Lexus LS 400/LS 430

tdo123

Tisliz- I am assuming you are referring to Superior in KC. On my recent LS purchase, I would bet we spent no more than 15 min in the car and another 15 going over the final paper work, i.e. Lexus Link and 24 hour assistance. The half day could only be attributed to the 1 hour it took them to leave me sitting in a chair waiting for them to get everything ready. 1/2 day is a joke.

chuck107

Should the "Fuel Door" light on the dash go out when the fuel door is closed? Mine is on all the time regardless whether the fuel door is open or closed. The owners manual is not clear on this as it talks about the arrow indicator telling what side the fuel door is on.

splogue

Yes, the fuel door indicator should be on all the time. It is supposed to remind you which side the filler door is on.

It helps a bit when the car is a rental or if it isn't the car you normally drive. I like your idea of having it let you know the door is open, though -- now *that* would be useful!

Sean

lemko

...the problem with your fuel gauge is probably the sender unit. I had a similar problem with my Seville STS. The repair was performed in less than two hours and under warranty. Maybe Cadillac and Lexus use the same supplier for sender units?

anthonycecil

This Thursday it goes in for a fix. I got nervous after trip back (300 mi) and filled it up this morning. Gauge went up to half full for a minute and when put into drive , dropped down to empty. The mirror also did not retract,or go back out. I just hope I do not smell any burning wires, as I did not sign up for lexus link again. Tony

splogue

Lemko is probably right -- this problem sounds like it could be the sender unit. There are actually two sender units inside the fuel tank of the LS430. They'll have to take the fuel tank off to replace them. Certainly better to do this under warranty!

The mirror problem sounds unrelated. Maybe the mirror switch got bumped and turned off?

Sean

oac3

check that your knee or finger nails didn't *accidentally* move the mirror setting switch to the center or right, otherwise the mirror movement won't work. It has to be on the left setting to work.

anthonycecil

Thanks all. I will again check mirror, tomorrow, and hope the gas tank doesn`t have to be taken out. It is proactically full of gas. Thismorning the gas gauge started to work, for just a minute, then reverted back to dead empty. It sort of gave me hope there was a loose connection. We`l see Again Thanks Tony

carfan4sure

Anybody satisfied with their cell phone recharging/answering system? I have my recharger cord and phone sticking in the ashtray with the wood cover open. Looks sloppy. I was told not to get the Lexus phone.

anthonycecil

There is a receptor in the bottom front of the arm rest compartment, and is a little nicer. The saga of the gas gauge continues, as they want me to burn up as much fuel as possible so they can get to a sending sensor that is located somewhere under the rear seat. Will follow up as this develops Tony

splogue

Interesting! The gas tank is under the rear seat on the new LS. I wonder what their plan is?

Sounds like they are making the effort required to fix this. Good news!

Keep us posted.

Sean

ls430ul

It's getting colder here, about 50 degrees F. I still use the A/C to dry the air. Lately, I have been hearing a hissing or swishing noise coming from the dash when the A/C is on. I am guessing it is coming from the evaporator.

Anyone else? Is this "normal" for operating the A/C in colder weather? I do not recall hearing this in the summer and fall when it was hot.

I had a car once that leaked refrigerant constantly and it made the same noise whenever the refirgerant got low.

Thanks.

jbianco12

I have an 02 LS and have not heard this noise before. Bring it to the dealer and I'm sure they'll fix it for you, no questions asked. And it will be just your luck that there's no hissing noise when you bring it in...lol.

wwest

Early LSes used a different refrigerant metering (into the evaporator) system. In the new ones you are likely to hear the hissing when it is cool, cold, outside and there is actually little need for A/C cooling. Lexus changed the A/C design such that the A/C doesn't shut down even in deep freeeze conditions so the metering system minimizes the flow and you get the hissing sound.

