btanchors

Hello everyone,

I bought a new 2003 GS430 in the state of Maryland in late July (I live in Virginia). Since the car was purchased in Maryland, it has temporary tags from the state of Maryland, which are about to expire. Now that my permanent tags for the State of Virginia are in, I need to install the Virginia tags.

The reason I mention this: The state of Virginia requires yearly safety inspections, and emissions inspections every other year. Since the car was purchased in Maryland, which has no safety inspections, no state inspection was performed on the car when it was purchased.

I just noticed that on the gas tank opening on the car, there is no spring-loaded thin piece of metal covering the hole where the nozzle enters. All cars I have purchased that require unleaded gas have always had this piece of metal. I think the purpose of it is so that if you attempt to put leaded gas in your car, since the nozzle from a leaded pump would not fit, the thin metal cover is designed to make leaded gas spray back at you if you try to pump it in (with the larger nozzle). But my car doesn't seem to have one!

My concern is that when I take the car for Virginia inspection, it will be rejected because of this. So: Can someone with a 2003 GS430 look in their gas tank nozzle opening and tell me if they have the thin spring-loaded metal cover? I want to figure out if mine is really missing, or perhaps they have done away with these....

Thanks,

Dennis

mooretorque

Don't know about the '03 specifically, but neither my '01 GS or my '99 RX has one. So it would be reasonable to assume..............

And welcome to CL!!

panther_v

first, congrats on your new 2003 gs430! i hope you are enjoying your new car a lot!

just like mooretorque, my 2002 gs430 does not have a flip gate at the gas nozzle. i am not sure what exactly this flip gate is for, but i don't think it is there to differenciate between leaded or unleaded gas guns. it is there to prevent gas from backflowing out of the tank. your best bet is to go down to a local lexus dealer and check if the cars sold in your state has this or not, but likely none of them would have a flip gate. i just don't think lexus would manufacture specifically for a certain state.

i wouldn't worry too much about it. just enjoy the heck out if it!!!!

UK_GS300

My 2001 GS430 has one, although I am in the UK and I think it is a requirement here.

BuyERTS

I know the flap you're talking about. I've seen them on other cars I've owned, but my '03 GS300 does not have one of these flaps. And I live in California, a state with probably the most stringent smog-related laws on the books.

cgatch

iTrader: (3)

I had the same concerns with my 2000 GS4 before. I live in Northern VA and no problems with both safety and emission inspections. Enjoy your GS430!

doug_999

The nozzle is actually smaller - that's what keeps you from putting leaded gas in the car - not the flap. Of course, it is impossible to find leaded gas anymore as it has been banned for several years I believe.

My 2003 GS430 does however have a flap. Just kidding

btanchors

All,

Many thanks for all the helpful replies. I feel better now. I will report back after it gets state inspection (probably this weekend).