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I have a 2004 Lexus LS430 with approximately 95k miles. The car was bought about 8 months ago. After the car was purchased, it was brought to the mechanic because the two of the parking sensors were malfunctioning. The mechanic said that they were old and needed to be replaced but OEM parts were expensive. We declined.
When the oil was replaced and service maintenance was done 3 months ago, the mechanic pointed out a few things that may need fixing including replacing the timing and drive belt. That has been done at a local Lexus mechanic.
The mechanic also said the front lower control arm bushings need to be replaced and the valve cover gaskets are leaking. I googled those parts and understood that the suspensions may cause early tire wear and a leaking gasket may leak on some important objects. The symptoms of a broken gasket may be a little bumpy or louder drive. It does seem the Lexus has a louder drive than normal. I am not sure.
I have a few questions before my family and I make a long-distance drive which may be happening soon.
Do the above repairs (bushings and gasket), which are semi-expensive, absolutely need to be replaced before a long drive? The car drives well and does not leak torrential oil when being used or parked after driving. Almost no oil leak. Maybe an ounce which could be water as it is less viscous.
How does one get optimal MPG? Is there a way to boost the MPG? The car gets approximately 12-14 with mostly city driving and 20-21 with mostly highway (80-20) driving.
The hydraulic lifts that lift the trunk when force is applied to open the trunk. Is that easily fixed DYI or does it need to be brought to a mechanic? It doesn’t fall on me. That works correctly. Just does not open by itself when force is applied to it. The mechanic said aftermarket would cost with labor about 120 and with OEM parts about 600. He quoted the aftermarket since it's just a trunk strut.
Thanks!
PS: Question about the thread. What is "build thread" and sub-threads vs. regular thread of the generation of the particular Lexus model.
Last edited by ipstat; 02-23-18 at 03:02 PM.
Reason: Left something out
Unless your car is in a severe environment, I wouldn't think the bushings would be so bad that they would need immediate replacement before a long trip. I have a 2001 with 184,000 miles and I just did the lower control arm bushing last summer. They really didn't look that bad when I took them out.
Valve cover gaskets are fairly easy to do and should be done, for peace of mind. That will keep oil from running down onto the exhaust and making a mess.
Tire pressure is the easiest way to improve your MPG. I average 26-27 MPG on my commute between Milwaukee and O'Hare near Chicago. Read a few of the threads on fuel economy and you'll quickly get overwhelmed with information.
With the mileage your car has, you are at the threshold of changing the timing belt and installing new spark plugs as well. new plugs will add to the fuel economy, as well as a clean air filter and correct tire pressures.
Those trunk lift struts are fairly easy to change out, with minimal tools. Look on eBay or rockauto.com for new struts and check youtube for a how-to video. Very easy.
Build threads are members who are literally building their cars, or modifying them.
Hope this info helps and welcome aboard
Oh, and where in Georgia are you?? I lived just south of McDonough for about 10 years
In regards to fuel economy, there's only so much that can be done. Obviously, keeping your foot out of the pedal helps as well. Adding a pound or 2 of air to each tire can help with lowering rolling resistance, and increasing economy.
I have a 2004 Lexus LS430 with approximately 95k miles. The car was bought about 8 months ago. After the car was purchased, it was brought to the mechanic because the two of the parking sensors were malfunctioning. The mechanic said that they were old and needed to be replaced but OEM parts were expensive. We declined.
When the oil was replaced and service maintenance was done 3 months ago, the mechanic pointed out a few things that may need fixing including replacing the timing and drive belt. That has been done at a local Lexus mechanic.
The mechanic also said the front lower control arm bushings need to be replaced and the valve cover gaskets are leaking. I googled those parts and understood that the suspensions may cause early tire wear and a leaking gasket may leak on some important objects. The symptoms of a broken gasket may be a little bumpy or louder drive. It does seem the Lexus has a louder drive than normal. I am not sure.
I have a few questions before my family and I make a long-distance drive which may be happening soon.
Do the above repairs (bushings and gasket), which are semi-expensive, absolutely need to be replaced before a long drive? The car drives well and does not leak torrential oil when being used or parked after driving. Almost no oil leak. Maybe an ounce which could be water as it is less viscous.
How does one get optimal MPG? Is there a way to boost the MPG? The car gets approximately 12-14 with mostly city driving and 20-21 with mostly highway (80-20) driving.
