Bimmerman

Hi all: The plastic little pull lever (with the metal pickle fork lever sticking out the back of it fell out in my hand last week when I went to open the trunk from this switch. I am hoping someone in this group really knows how to remove that little switch panel (that also contains the valet lock out key button and fuel door release). I have yet to see this addressed on the forums for this model Lexus. Whether it is fixable or if I have to find a replacement panel, I need to know how to remove the thing.

This is my first Lexus (I have always been a BMW guy, and still am), but I really like this car a lot. It has the best drive line of any car I have owned, from the engine back (better than any BMW I have had, and I have had many). My only complaint at all is the "scantlings" (sorry, I am an old yacht builder) on some of the body parts are very light, bordering on flimsy, but I suspect the newer BMW's are the same. It's the way they build them today!

I hope someone on this forum can help me. I can tell it is removable from the lower dash, but I just don't know and I don't want to break it.

Thanks.

Garry in Portland

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

they might all be the same, but it is a good idea to always id your ride google it with year & model, see what you get

Bimmerman

Thanks for your suggestion. I should have previewed my original post and I would have seen I did not identify the year and model Lexus. I had tried to find something by googling the year/model and issue in the beginning but everything that came up was always about the wrong model. That little switch panel has to pop out of the lower dash some way, since it is obvious that it is a separate piece that snaps into the dash. The question is how to I get it out without breaking it. I see no clues anywhere. Another Club Lexus member had once posted that he found that information on line, but never told us where to find it. I believe he was from Hilo, Hi.

Hopefully a member who has he answer to this puzzle will eventually see my post. I am forever hopeful.

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

Take a look at these items and if you dont get some kind of idea of how to approach this, GO TO THE DEALER and get professional help, you are not cut out for this type of work.... your aptitude is missing... thats the best I can do..

Bimmerman

Hi Billy,

First off, thank you for those excellent photos which provide a good idea of what is there. I can see no evidence of what holds that plastic assembly in place. No tabs, no notches, no clips, nothing, just a smooth plastic housing. Perhaps there is something on the bottom side, which is not shown on the photos. I suspect I now know why the lever and "pickle fork" fell out in my hand the last time it worked. I see a small steel shaft in the photo which obviously goes through the two holes in the metal pickle fork, with both ends anchored in the plastic housing. It must have worked out over the years.

I will feel around behind it and see it there is something in the way of clips that hold the housing in place in the dash.

Secondly, it is not likely an aptitude issue on this end, as I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering. When I was attending Arizona State University in the latter Sixties I pulled the head on my 1964 4.2 XKE Roadster and did a valve job on it, including replacing all the valve guides. Of course you couldn't know that and there is certainly no offense taken. I do most all my BMW work also and just can't bring myself to take it to the "Stealer", as my fellow car club members often call them.

I do want to thank you again for taking the trouble to send those excellent photos.

Best regards,

Garry in Portland.

jaaa

You're just spoiled working on BMW's. The BMW community has some of the best and most detailed write-ups on just about anything you are willing to tackle. I know my 2001 Z3 hasn't seen a shop in 14 years because of that. I suspect it might be easier to pull the whole panel off to get a good look at what you are trying to see.

Late edit: did a google search and came up with this. See if it helps:

Bimmerman

Thanks for your thoughts and the youtube video. I had found the video earlier, bur it doesn't apply to the LS400 cars, only the coupes. The small section of the dash does not pop off like the coupe dash does. Entirely different, so the video does not apply. I did finally get the flimsy, cheaply made all plastic piece of crap out and I have attached photos of it. Both sides where the two rocker switches are located were crack and broken from the heat over the years. Dashed get very warm and these geniuses should have used a better material than that. Every one and two generation owner will have this happen sooner or later. As I had stated earlier, the building "scantlings" on these cars are flimsy and disappointing to me. The thing that holds the entire plastic assembly in the dash is the valet lock. You must remove the two screws that hold the two "ears" on the key housing and then lift a thin little plastic tab, which will then allow you to rotate the lock casing and remove it from the rear, Then the plastic assembly will drop out the front of the dash. Wait until your starter goes (on the V8 engine). It is under the intake manifold. I just had to do that and the labor alone was over a grand (and it was not a dealer). Wonderful performing engine, but a nightmare to work on, compared to a Toyota V6!
Anyway, not I have to find a new switch panel and they tell me all I will be able to get is a black one. Grrr!

