I have a couple of questions on my 94 Lexus ES300. There is about 110,000
miles on it now, and I need to do some maintenance on it. The cv-axles need
replacing, the brakes need replacing, and the valve cover gasket needs
replacing. The dealer said it would be about 2,000 to fix all of that. A
thousand for the axles, 500 for the brakes and the gasket. Other places
would do that for about half the price. I know the service is good at the
dealer but they only give you a year warranty. Other places give you a
lifetime warranty.
What would be the advantages/disadvantages of taking it to the dealer,
besides price?
What would be the advantages/disadvantages of taking it to the other places,
besides price?
27
Jul
Maintenance
Granted mine is a 1009 LS400. But I can depend on those symptoms at least
once every two years.
I’m told there are simply so many gadgets attached to the Lexus it is a
drain. (The key radio receiver, for example is always "on" unless you turn
it off with the switch.
All your other symptoms sound like mine, possibly exacerbated by a door
being left open or the running lights left on.
Each time (at least 6 over twelve years with the same car) I’ve worried it
was something more serious. Each time it was simply the battery.
Good luck
"Top Spin" <ToppS…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:jbdkju8h59ujb675ajntsoj4k6q498a71b@4ax.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> I’m not sure if there is something wrong with the electrical system or
> if I don’t know how to operate the thing. I’ve had a dead battery
> twice in the past 4 days. I’ve never had a dead battery in any car in
> my life in almost 50 years of driving.
> The first time was about a week ago. I apparently left one of the left
> rear doors slightly ajar. The next morning, the battery was completely
> dead. Is this normal? The headlights weren’t on. I don’t even think
> the interior lights were on. I’ve left the interior light on in cars
> before without running the battery completely down that quickly.
> Should I have my battery checked to see if it’s OK?
> When I discovered that it was dead, I tried to jump start it with my
> wife’s Jeep. No joy. When I called Lexus roadside service, I was told
> that most cars do not have a strong enough battery to jump start a
> Lexus. Is that right? The AAA guy brought a portable battery that
> started it right up.
> Just now, my wife went out to the garage and noticed that the Lexus
> lights were on. I think it was the running lights, not the headlights.
> I dashed out and found the battery was almost dead again. I couldn’t
> start it (got the rapid clicking sound), but was able to jump it with
> the Jeep with no problem.
> A few hours earlier, I had opened the passenger door, inserted the
> ignition key so I could insert a new cassette tape and play a few
> seconds of it, then I removed the key and shut the doors. I don’t
> think the lights were on, but I am so used to having them on for a few
> seconds as I leave the light switch in the auto position. But why
> would they be on just because I opened the door?
> This is a $60K car. It ought to be a little more robust.
> I would appreciate answers to the following questions:
> 1. Should leaving a rear door slightly ajar kill the battery in 10-12
> hours?
> 2. Is it likely that there is something wrong with either the battery
> or the electrical system? Should I take it in to be checked over?
> 3. What happened this afternoon? Should opening the passenger door and
> turning on the tape player turn on the lights? It was nighttime.
> 4. Is it a bad idea to leave the light switch in the auto position?
> Thanks
> —
> Owner of a 1999 LS400
> Spam sink email address, sorry
The owners manual for my RX300 says not to leave the headlight switch in
automatic for more than a couple of weeks without driving the car. You may
want to check your manual and turn off the automatic headlights for a few
days until the charging system has had time to for the battery to recover.
Stu
"Top Spin" <ToppS…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:jbdkju8h59ujb675ajntsoj4k6q498a71b@4ax.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> I’m not sure if there is something wrong with the electrical system or
> if I don’t know how to operate the thing. I’ve had a dead battery
> twice in the past 4 days. I’ve never had a dead battery in any car in
> my life in almost 50 years of driving.
> The first time was about a week ago. I apparently left one of the left
> rear doors slightly ajar. The next morning, the battery was completely
> dead. Is this normal? The headlights weren’t on. I don’t even think
> the interior lights were on. I’ve left the interior light on in cars
> before without running the battery completely down that quickly.
> Should I have my battery checked to see if it’s OK?
> When I discovered that it was dead, I tried to jump start it with my
> wife’s Jeep. No joy. When I called Lexus roadside service, I was told
> that most cars do not have a strong enough battery to jump start a
> Lexus. Is that right? The AAA guy brought a portable battery that
> started it right up.
> Just now, my wife went out to the garage and noticed that the Lexus
> lights were on. I think it was the running lights, not the headlights.
> I dashed out and found the battery was almost dead again. I couldn’t
> start it (got the rapid clicking sound), but was able to jump it with
> the Jeep with no problem.
