Hello,
I am a noobie, so please be gentle. I have a 2001 GS430 which has been an amazing and trouble-free car. Aside from routine maintenance, I have had no real complaints about this car. OK, yeah, one of my door actuators has gone out, but after 160,000 miles I really can't complain about that.


The reason I am here is about 3 weeks ago, we got a LOT of rain in a short period of time. I'm talking 5'' in 4 hours. I was driving the Lexus when this storm hit and when I reached my destination it was still dumping buckets. I got out and closed the door, but when it's pouring that hard, even having the door open for that brief time, things got a little wet.


The next morning, when I went out to the car, I got in and noticed the steering wheel did not position itself. I also discovered I could not roll down any window except the driver front window from the master gang switch. The other windows would roll down with their own switches.


I assumed the master switch and the memory switches in the door just got a little wet when I opened the door and once they dried, all would be fine. And it was.


We got another round of rain two days later. I wasn't driving the car so the door was never opened to allow water inside. Later that day, after the rain stopped, I got in the car to drive it and once again the steering wheel would not adjust automatically. It would adjust manually but it was stop-start-stop-start. The windows stopped functioning again except the driver's, and this time several idiot lights stayed on - traction control, brakes, ABS, oil and temp warning lights. I didn't drive the car even though the engine seemed fine. I let the car sit as I didn't feel safe driving it with the electrical malfunction and no way to know if there was a real problem.


Within 2 days everything except the steering wheel were back to normal. That took 4 days to come back.


Most recently, the remnants of Hurricane Patricia came and dumped about 2-3'' of water on me. This time, once again the steering wheel stopped adjusting and once again the windows went out. This time for a new twist the power locks stopped functioning. First the *passenger* side stopped working, then a day later, the driver side stopped working as well. Furthermore, my daytime running lights didn't come on and my headlights and taillights would not come on manually or automatically. I still retained turn signals and brake lights and the idiot lights did not illuminate except normally. After 2 days everything returned except the door locks. They took 3 days.


Obviously something is getting wet. But what would be the common denominator area to check that would trigger all of these problems? And where would be a good place to look for a leak? Ideas?


I am pretty handy with a wrench but electronics are definitely a weakness for me. I would rather not go to the stealership... for obvious reasons.


Thanks in advance

 

dont take my words for this but the only thing i can see that can cause all of the problem is the fuse box in the driver side kick panel...that probably got alittle wet, causing everything to malfunction.

 

100% agree with you. Check the driver side kick panel the fuse that say cigarette 15Am that is the more commun fuse that control a lot of electronic futures of the car. Your better option is to put a new fuse if that look wear. Remember, ours car go old LOL, and the fuse by the constant use of electronic equipment, the fuse damaged more faster plus maybe the humidity in that area even more.