Hello,

I am new to the forum. We just purchased a 2003 Lexus ES300. Yesterday it started this odd beeping sound, a single beep, after I would turn a corner. We have had it for over two weeks and this is the first time it's happened but it continued to happen today while driving.

I called the service department of the dealership and the guy there said it was a close proximity alarm but I wasn't close to anything and I really don't think my car has that.

I did a search and while I found some things similar, not the single beep noise. It sounds just like the beep that you hear after setting your memory seat button but this is random and only when I turn the car. Please help. Do we need to worry about anything???:

 

Does it sound like the remote unlocking confirmation beeper outside the car?

It could be shorting out against something, its located behind the windshield washer tank inside the right fender.

Any lights on the dash, such as stability control?

 

I don't hear any doors locking or unlocking. No warning lights at all on the dashboard. I'm not sure if this year model even has the stability control. If it is that, the dash light for it isn't coming on but I am not racing around a curve, just slow, in town, lazy curves and the beep goes off. Very odd.

It sounds just like the beep for setting memory seats. It sounds like it is coming from inside the car. Ha. Sounds like a horror movie now. It's INSIDE the car!!!!! AHHHHHH!

 

What speedkar9 meant was does it sound like the beep when you unlock and lock your doors? I don't think he was hinting at the doors actually locking and unlocking, but just the beep sound the car makes when doing so

 

It is the same sound as locking / unlocking but it is coming from inside the car. It sounds just like the beep after you set the memory seats button. The hubby replaced the battery tonight. When we pulled it out, we noticed both water and acid under it so it may have been leaking. After dinner, we will go drive it to see if the beep has gone away.

Thanks to both of you for your help. I am hoping it just disappears. It is more annoying than anything else. If it's stability control warning then it needs to be re calibrated or something because I am not whipping around these curves. It is slow, steady big curves inside city limits and on our own country road. So, as the wise men say, "We Shall See".

 

We took it for a drive tonight after dinner and went on some really curvy roads with hair pin turns and long, straight stretches. No more beeping!!!!! So, I hope it has stopped.

We do have a small hitch at times between 20 and 30 mph. I have read here and in other places about the lag and I'm just glad it is happening at so low a speed and not at 50 or 60 like some people experience. It is hardly noticeable unless you are aware and waiting for it.

Thanks for the responses. Most of the maintenance we will use our local mechanic for but we did purchase the manual since the hubby is a gear head. He mainly works on motorcycles but loves cars and fast boats, too.

Thanks again

 

Although I dont have a ES, I'm sure the problem is the same as mine. My guess its most likely the clock spring unit inside the steering wheel. It will get worse over time after it seems like it has gotten better. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Silver.

The hubby is thinking since it most likely had been in the lot for awhile due to the mileage on it. It had 160,000 when we bought it, that the battery most likely just faded out and if it had a leak, it faded out quicker. I'm sure the guys on the lot know to drive them but maybe the former owner, who bought a new IS took awhile to get it over there and didn't drive it since he had his new baby.

I drove it very aggressively today just to make sure the beeping was gone and it handled beautifully. It did zero to 60 in just over 2 seconds; very impressive. It grabs curves like it owns them and doesn't let go of them until you pull it out. This reminds me of my old Jag. It also has the same uber control at high speeds. It's like the car actually handles better over 80 miles per hour. No, I don't drive like that all the time. haha. I was in the military and took several driving courses and have always had a love of rally style driving. I think I was a race car or a driver in a former life.

The little stutter doesn't bother me much. It happens at very low speeds and if you need the power for pulling out or merging, it is always there, no hesitation at all. I am loving this little car more and more every day.

 

You did 0 to 60, in about 3 seconds? Mind telling me how that is even possible and what car you were driving?

 

She said 2 seconds.

 

From a standing stop on a straight road. I pressed the accelerator to the floor and started counting...one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand - 60mph.

 

Are we still talking about the 2003 ES300? This description doesn't quite fit that car...

And 2 seconds? Can we see a video? Or do you have a TRD supercharger in there

 

Hubby just got home and he laughed at me, too. He said we did not own a Bugatti Veyron . He said it was more like 6 seconds and possibly a tad over. I guess I count too slow.

 

Which description? The way it drives or the speed? I was wrong about the speed from a standing start. Hubby corrected me on that. But as far as how it drives, this is what it feels like to me. It hugs curves and the turning radius is even better than my Camry which was much smaller and a manual transmission.

When driving on the interstate, in my opinion, it handles better at high speeds but, even at very low speeds, it is very maneuverable and there is no lag from wheel turn to tire execution. Is that what you mean? It is a 2003 ES300. Champagne exterior, and hubby corrected me on this too, it is cherry wood, not walnut on the interior with leather throughout. . It has pretty much every possible option for that year model.

 

I've had something similar in a car that had worn door hinges. It would cause the door to move around and the door open switch would activate. The bottom hinge has so bad you had to lift the door, and the top one wasn't great either.

could be that ?