> A few hours earlier, I had opened the passenger door, inserted the
> ignition key so I could insert a new cassette tape and play a few
> seconds of it, then I removed the key and shut the doors. I don’t
> think the lights were on, but I am so used to having them on for a few
> seconds as I leave the light switch in the auto position. But why
> would they be on just because I opened the door?
> This is a $60K car. It ought to be a little more robust.
> I would appreciate answers to the following questions:
> 1. Should leaving a rear door slightly ajar kill the battery in 10-12
> hours?
> 2. Is it likely that there is something wrong with either the battery
> or the electrical system? Should I take it in to be checked over?
> 3. What happened this afternoon? Should opening the passenger door and
> turning on the tape player turn on the lights? It was nighttime.
> 4. Is it a bad idea to leave the light switch in the auto position?
> Thanks
> —
> Owner of a 1999 LS400
> Spam sink email address, sorry
Hello everyone.
Lets start from the beginning.
How old is the car? Is it the original battery?
After each draining what did you do to recharge it??
Car batteries only have a life of 3 to 5 years. period.
They are a wearable part.
Leaving the dome light on over night will absolutely
drain a battery. Leaving stronger parking lights on
over night will absolutely drain the battery.
A perfectly fresh battery will survive a moderate drain
for only a few hours.
All of our cars have what is called a "wet battery",
meaning it has distilled water inside. Akaline batteries
if drained completely will never again be able to
store 100% of its rated capacitity. If drained several
times the "battery memory" will be almost nothing.
If you want to be able to use the battery for a period of
time, ENGINE OFF, and not have lasting damage to it,
you will need a deep cycle or Marine style battery installed.
Again and lastly…..dont leave lights on or doors ajar and
replace your battery with a fresh one when aged or mistreated.
"Top Spin" <ToppS…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:jbdkju8h59ujb675ajntsoj4k6q498a71b@4ax.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> I’m not sure if there is something wrong with the electrical system or
> if I don’t know how to operate the thing. I’ve had a dead battery
> twice in the past 4 days. I’ve never had a dead battery in any car in
> my life in almost 50 years of driving.
> The first time was about a week ago. I apparently left one of the left
> rear doors slightly ajar. The next morning, the battery was completely
> dead. Is this normal? The headlights weren’t on. I don’t even think
> the interior lights were on. I’ve left the interior light on in cars
> before without running the battery completely down that quickly.
> Should I have my battery checked to see if it’s OK?
> When I discovered that it was dead, I tried to jump start it with my
> wife’s Jeep. No joy. When I called Lexus roadside service, I was told
> that most cars do not have a strong enough battery to jump start a
> Lexus. Is that right? The AAA guy brought a portable battery that
> started it right up.
> Just now, my wife went out to the garage and noticed that the Lexus
> lights were on. I think it was the running lights, not the headlights.
> I dashed out and found the battery was almost dead again. I couldn’t
> start it (got the rapid clicking sound), but was able to jump it with
> the Jeep with no problem.
> A few hours earlier, I had opened the passenger door, inserted the
> ignition key so I could insert a new cassette tape and play a few
> seconds of it, then I removed the key and shut the doors. I don’t
> think the lights were on, but I am so used to having them on for a few
> seconds as I leave the light switch in the auto position. But why
> would they be on just because I opened the door?
> This is a $60K car. It ought to be a little more robust.
> I would appreciate answers to the following questions:
> 1. Should leaving a rear door slightly ajar kill the battery in 10-12
> hours?
> 2. Is it likely that there is something wrong with either the battery
> or the electrical system? Should I take it in to be checked over?
> 3. What happened this afternoon? Should opening the passenger door and
> turning on the tape player turn on the lights? It was nighttime.
> 4. Is it a bad idea to leave the light switch in the auto position?
> Thanks
> —
> Owner of a 1999 LS400
> Spam sink email address, sorry
Top Spin wrote:
> I’m not sure if there is something wrong with the electrical system or
> if I don’t know how to operate the thing. I’ve had a dead battery
> twice in the past 4 days. I’ve never had a dead battery in any car in
> my life in almost 50 years of driving.
I also have an 99 LS400, and ran into this problem when first purchased.
The vehicle has countless computers which have specific tasks, and
counter check systems. A door left ajar WILL cause the battery to drain
overnight. Because of the tightness of the car, close doors firmly. I
make a point of NOT leaving the auto light feature on overnight, though I
am told it takes several days of non use to cause a severe drain.
ET
On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 09:30:13 GMT, "TVPro" <TV…@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Granted mine is a 1009 LS400. But I can depend on those symptoms at least
>once every two years.
Wow, 1009! That predates Henry Ford by, what, 900 years? It does make
a very string statement about Lexus reliability, though? How many
total miles? Most of those, prior to 1930 or so, must have been on
some pretty rough roads.
