So today my beloved IS250 SE-L was towed to the garage with a suspected blown head gasket at just 109k 
Spoke to Lexus and it's not covered under any sort of warranty (thought there was an extended 110k warranty for head gaskets?)
So the garage will give it a head test tomorrow and confirm it or not. Anyone had to foot the bill for this and if so, what am I in for?
Hey, im having a bit of trouble with my is220d. Over christmas i hadnt driven the car for approx 3 weeks. And now its developed a whirring/rubbing noise whenever i turn the steering wheel. Ive greased the dust boot in the bulkhead bu the sound is still there. It sounds like its coming from inside the plastic sheilding behind the steering wheel.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what it is?
Thanks, Jamie.
Lexus Midlands Meet
Anyone intereted in a Lexus Midlands Meet around March time?
Started a thread in the Club Meetings section of the forum so if you are interested come join in :)
Any thoughts on this one. I have an intermittent alarm going off but no dashboard warning lights. By intermittent I mean I can get two or three beeps, or even part of a beep. It only started after a long drive in the snow this week, and only happens below 3 degrees. Is the external temperature sensor manfunctioning? Where is it located?
I jet washed the car quickly to get salt off, could the sensor have got water damaged?
Thanks
Does anyone have any experience of these alloy wheel protectors? Any comments/thought will be gratefully rteceived.
Last week my car went through the usual process of chugging, no power, check VSC, limp mode. It had been about 3 years (40,000 miles ago) since it had last happened. A good EGR clean and DPF regeneration seemed to do the job back then.
So, now i'm at 145,000 miles (2007) and the same happened. I gave the EGR a clean (I usually do this every 5,000 miles anyway) but this time I pulled it apart and tried to ensure the two plates on the valve stem were seating properly. I'd highly recommend this extra attention as there was still a small gap after my usual clean. However, the DPF seems to be fully blocked this time. The P2002 fault appeared and I had the pressure checked. It should be about 3mBar at idle but was 50mBar (measured between turbo and DPF).
The car is now in today for a full DPF clean. It's done using a Terraclean product. Fingers crossed. I'm having a full engine clean done as well (standard Terraclean service).
Picking the car up later this evening so will report back.
One thing I wanted to try was to check the operation of the EGR valve. I'm not a mechanic/electrician but have some level of competency 
. Can anyone tell me how to check that it is working? Was thinking of just running 12V through it direct from the battery but I don't have a wiring diagram.
There have been a few occasions where folk have forgotten to select "recirc" before attempting to replace the cabin filter. This can cause a selector breakage if the cover door is forced up to get at the filter inside. This can be a right pain and it's been said that Lexus charge hundreds to repair this.
The good news is there is rather a good thread regarding the repair of this over on the US Lexus club site. It's a good write up and there are quite a good selection of photos to view.
Here is a link for anyone looking to have a go at a home repair.
Equally, it's worth book marking just in case you need it in the future ....you never know!!
If you are thinking of changing the Cabin/Pollen filter here is a mini guide on how to do it.
Remember to put the a/c system into "recirculate" mode. If you have done this the lid over the filter will be up when you remove the cover at the back of the glovebox.
On no account try to force up the cover to get at the filter ... you will damage the selector levers and it is either very time consuming and fiddly to repair, or will cost ££££'s at Lexus.
If its not up...turn the ignition 'ON' and select recirculate ... you should see the cover lid lift up to reveal the filter.
10 - 20 minute job. Fiddliest bit is removing the shelf bits in the glovebox compartment.
The picture should make it all clear.
I would like to canvass the opinions of other is250 on the subject of fuel additives, the pros and cons, the types that are available, and what's considered the "best" . Any feedback and knowledge of products would be appreciated.
So I bought this Lexus is 220d from a car dealer 50 miles away, just as I got a few roads away from home I lost my acceleration. I was pulling out from a junction and it suddenly had nothing to give. Here is the fun part... I bought the car with the VSC and engine management light already on. My first thought was that it was going to be a simple DPF issue or something simple. The car did still have power even with the VSC light on and it still runs fine now but no acceleration.
DTC from scanner: P1426, P2002 (Particulate Trap Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank1)) and P2047 (Reductant Injector Circuit / Open (Bank 1 Unit 1)).
What I have done to find and fix the problem.
General inspection revealed sensor from back of the engine (I think 5th injector sensor P2047) was unplugged and so was another in the DPF (I think temp sensor P1426 code). After plugging them both in the codes went away.
