ECU failing HELP!! 95 ls400
06-18-13, 01:32 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
ECU failing HELP!! 95 ls400
ok so over the last few weeks I noticed the weird little hiccups were getting worse on my ls400, weird stuff, electronic malfunctions, too low or high of a rev at idle etc, so itake it to the dealership and was told that the car is SO ****ed up that it isn't worth trying to fix. t\
ive only had it 3 months. it took me 3 years of saving my $ to get a ls400 (yes im very poor) and took me 3 months of searching to find one that was in good shape. well ever since I got it its been problem after problem after problem
I just don't get it! I had a 90 ucf10 ls400 for 8 years that was the greatest car ever never had any issues with it. now I have this 95 and its a total rolling firebomb
its in nice shape cosmetically and still runs good, heres what it needs, atleast what I know of so far
exaust is rusty, car was dead quiet until a few weeks back now it sounds like a Harley when I drive it
fuel gauge and temp gauge both do not work. they worked for a week and quit
tranny is skipping suddenly, reving too high and slipping,
engine has a serious lifter tick all the sudden and tries to stall constantly
ENTIRE front end is bad,
power steering rack leaks so bad it cant be fixed
I was told the ECU along with the whole electrical system is failing on the car, and needs to be replaced.
two months ago the car was perfect, had absolutely NO problems with it at all and now suddenly its acting possessed!
is the car REALLY that bad?! what the hell should I do? the ls400 is the greatest car ever made and ive been driving them since I was 17, im absolutely heartbroken over this any suggestions??
ive only had it 3 months. it took me 3 years of saving my $ to get a ls400 (yes im very poor) and took me 3 months of searching to find one that was in good shape. well ever since I got it its been problem after problem after problem I just don't get it! I had a 90 ucf10 ls400 for 8 years that was the greatest car ever never had any issues with it. now I have this 95 and its a total rolling firebomb its in nice shape cosmetically and still runs good, heres what it needs, atleast what I know of so farexaust is rusty, car was dead quiet until a few weeks back now it sounds like a Harley when I drive it
fuel gauge and temp gauge both do not work. they worked for a week and quit
tranny is skipping suddenly, reving too high and slipping,
engine has a serious lifter tick all the sudden and tries to stall constantly
ENTIRE front end is bad,
power steering rack leaks so bad it cant be fixed
I was told the ECU along with the whole electrical system is failing on the car, and needs to be replaced.
two months ago the car was perfect, had absolutely NO problems with it at all and now suddenly its acting possessed!
is the car REALLY that bad?! what the hell should I do? the ls400 is the greatest car ever made and ive been driving them since I was 17, im absolutely heartbroken over this
any suggestions??
06-18-13, 02:22 PM
#2
If you haven't read this thread:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...capacitor.html
All the rest is the typical wear issues the car has.
1. Do a partial drain-refill of the tranny fluid. No doubt the fluid is black. This may also involve dropping the pan to clean the screen and replace tranny shift solenoids.
2. What specific issues is going on withthe front end suspension? Most common is the caster/strut bar bushings then figure what other bushings are worn. You'll see signs of uneven tire wear. There is a multitude of front end issues but if it drove fine prior, it is likely an easy fix.
3. Replace rack. This is a development from poor fluid maintenance. I bet the power steering fluid is past service life and is burned/black with lots of gunk floating in the fluid.
4. Have the oil changed and an oil analysis. It will tell you some of the wear issues the engine has by the findings. May be simple or indicators of how worn the engine is. That $35 will be helpful in determining if the engine is good or a time bomb.
5. Exhaust is a simple replacement of what is needed. Probably an exhaust leak after the cats or the pre-silencers at the rear Y split.
For your wallet sake, I hope the timing belt has been done at the intervals. If it needs this, your wallet is going to really hurt.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...capacitor.html
All the rest is the typical wear issues the car has.
1. Do a partial drain-refill of the tranny fluid. No doubt the fluid is black. This may also involve dropping the pan to clean the screen and replace tranny shift solenoids.
2. What specific issues is going on withthe front end suspension? Most common is the caster/strut bar bushings then figure what other bushings are worn. You'll see signs of uneven tire wear. There is a multitude of front end issues but if it drove fine prior, it is likely an easy fix.
3. Replace rack. This is a development from poor fluid maintenance. I bet the power steering fluid is past service life and is burned/black with lots of gunk floating in the fluid.
4. Have the oil changed and an oil analysis. It will tell you some of the wear issues the engine has by the findings. May be simple or indicators of how worn the engine is. That $35 will be helpful in determining if the engine is good or a time bomb.
5. Exhaust is a simple replacement of what is needed. Probably an exhaust leak after the cats or the pre-silencers at the rear Y split.
For your wallet sake, I hope the timing belt has been done at the intervals. If it needs this, your wallet is going to really hurt.
