Lexus Dealership Couldn't Fix This Car. The Parts Cannon Aftermath
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 20 фев 2024
- This beautiful 1994 Lexus ES300 has been to multiple shops including a Lexus dealership which simply told the customer they cannot fix it because it's too old and they don't have the parts nor the experience to fix it. So it was brought over to our shop. We did our best efforts to fix it, We made great progress but we are not 100% satisfied so we'll keep at it until it's fixed and fixed right.
TCCN Automotive Inc.
Toyota and Lexus Specialist Repair
Visit www.tccnautomotive.com to schedule your appointment today.
Check out the second channel :
/ @thecarcarenutreviews
Recommended Tools:
Basic Scan Tool amzn.to/3Jm6aom
Very good DIY Scan Tool amzn.to/3zF7dvH
Advanced Scan tool amzn.to/3q3L3QQ
Spill Free Coolant Replacement Funnel amzn.to/3uJfKxm
Sun roof drain cleaning tool amzn.to/3GMDlQ9
Good DIY Torque Wrench 1/2" amzn.to/3gE9bnw
Wireless Apple CarPlay for Toyota\Lexus amzn.to/3uKElSo
Very Good Triple Camera Borescope amzn.to/3MrgFs0
*as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Follow the channel on Social Media :
/ thecarcarenut
/ thecarcarenut
Check out the channel Merch store
/ @thecarcarenut
Make a one time donation to the channel:
www.paypal.me/CCNdonate
Check out the amazon store:
www.amazon.com/shop/thecarcarenut
*as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
#thecarcarenut #tccnautomotive #lexus #toyota 
Авто/Мото
I am the owner and I really appreciate you for taking the time and fixing my car. Thanks to you it won’t be going to the junk yard :)
Congrats on keeping this fine example of a Lexus.
Congratulations for taking care of your Lexus. They are the best cars in the world. You take care of it and he takes care of you.
Beautiful car. good luck going forward.
This man is a great mechanic
It is nice to maintain old things, but if you got the money don't lose out on enjoying the latest and greatest either...
A mechanic who solves a problem nobody else can and than is not satisfied until he solves an additional relatively minor problem? That's a one in a million mechanic. Subscribed.
So in other words you did your job, congrats. I'm a shop manager for a extremely large company, and worked the floor for 31years, you don't deserve a pat on your back for doing your job, or showing up for work everyday, welcome to we don't give a fuck
You seem fun at parties@@bleachinuri
@@DTMC00 I don't go to parties.
@bleachinuri it's an expression. It means your attitude sucks. And I would hate it if I ever worked for you.
Used to be the average mechanic
73k miles on a car that old is incredible, so glad it was saved!
Yes it's just broke in
@@feminazislayercar that's just broken in doesn't stall
Right even wasn't time for a timing belt yet but they replaced it anyway
@@Anthony-on6gkbelts get old and crack.
This year our A/C home system quit working. The fan would not turn on. I called a tech I know and he came out immediately. The unit is in the attic and a pain. He went up and replaced the capacitor. Running perfect. $125 for a house call. He showed me the capacitor and said it was a common issue.
Inexpensive part and an honest repairman. Just like you...............
It is call a run capacitor. It stores some energy to aid in the motor startup. Yes it is a common fault and easy to replace for a knowledgeable person.
@@danc2014Yes, I see they are sold on Amazon and are very inexpensive.....
This is what I do for a living installing and repairing aircon in home in Australia. You're lucky you had the older air conditioner . The newer inverter systems it's not just a matter of replacing a capacitor you have to replace an entire PC board and some have multiple PC boards ranging from 400.00 through to 900.00, some take about 45 minutes to replace some can take 3 hours to replace, a bit like this old car the older air conditioning systems were a lot easier to repair
@@JayJay-gl2dfYes, I'm hoping that it lasts a lot longer. The previous owners never used this A/C unit or the heater! The repairman said the unit looked in good condition except for that capacitor....... we're lucky.
Capacitor is ten bucks. My guy does it for $75.
I have a built in refrigerator Kitchenaid had an issue 3 technicians could not figure out. They said replace the fridge. $10000. I googled some had issues with the control board. I sent to a place they replaced the capacitors. $99 dollars I put it in and ran perfect. That was 8 years ago. Good job digging deep!
Very common issue in today's electronics. But with older electronics they have to be replaced due to ageing, unfortunately.