The hydraulic lifts that lift the trunk when force is applied to open the trunk. Is that easily fixed DYI or does it need to be brought to a mechanic? It doesn’t fall on me. That works correctly. Just does not open by itself when force is applied to it. The mechanic said aftermarket would cost with labor about 120 and with OEM parts about 600. He quoted the aftermarket since it's just a trunk strut.
Thanks!
PS: Question about the thread. What is "build thread" and sub-threads vs. regular thread of the generation of the particular Lexus model.
I know the parking sensors weren't part of your identified questions, but the answer your mechanic gave is wrong. The parking sensors don't fail simply because of their age. I and probably 85% of the members on here (guessing), still have 100% functional front and rear parking sensors. The sensors become faulty almost always after they're hit with a pebble/stone/etc. A solution you should try is to gently sand down the sensor that's faulty and wipe it down with a damp cloth. I've "fixed" a sensor that went bad (not from age), but because you could see a chip in the paint of the sensor. I read about this first fix on this forum. I then bought touch-up paint from the Lexus dealer and painted the little black circle Mercury Metallic (silver). It looks identical to the other sensors, and I'm no Picasso! Now---all bets are off if your sensor is actually CRACKED or broken. There is no aftermarket supply for those sensors ironically. A Toyota/Lexus sensor will set you back about $205 each.
EDIT---you can prevent the faulty sensors from giving you the warning visual & sound by shutting the parking sensor system off. The on/off pushbutton is located to the left of your left knee.
Regarding your questions----if the car drives fine to you, there's no need to sink $$$ into the control arms. My 2005 has almost 151k and I've never ever touched the suspension. My LS drives seemingly like the day I bought it. (I'm 2nd owner). I'm wanting to my shocks simply because they have 151k miles of up and down absorbing!
The valve cover gasket, depending on how much it's leaking, might warrant repair. A simple way to 'measure' how badly it's leaking is to fill the oil to the FULL level indication on the dipstick when the engine is COLD. Drive the LS for several hundred miles then check the dipstick again. Depending on how much the level dropped on the dipstick should help you decide if you need to immediately repair the gaskets. You also mentioned the fluid you've seen you're not sure if it's oil or not. Do you park in the same spot every day/night? Do you have a large puddle like formation under the car? I have read owners replacing the gaskets, but mine are still original. With the gaskets it's either pay me now or pay me later. As 2K mentioned, for peace of mind during your trip, you might want to have them replaced.
Again, as 2K mentioned, increase the tire pressure a couple of PSI when measured COLD. I believe all our LS's (17" and 18" wheels) take 32PSI. Inflate them to 34PSI. Another tip to 'increase' your fuel economy is to refuel right before you get onto the highway, lol. Obviously the longer the computer calculates the MPG's on highway only will improve your numbers as compared to if you fuel up then drive 30 minutes in the 'city', before going on your voyage. It really is amazing the displayed TANK fuel economy when filling up just before getting on the highway. Mixed type driving is exactly that, mixed highway+city. Another tip to help your fuel economy is to change out both of your upstream O2 sensors! 100k miles is a great time to change both of them out. They WILL eventually go bad due to use, and when they go bad, you'll see a decline in fuel economy! There's many threads on here documenting the part #'s and the actual procedures. (I attempted changing mine but ended up with bloody knuckes and ruined threads in the exhaust pipe. I had to drive her to my buddy/mechanic's house for him to fix what I screwed up, lol.
There are many threads discussing the trunk struts, OEM vs aftermarket, and the actual procedures, as well.
I take it you don't change the oil & filter yourself? I ask because that's something I always try to do before a long trip. If you had the LS up on ramps or jackstands, you could also try to see if/where/what you're leaking.
I have a few questions before my family and I make a long-distance drive which may be happening soon.
Do the above repairs (bushings and gasket), which are semi-expensive, absolutely need to be replaced before a long drive? The car drives well and does not leak torrential oil when being used or parked after driving. Almost no oil leak. Maybe an ounce which could be water as it is less viscous.
How does one get optimal MPG? Is there a way to boost the MPG? The car gets approximately 12-14 with mostly city driving and 20-21 with mostly highway (80-20) driving.
The hydraulic lifts that lift the trunk when force is applied to open the trunk. Is that easily fixed DYI or does it need to be brought to a mechanic? It doesn’t fall on me. That works correctly. Just does not open by itself when force is applied to it. The mechanic said aftermarket would cost with labor about 120 and with OEM parts about 600. He quoted the aftermarket since it's just a trunk strut.