For P2002 I took the car on a very long run after using a DPF cleaner and fuel additive and had no effect. Decided to try remove the DPF from the vehicle to have a look but to my surprise before I removed it completely I could see light coming from the other end. I think the people before me obviously removed it unless it has been broken up and inside of the convertor itself which I think would be unlikely as I would have seen some sort of broken material surely?
One of the differential pressure sensor tubes that come from the DPF is blocked, I could not unblock this with a tyre compressor so I used a T connector to join the two and then used another T connector to go straight into the pressure sensor. I was worried about the sensor getting too much pressure so I decided to put a couple breather holes in the tube so the pressure wouldn’t build up even close to 14psi. This has cured my VSC light.
I have done tests with the differential pressure sensor and I think it seems to be in good working order, unplugged the signal reads 4.8v, plugged in with power its 0.8v and when the car is running it will fluxuate around 0.8v.
It does seem like its missing the power from the turbo as if I had a leak between turbo and manifold. I have looked for vacuum leaks but it’s been hard finding any problems.
I have inspected the turbo actuator (wastegate) and it seems to move and do its job.
Alternator is charging and battery is good health.
Glow plugs have good resistance and volts going to them.
Put paper against the exhaust to see good pressure and no suction from exhaust valves.
EGR is clean and good condition the valve moves freely. While inspecting the EGR I could see a fair bit of carbon maybe oil build up on the air intake manifold.
Vacuum pressure regulator seems to be working fine in regards to resistance etc. but not sure if its diverting the air to the filter when volts are going to it. I done the test while it was still on the vehicle and could read it had 12v supply while plugged in but when I blew on the hose I was still coming out of the other hose not filter, sure it would provide a DTC if it was faulty.
I spoke with someone that done remapping and he said if I deleted the files from the ECU then I wouldn’t have the problem with the DPF anymore assuming all the sensors and everything was in working order, he told me he couldn’t find any problems. I paid the guy £250 to come out he remapped my car and it had no effect...
Its driving me crazy I need to get this fixed.
When a car is registered in March os 2014 does that mean it was manufactured in 2014 or is that 2013? How can one know about this? How many times a year is a car manufactured? When is the car first registered i.e. at what point? Can there be an unregistered 2010 car registered in 2014?
Hi Guys,
I have noticed that my IS250 2006 Auto is smoking more at traffic lights than any other car on the road. I have only noticed this happens when I am stationary and the smoke can be seen on the side mirrors and rear view mirror.
I don't know why this is happening and don't know if the weather is to blame. but these are the checks I have done:
1. Checked Coolant - All OK
2. Check for sludge on dipstick and oil cap - All OK
3. Checked for smoke colour - Seems normal but does stay around for a while, even after the engine if off. Seems a bit sweaty when I put my hands on the end of the exhaust - No smell of petrol or coolant.
My driving style: Short city driving
I have read lots of forums but most are in USA and mot much from UK.
Should I worry or not???? :eerrrmm: :eerrrmm: :eerrrmm:
Thank you for all your help
My car is poorly at the moment, it has now gone in limp mode. On the dash the engine management, check VSC and traction control lights come on. I have a noise coming from my steering when turning. I am assuming that due to running low tyre pressure this has affected the computer system so lights are show hence the limp mode.
if anyone knows of any other remedies that could cause this problem or if indeed it is a major problem then please advise before I take it to the garage for repair.
My car recently have developed interesting fault. I cannot say it came unexpected, for a while it was intermittent i.e. washer fluid didn't come on the first pull of the leaver.
Over the time I was associating it with maybe half empty washer fluid bottle, rare use or air in the washers tubing.... until recently. Now I can confirm that washer bottle is full, but noting comes up from the jets.. even after 10-20 pulls. Windscreen wipers starts swiping to clean the fluid (which meant to be there), but nothing come out.
I would like to note that head lamps washers works fine, only the windscreen washers are affected.
Any ideas? I guess there should be fuse, so might need to start from that?
A quick list of what to look out for .... don't let this put you off ... all the faults I can remember are listed below (some are common sense), maybe there are a few more that owners can add
Seized rear calipers - cost around £300 each - Easiest way to check is to take the car on a test run and then when parked back up again feel the heat on each alloy - should be warm and not excessively hot. No squealing. Also, if discs are still rusted looking after driving then there's a problem. Obviously pulling to the side is noticeable
Brake pad shims - some members reported missing brake shims from the rear calliper - probably from when pads were replaced and the garage or dealer forgot to put them back on. Its not something you can easily check on a test drive but if missing they are very hard to source except from a scrap dealer if they will sell them at all separate.
