squ

Just bought a pearl white ES300 with crome wheels yesterday, spend 5300 for it, thought I got a good bargain. The car drove like a dream, the stearing is exceptional.

This morning, when I checked the car, I noticed that the coolant reservoir is almost empty. Since I didn't know what coolant was inside, I just added some water to the reservoir. Drove my wife to costco for some grocery shopping, when we got back, steam was coming out of the hood! I carefully opened the hood, and noticed the steam was coming from somewhere near the bottom of the radiator. It smelled like burnt coolant.
Then I noticed the green liquid was streaking off from underneath the car. I got to the ground and noticed coolant was gushing out near the radiator...

The strange thing is that the resevoir still has the same amount of water I put in though. I guess this is a leak in the radiator some where, and looks like a big leak as well. I might have to replace the radiator all together, but I'll have to find this out from the mechanic.
I guess a lesson learnt for us is that when things appear to sell for cheap, there is always a reason for it... you can never be too careful...

Pheonix

Put the radiator hose back on.

Coolant is not used from the resivior. Only when both pressure caps open when the system is venting excess pressure during overheating between pressureized gasses spilling out & vacuum of the system back down, or there is a loss of coolant & it is sucked up when the pressure cap opens during vacuum.






When you flush the cooling system (And you should do that, as well as every other system ASAP) Use only a normal green coolant.




That's '93 ES didn't sell for cheap. It sold for expencive.

mikhailw

Unless your car has 50K miles, you didn't pay cheap. I bought 93 Es300 with 95Kmiles for $3700.
New radiator is $500 from a dealer, or $150 aftermarket,. I use only RED Toyota long life coolant.

squ

Thanks for all the input, guys!

And DOH! I should have joined this forum before I bought the car. :-(
The odometer is already 128196... Sticker price was 6495, I thought I got a good deal with 1000 shaved.
Oh well, I live and I learn. And I would love to know where you guys would buy for so cheap! So what do you say, let me in on your secret?

I will try to do the flush right away, got to find a hose first, and an outside tap. hehe...

I and my wife just moved here from Australia 1 month ago, this is the first car we've bought. I just hope it doesn't turn out to be a nightmare.

This car is certainly not trouble free. Here are a few problems with it:

1. The coolant leak, of course.
2. Left rear power window doesn't work. Luckily the window is closed. When I use the front switch or the rear switch, I hear the motor, but window doesn't move. The dealer thinks it's a dirty switch and said it's a easy fix, 1 hour job. But he refuse to fix it on that price.
3. The battery's negative terminal has a lot of residue, looks like rust flakes. And the battery was bought from walmart, looks cheap...
4. The tail warning light on the dash always lights up, but all tail lights seem to function correctly, I don't know the reason for it yet.

Thanks again for all your inputs, I hope I could find another lexus in better condition for less, and I'll sell this one. I and my wife both enjoy lexus too much that we will never choose another brand of car to drive. Hope you could give us new comers a few pointers in buying a great car.

Thanks,
Sean

3000

1) Get a new radiator
2) If the motor is heard, it might be the window bearing??? I don't know if it's called that though..
3) Don't buy a cheap battery from wal-mart. The flaking could be corrosion.
4) I don't know what you can do for this one.

squ

Thank you for your input!
Just to clarify, the battery was put in there by the previous owner or the dealer...
I'll probably replace it, along with the cable? If that's possible.

Pheonix

New radiators are like $70 aftermarket with a core. It doesn't take much time to cahnge the radiators.

1) Yea, just track the lek down & take care of it. It's most likely a drain left open, or the radiator hose doesn't have it's clamp on well, or it's split, or the radiator is toast.
2) Take the inteiror panel off. It's not difficult.
3) All batterys are cheap. I don't care how expencive they are. Take some baking soda & scrub the terminals off. Go to an autostore & buy those 50 cent felt pads that go on the terminals.
4) Light out somewhere. Check the lights both just turned on & when the pedal is depressed & check the brake fluid.



Download the '93 Factory service manual. I posted them everywhere. They seem to have dissipeared from here.
Try LOC.
http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...howtopic=26449





mikhailw Toyota fluids suck *** in iron blocks. They break down quickly & are extremely corrosive to ferrite metals. They also turn into a gel so hard you have to chisel it out when they mix with normal coolant overnight. Dealth to the entire cooling system. if you were to just drain a radiator & fill it with Toyota red, you'd wind up having to scrap the entire engine. It'd be clogged from the radiator, to the thermostat, pump, block & heads. Hell I bet the heater core would be gone 2 LoL!

Bad, bad stuff that Toyota red. Toyota pink is no better. Blah. Works good on Aluminum, but ugh. That crap has been causing 2 many problems.




squ Say it with me. Toyota Camry. The only time you honestly *need* to go to a Lexus dealer is:
A) You need a matching lug nut.
B) Hell freezes over.

If you *have* to go to a dealer, go to a Toyota dealer. Otherwise, do some things yourself, & find a good indipendant mechanic. Any import mechanic will know their way around a Camry to some degree.

squ

Pheonix, thank you so much!!!!!!

I've been looking for the 93 ES300 FSM for a while but with no luck, it's like you read my mind. hehe... I'll surely put it to good use with this car, I'm sure there are many things to fix.

Thanks also for the answers to my questions, I'll try to deal with all the problems and keep you posted of how they turned out.

After your colorful remarks to the red (and pink) coolant, I'll be sure to remember to stay away from them, hehe... Sorry mikhailw.

Last but not least, by your request, here it is:

Toyota Camry. The only time you honestly *need* to go to a Lexus dealer is:
A) You need a matching lug nut.
B) Hell freezes over.

If you *have* to go to a dealer, go to a Toyota dealer. Otherwise, do some things yourself, & find a good indipendant mechanic. Any import mechanic will know their way around a Camry to some degree.

Pheonix

LoL! Ya... Lexus dealers have just gotten to the point that I am no longer able to tell people to go to them. War work is free but...
They charge 3-5X for parts costs, and they run labor up 50-100% from what it should be. Sure... They'll give you a new lexus if they keep it overnight & they have coffee & snacks. I just don't think that justifys them getting away with robbery.


Anytime, let us know how it goes!

squ

I called the dealer and complained about the car. They took it back to fix the problem for free. I think this is reasonable, since I got this problem the second day after I bought the car.
My wife was home when they came to check on the car. From what I heard, they jacked up the front of the car and spend a lot of time checking, then decided to toll the car away. I guess it's serious enough for a mechanic to work on it, maybe a replacement for the radiator.
I will keep you posted once I get the car back.

squ

The dealer brought back the car today, it turned out to be a broken water pump. He said there was a little hole on it, but he replaced it anyway. He said it costed him only $70 bucks.
I haven't a chance to drive it yet, hopefully it is really fixed and nothing else will go wrong. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for all your help, guys!

Pheonix

Good deal. Ya waterpumps are like $70-100 noramlly.
Good stuff!

ESPilot

About your dash warning light--if all the bulbs appear to be functioning, check the connections at the bulbs. You may have an accidental ground somewhere.

squ

Thanks for the tip!