I have a full-size 1989 KitchenAid side-by-side. The only thing I’ve had to replace is the ice maker door & gasket.
It has lasted this long due to my cleaning the dust from underneath and around the compressor YEARLY. I expect it to last my lifetime-this was before all appliances were made in China! (The *Frigidaire* company made US Navy fighters during WWII. As one man commented “These refrigerators were built so well you could slam them on a flight deck without spilling the milk!”)
I'm calling BS, the first thing any tech will do is replace the controller board. I have replaced a few caps on friends refrigerators. (hint, it's about $3 in parts)
FYI, the first sign of a bad capacitor is not a leak underneath a capacitor but the bulged top of a capacitor. You noticed not a flat but bulged top - it's a bad capacitor.
He’s talking ecu capacitor which are very small vs normal ones
@@weldingjunkie There is no such thing as 'ECU capacitor'. We could talk about temperature range (regular, industrial, automotive) but all the capacitors are failing the same way. TTH capacitors usually show bulged top and SMD capacitors usually leak.
@@sjtonic mini and ultra mini capacitors don’t seem to bulge most ecu aren’t getting high temps tossed at them
There was a multiple industry wide problem with capacitors failing very early which spread over many years. The root of the problem was discovered around the time, when the fledging plasma flat screen TV's became popular in the early 2000's, when many if not most of those TV's failed while still in warranty. At some point, a mass manufacturer of electronic components stole the design of a competitor's capacitors in an act of corporate espionage. Unfortunately for the electronics industry, the last line or two of one of the pages was cut off in the course of copying or faxing the stolen plans, unbeknownst to the mass manufacturer. The missing lines involved a key ingredient or ingredients which preserved the electrolyte, the liquid or gooey stuff inside the capacitor. The mass manufacturer proceded to make millions & millions of faultly capacitors using these incomplete plans, supplying half the electronics industry Worldwide, causing many premature failures in many different things.
Historically, capacitors leaked especially in the vacuum tube age, but by the 1970's, the problems were fixed, but this act of shoddy corporate espionage, messed it up for everyone. I may have some of the details wrong, but that's the gist of the story.
I wouldn't be surprised, if the ECU on this Lexus, had such capacitors.
Those capacitors were electrolytics not film. Exactly the same problem as old guitar amplifiers.
Also, quality of the caps makes a difference in longevity.
Not many mechanics will spend the time to troubleshoot problems like you!.. Sir you are a true professional master mechanic! As well as an asset to your profession! HARD TO FIND PEOPLE LIKE YOU!
It's not just mechanics, but also body shops. I had a bit of surface rust on a panel, and I went to 7 different body shops and nobody wanted to do the job. I gave up, lost respect for several shops, and ended up as a last resort going to a small restoration shop...they gladly took the job. Turned out better than I expected, thankfully.
In addition to being a true gentleman… Never taking shots at other mechanics or shops for their “lack of experience” 👍🏼👍🏼
I'm an Apple specialist and have dealt with faulty capacitors from that time period in computer power supplies. About 8 minutes into your description, I was already fixated on the ECM. You're really amazing ... plus, you care, unlike the dealerships ($1400 and we can't fix the issue!). We are lucky to have you.
I remember Panasonic dvds had bad caps. A novice could fix them.
I owned an Eagle Talon, which was the same Mitsubishi Eclipse. I started having random issues like these. I read somewhere that the capacitors were an issue, so I opened the ECM, made a list of all the caps, went to Mouser and ordered the best capacitors i could find, panasonic, if i recall correctly. Replaced the caps and the car came back to life. Good memories.
@@marcgucciardo1942 I come from a TV repair background and say a ESR meter is good to have 👍
If the dealer can’t fix a problem, they SHOULDN’T charge a penny… We pay for success, not failure!
As always, it helps to be a great mechanic!
90s Toyota and Lexus cars were peak quality. I love my 95 Celica.
does it also have 240k miles on it just like scotty's celica lol
O1 GTS that won't die
@@audaxxi1537 Scotty's $800 Celica 😂
Hell yeah they were. Late 80s to late 90s Toyotas with manual transmissions are the best.
Capacitors are a problem with age, especially some types like electrolytics. There are more reliable types. Glad you found and fixed this.
Wondering if cars made after this one will have this issue too? Do they still use caps like these?
Also elecrtolytics often give visual clues when they fail, as in this case, such as bulging or leaking.