Seized front calipers - as with the rears, around £300 each. Both front and backs can be freed if not too far gone, re-greased and put back together again but once seized they may need looking after more than ones not having been seized in the past as pitting and ill fitting rubber seals may be an issue. Why does this happen ... last owner not looking after the car or using the wrong type of grease in that it attacks the rubber boots letting dirt and water into the caliper moving parts. If it was looked after by the dealer then new calipers would have been fitted if seized. Greasing is not a part of the service schedule from Lexus so be aware. You may not experience any warnings that they are seized. Its the most common fault on these cars so get an assurance from the seller to replace if found to be seized or have him check them first. To be honest If it was me i would also check them myself when I got home with a new car just to be sure. Easy DIY job to both replace and maintain (grease) I do mine every 6 months but a lot of owners do it every year.
Black oil - A sign the cars not been looked after - the oil should not be black. It will go dark in colour but not black. Again, an easy DIY job - I use Magnatec and an oil change, including the filter will cost you around £60. Takes a bit over 6 litres.
Oil filter cap seized - If you can, ask the dealer or garage to ensure the cap housing thr filter will move. A lot of garages, including dealers put these on far too tight and some owners have experienced cracked housings while trying to remove the caps to change the filter. An easy DIY job
White crust around front water pump area - an indication the water pump is on its way out - costs around £200 for a new one (inclusive of fitting)
Exhaust shot - Black soot around the welded joints - check the centre section around the middle resonator as this is a problem area. Get this checked out at an exhaust centre. Pay for the inspection as you wont get a lot of change back from 3k for the replacement parts (back box and centre) if it has gone or is on its last legs - the pattern parts have not been released to 3rd party manufacturers so the replacement parts are only available from Lexus unless you are going bespoke and going for a stainless one - a Cat back system will cost around £500
Tyres rotated wrong way - Ask why have they done this? un-even tyre wear so look around the shocks / springs to see if theres any issues - maybe nothing
Tyre choice - A good choice of branded rear tyres will serve well. Remember its a rear wheel drive car - Do not go for cheap brands as while they may last/wear well, the performance in the wet will be hazardous. Read through the forums for owner experiences on brands.
Leaking shocks - Expensive replacements but not a real issue - some owners have reported replacing them and hard to find
Wheel locking nuts seized - Put on with a tyre dealer air hammer. Will come off with specialised tools and a lot of patience - I think this is common cause on all cars - happened on 3 in our household over the years. Check this out before buying if possible.
Wheel security locking nut missing - check this is available when buying the car. Without it you wont be able to take the tyres off easily or replace if you get a puncture
Tow hook missing - only handy when you need it so check its there - located in the boot of the car
Spare tyre - it houses a space saver wheel - make sure its inflated. If it looks like its been used then take out and inspect to make sure its inflated.
DVD sat nav extraction tool missing - only handy when you come to update the sat nav DVD - the tools for this should be in the black tool kit in the boot of the car
CD/DVD head unit fully working - take an original CD / a DVD and an MP3 disc with you and test each one out - they should all work without messing with the settings. (you will need to select each disc to play and it should)
Noise from front speaker cover - a cracking noise from the speaker cover on the front centre dash board - not experienced this myself but its apparently quite noisy. Also a rattle has been reported, again not widespread.
Noise from driver door area - don't know If this is a common area. I originally thought it was the door seal but narrowed it down to the handle above the door rattling slightly - I oiled the hinge and the noise disappeared
Coolant level low - check the heating is hot when on. Check for a "gurgling" noise which will indicate the cooling is low - if its low then there could be an issue with a leak or possible indication the pump is on its way out
Front headlights - will become "cloudy" over time - no more than any other car and can easily be restored with a bit of elbow grease
Corroded wheels - a common issue with the Toyota wheels - bad ones will eventually lose air and deflate due to the corrosion not creating a good seal.
Uneven wear on tyres - indication there's something a miss with the alignment / shocks - to be honest this is not reported as a problem on the cars. Maybe more so from owners using non OEM wheels
Cams are chain driven - no worries there but they can stretch (very extreme though)
Rear blind working - read a few posts on here that its stopped working or stuck in the up position - check its operation
Front discs - They are heavy on discs and front pads. Check the wear on the discs on the front - not expensive to replace and an easy DIY job
Lights not bright and flickering - an indication that the bulbs are on their way out - check both are the same colour. If not, one has been replaced and other will need to be done at some point. Check all front lights as they are quite fiddly in replacing the bulbs
Aircon works - should be cold - if not then check coolant level, if ok the system either has a leak or may need re-gassing
Squeeky steering adjustment - has been reported by a few members. Mine squeeks in hot weather when automatically adjusting. Not all the time and has not caused any issues.
