Hello all i'm new to Lexus. I just purchased my first 2000 Gs300 with 138000 miles. I am learning the car day by day. There are a few issues that i need to address. First the radio works but the display is blank(will replace with a aftermarket one). Second the front door actuators don't seem to work.(ordered 2 new ones) And third i noticed my coolant is green, I have read that its suppose to be a red color coolant will that be a problem. Thank you Guys

 

Doesnt matter which is used. in short, iirc, one lasts longer than the other before needing replacement. Both are ethylene glycol-based. As long as a system is flushed completely, doesnt matter what is used...

btw, where did you hear its "supposed" to be red? (actually, orange) Thats a GM thing... this is a Lexus.

 

 

I've heard pinkish/red just from looking around on the net. Don't know how long the green stuff has been in there.

 

I had always used green coolant until my last TB/WP change at 220,000 miles...then the Lexus dealer replaced it with Toyota red. Evidently that is the new standard. However, green worked just fine for the first 15 years...

As for the radio it used to be as simple as replacing the circuit board behind the display...however, that part has been discontinued. The only option now is to put up with the missing characters or go aftermarket. My brother-in-law just searched (and saved ) his stations so not a big deal.

Enjoy your new ride...you've got a lot of mileage left in that car. I have 232k on my GS400 and my brother in law has 297k on his GS300.

 

 

Thank you for the info. i can ask my girlfriend for a radio for Christmas. I have been reading and researching the lexus gs for some time now and for a good one in descent condition and the right price. I definitely hope to put some miles on it. want to do the timing belt, seals, water pump, and what have you.

 

Red, really? I learned something today I thought there was only Dex-cool and your conventional green.

 

nope i have a bimmer to and thats Blue

 

You can purchase Toyota-specific coolant either from a Toyota/Lexus dealership, or a generic equivalent from your local parts store.

https://parts.olathetoyota.com/blog/...nt-color-guide

 

 

Thanks that was some good info.

 

Please remember to do a complete flush of the old coolant before putting in the Toyota red coolant. Flush the old stuff out with distilled water. You will need about 5-6 gallons of distilled water to to completely flush the old stuff out.

 

There are 2 coolant block drains on the engine. One is up front on drivers side near the transmission, and the other is near the firewall on the other side of the block. Pull out the plug and let the whole block drain. Remember to remove the radiator cap while draining. The radiator also has a drain plug on the bottom.
reinstall all drain plugs and refill with 2 gallons of 50/50 premix. No water needed. Turn on heater inside to hot, turn AC off and start the car.

Please fill the recovery tank to half, and run at idle until the heater is hot, the needle reads half, and the heater fans come on and go off at around 200 -205 degrees. You will see air and foam in the filler neck as it heats up. The thermostat will open around 197 degrees, and the system will rid itself of air. Do not open a hot radiator cap.

 

The Toyota factory red coolant sold by the gallon is full strength and needs to be mixed with distilled water. I would never use that generic green coolant unless you like your cooling system parts failing and your aluminum components corroding/pitting faster than normal. Zerex makes a Asian vehicle coolant which is very good too but that would be a 2nd option if no more Toyota red was available imo.