1) You don't need to make those repairs before your trip. You might want to simply try tightening the valve cover screws down. Not too tight mind you, just snug. Others have reported that theirs were loose and by simply tightening them up they were able to get their leaks to stop. If the car is driving fine to you I wouldn't even bother with the LCA bushings for awhile.
2) Optimal mileage? If on the interstate, just stay behind people and let them break the wind (no pun intended). Drive slower (I don't follow that one myself), coast when possible.
3) The trunk will NOT self open even with brand new struts. If yours opens a few inches when you push the button, and you're able to open it the rest of the way easily with your hand and it does not close by itself when the trunk lid is about 3/4 open then replacing your struts is probably a waste of your money.
Otherwise, welcome aboard and have a good trip...
Originally Posted by 2KHarrier
... new plugs will add to the fuel economy, as well as a clean air filter and correct tire pressures.
Spark plugs aren't normally due until you hit 120K miles. I did mine at 110k and didn't notice any improvement in mpg's. As for the air filter, most people probably don't realize that a dirty filter actually filters better than a new one and it will not affect you're gas mileage but it will affect your performance. For more information on this go look at this article. Your tax dollars at work...
I know the parking sensors weren't part of your identified questions, but the answer your mechanic gave is wrong. The parking sensors don't fail simply because of their age. I and probably 85% of the members on here (guessing), still have 100% functional front and rear parking sensors. The sensors become faulty almost always after they're hit with a pebble/stone/etc. A solution you should try is to gently sand down the sensor that's faulty and wipe it down with a damp cloth. I've "fixed" a sensor that went bad (not from age), but because you could see a chip in the paint of the sensor. I read about this first fix on this forum. I then bought touch-up paint from the Lexus dealer and painted the little black circle Mercury Metallic (silver). It looks identical to the other sensors, and I'm no Picasso! Now---all bets are off if your sensor is actually CRACKED or broken. There is no aftermarket supply for those sensors ironically. A Toyota/Lexus sensor will set you back about $205 each.
EDIT---you can prevent the faulty sensors from giving you the warning visual & sound by shutting the parking sensor system off. The on/off pushbutton is located to the left of your left knee.
He said one was broken and the other he was not sure. Yes! I turned it off the 2nd day of ownership after I looked in the manual.
Originally Posted by LS430inDE.
The valve cover gasket, depending on how much it's leaking, might warrant repair. A simple way to 'measure' how badly it's leaking is to fill the oil to the FULL level indication on the dipstick when the engine is COLD. Drive the LS for several hundred miles then check the dipstick again. Depending on how much the level dropped on the dipstick should help you decide if you need to immediately repair the gaskets. You also mentioned the fluid you've seen you're not sure if it's oil or not. Do you park in the same spot every day/night? Do you have a large puddle like formation under the car? I have read owners replacing the gaskets, but mine are still original. With the gaskets it's either pay me now or pay me later. As 2K mentioned, for peace of mind during your trip, you might want to have them replaced.
Unfortunately, I don't have the time to check the oil dipstick and drive a few hundred miles. I have to check if there is a puddle or not. I do not think so. It's very dry where I park and I park in the same spot every day.
Originally Posted by LS430inDE.
Again, as 2K mentioned, increase the tire pressure a couple of PSI when measured COLD. I believe all our LS's (17" and 18" wheels) take 32PSI. Inflate them to 34PSI. Another tip to 'increase' your fuel economy is to refuel right before you get onto the highway, lol. Obviously the longer the computer calculates the MPG's on highway only will improve your numbers as compared to if you fuel up then drive 30 minutes in the 'city', before going on your voyage. It really is amazing the displayed TANK fuel economy when filling up just before getting on the highway. Mixed type driving is exactly that, mixed highway+city. Another tip to help your fuel economy is to change out both of your upstream O2 sensors! 100k miles is a great time to change both of them out. They WILL eventually go bad due to use, and when they go bad, you'll see a decline in fuel economy! There's many threads on here documenting the part #'s and the actual procedures. (I attempted changing mine but ended up with bloody knuckes and ruined threads in the exhaust pipe. I had to drive her to my buddy/mechanic's house for him to fix what I screwed up, lol.
I will try to add some pressure to the tires.