I have a 2001 Avalon with the 1MZ engine and about 195k miles. So far no capacitor issues.
@@memememine1modern electronics still use them. They normally start to degrade after 7 yrs.
@@memememine1 Yup, almost all PCB's will make use of capacitors, and all capacitors will eventually start to degrade - they can even leak out and damage the PCB. Toyota actually generally used very high quality Panasonic capacitors in the 90's, which is why they have often lasted 20 or more years - many will not even last a decade. As he notes in the video, there are people around who can repair PCB's though - so as long as you can work out if that is the problem, it can be corrected. It's important to find someone that really knows what they are doing though as I've seen PCB's repaired with the incorrect capacitors causing all manner of weird problems.
I've watched a few videos, I'm very impressed with his manner, professionism and intelligence. I've been a dealership tech since 1980 and now retired. I've done just about every part on a car/truck including transmission and drivability but mainly electronic in my last 20 yrs. I find I have a lot in common this gentleman. In my 45 years in a new car dealership shop, I have to say we can't find another honest professional tech like him if he truly practices what he said. So far, he is one of the few best on youtube. The other is Dave's auto center. he is another pro who knows his stuff. A good tech is about 1 out of million today. Believe me. Many great ones have retired and many quit due to low incentive and demanding, growing technology. Most young ones are lack of training and experience. This is not an easy trade, training is only 20%, experience is the other 80%. Big thumbs up for the carnutguy.
I don't want a big screen. I want big buttons that I can memorize so I can operate them without being distracted.
Whoever lives near the Car Care Nut center.....is the luckiest car owner in the world. I bought my Toyota Rav4 in 1997 and the beast still runs great at 225k miles (oil leakings behind and under the engine but still runs). Much love from North Miami Beach, Florida.
You are a great Mech.Just done a '93 Pajero 4G54 petrol engine which runs smoothly to date.
I had exactly this issue with a 96 Camry. Same symptoms, same fix. I swapped the capacitors and it ran fit a bit but the board was too damaged, so ended up finding a good used one to swap in.
Respect the Car Care Nut. Man of skill and integrity. May the Lord bless you and keep you sir.
I love your channel. I'm a old master technician for Acura in the 80s to 2000 we had a lot of ECM issues back then. Keep up the good work there are very few master technician's anymore
sometimes the costumer/pay-here-dealership and boss even my free-time ( 19 years old and had extra responsibilities so not worth losing income and upgrading my skill's for car's newer than 1980~ vin's ) they wouldn't let me try to look for wiring or ECU failures and one 90's/bdo2 chrysler convertible mint-ish-condition got 3 v6 engine's and later on crushed or sold at action cheap
I own several old German cars, and we have a 1999 Lexus ES300 also in our garage. I can tell you, that Lexus has aged like fine wine, the interior still feels like brand new, the plastics don't feel like they are about the crumble like on my German cars. Its also the only car over 20 years old we have that I feel confident in driving beyond 200 miles at a single go.
Funny - my girlfriend has a 2010 E60 with 186,000 miles... every time I wash it - another plastic part crumbles off it... back window surround = gone now.... front window valance/cowl - disintegrating.... we put some of the cerkote on it last summer but it's falling apart where the sun can get to it... just updating/replacing with canbus led's for the interior = clips broken from previous owner... I now understand why people lease then RUN AWAY after 36 months....
I took my 2004 Mercedes ML350, that many reckon to be one of the most problematic cars, on a 15000km trip in the remotest part of China, 3 adults and 2 children, picnic table, cooking utensils, heavily loaded to the brim in the boot and roof top box. The car did not have even a single hiccup.
@neway518 Absolutely, Germans can be very durable as well. Though personally I was really talking about the durability of the interior versus the durability of a Lexus interior.
I am on my second older Audi and the worst problems I have had are related to substandard electrical parts, sensors that don’t, parts availability. It seems that many of these “upscale” marques just quit making some components after only 15 years. Better hope that the aftermarket still does, or you now have a paperweight. And don’t get me started on the miserable service department. Hint: if your Audi is over 15 years old you will get an evaluation from the dealer that will raise your eyebrows!
@@neway518 One personal experience does not translate to the same experience for everybody. What is needed is a chorus of different people saying the same thing. I am an ex MB owner and longtime Lexus owner. I like how the MB drives but the Lexus just gives me more comfort and less trouble, less $$$ maintenance too. Now that i am retired and less disposable income, a Lexus just makes more sense.
