuators or tubing."
"(2) Pressure leakage of accumulator."
Hmmmmm....
Up until just a few moments ago I was assuming "Pressure leakage of accumulator" meant brake fluid pressure leakage.
Then I remembered that a water well pump short- cycles (repetitively, quickly, on and off, on and off, etc. )if the pressure on the bladder side of the water storage tank (accumulator) is low.
So now my guess is that each time the throttle is "tipped-in" (from ANY current position) the ABS/Trac ECU checks for sufficient Trac brake fluid accumulator pressure and actuates the pump until the accumulator fluid pressure switch opens.
With no gas pressure on the "bladder" side of the accumulator the pressure switch would not likely remain open (indicating high accumulator fluid pressure)for very long. But that condition wouldn't be detected until the next throttle "tip-in".
Ten cycles in a relatively short period and the Trac failure is illuminated and Trac is disabled.
Sure wish the wording had been "Gas pressure leakage of accumulator".
Anyone know if Lexus (or anyone) can recharge a Trac accumulator?
Oh, well, nice relaxing and easy-going father's day.
In hot weather, A/C compressor running, the fans should run at low speed (connected in series, 6 volts each) unless the engine water jacket temperature begins to rise above ~190F, in which case relay act to run fans in parallel, 12 volts each.
How did you creat the circumstance wherein the fans did not run and the A/C subsequently shut down, therein lies the problem.
Parked, on a hot day, with the A/C running, if those fans don't run at least in low speed the A/C will shut down due to threatened engine over-heating.
Also check and make sure the viscous clutch is engaging the engine driven fan, forcing it to turn with the engine. Heat flowing downstream of the radiator increases the vicosity of the clutch fluid thereby tightening the coupling.
On the 92 the "high" side refrigerant pressure sensor/switch (controlling low speed operation) is behind the passenger side headlamp assy and the relays or behind the driver side headlamp.
How many miles?
You might be losing the brushes (intermittently in one of the fans which would prevent low speed operation and then by the time the engine coolant temperature begins to rise it may already be too late for both fans at full speed to reverse the trend.
I would actually place bets on intermittent failure of the refrigerant high pressure sensor/switch myself.
Went to the auto wrecking yard today and bought a used Trac accumulator (38k mile LS carcuss). On the way home I noticed that the Trac fail indicator wasn't illuminating. Once I got home I tested the Trac functionality in the method under which it failed every time yesterday, ten throttle tip-ins, in drive, with the parking brake set.
No failures.
So what gives?
I'm relatively sure that some past owner knew the Trac was failing and disabled the Trac fail bulb to prevent a new buyer from knowing/noticing.
On the other hand I was once also relatively sure that my work replacing the rear brake pads had created the failure via excess fluid in the master cylinder.
Oh, well, now I have a spare Trac accumulator, just in case.
My plan was to replace the accumulator and have Lexus drain and flush the brake system(s) and reset the airbag code 41 which I apparently caused inadvertantly by switching out the speedo/tach module without disconnecting the battery.
1. A low pressure switch that is open if there is little or no pressure in the system. This one prevents the compressor from running at all if there is not enough, or no, refrigerant in the system.
2. A high pressure switch, ~220PSI, that turns (sw opens) the compressor off once enough liquid refrigerant is accumulated on the pressure side upstream of the evaporator.
1 & 2 are in series internally to the module, either one open stops the compressor. 4 wires in the connector, one pair for 1 & 2, and one pair for 3.
3. A medium pressure switch ~100PSI(??) that activates the fans at low speed, series, 6 volts each, when the compressor has run long enough to begin accumulating liquid refrigerant.
The fourth sensor/switch is within the engine block, water jacket, and causes the fans to run at high speed, 12 volts each, if the engine water jacket temperature begins to climb in spite of the low speed fan operation.
If the engine water jacket temperature continues to climb even with the fans at full speed then the A/C compressor clutch circuit will be opened to prevent engine overheat.
The A/C compressor doesn't shut down except if you turn it off somehow or it goes into engine overheat fault mode.
Refrigerant pressure switch(s)has/have failed.
Don't know why Lexus does not provide some protection/detection for this type of failure. Ford A/C system used to provide a fusible link between the high side and the low side such that if the pressure difference exceeded a certain value the high pressure due to continuous compressor operation was bypassed into the low side.
Apparently Lexus just lets the refrigerant keep being pumped until everything is frozen solid all the way to the compressor suction inlet and then the compressor itself fails due to "slugging", liquid refrigerant entering its suction side.
The question is how long do you want the tranny to last 100k, 200k, or 300k.
Replacement will cost you $4800......[5 speed AT].
Think the $25 plus labor is good insurance every 30k.
We have many customers with 90-92 LS400 with over 250k on cars same tranny [but this was a different 4 speed unit]. Since tranny was new for 98 not enough years/miles are showing to predicit how the 5 speed will last......YET!
Labelled:
D
151801-9434
501A 1109L
9125 Z41
"D" is most likely for Denso
"9125 Z41" is undoubtedly a manufacturer date/batch code.
IC600 labelling is the same for a 1991 and 1992 climate control except for batch/date codes, 1991 climate control module is "9004 Z13".
CN7, connector 7, 4 pins, appears to be the programming connector.
Pin 4 is grnd. Pins 1,2,3 are connected to pins 24, 22, 23, in that order/sequence, of IC600, each through a 200 ohm resistor via IC800 resistor pak.
Anyone know who actually makes this microprocessor?
I suspect Toshiba.