mheni1

Re:2001 LS 430, 17k miles. Spending xmas holiday in eastern N.C. far away from a Lexus dealer. Yesterday and today heard loud bell like sound coming from somewhere in car. No prior noise of this nature. No warning lights on dashboard. Lexus link did indicate that some problem was sending a signal to Lexus link. Car runs fine despite occasional bell sound and Lexus link notification. Home on 12/28 and svc apt 12/30. Any thoughts on problem cause? Any thoughts on action to take prior to 12/30 appreciated. Thanks.`

lex2003

HEY GUYS, I AM SEEKING A 2000 LEXUS LS400 WHICH HAS 38,000 MILES AND IS SELLING AT $39,000, I GOT THE DEALERSHIP TO SELL IT TO ME AT $37,000. IS THAT A REAL GOOD DEAL OR DO I NEED TO PERSUADE HIM INTO LOWERING THE PRICE? WHAT IS A SUGGESTED PRICE THAT I COULD POSSIBLY GET THE DEALERSHIP INTO SELLING THE CAR TO ME? I DROVE THE CAR AND I LOVE IT, IS THERE ANY REASON I SHOULD NOT BUY THIS CAR? AND WHAT ARE SOME COMMON PROBLEMS? CAN I EXPECT TO DRIVE THIS CAR TILL THE WHEELS FALL OFF? ALL ADVICE IS HELPFUL THANK YOU!

anthonycecil

I would think the price should be a bit lower. You would have some time left on warrenty, but forty thousand miles is a lot. If the car is normal(not some problam), you will be very pleased with lexus and their service. There really are no common problems, but I personally have always had one problem with each car I have owned over the last ten years. Right now the gas gauge is broken, and I am trying to use up most of gas before they fix it. The last few days I have driven no where so it might take a couple of weeks to get the gas down. The previous ls had a sensor in the fuel delivery (old carb) malfunction, and I was in Key West. Lexus carried car to Miami and back and rented me a car while this was going on. I then drove back to Charleston sc with no problems. As I say lexus service is good, and if no problems it is nice to know they are there. Good luck Tony

ls430ul

Try calling Lexus Link and ask them what error message your car transmitted to them. Just a suggestion.

maxhonda99

lex2003, Is this a LS400 from a Lexus dealer? and if so, is it a certified Lexus pre-owned car, which would mean a 7-yr/100K warranty? ANd what kind of equipment does it have? is it a platinum edition LS400?

There are no real common problems to the LS400 especially the 2000 model. IMO, that would be one of the best years to own, since it's the last year production run of the 2nd generation LS400. I would say you could drive it until the wheels fall off, if you take proper care of it.

lex2003

anthonycecil - thanks for the advice i think i can get him to 35,000 would you say thats a good deal? What would be a reasonable price?
maxhonda99- thanks for your advice also, the dealer is Toyota yet i think it may be associated with a nearby Lexus dealer since a Lexus car salesman was the one that told me about the particular car, but for the most part i would have to say the LS400 is from the Toyota dealership. And i think it has a 60,000 miles warranty. Could i try to convince them in giving a 7-yr/100k warranty? It has the navigation package, I don't know if it is a platinum edition, How could i tell if it was a platinum edition? I would have to guess that this is the top of the line 2000 Lexus LS400 since many 2000 LS400's dont have a navigation system. Once again thanks for the advice.

maxhonda99

lex2003, I doubt you can get a 7yr.100K warranty out of the Toyota dealer. It has to be a Lexus Certified Pre-Owned car, which only a Lexus dealer can do. And of course, it will raise the price of the vehicle also. Remember from the factory, all Lexus cars come with a 4/50 bumper to bumper warranty and a 6yr./70K powertrain warranty.

Platinum edition LS400's have a few differences. First the wheels are different, the Platinum has brushed aluminum wheels and they are 6 or 7-spoke wheels, second, platinum edition cars have a badge on the front fenders right in front of both front doors that says "Platinum Edition".
Third, they have perforated leather seat inserts, and the chrome badging comes in the black nickel plated finish.