>I’m told there are simply so many gadgets attached to the Lexus it is a
>drain. (The key radio receiver, for example is always "on" unless you turn
>it off with the switch.
>All your other symptoms sound like mine, possibly exacerbated by a door
>being left open or the running lights left on.
>Each time (at least 6 over twelve years with the same car) I’ve worried it
>was something more serious. Each time it was simply the battery.
By "simply the battery", do you mean that it needed to be charged or
needed to be replaced?
–
Owner of a 1999 LS400
Spam sink email address, sorry
On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 14:27:19 GMT, "Road Runner" <forr…@space.com>
wrote:
>The owners manual for my RX300 says not to leave the headlight switch in
>automatic for more than a couple of weeks without driving the car. You may
>want to check your manual and turn off the automatic headlights for a few
>days until the charging system has had time to for the battery to recover.
I just found that warning in my owner’s manual as well, except that it
limits me to one week. One detail that I forgot to mention was that I
had just returned from a 12-day vacation. The car had been sitting in
the garage with the light switch in auto. I guess while I was
relaxing, my poor little Lexus was meticulously studying the light
levels in the garage.
Now that I think about it, why should the auto position drain the
battery? It isn’t going to turn on the lights uness I get in and
insert the key, is it?
Damn, for $60K, I would think that it could turn itself off after one
week.
–
Owner of a 1999 LS400
Spam sink email address, sorry
On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 15:19:15 GMT, "crodriguez"
<crodrig…@comcast.net> wrote:
>Hello everyone.
>Lets start from the beginning.
>How old is the car?
It’s a 1999 LS400 as stated in my sig, so it’s 3-4 years old.
>Is it the original battery?
I dunno. I bought it used 3 months ago. It’s a CPO Lexus.
>After each draining what did you do to recharge it??
I did what the AAA guy and the Lexus roadside assistant tech said to
do. I drove it for half an hour at highway speeds.
>Car batteries only have a life of 3 to 5 years. period.
>They are a wearable part.
Duh.
>Leaving the dome light on over night will absolutely
>drain a battery.
I’ve left dome lights on overnight in several other cars (Olds, Honda,
Datsun) and was still able to start the car the next morning.
>All of our cars have what is called a "wet battery",
>meaning it has distilled water inside. Akaline batteries
>if drained completely will never again be able to
>store 100% of its rated capacitity. If drained several
>times the "battery memory" will be almost nothing.
You switched terminology there. Is a "wet battery" an alkaline
battery?
Since mine has now been fully drained once and 80% drained a few days
later, does it now need to be replaced?
>If you want to be able to use the battery for a period of
>time, ENGINE OFF, and not have lasting damage to it,
>you will need a deep cycle or Marine style battery installed.
Were can I get a marine-style battery? How much more do they cost? Is
it really worth it?
I don’t PLAN to leave the door ajar. It happened by mistake. It could
happen again. I, personally, think a $60K car should turn off the
interior lights after, oh, say, 4 hours, if longer will toast the
battery.
>Again and lastly…..dont leave lights on or doors ajar and
>replace your battery with a fresh one when aged or mistreated.
It was a mistake. Have you ever made one?
–
Owner of a 1999 LS400
Spam sink email address, sorry
On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 15:37:57 GMT, etmusic <etmu…@twcny.rr.com>
wrote:
>I also have an 99 LS400, and ran into this problem when first purchased.
>The vehicle has countless computers which have specific tasks, and
>counter check systems. A door left ajar WILL cause the battery to drain
>overnight. Because of the tightness of the car, close doors firmly. I
>make a point of NOT leaving the auto light feature on overnight, though I
>am told it takes several days of non use to cause a severe drain.
That sounds like a good plan. I’ll just turn the lights off every time
I come home. I doubt if I’ll remember to do it before a vacation.
I am a little annoyed at Lexus. In my previous cars without all this
fancy electronics, I used to turn off the lights and that was that. No
dead batteries. This car implies that it will take care of everything
for me, but it doesn’t. It could easily have logic to turn off the
auto-feature after several days of non-use. It could turn off interior
lights if a door is left ajar after a few hours.
I still have not heard an answer to why the lights were on the second
time when my wife went into the garage after I had only opened the
passenger side door and inserted a cassette tape.
–
Owner of a 1999 LS400
Spam sink email address, sorry
Why do ignorant people have such attitude? Duh!
"Top Spin" <ToppS…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bqmljukhft8es00d3hk0glu5cdvc4kvhak@4ax.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 15:19:15 GMT, "crodriguez"
> <crodrig…@comcast.net> wrote:
> >Hello everyone.
> >Lets start from the beginning.
> >How old is the car?
