Batman09

Hi,
just got my wife an 2003 rx300 with 62000 miles on it.
been poking around alttle.....I noticed there is no relay in the abs motor relay slot? I read somewhere this was optional? Can anyone confirm this? It's not throwing any codes.......brakes feel a little weird....like they are pulsating.....brakes and rotors are new with 1500 miles on them?....any help or ideas are appreciated ...thanks

ps...fog lights do not work either.....anyone know where the fog light relay is? It's not in the owners manual

maxSteel

Does the dashboard abs light illuminate when you turn the key on?

Batman09

yes then it goes out once I start the car

Batman09

Anyone got an answer for me? Thanks

salimshah

This one will be hard to get an answer for. There are variations. Model may be the same but some vehicles are equipped differently. You may see empty slots in the fuse/relays. You have to get with Lexus to find out exactly what options were built-in by tracing the vin-number. Then you have to ask around if any one else who shares the same options has the slot vacant or not. Your dealer can be one stop where you can get all the information you need.

Salim

maxSteel

Are the fog light bulbs ok?
The manual I have says the fog light fuse and relay are in the driver side fuse box.

As for the brakes and the ABS relay, I imagine you are looking for the relay because the brakes feel pulse-y and you wanted to try to disable the ABS. The ABS light is working, and it is not illuminated, so you probably have a relay. I think the light will come on if the relay is missing. The ABS thing usually is a low-speed activation, like you are holding the brakes and turning a corner at low speed and you hear and feel the ABS activation. It feels like brake slippage. I've had the low-speed activation without the ABS light illuminating. If you want to try disabling the ABS some other way search the threads, Lexmex and other documented ways to do it.

If the pulsating is happening at higher speeds I think it's more likely the rotors. 1500 miles isn't a lot but I've had rotors warp with low miles before.

JAB

I have a 2003 AWD RX. If you are talking about the black plastic housing next to the coolant and power steering fluid reservoirs, on the passenger side of the engine bay, it is labeled "ABS RELAY." I opened mine up, and there clearly is a relay in there.

Batman09

jab...no I'm talking the main fuse box in the engine bay...drivers side.....the are three big relays in the center of the box....the center one labeled "abs mtr " is missing...just wondering why?

carguy07

So just an empty slot next to the green one? Sounds like someone disabled the abs. Maybe a bad tone ring or sensor became an issue and they just pulled the relay rather than repair.

Batman09

I don't have the relay to th right of the green one..the one listed abs mtr

JAB

I don't think you are missing a relay. What I think you are seeing is a difference due to the introduction in later Gen1 of vehicle stability control (VSC) which required a more complex and hence larger relay, which is now mounted on the other side of the engine bay, as described by me above.