And yes, the car you are looking at is basically top of the line, navigation, heated seats, and HID lights should be on it.

anthonycecil

I used up enough gas so the gauge could be repaired. It too a few hours, and I found out the car has two gas tanks. I was told it right hand tank is used first and then the other. The sending gauge in the right hand tank was defective. Apparently the shop manual said a certain amount of resistance (electrical) should be had,and the elec gauge or tool said it was drawing the right amount. After they talked to trouble shooter it was determined the shop manuel was un correct. The sensor was defective and replaced. Lexus as usual did a fine job, but the loaner car was a little dirty, as they have been very busy. A small problem, and I mention it only so that the people that are thinking about an lexus can see everything is not perfect and won`t be misled. Tony ps they washed and cleaned my car up nicely, as they always do. Happy new year

splogue

Hey, glad everything worked out okay with the gas sensor.

The LS doesn't have two gas tanks, though. It is a single tank in a saddle configuration. Hard to explain without a diagram, but picture a large box with a hump down the center to allow for the drive shaft to fit underneath. The gas collects on either side of the hump, and a mechanism attached to the fuel pump causes it to pump from both sides evenly. There is a level sensor on both sides of the hump, one of which was defective on your car.

Sean

anthonycecil

Your thoughts on the tank make alot more sense than what I was told. This is one of the drawbacks of not getting my hands dirty. A long time ago I had a Jaguar that had two tanks that you filled up seperately, and even then (when I did get my hands dirty) I forget how the system worked. Tony

splogue

Well, I finally had time to read through the rest of the "New Car Features" book during the holiday. All of the info on the gas tank configuration was in there. So, it was fresh on my mind.

Hope you and everyone here has a good holiday!

Sean

grogman1

I've got a LS 430 with the stock Dunlop tires and am noticing that when I am going 30-40 MPH and take my foot off the gas to slow down, I'm hearing a high pitched whine that seems to be from the tires. I went back to the dealer and took a test drive with the lead tec guy and he acknowledged the noise and said nothing could be done about it. He said that the car has so much noise reduction insulation that I'm just hearing normal tire noise resulting from the tread on the pavement. Has anyone else noticed this and am I getting a line here? Thanks!

vcheng

I had the same problem with my OEM Dunlops, and also a balancing problem. I got a goodwill exchange to a set of 5 Michelins: quieter, and smooth. Depending on how many miles you have, and the dealer, this is what I would suggest: Dump the Dunlops at their cost. This car deserves better tires, and for 60k, they should provide good tires.

ljflx

Sounds like a line to me. I've never heard such a noise and I've got the Dunlops. The car is incredibly quiet and I've never seen any posts on this board about such a noise. Usually we complain about noise from cd's and coins moving around. I even hear my poland springs water bottle vibrate slightly in the cup holder sometimes - thats how quiet it is.

Do you hear this all the time or just over certain road surfaces?

grogman1

Vcheng - Which Michelins did you go with? I may go this route. Thanks.

vcheng

I went with V-rated Michelin MXV4+ Energy tires, trust me on this, there is a world of difference between these and the Dunlops.

grogman1

It is more pronounced at the lower speeds - between 30-40 mph and more audiable when the car is slowing down. Like I said, the lead tec was only in the car 5 minutes and he picked it up rather quickly. As he provided me with an explanation I got the feeling that it wasn't the first time that they had heard about this.......................

grogman1

Thanks - I'll take your word on it. I have only 5K on the car. How many miles did you have when you swapped them? Did you work it through the service manager?

vcheng

Yes, I went through the Service Manager. I had about 900 miles only, so that must have helped. They should do this gratis for you, otherwise a small mileage adjustment may do the trick. Perhaps you can co-ordinate this with the free 5k checkup, if you haven't had that done already.

grogman1

I had it in for the 5K last week. I spoke with the service manager this morning and is looking into it. Now that I have looked at my paper work, they did try to solve this problem at one point by re-balancing the tires.........I'll let you know how it shakes out and thank you for the helpful information.

vcheng

Glad to help out a fellow LS owner. After all, these are some of finest vehicles ever built. Please do post back.

acco20

MXV4Plus,energy tires, great choice. If you plan on getting these tires I suggest you be specific when ordering. There are MXV4 tires and MXV4 Plus. The Plus is very important, a much better tire IMHO. Good luck.

jbianco12

In the past there has been discussion about how to keep the Ecru carpets clean. I experimented with Woolite Spot and Stain Carpet cleaner...it's called "Oxy Deep". It's in a blue spray bottle with red sprayer. Anyway it worked! I got it on sale at the grocery store a few weeks ago. Here's what I did...