> It’s a 1999 LS400 as stated in my sig, so it’s 3-4 years old.
> >Is it the original battery?
> I dunno. I bought it used 3 months ago. It’s a CPO Lexus.
> >After each draining what did you do to recharge it??
> I did what the AAA guy and the Lexus roadside assistant tech said to
> do. I drove it for half an hour at highway speeds.
> >Car batteries only have a life of 3 to 5 years. period.
> >They are a wearable part.
> Duh.
> >Leaving the dome light on over night will absolutely
> >drain a battery.
> I’ve left dome lights on overnight in several other cars (Olds, Honda,
> Datsun) and was still able to start the car the next morning.
> >All of our cars have what is called a "wet battery",
> >meaning it has distilled water inside. Akaline batteries
> >if drained completely will never again be able to
> >store 100% of its rated capacitity. If drained several
> >times the "battery memory" will be almost nothing.
> You switched terminology there. Is a "wet battery" an alkaline
> battery?
> Since mine has now been fully drained once and 80% drained a few days
> later, does it now need to be replaced?
> >If you want to be able to use the battery for a period of
> >time, ENGINE OFF, and not have lasting damage to it,
> >you will need a deep cycle or Marine style battery installed.
> Were can I get a marine-style battery? How much more do they cost? Is
> it really worth it?
> I don’t PLAN to leave the door ajar. It happened by mistake. It could
> happen again. I, personally, think a $60K car should turn off the
> interior lights after, oh, say, 4 hours, if longer will toast the
> battery.
> >Again and lastly…..dont leave lights on or doors ajar and
> >replace your battery with a fresh one when aged or mistreated.
> It was a mistake. Have you ever made one?
> —
> Owner of a 1999 LS400
> Spam sink email address, sorry
How much did the car cost again?
"New Owner" <wdg@[206.180.145.133]> wrote in message
news:k3llju8scsl7isum2fsoon6kbf4k59n52i@4ax.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> In article <jbdkju8h59ujb675ajntsoj4k6q498a…@4ax.com> Top Spin
> <ToppS…@hotmail.com> writes:
> >I’m not sure if there is something wrong with the electrical system or
> >if I don’t know how to operate the thing. I’ve had a dead battery
> >twice in the past 4 days. I’ve never had a dead battery in any car in
> >my life in almost 50 years of driving.
> >The first time was about a week ago. I apparently left one of the left
> >rear doors slightly ajar. The next morning, the battery was completely
> >dead. Is this normal?
> Yes. A dome light left on overnight will completely sap all but the very
> newest battery. A battery’s reserve capacity gradualy deteriorates with
> age. Do this when the battery is new and you can get away with it.
> > The headlights weren’t on. I don’t even think
> >the interior lights were on. I’ve left the interior light on in cars
> >before without running the battery completely down that quickly.
> If any door was ajar, the interior light was on.
> >Should I have my battery checked to see if it’s OK?
> You could, but I wouldn’t with a 3-year old one. Don’t waste your time. No
> battery lasts forever. Just replace it.
> >When I discovered that it was dead, I tried to jump start it with my
> >wife’s Jeep. No joy. When I called Lexus roadside service, I was told
> >that most cars do not have a strong enough battery to jump start a
> >Lexus. Is that right? The AAA guy brought a portable battery that
> >started it right up.
> Many times "consumer grade" jumper cables aren’t heavy enough or the
> consumer doesn’t get a "good enough" connection. Example, compare the
> jumper cable wire size and type of clamps the AAA guy had to yours. Likely
> his are "real" yours are "toys" (figuratively speaking). You maybe paid
> $20-$30 for yours, the AAA guy may easily have paid over $100 for his.
> Yours are made out of #6 aluminum wire (rated for 50 amps) his are made
> out of #1 copper welding cable (rated for 200 amps)
> >Just now, my wife went out to the garage and noticed that the Lexus
> >lights were on. I think it was the running lights, not the headlights.
> >I dashed out and found the battery was almost dead again. I couldn’t
> >start it (got the rapid clicking sound), but was able to jump it with
> >the Jeep with no problem.
> Luck of the draw. This time you got a good connection with the Jeep cables
> and too the Lexus battery probably wasn’t completely zapped. But why were
> the lights on????????
> >A few hours earlier, I had opened the passenger door, inserted the
> >ignition key so I could insert a new cassette tape and play a few
> >seconds of it, then I removed the key and shut the doors. I don’t
> >think the lights were on, but I am so used to having them on for a few
> >seconds as I leave the light switch in the auto position. But why
> >would they be on just because I opened the door?
> >This is a $60K car. It ought to be a little more robust.
> Yes, but I think you’re expecting a bit much out of a 3-year old battery.
