LS400 Courtesy Switch Replacement
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Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: mo
LS400 Courtesy Switch Replacement
I have a '92 LS and have experienced one of the LS's common problems: Due to faulty courtesy switches, dome lights don't always work when the doors are opened.
In order to fix the problem, I bought and installed four new switches that mount in the door jampbs ($12.50 ea.). The 'real' way to replace the switches is to remove interior trim, unplug the old switches, plug in new ones and reinstall the door trim. Sounds simple, but it isn't.
The hard part involves removing the interior trim - without breaking it. I tried to pry off a piece of trim and (wisely) stopped when I realized what could happen if I continued tugging on 12 year-old plastic pieces. Instead, I unbolted the faulty switches and pulled out the wiring as much as possible, so that I could cut the wires and splice in the new switches. Worked like a charm and no plastic interior panels were broken.
The only tricky part is the back doors. There isn't much excess wire to pull out of the rear doors, so you have to carefully cut off the old switch, strip insulation from about 1/4" of the wiring, and splice the wire to wires on the new switch. Obviously, the wires on the new switches must be cut in order to do this.
It worked fine and the good news is that the dome lights work every time I open the doors!!
In order to fix the problem, I bought and installed four new switches that mount in the door jampbs ($12.50 ea.). The 'real' way to replace the switches is to remove interior trim, unplug the old switches, plug in new ones and reinstall the door trim. Sounds simple, but it isn't.
The hard part involves removing the interior trim - without breaking it. I tried to pry off a piece of trim and (wisely) stopped when I realized what could happen if I continued tugging on 12 year-old plastic pieces. Instead, I unbolted the faulty switches and pulled out the wiring as much as possible, so that I could cut the wires and splice in the new switches. Worked like a charm and no plastic interior panels were broken.
The only tricky part is the back doors. There isn't much excess wire to pull out of the rear doors, so you have to carefully cut off the old switch, strip insulation from about 1/4" of the wiring, and splice the wire to wires on the new switch. Obviously, the wires on the new switches must be cut in order to do this.
It worked fine and the good news is that the dome lights work every time I open the doors!!
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 2
From: Minnesota
The front courtesy switches were one of the first things I replaced when I bought my car. The damn alarm kept going off in the middle of the night! I could also tell that the battery was low on juice in the morning. After a little work I figured out that the switches were bad and then fixed them. I took off the trim to replace them though. The plastic didn't break 
.
Good job on fixing yours
. Good job on fixing yours
10th Gear
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 12
Likes: 3
From: Ca
See the thread called "Changing courtesy light switches on first-gen LS?"
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/mai...ml#post9000782
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/mai...ml#post9000782
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Gumbeaux
GS - 4th Gen (2013-2020)
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Nov 28, 2014 07:25 PM
