I’m new to club Lexus and just purchased a 2007 ES 350. My question is do any of you know of any modifications that can be done to this car. IE. View dvd while driving, ipod integration that can be controlled by the touch screen radio and turning off the seatbelt warning.

I have seen some of these options on the GS but not for the ES.
Thank you

 

Search the threads, the answers are there.

The Manual nav hack switch thread disables the speed lockouts. But don't ever drive and watch a DVD, at least not anywhere near me!

VaisTech makes an iPod control unit that many of us have installed to give us seamless iPod access using the audio & steering wheel controls. The Nav/audio head unit removal steps thread shows how to access the back of the audio unit to install it. Further instructions come with the VaisTech unit.

The Front license plate, necessary? thread had the fix for the seat belt warning. It's a personalized setting.

The Rim/tire suggestions thread discusses well, rims & tires.

And so on...

 

I looked at numerous threads including the Manual nav hack switch thread but I still cant find the hack for playing dvd's in the car. I was told by the sales man in the dealership that I would be able to play DVD's while the car is parked. But I think the sales man did not know what he was talking about. I put a DVD in the cd changer and I ejected the nav dvd and put in a normal dvd but nothing worked. Is there something I'm doing wrong ?

 

The salesman was right....partially. Firstly, you shouldn't have ejected the NAV DVD. That should only be removed when you want to install an upgraded DVD.
Also, The only way you can play a movie DVD is if you have the Mark Levinson system installed in your car. This feature is NOT available with the standard audio system.

 

You must have the ML system and in Park with the parking brake on.

 

Gee.....I could have sworn I said that in the above post???

 

I'll have to double-check; I coulda swore that I was able to watch DVD movies w/o needing to engage the parking brake. Yes, tranny had to be in Park but I'm almost certain I didn't need to set the parking brake.

 

I think you should re-check your system, The audio portion of a DVD movie will work, but the video portion will only display on the NAV screen when the parking brake is set. This lockout is also mentioned in the ML Owners Manual.

 

I obviously must have been hallucinating--no video unless parking brake is set...and I'll accept as fact that the tranny has to be in Park also (didn't think about putting it in gear w/ the parking brake pressed just one itty-bitty click to see if video would still display).

Update--I only tested this while my vehicle was stationary (i.e., not at speed) but was able to confirm that the gear selector does not need to be in Park in order for DVD video to display on the nav screen. I can only assume that even if one were to bypass the parking brake, the video would blank out once the vehicle exceeds a certain speed (probably 12 mph, which IIRC is the threshhold for when the seatbelt chime goes off if you're not wearing your seatbelt).

 

Do you have Mark Levinson Premium Audio?

 

Only the Mark Levinson Premium Audio have this feature for you to watch DVD at Park. Set your Emergency Brake and push the Disc button.

 

Sorry but have to ask. Does the speed sensor nav hack allow DVDs to be played without the parking brake engaged? If not, is there a way around this? I know for a fact that my wife would love to be able to watch DVDs from the front seat.

 

I don't have the ML package so I don't know for sure, but...

You need to disable the speed sensor lockout and the parking brake lockout in order to play DVDs. Since the parking brake has to be set, there must be a signal going to the nav head that indicates this. You'd have to mimic this signal AND disable the speed sensor lockout, at the very least.

Presumably the manual nav hack switch I describe will work for the speed sensor lockout part, but again, as I don't have the ML package I can't say for sure.

 

Wow, I read my post and realized that it sounds like my wife wants to watch DVDs while driving. Sorry, I meant to say that she would love to watch while I am driving. Has anyone figured out how to remove the parking brake limitation?