> >I would appreciate answers to the following questions:
> >1. Should leaving a rear door slightly ajar kill the battery in 10-12
> >hours?
> Depending upon the age of the battery, likely so.
> >2. Is it likely that there is something wrong with either the battery
> >or the electrical system? Should I take it in to be checked over?
> Unlikely, but you can always pay to have it checked. Probably wouldn’t
> hurt, but could also be money wasted. You’re the one leaving the door
> open. Once you have fully discharged a battery, i.e., run it completely
> down, it will never again be good as new. This is even more true with a
> battery that’s 2-3 years old (or older).
> >3. What happened this afternoon? Should opening the passenger door and
> >turning on the tape player turn on the lights? It was nighttime.
> Yes. In my ’96 LS400 the headlights stay on until I remove the key and
> exit the vehicle. Even then, the interior lights remain on for about 30
> seconds or so. Anytime one of the doors are open the interior lights come
> on. Put the key in the ignition and turn it to the point you can use the
> radio/CD and your headlights come on (headlight switch in ‘auto’ mode).
> >4. Is it a bad idea to leave the light switch in the auto position?
> With a marginal battery, yes. With a fresh, strong battery, no.
> What you have to realize is that a car battery will never last forever.
> There is a chemical reaction constantly taking place inside the battery
> and each battery has a finite number of charge/discharge cycles over which
> it can be depended upon to provide good service.
> In your ’99 you now have a 3-year old battery and likely one that needs to
> be replaced. The accidental leaving of the door open was the straw that
> broke the camel’s back. Likely had you not done that and not completely
> sapped all the battery’s energy at a point in its life-cycle where it can
> ill-afford for that event to take place, you wouldn’t be here writing
> about your disappointing experiences. However, deep-cycling a 3-year old
> battery, as you did, greatly accelerated the normal aging process and
> robbed you of perhaps another 6-months to a year of otherwise dependable
> service.
> My advice, kwitcherbellyachin. You got 3 good years out of it, go buy a
> new one. You can do it yourself for $60-$80 or pay the Lexus shop
> $180-$250 to do it for you. Just don’t scrimp on battery quality if doing
> it yourself. Get a Die-Hard with the gold lettering on it and remember to
> start closing the freakin’ car door! I say that because likely if you’ve
> done this once, you’ve inadvertently done it many times, just that this
> time you got caught and your car battery said, "I’ve had enough of this
> abuse".
On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 11:08:39 -0500, wdg@[206.180.145.133] (New Owner)
wrote:
>>Should I have my battery checked to see if it’s OK?
>You could, but I wouldn’t with a 3-year old one. Don’t waste your time. No
>battery lasts forever. Just replace it.
I don’t know how old the battery is. I just bought the car a couple of
months ago CPO. I think I’ll ask them if it is new and if not to
replace it.
>>Just now, my wife went out to the garage and noticed that the Lexus
>>lights were on. I think it was the running lights, not the headlights.
>>I dashed out and found the battery was almost dead again. I couldn’t
>>start it (got the rapid clicking sound), but was able to jump it with
>>the Jeep with no problem.
>Luck of the draw. This time you got a good connection with the Jeep cables
>and too the Lexus battery probably wasn’t completely zapped. But why were
>the lights on????????
Yes, this is the $64K question. I absolutely did not turn them on.
>>3. What happened this afternoon? Should opening the passenger door and
>>turning on the tape player turn on the lights? It was nighttime.
>Yes. In my ’96 LS400 the headlights stay on until I remove the key and
>exit the vehicle. Even then, the interior lights remain on for about 30
>seconds or so. Anytime one of the doors are open the interior lights come
>on. Put the key in the ignition and turn it to the point you can use the
>radio/CD and your headlights come on (headlight switch in ‘auto’ mode).
Well, I did remove the key and exit the vehicle — all doors
completely closed. It was at least an hour later that she went to the
garage and discovered the lights on.
–
Owner of a 1999 LS400
Purchased Certified in 2002
Spam sink email address, sorry
I agree with you mark…
I wasnt rude. I was only responding to
the mans questions with a little help.
I should have known…."duh"
"mark" <mra…@san.rr.com> wrote in message
news:5fB_8.15897$_M2.4996557@twister.socal.rr.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> Why do ignorant people have such attitude? Duh!
> "Top Spin" <ToppS…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:bqmljukhft8es00d3hk0glu5cdvc4kvhak@4ax.com…
> > On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 15:19:15 GMT, "crodriguez"
> > <crodrig…@comcast.net> wrote:
> > >Hello everyone.
> > >Lets start from the beginning.
> > >How old is the car?
> > It’s a 1999 LS400 as stated in my sig, so it’s 3-4 years old.
> > >Is it the original battery?
> > I dunno. I bought it used 3 months ago. It’s a CPO Lexus.