Sprayed carpeted mats with cleaner, let it sit for about 10 mins or so, then rub vigorously with moist towel (don't drench the mats). Allow them to dry overnight before putting back in the car. Anyway, all the dirt came off and the carpeted mats are almost as good as new.

I'm not sure if this product is endorsed by Lexus or not, or if there could be longer term issues that I'm not aware of, but so far so good.

nofeer

my lease is up next year 1/04 any known changes?

wwest

I have found the bridgestone turanza series to be the best for quietness and riding comfort on my 92 LS400.

swiftm

nofeer: I spoke with the lexus person whom work in marketing(LA Auto show); stated significant changes for LS in 04. I asked if he would buy 03 now and he said "NO". hope this help. Swift

ljflx

So many stories around about major changes for 2004. We had some discussions here a few weeks ago that didn't draw any conclusions. I had my car in for service recently and also asked the question about body style change of the service manager. He said that "officially" no major body style changes but there would be options for more powerful engines including a 360 v-8 and probably a v-12 as well as awd options. But he also said it (a revised body design) was subject to change and if it ocurred a plant re-design was not needed. So something is up at Lexus and the dealers are "in the know". He also said Lexus was well aware of the reliability decline in the S-class and the poor reception the 7-series re-design is getting. But sales volume on the LS-430 remains solid thus there is a hesitation to change.

Anyone have a clue as to what is going on here.

edarte

I was out of the country so did not see this post when it was first made. I suspect the bell like sound was just the alert that you get when the VSC kicks in. I have heard two different sounds on occasion - perhaps depends on the severity of the correction the system needs to make.

Regards,
Ed

paulchiu

My lease ends 9/2003. Will the 2004 LS's be out well before then?

Any chance Lexus offers rear seat entertainment system like on the GX470 ?

Thanks

ljflx

The DVD entertainment systems are only factory options on the GX and LX suvs right now as far as I know. But the dealer can add them on to the cars if you want. I asked the last time I was in and the cost ranges from $750-$2000 depending on the DVD system you choose.

When the body style changed in 2001 the car came out in November if I remember right.

mouseonline

Does the DVD player in GX, LX, play MP3, VCD, SVCD.......???
Thanks.

docla

I am hearing rumors about significant changes in the 2004 LS model..Anyone has any information about the new model? I am looking at buying an LS 430 in the coming few months...should I wait?

maxhonda99

docla, 2004 LS430, power increase(do not know yet by which method-displacement or just tweaking 4.3L), and updated styling. Shouldn't look too different though.

fthera

Just rolled over the first 500 miles in my new LS430. This car is even more than everyone says it is. Every time I drive it I want to head out on an extended road trip. Lexus Quality and almost 21MPG in town. Worth every one of the $52,995 dollars I paid for it including Chrome Wheels and Gold Package.

woppenhe

No whine from mine either. I am over 25000 miles and will be replacing them with the same tires when this comes up. The car is exceptionally quiet even two years later.

whybuy1

I just replaced the Dunlops on my 2001 LS430 with Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus tires. The Dunlops wore evenly, so I had no noise problems as they wore. The Michelins seem to be slightly noisier and there is less "feel" at the steering wheel. This may be due to the thicker tread of the new tires. The (subjective) noise increase is in the higher frequencies, so I am hoping this will improve as the tread edges break with wear. Don't get me wrong, the Michelins are a quiet tire. I am told that Michelin uses a harder rubber compound than Dunlop, so I expect some differences. I went with Michelin due to past experiences with them.