Bib

Just bought a ls 400 1990 2 days ago, I have a couple of questions that hopefully someone can answer for me. Feel free to suggest anything and/or everything. Since the car didn't have one, I plan to order the manual that comes with the car from the dealer when I get time but that will probably be at least a couple weeks. Thank you in advance!

1. The dealer I bought from only gave me one key and it will mechanically lock and unlock the doors. Was there a remote key that will unlock/lock the doors originally? There is a button that has a key symbol on it that says "Remote on/off"
2. Can I install an after-market remote start/keyless-entry system on this model?
3. There is a little button that allows me to lock the truck switch by pressing the button in to lock. It is supposed to unlock with the key turning counter-clockwise. I tried everything to unlock the little button and can't get the key to turn/budge to pop it back out. I can't get in my trunk! Is there something i'm missing before I go back to the dealer and ***** them out?
4. how can I tell if this car has traction control? There is a button by the gear shift that says ect/pwr...what is that for?
5. I have a cd changer, but does that mean that I have the "premium" factory sound system...( p.s.- I can't try out the changer cause I can't get the damn trunk open.)
6. When I first start the car in the morning it seems to idle pretty high and with most cars you can tap the accelarator to lower it...not this one. Is that normal? This morning there was a little orange light that came on temporarily then went off. It is really hard to describe and I tought of everything imaginable that it might represent but I have no clue. It looks like nothing I have seen. The icon is square with vertically lines filling it, with a little dot on top center.

I know these probably sound like silly questions but hopefully this is a friendly board. I hope that I will soon be able to offer advice to others about this beautiful machine. Thanks again!!

SQ-LS

1. The dealer I bought from only gave me one key and it will mechanically lock and unlock the doors. Was there a remote key that will unlock/lock the doors originally? There is a button that has a key symbol on it that says "Remote on/off"

There is a big key that should have that button to lock/unlock and arm/unarm your car. If you don't have one then they will make you buy a whole new security system and lockset (around $600) because those factory alarms was not programable till the gen 2 LS.

2. Can I install an after-market remote start/keyless-entry system on this model?

Yes, It is fairly easy. Toyota is one of the easiest straight forward cars out there in the market for aftermarket stereo and alarm install. I have one also.

3. There is a little button that allows me to lock the truck switch by pressing the button in to lock. It is supposed to unlock with the key turning counter-clockwise. I tried everything to unlock the little button and can't get the key to turn/budge to pop it back out. I can't get in my trunk! Is there something i'm missing before I go back to the dealer and ***** them out?

You should be able to open the trunk from the outside if you can't get that button to work. If you can't then you outta luck and the dealer it is.

4. how can I tell if this car has traction control? There is a button by the gear shift that says ect/pwr...what is that for?

If you don't have a button that saids traction control by your shifter then you don't have one. The ECT/PWR is for mostly added power for towing something or going up steep uphill roads, not good on the gas though.

5. I have a cd changer, but does that mean that I have the "premium" factory sound system...( p.s.- I can't try out the changer cause I can't get the damn trunk open.)

Nope, look at your headuint. If it saids Nakimichi then you got the premium headunit. Good luck on the trunk.

6. When I first start the car in the morning it seems to idle pretty high and with most cars you can tap the accelarator to lower it...not this one. Is that normal? This morning there was a little orange light that came on temporarily then went off. It is really hard to describe and I tought of everything imaginable that it might represent but I have no clue. It looks like nothing I have seen. The icon is square with vertically lines filling it, with a little dot on top center.

THis is a V8 you got under the hood. This car takes for ever to warmup. The light is your radiator light from the way descirbed it. Check your radiator fluid, it might be a little low or need to be flushed and changed.
P.S.: It isn't really good for any car that you tap the gas to accelarate the warmup. It hurts your engine because the oil isn't warmup yet and is still thick which doesn't lubricate too well.

Good luck on your new LS and welcome to the board.

petrojeff

My 92 LS400 doesnt have a remote and I have a guy on E-bay that has a remote from a 92. Am I to understand that this will not work on my car and it is not programmable?? Therefore I should not buy it?

SQ-LS

Nope, you shouldn't.
The reason why people sell and buy these used keys is a lot of people break them all the time. Since the dealer only sell the key with the whole security set, they are better off buying the used keys for parts.

Hope this helps.

petrojeff

I hate to be so dense, but to parse your rejoinder.... I cannot use a remote from another car, because it is not programmable in the 1st generation LS400's. The only way to get my remote entry system to work is to buy the entire security set from the dealer. Although a remote is available for sale as used, I cannot make it work on my car. Right?