> > >After each draining what did you do to recharge it??
> > I did what the AAA guy and the Lexus roadside assistant tech said to
> > do. I drove it for half an hour at highway speeds.
> > >Car batteries only have a life of 3 to 5 years. period.
> > >They are a wearable part.
> > Duh.
> > >Leaving the dome light on over night will absolutely
> > >drain a battery.
> > I’ve left dome lights on overnight in several other cars (Olds, Honda,
> > Datsun) and was still able to start the car the next morning.
> > >All of our cars have what is called a "wet battery",
> > >meaning it has distilled water inside. Akaline batteries
> > >if drained completely will never again be able to
> > >store 100% of its rated capacitity. If drained several
> > >times the "battery memory" will be almost nothing.
> > You switched terminology there. Is a "wet battery" an alkaline
> > battery?
> > Since mine has now been fully drained once and 80% drained a few days
> > later, does it now need to be replaced?
> > >If you want to be able to use the battery for a period of
> > >time, ENGINE OFF, and not have lasting damage to it,
> > >you will need a deep cycle or Marine style battery installed.
> > Were can I get a marine-style battery? How much more do they cost? Is
> > it really worth it?
> > I don’t PLAN to leave the door ajar. It happened by mistake. It could
> > happen again. I, personally, think a $60K car should turn off the
> > interior lights after, oh, say, 4 hours, if longer will toast the
> > battery.
> > >Again and lastly…..dont leave lights on or doors ajar and
> > >replace your battery with a fresh one when aged or mistreated.
> > It was a mistake. Have you ever made one?
> > —
> > Owner of a 1999 LS400
> > Spam sink email address, sorry
On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 16:26:46 GMT, "mark" <mra…@san.rr.com> wrote:
>How much did the car cost again?
It cost me about $36K, 3 years old. I believe it was about $60K new
(in 1999).
–
Owner of a 1999 LS400
Purchased Certified in 2002
Spam sink email address, sorry
Hey…
I have this really annoying problem.
I just got this new $60k car….and I love it.
Its one of the best new cars on the road, all
kinds of reliablitly and comfort, but Im totally
angry at the maker.
It keeps running out of gas, and I dont understand
WHY???
I mean I spent all kinds of money on it and I drive
it all the time, but the dam car keeps me stranded
on the side of the road. All because of gas.
I dont understand!!!! Once I left the car, in my
garage, running all night long and I came out the
next morning and it was OUT OF GAS again!!!!!
I didnt even go anywhere that time!!!!!
My family have had many cars and they have
never run out of gas. All of my friends get to work
ok, but not me in my new car. Shouldnt the car
have some kind of logic that allows me to go forever?
I shouldnt have to think about how I use the car, do I?
ROFL
the phantom light coming on could be down to the battery having been
discharged completely, delivering a wobbly current, and causing surges
within the ecu’s. i had problems like this on my previous car (a ’99 peugeot
406 coupe). i ran the battery down completely, got a push start and after
that the alarm has acted in a very flaky manner. replace the battery and see
if that fixes the problem (has it re-ocurred?) if not take it back to where
you got it and shout at people until they fix it.
cheers
joolz.
"Top Spin" <ToppS…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:i5oljuc5mh86os32n72tt5r7urlv8ig6q7@4ax.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 11:08:39 -0500, wdg@[206.180.145.133] (New Owner)
> wrote:
> >>Should I have my battery checked to see if it’s OK?
> >You could, but I wouldn’t with a 3-year old one. Don’t waste your time.
No
> >battery lasts forever. Just replace it.
> I don’t know how old the battery is. I just bought the car a couple of
> months ago CPO. I think I’ll ask them if it is new and if not to
> replace it.
> >>Just now, my wife went out to the garage and noticed that the Lexus
> >>lights were on. I think it was the running lights, not the headlights.
> >>I dashed out and found the battery was almost dead again. I couldn’t
> >>start it (got the rapid clicking sound), but was able to jump it with
> >>the Jeep with no problem.
> >Luck of the draw. This time you got a good connection with the Jeep
cables
> >and too the Lexus battery probably wasn’t completely zapped. But why were
> >the lights on????????
> Yes, this is the $64K question. I absolutely did not turn them on.
> >>3. What happened this afternoon? Should opening the passenger door and
> >>turning on the tape player turn on the lights? It was nighttime.
> >Yes. In my ’96 LS400 the headlights stay on until I remove the key and
> >exit the vehicle. Even then, the interior lights remain on for about 30
> >seconds or so. Anytime one of the doors are open the interior lights come
> >on. Put the key in the ignition and turn it to the point you can use the
> >radio/CD and your headlights come on (headlight switch in ‘auto’ mode).
