EastWind

Outside of a wreck/accident, at what point do you say, "I am done with this LS?"

I would love to keep my LS for a few more years but I have this problem, this starting problem and from searching the forum, it doesn't seem no one has ever found a solution even after going to the dealer, and I am not willing to spend thousand chasing a ghost problem. Basically the car cranks really fine and powerful, but won't start. Sometimes after a few tries, it will start. sometimes it may not start, and if you try an hour or so later, it may start. On a few occassion, when it starts, it seems as if it is in limp mode for a few seconds, then it idles fine. On another occasion, it ran for like 10 mins then cut off, and won't start. I let it sit for an hour, started it and it fired right up, idles fine and runs like a charm when it does.

However, looking at the forum, people suggest FPR, fuel filter, clean fuel injectors, change fuel pump, fuel ECU, main ECU, relays, check grounds, get new batteries, air control valve, etc. People have wasted months/money at shops/lexus dealer and not gotten a solution to this.

So, should I try and fix it or just give up on the LS. I figure, it might be best to sell it, and add the money I will spend on trying to fix it towards getting a newer one. However, I just changed water pump, timing belt, plugs, wires, A/C rebuild, last year. I wanna keep my LS, but at what point do you give up?

avalon42

iTrader: (1)

Have you tried borrowing the crank sensor or air flow meter from a working car? Thankfully, my friend has a 91 LS400. We usually play musical chair with parts from his or my car to find out what's going south.

I will be done with my LS400 in exactly 1 year from now, as I graduate college and should be making the big bucks :P Oh wait, that's right, student loans.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

until it dies. one way or another.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

If the car is sound otherwise, keep chasing it. With your cold weather seasons I'd be looking at easily deteriorated items like wires and vacuum hoses. You don't have excessive miles so it's not like it is a worn out engine. Then, you want reliability and if it remains elusive after good mechanics look for it, let it go.

ffcgary1

That has the classic symptoms of crank sensor failure, i also have a vauxhall omega 2.5 v6 [caddy catera to you guys] and the crank sensor is prone to giving the exact same problems that you have described, on the omega the cable is routed down and around the oil cooler pipes and the heat destroys the cables. change the crank sensor and i think you wil find that the problem will go away. HOPE SO.

cation

What about that notorious trunk hinge wire harness?

If I remember correctly there was a guy that posted here recently that drove his old LS down to Florida and back, and while in Florida his car wouldn't start. He fixed the problem with the wire harness near the trunk hinge and it worked fine after that. This might be something you want to check.

Kingsoup

Even if you are a pretty good home mechanic this stuff can still happen with no solution. Problem is that you own a car without a strong internet support. I'd go onto the Aussie lextreme forums for answers if you are going to try and diagnose it yourself. Its likely an electrical problem, toyota might be able to track it down for you if you're really flumoxed, I don't think this constitutes giving up on the car.

On my 3000GT the capacitors melted on the ECU causing similar problems, I wonder...

trukn1

Chase it until it dies, b/c it will most likely try to be with you until the end of time. It really is a matter of passion for the car, how much you love the car, and how much you are willing to invest to save one of the most well put together machines period. The LS is a very god car, but it is still manmade, and like ALL things mechanical, it too will fail from time to time. Take care of it, and it will take care of you.

pfantom68

I'm keeping my LS til it dies. A lot of stuff is starting to go south on the car, but it just won't give up. The car is still a best mechanically. Last winter, this happened:



And needless to say I still haven't given up.

Bali26

Yeah....I think you gonna need a new air filter.

MEANDAFAKA

it doesn't look too bad, and you are the man for keep faith of your LS.

bigjussin

iTrader: (2)

have heard of this problem on gs400's as well...the motor that controls the tps will short, causing current to back-feed the ecu and cause the capacitors on the circuit board to explode, and fuxor the ecu from the inside

a lot of the vr4 guys get lucky with just an ecu, some have to do an air metering device and a tps, along with a re-pop ecu

anyone else hear of this connection between the ls4 and gs4 with similar conditions, or am i way off?

pfantom68

I think the car had bigger problems than the air filter, which by the way, is still on the car and was brand new when the picture was taken.

Bali26

WOooooOSH!

farquad

my powersteering pump is dead, it doesn't even whine anymore.. it's just stiff to turn at low speeds, but to be honest.. i've gotten used to it and it doesn't bother me one bit, my traction control/abs off lights are on.. and i've been driving in the canadian winter without problems with winter tires.. my footbrake when applied seems to stick and causes vibrations so i don't use that anymore, problem solved.. and recently (just yesterday morning) my interior door handle doesn't work.. as i pulled on it to get out.. it kinda snapped and it seems as some rod inside came apart or something, i'll inspect that when the temperature gets a bit warmer.. but i have found a solution to that also.. roll the windows down and open the door from the outside..
so as you can see.. i love my LS.. it has a lot of problems, some of those might be expensive fixes.. (PS and Traction/ABS atleast?) but i've found ways around them lol..