You're truly are a car nut. Knowledgeable honest mechanics are worth more than Gold.
Always hold on to original replaced parts until the problem is actually identified and fixed !
What a excellent mechanic who takes his time to resolve the issue and doesn’t take advantage of the customer. I wish we had more mechanics and businesses with integrity and morals like you.
IS300s in the back :) You run an incredible shop, and your customers are clearly in good hands!
WOW. I had this exact car and same color and brought my baby girl home in it. Thank you for being so awesome.
This video makes me very happy. I am a younger Lexus technician, younger than this car actually (97). In a well run dealership there are steps in place to help younger, or inexperienced techs diagnose these hard problems. Going from your team leader to your Diagnostic Specialist. The main problem we have with these older cars is parts support. Even if we found this ECM problem I don't believe we could have found a replacement (OEM or other) through our dealership. The other problem that is touched on in this video that I whole heartedly agree with is the limitations of the flat rate system. I don't put food on the table for my family if I don't charge for my work. The problem is you can total out an older car in diagnostic time, when diag time is $168 an hour. I love to see these old cars still on the road. We still get first generation GS LS and ES in the shop from time to time. Thank you for keeping these cars on the road and saving this car from the aftermarket parts.
I used to work at a carwash in 1997 and loved when a Lexus rolled into the parking lot. They were such well-designed and well-built cars. There was something different about sitting in and driving a new mid-90's Lexus. There was literally nothing like it.
Glad it could be fixed. Around 1992 there where many devices that failed due to capacitors including computer motherboards. It turned out to faulty manufacturing of the caps.
My Lexus SC400 had the same problem with the ECU caps leaking which I replaced. My ECU had a lot more damage than the one shown. These caps also required low ESR specs.
Your car will be a pleasure to drive again. Good job and explanation Car Nut. Thanks.
It's wild to me that this car is from 1994 and still looks so modern.
Had the exact same problem with my 87 Cougar XR7. The ECM was the problem. I opened up the ECM as you did, and on the board but one of the soldered leads from a capacitor was not trimmed and curled over on the backside. Over time, vibration and temperature caused it to touch another trace, short out, and the car would shut down intermittently or would not start. Great find. Well done on finding the issue!
KOnly last week my good friend who is a master Lexus technician had this exact problem with an original 1990s lexus LS 400 v8.
The car was in absolute mint condition with only 65,000 km over 30 years running as a Sunday only drive. After many hours trying to diagnose the problem decided to open up the main ECU and he found that the capacitors on the board looked like an aluminium can that was slightly crushed.
I hope anyone still driving these old ES and v8 lexuses from the 90s see this because it's going to save them a lot of time in diagnosing weird engine issues.
I notice they they have insulation covers under the hood.. I'm thiking this possibly held in heat as the car was running, which slowly did this damage to the ECU (engine heat retained under hood). Heat can increase oxidation rates substantially to many components under the hood.
@@colty7764 I'm not sure where the ECU is in that era of lexus cars. It could be in the cabin.
@@lesmotley6839LS400 ECM behind dash on passenger side.
Great video! Everyone is in a hurry these days. They can't seem to put their mind to a task and just "Fix It"! I'm so glad that I'm local to your shop so that if anything goes wrong with my fleet, you're the best chance! Keep em coming.
Dear sir The car care nut, I am watching you channel for some period of time now and admire everything you do. At the beginning of this episode you said that you were a child recovering from unfortunate war in your country of origin. If your country of origin is happend to be Bosnia and Hercegovina, I admire you even more! God bless you…
He is from Iraq.
Wonder what he thinks of Joe's exit from the region.
@@jamest3552 First off: don't bring politics here. Second off: you're confused. Joe exited Afghanistan which was actually Trump's order that had to be respected. Trump and the Taliban signed the deal off in Qatar in February 2020. The US exited Iraq years ago in December 2011, leaving a small number of troops stationed behind at the request of the Iraqi government.
Afghanistan and Iraq are nowhere near each other, being over 2200KM apart.
Get clued up.
@@zedsdeadbaby
First off, you're not the boss of me. Second, The View isn't helping you. Third, leaving arms for terr.orists was stupid. Fourth, defend Joe's exit to the parents of the 13 troops killed. Fifth, Bribem reversed virtually all Trump's policies which is why the country is in this mess. Stop supporting the swamp.
I could not agree more. I have not the words express the my sorrow for your problems.