Mirrors dip when in reverse - the mirrors should dip towards the road when in reverse, a feature on the cars to ensure easy viewing of where you are going. If they don't then its most likely they will just need to be cleaned internally. Again an easy DIY job.
Parking sensors - with the engine running have someone walk within a foot of the sensors at the front and the rear of the car - it should start beeping when the person walks past them. Not seen any issues with this reported by the owners.
O2 sensors - PreCat (within engine bay) will go around 70 to 80k easy DIY job - cost around £180 for OEM Denso ones - don't use 3rd party ones as they will not last
Rear brake shoes - Cant easily be checked on a test drive - changed mine at around 90k last year and they still had a bit of meat on them, probably on the car from new so more than likely will need changing or inspection at least. Easy DIY job
Main engine plastic cover - centre engine cover can become loose from removing and re-applying it. there is a push button tab that breaks off and it can in some instances be heard rattling over lumpy roads. Mine has broke - not a real issue as the radio at low volume masks any rattle. I expect some strong glue would fix this.
Engine idle - make sure its constant at tick over when cold (quite high) and when hot (around 700revs) - if erratic it could indicate a carbon build up - not an issue with an application with cleaning liquids
Valve Rattle - VVTI may rattle from time to time - the oil will drain in some cases from the resoviour for the valves after standing for a bit and as a consequence there is a rattle noise (similar to a dull machine gun noise) but will disappear in a second or so. Happenned on mine a few times when I first had it. but not come back for a couple of years now. Regular oil changes and I do an engine flush each oil change and in my opinion it has helped a lot.
Exhaust smoke - no smoke from these - only condensate when in cold weather which is normal for most cars
Cabin carpets - check the drivers side has clips anchoring the carpet down (if it has one) if it doesn't then the carpet can creep under the pedals
Boot - Its a fair size boot but the opening does not give good access to large items - ideally it could have done with split seats but its not that kind of car I guess.
Audio - Make sure the spec includes a Mark Levinson branded head unit which is the better of the head unit specs on these models.(indicated on the front of the stereo on the bottom right of the unit)
Rear seat room - its a bit cramped in the back with passengers on the seats - leg room is dismal, maybe that's why I have never sat in the back when its been driven. Wife wont drive it due to the size of the car which I don't mind at all.
Reliability - looked after its bullet proof, best make of car I have owned. Running costs are petrol only. Put in the time to do the services (oil, filters etc) and it will serve you well.
Parts availability - Had my 250 for 3 years and an IS200 for 2 prior to that - the only time I was unable to get a part was the exhaust for the 250 - I could get one from the dealer but at nearly 3k I thought no way and went down another route. Parts are available from Eurocarparts / ebay / online easily enough and are not expensive.
Speed - People forget these are not sports cars - they are quick in manual mode and can keep up with the best of them but are not made for that purpose. Its nice owning one for the individuality of having something different from whats sitting on the neighbours drive or in the works car park. I only know of an IS200 Alteeza and a IS220 local to myself so its my bit of exclusivity. Don't care how old it is, its still better than a new model medium city car.
Mileage - mines on 93k - no issue and having has a high miler is200 and this one then I would consider another high miler but with the knowledge of what to look for. I don't think there would be any problems if you are careful in what you are looking at - gut instinct in a lot of cases. I guess there will be very few low milers available now on these cars now but you may be lucky in finding one.
Keys - Ensure it has a minimum of 2 keys and they both work - if not then its definitely a bargaining chip to use as a replacement one will cost you around £350 and a trip to Lexus.
Corroding windscreen wiper arms - these seem to bubble quite a bit under the paint on the main body of the wiper arm. No issue but it will break through the paint at somepoint.
Check front windshield, if non-genuine check if wipers defrosters and auto sensing wipers works OK. As well windshields mouldings sometimes gets gets loose (broken clips) - about £80 to get new mouldings. (Courtesy of Linas.P)
Main ground cable - In wet climate it was reported that main ground cable sometimes gets corroded and it is very hard to troubleshoot it.(Courtesy of Linas.P)
Squeaky seats reported for the manual option (Courtesy of Vintagesixtysix)
DMF issues (Dual Mass Flywheel) for the manual drive option (Courtesy of Vintagesixtysix)
Paint - the paint is soft on these cars so are prone to scratching easier than other makes if not careful
Cat failure - there has been a couple of reports of the cats failing on these cars but only a few have been reported at relative low mileage for the car (around 80 / 90k miles) not common though. There are 2 cats on these.
