I have a 2003 Ultra LS430, and I've read posts on the other Lexus forum saying that laser cruise is susceptible to damage and that radar cruise is better. Lexus changed to radar cruise late in 2004, from what I've read. My question is, what version do I have? It says RADAR READY before applying, but when I bought the car, it is listed as being laser cruise control. Can someone tell me what is on the 2003 Ultra LS430? Is it laser or radar? I will ask a local Lexus dealer this question if I don't get a reply from either Lexus forums. Thank you!

Ross

 

If you have the PreCollision system, (PCS) you have the radar version. If you do not, which is most likely, since PCS was a very rare option due to extra cost, you have the laser version, even though the display says "Radar Ready".

The laser cruise is susceptible to damage because of its low position on the front air dam towards the passenger side of the vehicle. The entire unit, which is the sender and receiver as one unit, is about $1800 for the part plus labour to replace. Some people have added a layer of optically clear plexiglass to help protect it from smaller stones. Others (the vast majority) just take their chances.

The radar version resides a bit higher up behind the grill. I do not know its cost, but I am pretty sure it is more than $2k in case it is damaged (by a light front end shunt for example).

 

Don't let the "Radar Ready" indicator fool you. I have an '05 LS430 with Laser cruise control, and I also see the "Radar Ready" warning. Wish it would say "Laser Ready", so I could feel like vaporizing idiot drivers when I see them. I protect my laser unit as others have posted on this forum by buying a small sheet of clear Lucite from Home Depot for less than $5, and having them cut it to the proper size on their glass-cutting rig. I added adhesive-backed Velcro to the Lucite and the metal frame around the laser window, and pressed the two together. So for 7 or 8 dollars, I reduce the chance of a $2,000 bill. Operation of my laser cruise control seems completely unaffected by the lucite cover.

 

When I bought my UL LS430, it did not have the PCS option so I have the little window under the bumper. Another car on the lot DID have the PCS option with Laser Cruise and that mechanism is behind a plastic cover in the middle of the grill, right at the Lexus logo. So I was led to believe that RADAR cruise is the bumper mounted and LASER cruise is the grille mounted. I go in for service tomorrow night. I'll check with the service guys.

One thing I found out over the weekend - if using the radar cruise in a light rain it may shut itself off - gives you a beep and a message. Probably lost contact due to too much rain/crud on the cover. Normal cruise worked fine.

Bruce

 

I have a 2005 Ultra with radar cruise and PCS. The PCS operates off of the radar unit (which is in the front grill behind the emblem and covered by a trapazoid-shaped piece of lucite) so vehicles with the PCS option must have the radar cruise. In 18,000 miles of driving, I've had the PCS activate about 3 times. In each instance, I was coming up on a stopped or slow moving vehicle way too fast. The PCS tightened my seat belt (a lot!), beeped like crazy and gave me noticably more brake boost. I've never had the PCS/Radar cruise shut off in heavy rain, but I did deactivate once in a blizzard. If I remember right, the display first read Radar Cruise Unavailable, and then changed to PCS Unavailable. I was told that the replacement cost for the radar unit is $5,000, which probably explains the lucite cover. Hope this helps.

 

PCS was not offered until the 2004 model year I believe, but both laser and radar systems were still available. The radar system was offered ONLY with the PCS system. NO PCS=Laser Cruise.

If your system shut off in rain (Check Sensor warning?) then you have the laser cruise. My '01 says Radar Ready and it's laser. The sensor is mounted below the bumper in what looks like a little cave-like structure with 2 lexan windows).

The radar sensor can see through rain and fog, so it is unaffected by any surface debris. I think the laser sensor is sensitive to ambient light (i.e. the sun shining on it) so that's why it's down low. On the '06 cars the radar sensor is actually behind the normal grill, and there is no plastic cover that encases the "L" logo on the grille. Mercedes models with Pre-Safe have a similar lexan piece on the center of their grills...maybe it's the same vendor?

I believe that BOTH the Radar and Laser systems shut off if you enable Snow mode on the transmission. You can also engage standard cruise control by pushing the CC **** forward and holding it for a couple seconds....Radar Ready will change to Cruise Ready...

 

Jainla - good explanation. I actually prefer using the "regular" cruise control as I find the laser one way too paranoid, even in the "close" setting. Kinda goes along with the Lexus lawyers that make us hit "I Agree" on the nav and not let dial phone numbers or input destinations while in motion. Plus the laser mode increments up in 5 MPH increments - regular cruise lets you fine tune the speed in 1 MPH segments. Much better.

Bruce

 

I think mine goes up in 1 mph increments if you hold it down, can't remember right now.

I really wasn't that keen on it when I bought the car but I have learned to love it in certain situations....long cross country drives (here to SF for example) on straight, relatively uncongested roads I find it invaluable. But it does get confused in tight curves and heavy traffic, and sometimes if the car ahead is black, or really dirty it won't 'see' it until your right up on it...then it gets all upset and beeps and hollers..

Nice to have the choice though....my last car didn't have cruise control (well it was broken). The LS460 will have stereo cameras and radar cruise, precrash braking, etc etc. HAL 9000 will be driving soon I'm sure!

And PS look around these forums for how to defeat the dreaded navi lockout....not sure if it extends to the phone or not....

 

If the glass breaks on the. Right hand side does that mean the whole system is broken? Or would you be able to get rid of the glass and patch it up yourself?

 

Is there anyway to do that? My Laser systems has cracked glass and will not get into the ready mode. The Warning light comes up "Check Cruise Control System". It will not even le me set the normal cruise mode with the Warning light on. Any help would be appreciated. I need to have at least the old fashioned cruise system working.

 

does anyone know if you can put the lexan covered L logo on an '01?

also, I don't know if this works for '04-'06 ls 430's, but for the '01-'03 models to shut off the navigation lockout all you have to do is press the menu button, then press on system options, then press on the top left corner of the screen, then the bottom left, then top left, then bottom left, and then press on the bottom right corner of the screen. this brings you to a screen with blue buttons, and all you do is press override drive, and the press the back button in the top right and you're done!! p.s. you have to be still while you do this, you cannot be moving, and when you turn off the car you will have to do this process all over again. let me know if you have any problems.