TONY1022

98 lexus ls 400

my dashboard reads headlight leveling with a red light.i believe a sensor has to be changed.

But which..?

Your help will be greatly appreciated guys.

Thanks

Scraape

whenever i have had that message pop up on the dash in my 99, it has been due to a low battery

ma61

There are level sensors on the suspension arms that read the ride height of the vehicle.
Start there buy checking those for damage, or wiring issues.
If the system detects a fault with one of the level sensors, it will automatically aim the headlights to the lowest level, so if that is the case then you know to look there.

If no issues found with those, you may have a faulty headlight level adjustment motor in one of the headlight assemblies.
The headlights will do a self check when you start the car, so if you have someone else start it while you watch the lights move, that may tell you if it is an issue with one of the lights.

Jbex35

I am getting the same indicator along with the battery warning light. I have changed the battery and alternator, it ran for 4 days with no indicators and then these 2 came on at the same time. We didn't fix the headlight sensor, so I am hoping that the battery light is a fluke since that has all been fixed or replaced. The mechanic said that the I am getting a great charge. Has anyone else experienced this?

Scraape

this is exactly what was happening in my 1999 . Headlight Leveling Notification popped up, Battery Charge Light Came on, and eventually both just went away.

I attributed the funky stuff going on to possibly power steering fluid(ATF) leaking on the alternator. But it could also be an intermittent alternator on its way out or improperly installed ?

I switched out my alternator for an 01 LS430 unit for peace of mind. Never swapped the battery

spuds

Was that plug and play?Thank you Scraape for putting this info into my brain and the excellent link.

Scraape

indeed it was. all you need is to add an extra bolt (90109-08298) and nut(90080-17242) for the third mounting ear on the LS430 alternator . refer to this thread for more info:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...r-upgrade.html

banjojimmy

The same condition just appeared on my 02 LS430: Battery warning and Headlight Leveling caution. I immediately suspected alternator failure [my battery is nearly new]. Did replacing the alternator fix your problem? Also, do you the interchangeability on these...I feel a trip to PullAPart is imminent.

Scraape

The battery charge light and headlight leveling notification disappeared on their own after awhile.

I did go and replace the alternator anyways after I got back from the trip I was on.

I believe 01-03 Ls430 alternators are interchangeable

banjojimmy

Many thanks. I just checked the PullAPart interchange page: 01-06 LS430, 02-09 SC430 and 06-07 GS430. It is a 130 amp Denso. I found one at AutoZone for $104 total after a 25% online discount and my core refund. Not bad.

Scraape

Nice, make sure you get 01-03 though, I'm pretty sure the connector is different for the 04-06

ToneOnmi

Yamae

Your alternator is dying and will quit the generation completely soon. A small P/S fluid leak tends to cause your type of problem due to the reason that the leaked P/S fluid goes to brushes and the commutator in the alternator and the current path is disabled as you drive. You need to fix those 2 before you might be forced to stop at somewhere.

spuds

ToneOmni- Being new here (like me) you might not know Yamae yet. He is the final word on all things electric for repairs. So you get free advice that you often times couldnt even pay for elsewhere. Just do exactly as he says and you will be golden.Even if it seems counter-intuitive to what you are seeing ,he is right.

ToneOnmi