PROUD new owner of a 95 SC400!!!!!
04-02-12, 07:28 AM
#1
PROUD new owner of a 95 SC400!!!!!
Just got my first Lexus, Lexta-Z, a 1995 SC400. Red with gold package. It's such an amazing car! Put over 350 miles on it since I picked her up on Saturday evening. Has a few little problems, but mechanically sound as can be. Only rust I could find on it, was a couple of bolts on the motor and a little bit on the stock exhaust. Everything else is very solid. Needs new bushings all the way around, but that is expected. She has 188,XXX miles on her. Radio doesn't work. Just makes a thumping sound like it has a bad ground when trying the radio, and no sound at all with a cassette in(good thing the car is fast, had to travel back to the future to get a cassette to check it, LOL). CD changer will not open to see if that works. If anyone has suggestions on where and what to check to get the radio working, please let me know, couldn't find this same problem when I searched the forum. Also, the climate control is all blacked out and I can't read anything on it. Does anyone know if I can just replace the backlighting or do I need a new one? If I need a new one, does anyone have one for sale? Also, the stearing colum will not move up and down, only telescoping works. Any suggestions on a fix there? I searched for the fix, but can't find any info on the SC's, only other models. Is the fix the same for the SC as it is on the LS and GS's???? Any and all help is greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!
04-02-12, 11:55 AM
#3
1JZ Single SC400
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Welcome to the CL community. Your problems are normal found on these cars. The LCD can be resoldered in with anothe rnew one off of Ebay. If you are not good at soldering, send the whole unit to Lextech and they will do it for you. For the telescoping steering problem, the plastic gear has wore out or come away from the gear. Easy .10 fix. The stereo needs a new amp more than likely. Again all easy fixes. GL
04-02-12, 12:27 PM
#4
Congrats! on your purchase. I hope you mentioned all the problems (cost to fix) you noticed with the car and marked down the original price? As for the problems you listed the possible reason for the radio not working could be two things Blown speakers/fried amp. follow these steps (use a flashlight) to see if the amp is rusted (no visible rust/water the amp should be fine) from getting wet from the drain tube. http://www.carstereoremoval.com/htm/...40092_00CD.htm
You can test the rear speaker by connecting a working speaker to the +/- connections by taking down the lining in the trunk. I would buy a cheap 2" no-name speaker at walmart. If you get sound it's just blown rear speakers. DIY links available...The climate control needs to be replaced try the sc vendor https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...-you-need.html
Tilt wheel make sure the auto mode button is ON under the directional arm. Didn't fix try this
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...ng-repair.html
You can test the rear speaker by connecting a working speaker to the +/- connections by taking down the lining in the trunk. I would buy a cheap 2" no-name speaker at walmart. If you get sound it's just blown rear speakers. DIY links available...The climate control needs to be replaced try the sc vendor https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...-you-need.html
Tilt wheel make sure the auto mode button is ON under the directional arm. Didn't fix try this
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...ng-repair.html
04-02-12, 01:29 PM
#5
Thanks for all the great info guys! I did talk him down $500 for these problems. I did check the amp before I bought it. No moisture or rust at all in there, clean as a whistle. I actually used a tape adaptor(to Ipod) to check the cassette player, and maybe the adaptor just is not working. I did pull it out of my other car and it was stuck in there and I had to pull really hard to get it out. Maybe I broke the adaptor. Just found it odd that the thumping sound was only when the radio was on and then stopped when I switched it over to cassette. I'm thinking that it could be a bad ground on the antenna causing the problem. The antenna is jacked up, like most. I'm going to get in the trunk tonight and see if I can find the problem. I did keep searching and found a nice write up on the steering column. I'm heading straight to the hareware store and getting the washer(s) I need after work today. The wheel is all the way up and I can only see half my gauges. Also found the screen for the climate control on ebay. Will be ordering that soon and soldering it as soon as it comes in. Again, thanks for the help and I am proud to be a Lexus owner and member of Club Lexus!!!!!
04-02-12, 07:49 PM
#6
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...ng-repair.html
This write up took car of the tilt steering on my 95 SC400. I hope it works for yours!
This write up took car of the tilt steering on my 95 SC400. I hope it works for yours!
04-03-12, 06:03 AM
#7
Well, I followed the instructions for my tilt, and got her working like new again! Great info guys! Tonight I'm going to try and tackle my stereo. I tried the tape adaptor again, and it was making the thumping sound this time around. I'm just going to try and install my aftermarket stereo. I did find a good write up about it, but it was for a non-premium sound system. Will these instructions work for my premium sound system?
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/lex...b-working.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/lex...b-working.html
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04-03-12, 09:54 AM
#8
I would check the speakers the headunit might not be broke. The stock speakers are poor quality and have probably disintegrated especially the rear due to the heat. Picture of my stock speaker that was the cause of my stereo not working. The steps need to replace...Post 4 https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...-speakers.html
Last edited by Teal Sc400; 04-03-12 at 10:16 AM.
04-03-12, 11:39 AM
#9
I would check the speakers the headunit might not be broke. The stock speakers are poor quality and have probably disintegrated especially the rear due to the heat. Picture of my stock speaker that was the cause of my stereo not working. The steps need to replace...Post 4 https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...-speakers.html
04-03-12, 12:22 PM
#10
It's probably the two rear speakers are blown and the thumping sound is the subwoofer. Both my rear speakers were blown causing the fronts to stop working. The new speakers corrected the problem enabling the front to work. Hopefully, it's only the rear speaker in your case as well? I would do the test of the rears before taking apart the back seat etc. to get to the speakers.
04-03-12, 01:07 PM
#11
It's probably the two rear speakers are blown and the thumping sound is the subwoofer. Both my rear speakers were blown causing the fronts to stop working. The new speakers corrected the problem enabling the front to work. Hopefully, it's only the rear speaker in your case as well? I would do the test of the rears before taking apart the back seat etc. to get to the speakers.
04-13-12, 07:37 AM
#12
It's probably the two rear speakers are blown and the thumping sound is the subwoofer. Both my rear speakers were blown causing the fronts to stop working. The new speakers corrected the problem enabling the front to work. Hopefully, it's only the rear speaker in your case as well? I would do the test of the rears before taking apart the back seat etc. to get to the speakers.
04-13-12, 10:49 AM
#14
Teal, you where right! Got my rear speakers out last weekend. They where blown. Haven't ran wire for the front speakers yet, but plan on doing it this weekend as well as buying some new rears. Just tossed some old 6x9's in the back seat area for now. Kinda embarrassing that I drive a such a beautiful car and have the whole rear of the interior out of it. Can't wait to get my car back together and do my first weekend of road tripping in my beauty!