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts, ideas and contributions. I will try to attach photos to this reply, and if that doesn't work I will attach them after this.

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

Hi Garry, I pulled my owners manual out and got a photo of it, and opened my trunk and got a photo of the cable there before I found the said photos for you, I just was not sure you were on my wave length for jumping in and trying to see something, I ran a little 7 stall automotive garage for 30 years in Richardson, Tx,(I'm 83 now) and I try to give guys guidance when I can, but I dont tell them "how to fix their car"... thats my 99 217k

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

Hi again, I am surprised you took you LS to a shop, the starter is not a HARD job, just a time consuming one.. mine started "clicking" in 2010, and we just replaced the solenoid contacts, put it back together and now 7 years later it is running (and starting) fine.... 35$ plus gaskets (and didnt need them..)

Bimmerman

Hi Billy,

I had thought about replacing the starter myself, but at 80 years old I just decided to pay a good indie garage I know to do it. It was the usual problem with these cars, the coolant crossover pipe which passes over the starter indicated it had a slow coolant leak for some time at one of the gaskets which got into the starter, In addition here was a sizable critter nest surrounding the starter, which was also soaked. I must say that, in my humble opinion, that V8 is the best engine I have ever seen and the auto tranny attached to it is no slouch either. It will eat my seven series Bimmer for lunch any time it wants and will deliver far better gas mileage doing it! I have 118K on the clock now and the car still looks like it was almost new. There is one problem I am concerned about, this car has air suspension. I almost didn't buy it because of that but I got if from the original owner and it came with all service history since new, including the original factory window sticker. He had replaced the rear ones a year before I bought it but the front is still original. If that front craps out while I still own it I will do a coil over replacement all the way around myself. The former owner spent $2500 just to have the rears replaces! There has been a pair of N.O.S. front air shocks on eBay for a long time, but the seller wans a fortune for them. Then the next thing to crap out would be the compressor. Where does it end!

Regarding my original post on the fuel door/trunk switch assembly, I just found a new one in California (they are only available in black now) and I should have it early next week and that issue will be solved). However, in all honesty, I still enjoy driving my vintage 27 year old 735i more, which still looks new inside and out and just has 100K on the clock. The difference being it is a drivers car. The new ones are not the same quality at all. Of course that can be said of most everything!

Garry in Portland

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

Hello Garry in Portland, when I retired in 1996, I bought a new Lincoln and we drove to North Dakota and turned LEFT, and covered all 15 states for a month, went back aways and followed the Oregon trail to the end, very good trip, WELL if your 80 year old body feels like my 83'er, you are becoming a spectator to auto work. all my cars have been high mileage here in Texas. I like that tip on the handle holding the switches on (remember that one)..just to share a little:

william400

The solution is the same as the SC400 fix to unlock the button,
to access the button assembly remove the two star screws on each end of the lowest panel under the steering wheel, pry the center of the panel downwards to release the two spring clips, push the panel backwards to release the panel from the back support, the panel will fall, now there are 3 10mm bolts, one at the left and right of the panel holding the valet/gas filler assembly, and the third behind the brake release handle (pull the handle out to expose and remove the third bolt, now pull the left side of the panel out enough to expose the lock barrel, push the brass C ring on the barrel to the left and and push down on the small button in the cyclinder and kabam! you have unlocked the valet lock without a key and you can now release the trunk remotely, just don't push the valet button in again or you will have to repeat the process (10 minutes star screw driver and a 10mm socket)
P.S. I found my only key in the trunk, after searching for two hours all through the house and combing the front yard , after getting back from doing groceries, dropped the key when removing the bags from the trunk....
first thing tomorrow I am getting a spare key cut, if you have only one key, get a duplicate made asap, I am so glad I don't have to go to the stealership....for a key.