> Well, I did remove the key and exit the vehicle — all doors
> completely closed. It was at least an hour later that she went to the
> garage and discovered the lights on.
> —
> Owner of a 1999 LS400
> Purchased Certified in 2002
> Spam sink email address, sorry
same exact thing has happened to me twice (rear driver door on a 98 ls400).
I can jump start it off my Honda Accord 4 cylander any time. It’s a bitch
pushing the LS400 out of the garage, also without power you have to screw
around withe getting it out of park with a screw-driver.
"Top Spin" <ToppS…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:jbdkju8h59ujb675ajntsoj4k6q498a71b@4ax.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> I’m not sure if there is something wrong with the electrical system or
> if I don’t know how to operate the thing. I’ve had a dead battery
> twice in the past 4 days. I’ve never had a dead battery in any car in
> my life in almost 50 years of driving.
> The first time was about a week ago. I apparently left one of the left
> rear doors slightly ajar. The next morning, the battery was completely
> dead. Is this normal? The headlights weren’t on. I don’t even think
> the interior lights were on. I’ve left the interior light on in cars
> before without running the battery completely down that quickly.
> Should I have my battery checked to see if it’s OK?
> When I discovered that it was dead, I tried to jump start it with my
> wife’s Jeep. No joy. When I called Lexus roadside service, I was told
> that most cars do not have a strong enough battery to jump start a
> Lexus. Is that right? The AAA guy brought a portable battery that
> started it right up.
> Just now, my wife went out to the garage and noticed that the Lexus
> lights were on. I think it was the running lights, not the headlights.
> I dashed out and found the battery was almost dead again. I couldn’t
> start it (got the rapid clicking sound), but was able to jump it with
> the Jeep with no problem.
> A few hours earlier, I had opened the passenger door, inserted the
> ignition key so I could insert a new cassette tape and play a few
> seconds of it, then I removed the key and shut the doors. I don’t
> think the lights were on, but I am so used to having them on for a few
> seconds as I leave the light switch in the auto position. But why
> would they be on just because I opened the door?
> This is a $60K car. It ought to be a little more robust.
> I would appreciate answers to the following questions:
> 1. Should leaving a rear door slightly ajar kill the battery in 10-12
> hours?
> 2. Is it likely that there is something wrong with either the battery
> or the electrical system? Should I take it in to be checked over?
> 3. What happened this afternoon? Should opening the passenger door and
> turning on the tape player turn on the lights? It was nighttime.
> 4. Is it a bad idea to leave the light switch in the auto position?
> Thanks
> —
> Owner of a 1999 LS400
> Spam sink email address, sorry
I have a 2001 GS300. I have noticed this a few times. SOmtimes if you
turn of the car and pull the key out quickly enough the system faills.
1. The Steering Wheel does not retract to it notrmal posittion.
2. The day lights (smaller yellow lights) remain on! They should be on
only if the car is on.
If you get used tot he action of turnoing and pulling the key. You
might do it quickly enough. Luckaly i noticed the problem, restarted
the car and then slowly turned and pulled the key. Now I try to do it
slow. It happed 3 times before.
On Sun, 21 Jul 2002 22:38:11 GMT, "Zach Siler" <sonysa…@hotmail.com>
wrote:
>same exact thing has happened to me twice (rear driver door on a 98 ls400).
>I can jump start it off my Honda Accord 4 cylander any time. It’s a bitch
>pushing the LS400 out of the garage, also without power you have to screw
>around withe getting it out of park with a screw-driver.
Yeah, that’s one heavy car. As it turned out, it wall pulled all the
way in, too, so I couldn’t even open the hood without pushing it out a
few feet.
–
Owner of a 1999 LS400
Purchased Certified in 2002
Spam sink email address, sorry
> Yes, this is the $64K question. I absolutely did not turn them on.
Didn’t you have the fried A/C relay in the dash a while back? If you’re
really really sure that you didn’t turn the lights on, but the lights were
on anyway, it sounds like you’ve got some major electrical gremlins. Remind
them of the random relay failure, and have them check into this….tearing
out the dashboard/interior panels to inspect the harnesses if need be. Or
take it to another dealership if you’re taking it to the one you bought it
from….they might have something to hide.
Just to clarify, the daytime running lights are the two inside (high
beam) lights running on lower voltage. They only go on when the car
is running and the parking brake is released.
The auto-off function works like this: after you’ve switched your car
off and exited the car, a timer is activated to turn the headlights
off. If the front door switches are faulty, the car thinks you’re
still inside and the lights will stay on indefinitely. One way to
test if this is happening is to open the front door and look at your
multi-information display in the speedo cluster with the car on. Also
check the light in the lower door panel. If you don’t see a door open
warning message and the door light fails to go on, you know you’ve got
a faulty switch.