06-18-13, 04:10 PM
#3
Lexus Champion
ECU is extremely likely the issue on most of this stuff, except for your likely strut bar/UCA issues and exhaust rust, what DTC codes are showing up?
the "whole electrical system" doesn't fail on an LS400, unless it has been hacked up by incompetent stereo installers, lighting installers, security system bozos, etc.
it may seem hard to believe at first, but your "tranny is skipping suddenly, reving too high and slipping" is actually gonna turn out to be the ECU! (ECU controls the transmission, it has no intelligence of its own)
the "whole electrical system" doesn't fail on an LS400, unless it has been hacked up by incompetent stereo installers, lighting installers, security system bozos, etc.
it may seem hard to believe at first, but your "tranny is skipping suddenly, reving too high and slipping" is actually gonna turn out to be the ECU! (ECU controls the transmission, it has no intelligence of its own)
Last edited by LScowboyLS; 06-18-13 at 04:14 PM.
06-19-13, 06:09 AM
#4
2 years ago I had a guy come in that had several shops work on his 95..he was distraught,no one could figure it out,after listening to his story of things that had been checked..i told him to bring his ecm in and I would send it off to cardone to have it checked..they ended up fixing it and he was so happy he brought me in lunch and we got a customer for life. 95's are notorious for ecm failures
06-19-13, 12:24 PM
#6
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06-19-13, 05:02 PM
#8
Lexus Champion
I've seen the inside of several Cardone rebuilt ECU's, they are not using the correct rare low ESR premium Japanese capacitors, it may work for a little while, or not, these had already failed within a year
I keep telling y'all over and over - the precise capacitors used are critical, and so far I have not found a single rebuilder in America who "gets it"
yamae can explain more about why the manufacturer and type of electrolytic capacitor is crucial, I guess it is because so many rebuilders are used to using the low-bid part! - but this is the most critical part of your engine, so please buy the right thing, a good plan would be to go ahead and purchase the correct ones as linked to in my ECU capacitor replacement thread and then bring the special parts to your favorite solderer!
I keep telling y'all over and over - the precise capacitors used are critical, and so far I have not found a single rebuilder in America who "gets it"
yamae can explain more about why the manufacturer and type of electrolytic capacitor is crucial, I guess it is because so many rebuilders are used to using the low-bid part! - but this is the most critical part of your engine, so please buy the right thing, a good plan would be to go ahead and purchase the correct ones as linked to in my ECU capacitor replacement thread and then bring the special parts to your favorite solderer!
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Jleezy1234 (02-14-23)
06-19-13, 08:24 PM
#9
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I think it's worth it for you to get the ECU caps fixed or ECU replaced to start off this diagnostic stage on a car that you love and saved much much money on before giving up. It could fix all the problems you're having. And if you can't fix the caps your self i would go to a junk yard and pull an ECU, open it up to see if it's good, should be less than $50 and try that first.
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Jleezy1234 (02-14-23)
01-15-23, 09:22 PM
#11
If you haven't read this thread:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...capacitor.html
All the rest is the typical wear issues the car has.
1. Do a partial drain-refill of the tranny fluid. No doubt the fluid is black. This may also involve dropping the pan to clean the screen and replace tranny shift solenoids.
2. What specific issues is going on withthe front end suspension? Most common is the caster/strut bar bushings then figure what other bushings are worn. You'll see signs of uneven tire wear. There is a multitude of front end issues but if it drove fine prior, it is likely an easy fix.
3. Replace rack. This is a development from poor fluid maintenance. I bet the power steering fluid is past service life and is burned/black with lots of gunk floating in the fluid.
4. Have the oil changed and an oil analysis. It will tell you some of the wear issues the engine has by the findings. May be simple or indicators of how worn the engine is. That $35 will be helpful in determining if the engine is good or a time bomb.
5. Exhaust is a simple replacement of what is needed. Probably an exhaust leak after the cats or the pre-silencers at the rear Y split.
For your wallet sake, I hope the timing belt has been done at the intervals. If it needs this, your wallet is going to really hurt.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...capacitor.html
All the rest is the typical wear issues the car has.
1. Do a partial drain-refill of the tranny fluid. No doubt the fluid is black. This may also involve dropping the pan to clean the screen and replace tranny shift solenoids.
2. What specific issues is going on withthe front end suspension? Most common is the caster/strut bar bushings then figure what other bushings are worn. You'll see signs of uneven tire wear. There is a multitude of front end issues but if it drove fine prior, it is likely an easy fix.
3. Replace rack. This is a development from poor fluid maintenance. I bet the power steering fluid is past service life and is burned/black with lots of gunk floating in the fluid.
4. Have the oil changed and an oil analysis. It will tell you some of the wear issues the engine has by the findings. May be simple or indicators of how worn the engine is. That $35 will be helpful in determining if the engine is good or a time bomb.
5. Exhaust is a simple replacement of what is needed. Probably an exhaust leak after the cats or the pre-silencers at the rear Y split.
For your wallet sake, I hope the timing belt has been done at the intervals. If it needs this, your wallet is going to really hurt.
01-15-23, 09:32 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
No it will not.
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