I had a check engine evap code on an early 2001 Camry with an 1MZ. Multiple shops changed charcoal canisters, valves, and gas cap. Essentially changed the entire evap system. Turns out it was ECU.
This one pulled on some heartstrings. My daughter was gifted a 2003 vehicle by grandparents that was their one owner car. Luckily I'm a competent mechanic but i understand how special this kind of gift from grandparents is to a kid going off to college and how disappointing it would be to have to scrap it. With some new gaskets and timing chains my daughter's car got her thru 4 years of college before it finally reached end of life. Subscribed.
It’s awesome AMD that you take the time to diagnose and repair problems correctly and not just replacing parts that are not defective! We definitely need more technicians that care and know what they’re doing like you do!!!
Great video! I have a 94 black on black ES300 that I picked up kind of cheap due to the owner thought it had a bad head gasket. I took a chance since I saw no mixing of oil and coolant. Just white smoke that smelled like fuel randomly after start up. I sent the ECM to a guy that specialized in Lexus and Acura ECMs. Cost me $100 and it's been running great for about 5 years.
This mechanic is very dedicated to his work and is humble enough to admit what he can't fix. There are other mechanics like him but they are not in the majority.
Good video, for me. I have a 1993 ES300.
Runs great. Almost Everything works. 250,000 km
Previous owner (bus mechanic) pointed out the unique hydraulic cooling fan.
Excellent sound system.
My OBD1 system also doesn't communicate with my OBD 1 /OBD 11 scanner.
There is a method to retrieve any codes without a scanner right on the dashboard.
- To get the codes yourself, turn the engine off and connect a jumper wire between terminals TE1 and E1 of the diagnostic terminal connector located in the engine compartment or under the left side of the dash. Turning the engine key on but not starting the engine, the check engine light lamp in your dash panel will start to flash the codes. The codes are usually shown in 2 digits numbers like code 24 is 2 flashes, a pause and 4 flashes. A pause of 2.5 seconds will follow the next code. When all codes are transmitted, the entire code will be flashed again after 4.5 seconds. This process of getting Lexus OBD1 codes is the called the normal or regular test mode.
Lexus OBD Codes Reset
Resetting the codes is simple which is done by removing the fuse of the terminal EFI from junction box 2 for 10 seconds. Make sure to remove the jumper wire and switch the engine key off before clearing the codes.
It’s why you’re a good mechanic. All those other mechanics were lazy and didn’t thoroughly do their job. Great work!
I had a black 92 and white 95 es300 bought them brand new back in the days, absolutely love them. It’s good to see someone who’s still enjoying and putting love into it. Keep up the great work. Your channel rocks.
As soon as you described the symptoms I immediately assumed something electrical. When you said that the OBDII reader wouldn't communicate, I immediately knew that it was the ECU. How can people this incompetent work at a DEALERSHIP for LEXUS? Thank you for being knowledgeable and thorough, you are an asset to your local community, and the car community at large.
So glad you saved this one. This is the car that made me want a Lexus. I couldn’t afford an ES300 at the time so settled for a new 95 Camry instead. Years later got a ES330 CPO and drove it to over 200k miles. These ES sedans last forever if you take care of them.
This is the kind of college and university lecturer we needed,you are a awesome person ❤
Over 100,000 views in less than a day. You are doing something right AMD. I enjoy your stories and how you do the problem solving. May you continue to succeed with your shop.
These type of troubleshooting and attention to detail is what keeps me thinking of driving back to Illinois from Florida to do the work i need in my sequoia. I know it will be in the proper hands.
“unpleasent” is the most chill way to describe a war
So basically the dealership said "we don't have the skill to fix it, but we're very skilled in taking all your money and leaving you with the same problem"
Honestly this is one of the best automotive channel on RUclips. Thank you for this.
GREAT to see a channel see the greatness in these Toyota and lexus models where other channels don’t even talk about these type of cars
good advise mate. As an electronics tech, i can certainly confirm that "electrolytic" capacitors of the era certainly do suffer from leaks and corrosion. That was the technology of the day. Good to know the module can be serviced.
I so appreciate your level of professionalism in diagnosing and fixing cars. It is sad that true professionals in the trade are becoming a thing of the past(computer diagnostics give them a target for the parts cannon, no thinking involved). Keep up the great work.
Hello Mr
C.C.N'
I am a fan of your videos, I live in Sycamore Il.
