One nice upgrade thats cheap, functional and very modern, is to go around and replace all the interior and outside courtesy lights with LED.

-Over the doors
-bottom of the doors
-under the mirrors,
-front and back make up mirrors
-center dome/map lights

The bottom lights have a trick to reinstalling so look on youtube. Also nylon interior tools are a good idea and only a few bucks. They wont destroy softer plastics.

 

Thank you very much for the warm welcome everyone! I am very happy with the purchase so far, it’s a different world coming from the “skateboard” as Tom67 puts… in a very good way. I drove around for 4 hours on Saturday just enjoying all the LS430 has to offer. Parking and narrow two-way streets seem to be the most pressing “issues” thus far.

Everything on the car seems to be in good nick, aside from the subwoofer, and the mirror adjustment switch. I need to invest in a set of nylon tools as suggested by biacs. If anyone has a recommended set, I will jump on that immediately.

The subwoofer seems easy enough after watching/reading some tutorials. The popular Polk replacement will be the route of choice. This morning I noticed the side-mirror adjustment switch does not work for the passenger side. If I use one of the presets on the driver’s door, the passenger’s mirror moves… this rules out a bad motor, and would lead me to believe the switch has partially failed. Time to research replacing that!

All of the automatic electric adjustments/motors/features seem (cynically and realistically) like ticking time bombs, so restricting unnecessary usage seems logical. Service records indicate the navigation unit was replaced at 40K. Hopefully, the newer unit will provide long last service. In terms of disabling the NAV display in options, is this under the secret “TL, BL, TL, BL, TL, BL” menu? I like having the nav on, just for orientation… I do remember seeing a compass function on a video.

 

As far as the nylon tool- just find the set on amazon, mine has maybe 10 different tools.

One fun fact, if the power mirror switch in the CENTER the mirrors wont tilt down when you put it in reverse. So leave the power mirror switch to either side.

Final minor thing. The headlights adjust and self level. As a fellow Illinoisian, your sensor may or may not get corroded. Its under the passenger rear seat, next to the wheel. It floats on the suspension to adjust. Mine was all frozen up.

 

Search Kinglake auto door clip panel on Amazon, that's what I used to do the cup holder.....but they all look alike, I bet any brand of those orange tools will do. I think these are safer than a screwdriver covered in duct tape, you can't put as much force, and they will dent first, whereas the screwdriver could break the trim....

 

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

 

Nice whip! Congrats on joining the Club... it's great to be among the fellow Lexus Lovers. Everyone here is so helpful , very knowledgeable and appreciative of the LS430..

 

Welcome, the car looks great!

 

@ # 4
I was glad that the PO had the original manual when I picked up the 01 LS.
I have driven many various cars, older and newer ones, but I have never seen so many functions and operations. The manual is about 1.5 inches thick and even now I have to look occasionally to "know how"
e.g. how to reset the warning notification when replacing the cabin filter. (you have to hold the climate control OFF button for more than 4 seconds)
Go and hunt for a manual -it is worth every cent

 

Went and bought the set you suggested... 6 dollars for tools that will preserve the interior pieces, is a no-brainer.

Luckily the car came with the manual... I just need to spend more time with it. Good tip regarding the reset...

I am worried there is something wrong with the seat memory function. I find the correct steering and seating position I want, then set it to Number 1. I leave for a few minutes and get back in, the seat is all the way up, as is steering... When I start the car, the wheel comes down, but the seat doesn't move. If I press the 1 button it will go to the correct position. So every time I get in the car I have to hit 1... How exactly is this a luxury "feature" if I have to keep pushing the button. With the seat nearly all way up and the wheel coming down it crushes my leg...

Does anyone have a clue where I'm going wrong? I've even gone as far as setting every single preset button to my preferred choice to try and remove any previous owners settings.

 

13 years old now and my power tilt has never been disabled and it still whizzes in and out just as silently as it always did!

Dont think you need to disable everything, these cars are tanks!