Service milestones - consider cars around 60k miles require a spark plug change - or so Lexus recommends although they are good for 100k. This is an expensive job at around £600. Not done mine yet, planning on doing them at 100k. I would state at 100k then you will need to get your hands dirty and give the car a good going over, fluids etc just for peace of mind. Lexus service interval report does not state any excessive requirements, mostly checks to be made.
Recalls - that I am aware of: cabin carpet mat required securing / airbags / fuel sensor washer. there may be more but these are the ones I know of.
Spec - I would personally recommend the top spec SE-L Auto box at 2007 / 2008 as I believe when the face lift came along then the models lost a few features that were on the older models. A sunroof would be brilliant but like gold dust at this spec.
Quite a bit of points above - don't let this put you off at all - the exhaust nearly saw me pack the car in when mine went but I went down the stainless route so alls not lost. Best to go into a sale knowing all the points to look at before making your mind up. Best car I have ever owned.
One last point, if you have an ODB error code reader then take along and scan the ecu for any stored fault codes unless the dealer has cleared it down
Hi all,
I'm looking at an IS250 for my Wife, to replace her Mercedes A170 petrol. she drives from Reigate to Maidstone 4 days per week, and I'm really not a fan of her driving what is not much more than a shoebox with all the articulated lorries going to and from Dover on M25/M26/M20.
I had have 7 IS200s over time, as my brother was a regional marketing director for Lexus. Always been a fan of them.
Test driven an IS220d and couldn't believe how dreadful the manual gearbox was (sorry to anyone reading this who has one, maybe I just drove a bad one, but owners reviews seem to say the same) The IS200s I had, had a fantastic 6 speed manual box, with short sharp gear changes, the 220d was like stiring porridge, and the gear stick was so loose/wobbly, so that was quickly out of the equation.
Now tried two IS250s and both have been great. Found one with around 65k on clock, but I'm a little worried. I've heard they have spark plug issues, or need changing at this mileage with service.
Can anyone confirm this? Has anyone continued to use the car without changing? I'm assuming the only thing one would notice would be it running lumpy? I've seen prices quoted around £500- £600 for replacement. Is this correct ?
Thanks in advance for any help/tips/advice
So my IS250 just sailed through its MOT at Lexus Poole yesterday. Got 1 advisory for the wiper blades and planned on changing these soon anyway.
Any recommendations for this car? Is it best to go genuine or not?
Very impressed with my '08 Lexus 250 SE - quiet (mainly what I was most looking for), nimble, great engine and comfortable. There are a few puzzling things about it though: the headlights are almost unbelievably dim (we don't even use it at night!) and how Lexus, claiming to be a top quality brand, could omit something so basic as headlight washers from an SE version almost beggars belief.
Got my car booked for Monday morning for mot even though it doesn't expire until 13 Feb but I like to get it early, getting done in Romford using Groupon voucher for £19.i used it before on my is220d as it's a bargain at that price.
Am going to start this topic and have asked the "mods" to have it sticky pinned to the top of the topics to make it an easy reference for owners, both new and existing. What I am listing are recommendations from owners on part numbers / makes etc for components used on their cars such as slide pin grease / oil / bulbs etc as these topics seem to come up on a regular basis and it would be handy to have this, as a review if you like, held on one page. So to start I have listed the items below and will update the list as and when replies are made to the topic.
User recommendation only for what has been a "good fit" for the owners
******
Brake Pads (Front)
Brake Pads (Rear)
Brake Shoes (Rear)
Brake Discs (Front)
Brake Discs (Back)
Slide Pin Grease
Brake Squeal Compound
Spark Plugs
Tyres (Front)
Tyres (Rear)
Coolant
Oil
Brake Fluid
Wiper Blades
Car Wax
Headlight Bulb
Sidelight Bulb
Indicator Bulb
Spotlight Bulb
Rear Light Bulb
Rear Reverse Bulb
Interior Bulb
Boot Bulb
Bank 1 / Sensor 1
Bank 2 / Sensor 1
Bank 1 / Sensor 2
Bank 2 / Sensor 2
Air Filter
Oil Filter
Cabin Pollen Filter
Fuel Additive
Oil Additive
Differential Oil