Near to where you have your shop,
And because of you, I am buying a 2010 Lexus Ls 460, I will be going to Texas to get it, it has low mileage 120 thousand miles.
And just to let you know, once I get it, my first visit will to your shop to have checked my Lexus.
I consider you trustful, and knowledgeable about these cars.
Regards.
Robert
Thanks to mechanics like you who play a big role in keeping these alive 🙂
This was the best looking generation of the ES. Magnificent specimen! Thanks for saving it
Well done. My wife is driving a super clean 2006 Accord. It's a time capsule. The interior still smells new and there's not a mark on it. You're spot on. Cars like this are really too good to let go.
I haven’t owned a Toyota for years and I wouldn’t be doing any DIY work even if I did, but this guy is just a joy to watch. So knowledgeable, no-nonsense yet super friendly, honest, and just a chill dude! Will keep watching!
I have been an electronic tech for 40 years. I would suggest to all auto techs that are capable, take apart any suspected defective module, change all the caps and resolder any questionable connections. Those two things are responsible for most board failures. If one cap is leaky/bad change all of them.
I clicked on your video because of the title. Watched till the end and now I am a subscriber. Loved the dealer telling the customer about not having people qualified to work on their car and charging them $1400 and telling them to go some place else but at least the dealer let them know of your shop. Hate dealer repair shops.
Dealer stealer charges!
This lexus actually looks really pretty
AMD: what a great story! As I listened, I felt like a proud parent knowing you were going to solve the problem that no body else could find...and you did! Not only that, I can't imagine anyone else being able to tell this story in such a sincere and engaging manner. You are the best! I am so happy that I found your channel a few months ago (and subscribed right away)!
Besides the success of solving the mystery, I admire your commitment to preserving a very nice older car, and I admire you for how you interacted with your customer.
The Best Toyota/Lexus information channel on RUclips.
I owned a 99 ES300 for 12 years-loved it-now own a '99-bought it thinking it would be much improved since it is 5 years newer-I love it too but some interior "changes" were not necessary-wish I had kept my '94!
Yep, that is an Electrolytic capacitor. Nowadays, it comes in ceramic capacitors. They are non-polarized and extremely reliable. Usually, when a capacitor does this, it starts to destroy other components in the ECU. I’m glad that is not the case here.
The wheels are made by Prime and were a dealer option in the early 90s. Prime actually got into some legal problems for using the Lexus logo on the center cap without the proper licensing. If someone ordered those wheels and the car is still in great shape 30+ years later, it is the car to buy. Cars with those wheels are usually hard loaded with all extra cost options available at the time.
My father owned a shop for over 25 years. We never sent a customer packing with a bill and car not repaired. Problem with shops today, if its not an easy fix or the diagnostic machine didn't tell them what's wrong, they can't fix it.
Man, I love your videos. Unfortunately I cannot make use of your honesty and good work since I live in another country, far, far away. But you are a decent man. So grateful there are still people like you in the world.
AMD, your channel has inspired me to have a newfound respect and appreciation for my 2013 Lexus RX 450h. Thank you for your content!
I have an old 90 DSM (Mitsubishi Eclipse) and they also had the common issue of the CAPS on the ECM, luckily there is a company in MD that does them, got that done and my ride was up and running!
Fleet owner, you’re golden….shops like yours are few and far between
I’ve watched dozens of your videos. This might be a top 3 for me as it highlights your amazing intellect for repairing and your passion for showing off great cars. I loved it thank you!!
Blown capacitors sometimes do not show a leak. Look for bulged tops as well, they tend to blow upward. Like everything else, caps are made more cheaply than ever and tend to blow after less time.
The saddest thing about this whole thing is if you just look up problems just like this on the internet, you’ll find loads up forum posts about leaking capacitors. If you drive a 90s/lexus Toyota, the first thing you should do when buying one or trying to solve a problem is to look at the ECU. I have absolutely no mechanical knowledge and I diagnosed my sc400 with a faulty ECU, replaced it when a remanned one and it has started and worked like a charm.
Thanks for sharing this!
Had a similar issue back in 2010/11 with my 2002 RX300, engine would misfire at 2000 rpm. Local dealership had it for 3 months! Eventually they had another identical car in so could compare the readouts. Only then they discovered it was the crankshaft position sensor which had corroded. Charged me just for the new sensor and fitting, but 3 months!!! I still have this car today 😊
I'm electronics technician from Sri Lanka. I'm dealing everyday like this things.Because old cars everywhere in this country. Nobody junk their car.They keeps driving selling buy new used one and that circle around.
