John1978

Hi Im hew here. Great forums here.
Im looking at buying an LS 400 in the next month or so. Im looking at 1992-1995 model years. Are there any known problems with these cars to look out for?
I have been reading on the forums and they seem to be one of the most reliable luxury cars ever made!

Please tell me what if anything I should check for. I realize a car this age may need repairs anyway. I just dont want to catch one with major issues.

Thanks for any help with this.

phillipin

power steering pump, power up valve also check the tranny fluid make sure its not brown, the ls should shift extremely smooth

i suggest to not buy one with air struts, pop the hood look at the strut towers it will have massive caps saying air ride on them.

the a/c control lcd will most likey be burned out, and make sure the a/c is cold. i bought mine despite the a/c lcd is dead i dont really care its very common and i dont plan on replacing it.

make sure it drives straight and go over some pop holes dips and speed bumps to check the suspension, ie shocks and bushing, if it squeekes a tiny bit you could probably drive it a few months or even a year before replacing anything.

check the headliner especially in the rear they tend to drop down a bit

check the power steer resivoir for any signs on leaking, if its leaking it will kill your alternator

make sure all the lights are properly working

if your really want to be thorough get a paper clip, look under the drivers side dash where your left foot would be, their is an odb1 diagnostic port, stick a thin paper click into port e1 and te1 to jump it, turn the key to acc/on but dont start the car, if the blinks once, or blinks forever then you are fine. If it blinks different sequences then your throwing an ecu code, check the codes here

http://www.troublecodes.net/Lexus/

for better explained of reading the check engine light go here too

http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/codes/

also check out these sites for mantaince help
http://www.cureline.net/lex/howtos.htm
http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/

and this forum probably provides the best tech support for the 1uzfe motor in the ls400
http://lextreme.com/forums/

phillipin

also for a car this old the hood struts will probably be blown out, i use an old CLUB theft deterent thing and it hood the hood up just dandy

John1978

Thats very thorough. Thats a great help to me. I can go armed with knowledge and know what Im looking for now.

Thanks again.

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

Hameed made a post like this alittle bit ago with all the info

Fred J

I own a 92 LS. I had to replace the hood struts shortly after I bought the car in 97. Not very good longevity! I also had to replace the power steering pump, as did a friend of mine. It leaks all over the alternator if allowed to continue. I would also suggest having the AC pressure tested for leaks. I've now spent a grand total of $5,000 having the system repaired in three visits, including two replacement compressors, two receiver tanks, and numerous other parts that should still be functionong in the original system. I also had to replace the windshield washer pump in '97. That too should last the life of the car!

I must say, after seeing the JD Power surveys year after year, I have certainly been dismayed with my Lexus' reliability. Way too many parts that should last far longer have failed, and the dealer won't back them up if they're much beyond warranty.

I'd advise getting a much newer model, because these cars are a fortune to maintain as they age.

Funny thing is, the Lexus mechanic told me the 92 was among the best ever built by Lexus. I sure don't know how he came to that conclusion.

And the premium gas is getting up there too.

Good luck.

Fred

phillipin

i picked up my 90 like 13 days ago. Runs better than my 02 corolla.

no p/s leaks, i just flushed and filled the system, 2 quarts only, on friday i'll exhcange 2 more quarts of brown/orange for nice red fluid.

car maybe has one squeeky bushing, a/c is ice cold, a/c lcd is out of course

i had a problem with the maf but that was my own damn fault and i fixed it easily

other than that it feels great at 125+ and drives awesome

hood struts are gone also