Newbie questions
 

I got a 2003 SC430 about 10 days ago, and I've changed out the runflats, which were worn out anyway, so it runs great.

However, I've got a few questions:

1. What is the procedure for changing wiper blades? The manual doesn't mention it and my online searches have been fruitless. When I try to pull them up, they hit the hood (the bonnet if you're in the UK).

2. Does the car originally come with a liner in the cigarette-pack area next to the lighter? My wife's RX300 has a liner in it, and since we don't smoke, we use it for spare change for parking meters, infrequent tolls and 69-cent ice cream cones from McDonald's. The liner is easy to pull out so you can dump the change in your hand.

3. The retractable cover for the cargo area has a black leather strap hanging down from it, with a magnetic button on the end. When the cover is extended, it clips onto a tab directly below it. When the cover is retracted, the strap extends to the rear to another metal tab on the deck, but I see no purpose for it in either position. Am I missing something obvious?

Of course, the only significant question is the first.

Thanks for any answers (hopefully before it rains).

1) Turn the windshield wipers on until they're in the upright position, then turn the ignition off. The hood will still block the lower part of the arm, but you'll have plenty of room to replace the blades.

I would recommend buying refills rather than the entire blade. It's much easier to replace just the rubber part. When I replaced mine, I bought the entire blade and ended up just swapping out the rubber blades.

I'd also lay a towel on the glass to prevent any scratches.

2) It comes with an ashtray. It has a metal piece for putting out cigarettes that gets in the way of coins. I took mine out and put it in the glove box and use the space for coins.

3) Never thought about it. But I assume it's just to keep it from moving around. Which doesn't really matter anyway.

I think the leather strap is for vertically-challenged people with short arms like myself to pull the cover back into the rear stowage position.

The SC has a small change holder on the console. The lever that opens it is between the VSC OFF and ECT buttons in the event you haven't discovered it yet. Doesn't really hold too much change but it works and more importantly it leaves the ash tray cavity free for me to keep my phone in it.

Another discovery
 

Today, when I started to open the roof, the red light above the switch started flashing and, of course, the roof wouldn't open. I remembered that I had left the cargo cover in its retracted position. When I opened the trunk and extended the cover, the roof opened! What will I discover next? Hyperdrive activator? Nuclear launch codes? Bill Gates' Mastercard?

1. see attached PDF

2. There should be a removable ash receptacle. One of these part numbers:
74108 ASH RECEPTACLE

74108‑24010 JZZ3*, UZZ3* 1 $31.58

3. The black leather strap with the magnetic button is designed to attach to spare tire cover button when extended or to the trunk deck with retracted. It's a little difficult to see, but if you follow the link in my signature block, I have a photo of my trunk with the spare components. Including the leather strap magnetically latched to the spare tire cover.
As to its purpose, well that my be up to interpretation. Some may believe it was so smaller folks could reach it. Others will say it a piece of leather that adds 100 bucks to the cost of the car.... to each their own.

Oh and by the way, congrats on your purchase.... and be careful :egads: not to disturb the flux capacitor under the rear seat, you might end up back in the future.:D

Love the BACK TO THE FUTURE reference. Still one of my top 5 movies!

I recently started using for spare change one of those 60 piece eclipse gum cylinders. Works great. I put it in the lower center armrest. I just peel off all the labeling.

VVTiBob:

Thanks for the PDF. I'm pretty sure I can handle it now.

BTW, I looked at my console when I went out for dinner and there's a cover plate in front of the ECT switch, but no coin holder! I guess I got cheated...

Also, I think I found the hyperdrive switch. It's just to the right of the brake pedal.

the coin holder is there. it's a tiny switch and a small panel flips up.

If it's there, the switch is stuck
 

The mechanical switch between the two electrical switches doesn't move, and it looks like a dummy.

you should be able to press the end of it closest to you and it should pop open. i don't think lexus ever built any cars with dummy switches. maybe yours broke and the previous owner glued it shut rather than fix it.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/9045/coincomp.jpg

The coin holder button is not a "push" button but a slide button, when you slide it towards the rear the cover will open! :egads:

when you push it, it slides. go figure.

I've tried sliding and pushing, but with no results.

It is either stuck or somebody has glued it shut.

Thinking about that could get me started on the careless dolt who stripped out several of the screws that hold the wheel covers on. It looks like they used a air wrench to tighten them up ....

Sounds like you have a few tasks ahead of you to the car back into shape.