If you drive old car more than 15 years, Recap your ECM/ECU unit. those capacitors have lifetime, lifecycle. When capacitors failing they will leak and can cause corrosion, short circuit. They can't hold power when they getting old.
Don't wait until they fail. Change capacitors like timing belt.10 - 15 years is best time.
This issue is so nostalgic for me. Brought back so many memories. Back in the day I was a big DSM guy (Eclipse, Talon, Laser) with the legendary 4G63T engine. Particularly the first gen models (1990-1994). I had quite a few of them always tinkering and modding them. I know this issue all too well as this was also a common problem with them... Leaky capacitors on the ECU. It even happened to one of mine. Having weird, unexplainable issues, I pulled it and opened it up and sure enough. capacitors started failing leaking all over the board. Luckily, these didn't have an immobilizer so I was able to just pick up a used one and pop it in. Ran like a champ after that.
Your knowledge on Toyota/Lexus is amazing man! 💯🙏
I spoke a little soon on that.. is the first time I've watched this guy, and he is a great technician. I was a mechanic from the time I was young on thanks to my father. I went through heavy equipment school in the early eighties, and work on all kinds of things. I can tell you, real diagnosticians are becoming few and far between..
Fabulous! We owned a 2001 Lexus ES300, very similar to this one, that was an awesome car. We sold it and got a Lexus RX300. Another incredible car. I still own my 1995 T100 that I purchased almost 30 years ago. A most beautiful truck in all ways. My daily driver is a 2006 lexus GS. It actually had some engine issues from the factory. Lexus repaired the engine. They gave a new loaner to drive and it cost me NOTHING! I would not consider owning a car for my own personal use unless it was a Lexus..... Honestly they are that good.
In Europe, Fiat Stilo 1.6 had the ECU mounted on the engine. And due to heat (and other bad design issues of the ECU) it would throw codes for throttle body, map sensor etc, cut out randomly. So in this car, the situation is as follows: either the technicians don't know the issue (and change every other part trying to fix it) or for those that DO know they can develop ECU issues, they diagnose it as "bad ECU" even if the issue is just a bad coil! I myself bought one for 700€ with a "bad" ECU and it just needed injector cleaning. I then made the ECU reliable myself, but that's another story.
Great story about a great mechanics job and a good old Lexus! I enjoyed it very much!
Thank you for sharing your mindset! Old Toyota - Lexus are superb! I also love my 2004 Prius, give him maintains with love, has 249000km on the ODO and is ready für the next 150000! May the Lord bless you!
Lexus GX owner here. I just love your videos. I would nominate you to be secretary of transportation
Many years ago I owned a Toyota van with a 2.2 litre engine under the front seats. Great little vehicle for a young family.
One day it went into limp mode, had it taken to the stealership and was told it was a bad computer. $1400 for a new one! I found one at a scrap yard for $75, computer lives in the driver’s side door pillar. Stealership tested it and installed it, van ran great.
Later I had an electronics friend of mine check it out, he found a small crack in the printed circuit, soldered it up. I reinstalled the original computer in van and it ran great!!
Stealerships will not inspect parts just throw new parts at the vehicle.
As a retired mechanic I've found on many occasions a problem can be found visually exactly like in your case. In fact just recently fixed a friend's FJ after he took it to a dealer without success. Visually finding a broken wire encased in a loom.
Some mechanics thrive on diagnosing and fixing problems. They are a rare breed anywhere.
Having seen this type of problem before, I guessed the fault as soon as you said, “computer.” Nearly 10-years ago, I earned a general electrician’s certificate. My first professional job was fixing a circa 1980’s 50-pound capacity commercial washer/extractor, basically a washer for a dry cleaning operation. The symptoms were the machine would run first thing in the morning when it was cool but at some point the contactors (power relays) would short-circuit, throwing sparks, the machine quitting, wiping-out the program as well. After reprogramming, the machine would run again until the fault quickly reappeared. At some point, I took note of the smoothing capacitors used as part of the rectifier circuit, converting AC power to DC, power required for the computer. The last electrician had placed hot glue around the three capacitors, indicating they had been replaced at least once. Conducting further research, I determine the capacitors were general purpose with a low heat tolerance--junk. After replacing them with high grade electrolytic capacitors, capacitors with a high heat tolerance, the machine ran fine. I suspect the capacitors allowed the voltage supplied to the computer to dip below 5VDC, corrupting the loaded program, causing the fault. In the case of the ES300, it was most like a failure of an electrolytic capacitor in a buck convertor (or step-down convertor) circuit. Unfortunately, like relays, electrolytic capacitors have a limited lifespan, capacitor which are widely used today.