Originally Posted by LS430inDE.
There are many threads discussing the trunk struts, OEM vs aftermarket, and the actual procedures, as well.
1) You don't need to make those repairs before your trip. You might want to simply try tightening the valve cover screws down. Not too tight mind you, just snug. Others have reported that theirs were loose and by simply tightening them up they were able to get their leaks to stop. If the car is driving fine to you I wouldn't even bother with the LCA bushings for awhile.
2) Optimal mileage? If on the interstate, just stay behind people and let them break the wind (no pun intended). Drive slower (I don't follow that one myself), coast when possible.
3) The trunk will NOT self open even with brand new struts. If yours opens a few inches when you push the button, and you're able to open it the rest of the way easily with your hand and it does not close by itself when the trunk lid is about 3/4 open then replacing your struts is probably a waste of your money.
I was just trying to replace the struts so the trunk opens by itself after it opens a few inches and you pull on it. Apparently, it's supposed to open a couple inches. And after pulling on it it opens by itself. I could be wrong. Something is wrong where I have to put muscle into it to open it after it clicks open.
Originally Posted by Gronemus
Spark plugs aren't normally due until you hit 120K miles. I did mine at 110k and didn't notice any improvement in mpg's. As for the air filter, most people probably don't realize that a dirty filter actually filters better than a new one and it will not affect you're gas mileage but it will affect your performance. For more information on this go look at this article. Your tax dollars at work...
Thanks. Just to clarify to those who talked about the sensors, the backup sensors work fine. It is the front and front right sensors that are having fits. If I could turn off the front and not the back ones I would do that.
I bought my car with 81k, 2006 in Oct. 2016. I sorta made the mistake in letting lexus do a multipoint, and suddenly my car needed about $6k of work (none was needed at all per indie). This scare tactic is likely why people part with 10 y.o. LS430s, dealers scare the original owners.
One of the items were the LCA arms and bushings to the tune of $1500, and they implied I might not pass an inspection (bold faced lie). The indie installed bushings that I bought on eBay, OE, charged me I think almost $300 labor to press the old out, and the new in (I think someone here got $150 in FLA?), but he also cautioned me that I would feel NO difference. What he was trying to say was that yes they have cracks, but there is no free play. I have seen on YouTube where they are totally gone on a maxima and the guy can move the arm by hand as a result. So I am skeptical about what improvement new bushings will accomplish, but I did it and it's done.
Valve cover gaskets are good to take care of because eventually oil will be getting everywhere and it just gets worse...one can top off the oil if a minor leak, but it is a good thing to address imho...maybe tube seals, I dunno as haven't crossed that bridge yet.
I bought my car with 81k, 2006 in Oct. 2016. I sorta made the mistake in letting lexus do a multipoint, and suddenly my car needed about $6k of work (none was needed at all per indie). This scare tactic is likely why people part with 10 y.o. LS430s, dealers scare the original owners.
One of the items were the LCA arms and bushings to the tune of $1500, and they implied I might not pass an inspection (bold faced lie). The indie installed bushings that I bought on eBay, OE, charged me I think almost $300 labor to press the old out, and the new in (I think someone here got $150 in FLA?), but he also cautioned me that I would feel NO difference. What he was trying to say was that yes they have cracks, but there is no free play. I have seen on YouTube where they are totally gone on a maxima and the guy can move the arm by hand as a result. So I am skeptical about what improvement new bushings will accomplish, but I did it and it's done.
I am sorry that you went through that. I think this case is different because this mechanic didn't push anything; he said it was optional and the car would run the same. Regarding the gaskets he said it may be more pressing but it was also optional.
Originally Posted by Johnhav430
Valve cover gaskets are good to take care of because eventually oil will be getting everywhere and it just gets worse...one can top off the oil if a minor leak, but it is a good thing to address imho...maybe tube seals, I dunno as haven't crossed that bridge yet.
That's great to know info. Last year when I was considering & shopping to have my front bumper repainted/repaired, 3 different body shops wrote up replacing the sensors with OEM at the tune of $205 each. All 3 body shops told me, and wrote up on the estimate, there was no aftermarket/cheaper availability for the sensor.
The only thing is the sensor is a little smaller than oem so there is a gap. Maybe there are other aftermarket ones on ebay that are the correct size but for 15 bucks each I'm not complaining.
02-23-18, 01:22 PM
Long-distance drive: questions
