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A Hello and a big Thank You to Club Lexus! (+16 ohm sub info)
Just wanted to say hello! And a shout out to this site and the myriad of info and tips/tricks for the vehicles.
About a month ago I purchased an 03' LS 430 with 67k miles on the clock, full service history and all on the Lexus website. This was also to be my first vehicle I purchased with my own earnings. I was quite nervous because SO MANY people told me i should avoid such an old car (funny thing is i had an 02' hand-me-down from the mother previously). And granted they are right in many regards and I understood their concerns. But the other "newer" vehicles I test drove just didn't appeal to me, even though they had warranties and SO MUCH more technology (factory bluetooth audio, modern interfaces, etc etc). In the end I went with the 03 LS 430 with Navi/ML and heated/cooled seats.
The only issue at the time of purchase was the blown ML subwoofer as well as a non-working 12v outlet inside the ashtray. A week later however the passenger mirror started folding over and out whenever the vehicle was started. A week after that I managed to blow a tire from a dark on-ramp and unforeseen pothole. But none-the-less i didn't let any of this bring me down.
At the same time the tire blew out, i saw the thread on the Kumho TA71's and ordered those. I wasn't expecting it to change all of anything, but much to my surprise it was MUCH quieter at medium to higher speeds. On the same day i replaced the tires, i set out on a 300 mile trip to see some friends across the state. I enjoy moderately lengthy drives like these and the LS 430 with the new tires just cruised along at 85mph so well. I think I had a smile on my face the entire time.
I should also mention that when i replaced the blown tire, the shimmy that i was experiencing on the same tire had completely disappeared. Those Goodyear's that came with my LS were trash! The Bridgestone spare was not bad however.
Next for the speakers. For weeks I lived with fading all the sound output through the front speakers so i wouldn't experience any of the annoying buzz from the subwoofer. This worked well enough to enjoy music, but whenever lower frequencies of sounds / bass started playing, i would still notice a similar buzzing on the front left. So i went on Amazon and purchased the SimplySpeakers re-foam kit and took the weekend to strip both doors. Wasn't too bad to be honest. And it worked out great! Now no matter what volume I listened to none of the front speakers buzzed or created any unwanted sounds. (also while apart i snipped the green wire powering the folding mechanism of the passenger mirror. Not the best solution but one that works as i never have a need to fold mirrors)
However the subwoofer was still an issue. There are LOTS of threads on this topic and I honestly wasn't sure what i wanted to do. One could either buy the re-foam kit and use the stock subwoofer. Or buy the Club Lexus recommended Polk 8" subwoofer. In the end, i went with neither of these options. #1 i had a feeling that if i re-foamed the sub it would just go bad after a few years. And #2 the Polk sub had an impedance of 8 ohms max. And i kept reading that the stock ML subwoofer is rated at 16ohms.
It is an 8 inch home theater subwoofer with dual 8 ohm voice coils. I had a suspicion that it wouldn't be a drop in replacement. And in the strictest sense it isn't. HOWEVER piecing together the stock sub baffle and frame assembly (and wiring it in series for 16 ohms), I managed to work out a way to install the subwoofer into the rear deck! It's not 100% perfect. The new sub in fact is just sitting in the deck/subwoofer opening with the baffle and frame pushing down to keep it held in place. I didn't use any glue or silicone or anything to install it. Just plunked it in and screwed the frame down into the deck to hold the sub in place.
aaaaaaand it works! I never managed to fully hear what the stock sub sounded like since it was buzzy and for all intents and purposes broken. But so far it's working QUITE well. No spurious buzzing or rattling, and with a rubber surround should last longer than stock. And the amplifier seems to hold its own as I test drove it for an hour playing bass heavy music to get its feet wet, and loud enough that my center mirror started shaking and blurring the image.
Here's the old subwoofer on my desk (there was a foam surround on it but i just peeled it off): https://i.imgur.com/0feXjt9.jpg
All in all I'm elated that i managed to fix the audio with just two weekends and about US$90 total (re-foam kit, subwoofer, and trim/door panel removers).
Again, thank you so much Club Lexus! I'm probably still in my honeymoon phase with it, but so far i really love the LS 430. Quiet, smooth, and decently quick on its feet, and about the same gas mileage as my previous SUV with a V6.
It's good to read stories like yours. Sound like you have made a good decision purchasing the car, researched and used the info available on this forum to fix common issues associated with the aging LS430. That's what it's all about.
That's a very nice looking replacement sub you found on Amazon for less than $40. Much better quality than the OEM sub. 16 ohm capable 8 inch subs are tough to find. Welcome and thanks for sharing the info on your car and the fixes you made.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR!! (Yes I'm shouting)
Thank you, I have the exact same issue with my Mark Levinson subwoofer. Now I just need to find some aftermarket front door speakers and I'll be content. Mark Levinson blahhhhh!
BIG THANKS to Mobius1 for this tip on the Dayton subwoofer. I installed it in my 2003 and it sounds pretty darn good! I think it plays a bit lower in volume than the stock ML sub because now I have to fade the sound a couple of notches to the rear on the fader. But the bass is tight and complements the rest of the door speakers just fine.
Also a thank you to the other posts about how to remove the seat bench / seat back to access the subwoofer. Pain in the a** to do but in the end it was a good result and now I have my low end back. Very happy.
Yesss! For $40, rubber surround, poly cone and the ability to go 16ohm, this is a very good option for sure! I've been cruising all morning with the tunes on!
09-10-16, 06:20 PM
A Hello and a big Thank You to Club Lexus! (+16 ohm sub info)