So what did I learn. When working with equipment, especially computers, start at the source, verifying clean power down the line. Since then, I have ran into a couple of electrical fault created by the power company: (1) At the same dry cleaning operation, the power company reconnected the 3-phase power incorrectly after a street widening project, causing a dry cleaning machine to act strangely; (2) a few weeks ago, I lost the neutral wire to my house, causing lights to both dim and brighten and the microwave not to heat. In the worst case, it destroyed two power strips, causing one to go up in flames. The power company just finished replacing my service, boring underground for conduit, replacing all powerlines. When the second problem began with a grill, I thought it might be the appliance. Then a little voice in my head said, check the supplied power, check the supplied power, check the supplied power.
Every town should have a repair shop like yours!!
My 2004 Supra 2JZ-GTE had the exact same problem. Engine would just cut out and wouldn't restart. Had to always wait 5 minutes, let the immobilizer calm down and then everything was fine. Never did find the "bad" RCM capacitor though because I just got frustrated, tired and shipped the beast off to a guy in Honduras. You brought back those "wonderful" memories. TY!😅😅😅
I owned a 96 ES 300. Bought it for 1500 back in
2011 with 200k. It wasn’t maintained that well. I did a radiator and timing belt/water pump replacement myself at 240k. Car was super reliable. Drove it everywhere and everyday for 4 yrs. She blew a head gasket at 318k I sold her to guy that ended up putting a used engine in. I was sold on used Lexus cars.
I bought a 2000 Lexus GS 300 in 2015 with 212k . Very well maintained. I did a timing belt /WP , radiator hoses, thermostat, spark plugs and coil packs myself at 265k. She now has 277k runs great. Looks great .Everything thing still works like AC , cruise control. Doesn’t leak anything. Goal is to get 400k out of her.
Hard to beat a Lexus/ Toyota quality and reliability.
My first car was a 57 chevy convertible. When you look under the hood this Lexus and call this a very simple car, i just have to smile😊
Years ago we had a russian Lada Sputnik and it was one of the first ones. The car had exactly the same issue like this Lexus. The difference was that we knew that was the ECM (good knowledgeable mechanic) and we went through 3 ESMs until the car was fine😁
You’re so smart and I love the way you explain your diagnosis. You’ve helped me understand why aftermarket parts are, generally, a bad idea. You helped me fix my 07 Yaris- bad exhaust gasket.
People that can do actual diagnosis like this are rare. I knew one guy that could figure problems like this out but he passed a few years back unfortunately. You guys are a dying breed.
Man, what a gem! They really took good care of that vehicle. I would buy it from them in a heart beat.
You're the man. I wish I had a mechanic I like you in the corpus Christi area.
I purchased a 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V Cartier Edition from an owner who had had enough of the thing intermittently not starting. I took a chance because the price was right and brought it to a local shop named Webb Electric. He took the time to find the issue, and I enjoyed the car for many years and ended up selling it to my friend's Dad.
my 1993 SR5 pickup has a check engine light of when I fill the fuel tank full; but, when it is filled 3/4 full, no problem - no check engine light. New OEM gas cap. No mechanic has been able to figure out the problem. No other problem; starts every time; only 150,000 miles. Wonderful vehicle.
As soon as you said, "won't communicate," (about 9 minutes in) I knew it was the ECU caps. Why? I also own a 97 Celica and a 92 Lexus SC400. The Lexus is FAMOUS for this, and the Celica did EXACTLY what this car did. Every single symptom.
You always do a masterful job of explaining everything and with absolute honesty…and the fact that you won’t give the car back until is right…No one does that anymore ..you’re a breath of fresh air..thanks my brother
Oh, the electrolytic capacitors leakage problem due to age and high temperature is common in hi fi audio. It's the first time that I learn those caps affect a car. Electrolytic caps will usually lose in capacitance or leak in less than 15-20 years.
please publish the video wrenching on it. old toyotas are such a gem!
Ahh a Mechanic who is passionate about really fixing cars. 🔥