One more test you can do is: at night with the headlights in auto
mode, exit the car and lock it with your remote. Then, hit the lock
button on your remote a second time and your lights should go off
immediately. Again, if a switch is faulty, the lights will stay on.
Hope this helps.
On Mon, 22 Jul 2002 19:00:58 GMT, "Noneyas" <rx7…@hotmail.com>
wrote:
>> Yes, this is the $64K question. I absolutely did not turn them on.
>Didn’t you have the fried A/C relay in the dash a while back? If you’re
>really really sure that you didn’t turn the lights on, but the lights were
>on anyway, it sounds like you’ve got some major electrical gremlins. Remind
>them of the random relay failure, and have them check into this….tearing
>out the dashboard/interior panels to inspect the harnesses if need be. Or
>take it to another dealership if you’re taking it to the one you bought it
>from….they might have something to hide.
Yep, I did have the fried A/C relay and I have been taqking back to
the dealership where I bought it. It has been very puzzling, but why
would they try to hide anything? It’s certified for another 3 years.
Anyway, I’ll keep an eye on it.
Thanks
–
Owner of a 1999 LS400
Purchased Certified in 2002
Spam sink email address, sorry
The problem is with the engineering. I had this happen to me as well.
Small children don’t always have the oomph to close the door fully. The
real issue is the kill switch that should cut off electrical power 30 sec to
2 minutes once the key is withdrawn. Of course there should be a warning
that an audible warning that the door is ajar, when you are leaving the
vehicle, just as there is when you are driving the vehicle. There are so
many computers onboard that cannot be simply turned off and reset, that some
draw is necessary even when the carr is ‘secure’. That draw plus an open
door will drain the battery since the lights will not go off as expected. I
think this is an obvious design flaw. Didn’t have this in running 4
explorers over the years that seemed to have a better kill switch design.
–
William L. Oppenheim, M.D.
woppe…@ucla.edu
"Top Spin" <ToppS…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:jbdkju8h59ujb675ajntsoj4k6q498a71b@4ax.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> I’m not sure if there is something wrong with the electrical system or
> if I don’t know how to operate the thing. I’ve had a dead battery
> twice in the past 4 days. I’ve never had a dead battery in any car in
> my life in almost 50 years of driving.
> The first time was about a week ago. I apparently left one of the left
> rear doors slightly ajar. The next morning, the battery was completely
> dead. Is this normal? The headlights weren’t on. I don’t even think
> the interior lights were on. I’ve left the interior light on in cars
> before without running the battery completely down that quickly.
> Should I have my battery checked to see if it’s OK?
> When I discovered that it was dead, I tried to jump start it with my
> wife’s Jeep. No joy. When I called Lexus roadside service, I was told
> that most cars do not have a strong enough battery to jump start a
> Lexus. Is that right? The AAA guy brought a portable battery that
> started it right up.
> Just now, my wife went out to the garage and noticed that the Lexus
> lights were on. I think it was the running lights, not the headlights.
> I dashed out and found the battery was almost dead again. I couldn’t
> start it (got the rapid clicking sound), but was able to jump it with
> the Jeep with no problem.
> A few hours earlier, I had opened the passenger door, inserted the
> ignition key so I could insert a new cassette tape and play a few
> seconds of it, then I removed the key and shut the doors. I don’t
> think the lights were on, but I am so used to having them on for a few
> seconds as I leave the light switch in the auto position. But why
> would they be on just because I opened the door?
> This is a $60K car. It ought to be a little more robust.
> I would appreciate answers to the following questions:
> 1. Should leaving a rear door slightly ajar kill the battery in 10-12
> hours?
> 2. Is it likely that there is something wrong with either the battery
> or the electrical system? Should I take it in to be checked over?
> 3. What happened this afternoon? Should opening the passenger door and
> turning on the tape player turn on the lights? It was nighttime.
> 4. Is it a bad idea to leave the light switch in the auto position?
> Thanks
> —
> Owner of a 1999 LS400
> Spam sink email address, sorry
"William L. Oppenheim, M.D." <woppe…@ucla.edu> wrote in message <news:utU29.772490$cQ3.117823@sccrnsc01>…
> The problem is with the engineering. I had this happen to me as well.
> Small children don’t always have the oomph to close the door fully. The
> real issue is the kill switch that should cut off electrical power 30 sec to
> 2 minutes once the key is withdrawn. Of course there should be a warning
> that an audible warning that the door is ajar, when you are leaving the
> vehicle, just as there is when you are driving the vehicle.
One way around this is to make it a habit to always lock the car with
your remote key. If any door is open, you will get a continuous tone
instead of the single beep to indicate the doors are locked.