LexSaZ

Hello everybody,
I seriously need your help guys & i thank you all in advance. First of all i am from Toronto, Ontario, Canada i got 2000 GS400.....i got this car 14months ago....my engine check light was on so i took my car to a Lexus dealership for inspection. they told me that it's the both catlyst convertor in my car they are both below the threshold level and need to be replaced....now the dealer also told me i dont have to replace them until i feel that i am loosing power...but i dont wana waite i wana get it fixed i mean when you know there is something wrong you know what i mean now each part is $700.00 so for 2 catlyst convertors $1400.00 plus the labour......i always take my car to dealer for service and use high quality gas also....not sure what to do at this point...i have been advised that catlyst convertor's are made for the life of this car and it is next to impossible that both of them gone bad and need replacement. i even did the fuel system cleanup but the light still comes on and goes away....can you guys please HELP.....any suggestion or advises......i mean maybe buy part from dealer get it done from a good shop or maybe if you guys can tell me some place i can buy lexus parts from and then have the dealer replce them.....any help would be appreciated as i am lost....once again Thanks in advance....

jxd

Until someone else more qualified responds, here are my suggestions/guesses:
Take it to another lexus dealership and get a second opinion? I don't know if lexus inspection is free in Canada like it is here in Asia, you only pay when you actually have something fixed, but they analyze the problem for free here. If you have any friends with car shops in TDot maybe they have the emissions testing machine, if the cats really are bad you should fail the emissions test?

I'm in TDot all the time and this year the winter is ending late so maybe with all the salt on the roads and stuff has effected your sensor/wires/exhaust... lots of dealerships in toronto tho, richmond hill and steeles+DVP come to mind

LexSaZ

thanx man....i took my car for inspection to DVP....paid them $115 plus tax for inspection....my knowledge about cars to be honest with you is not good so thats why i decided to go to Lexus dealer as they would know exactly what is up with it you know......you know lot abt tdot do you recommend any place i should take my car and have them inspect......please & thanx.....

jxd

unfortunately i'm only in and out of TDot... my delsol is over there and so I have no lexus links I know a pretty cheap shop where they helped me out with some of my delsol's turbo stuff but I really don't think they'd have the machine for emissions testing etc Keep this post up here and hopefully somebody who knows more about it will reply.

Honestly, if your cats still pass your next emissions test in tdot, then they are fine... and if they're fine, jsut ignore the engine light or get the sensor fixed. Your real worry will only come when it comes time to pass the tests...

Since you don't know much about cars, a catalytic converter is just a bunch of meshes of certain metalic wires which when heated cause chemical changes in your exhaust to make it less toxic and polluting. Like you said, to me, sounds very wierd that they would fail. Stock cats last forever, I've had aftermarket ones fail (crumble into dust) but my delsol's exhaust reaches 900 degrees celcius which your GS definitely should not. I would almost gamble on it being a sensor issue, and on your dealership being wrong. Water and salt can effect sensors if they are exposed to the elements. Also, catalytic converters will only decrease your horsepower by impeding exhaust flow. Unless I'm mistaken, your only concern with this light is that you are contributing to greenhouse gases and overheating the earth. :P