Answers to Questions 76 - 100
| 76. | There is a plastic box in the right bottom corner of the boot with no connecting wires or hoses. What is it for? |
| The plastic boxes in the lower corners of the boot (each side) are vents to outside that allow easy closing of the boot lid. The boot seals are very good and if there were no vents, quick closing of the boot would be difficult. The boxes can be easily removed (4 self-tapping screws to the sheet metal) and cleaned, if needed. Each has louvre type doors for one-way operation so that dirt does not get inside easily. | |
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| 77. | The airconditioning vent in the centre of dashboard is cracked. How can I remove it for repair? UPDATE AT Q85. |
| This part is called "ventilation register" and is screwed to the back of the wood dash panel insert. Removal is not easy. The panel is secured from the back by wing nuts to the dashboard. I replaced my cracked register about 2 years ago with a new part but it cracked again. I worked out the reason for cracking is the cold air from the air/cond vent blowing on the dark plastic register frame. In hot weather the plastic tends to expand more than the wooden cutout allows, then the cold air cools it down quickly and the register frame cracks. Before installing a new frame, it could be reinforced from the rear side by gluing strips of carbon-fibre or similar material to the corners where the cracks usually develop. Also, spray painting the register frame a light colour (e.g. silver) will reduce its tendency to expand by heat. | |
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| 78. | When removing and re-installing my combination meter (after repair) the air-bag warning light stays permanently on. Why is that? |
| When removing the combination meter from Soarers fitted with the driver's air-bag it is critical not to switch the ignition on with the meter removed. This would trigger the Air-bag Error Code and the air-bag warning light would stay on when the combination meter was re-installed. The Error code is difficult to clear unless our Air-bag light switching box is used. | |
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| 79. | I want to replace my standard Soarer wheel rims with wider/larger/aftermarket rims. Is there anything I should know? |
| Definity yes. Spend few minutes and read a very enlightening article by Iain Wiltshire called "On all fours", linked here by permission. | |
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| 80. | I cannot move my gearshift lever from the Park to Drive unless I push the red over-ride button. Depressing the footbrake pedal with ignition on does not unlock the gearshit. What is wrong? |
| Your brake lights may not work properly. Check the fuse in the driver's side kick panel, near the throttle pedal. | |
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| 81. | Can I replace the original Soarer GT single in-dash CD-player and radio/cassette by different Soarer head unit provided with CD-stacker controls and fit the remote 12-CD stacker in the boot, as in Soarer LTD? |
| Yes, the Soarer LTD head unit with CD controls is plug compatible with the single in-dash CD-player unit in Soarers GT and fits the same mountings. Soarers not originally fitted with the 12-CD changers in the boot are pre-wired from factory for later installation of the Lexus/Soarer 12-CD changer. The wiring has two white plugs in the boot for the changer and terminates under the centre console in an orange plug, not connected to the radio unit. (Obviously, the single in-dash CD/radio/cassette does not have any sockets for the changer.) A Toyota car radio plug is needed (best obtained from a wrecker) for connection of the CD-changer wiring to the head unit supporting the changer and a short harness must be made to extend the wires from the orange plug to the head unit. Simple wiring diagram can be made available to interested parties. Note that the above is not applicable to the installation of the EMV screen as a replacement for other Lexus/Soarer head units. | |
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| 82. | Can you suggest an insurance company where I can get my Soarer (or other imported sports car) insured for a competitive premium? |
| Unfortunately no. I have no knowledge of the insurance industry. | |
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| 83. | Once and for all, what is the difference between a Toyota Soarer and Lexus SC300/400? |
| Both car models are made in Japan by Toyota. The local Japanese model in the right-hand drive is called Soarer and the same car in left-hand drive for export to the USA is called Lexus. (It is said the LEXUS stands for Luxury EXport to USa). Therefore, the simple distiction is the location of steering wheel. There are number of other differences. The Lexus cars have an electronic analogue instrument panel, whilst the Soarers have electronic digital instrumentation. Generally, Soarers are more fully equipped cars: the Lexus never had the option of 2.5 T/T engine (only V8 and 3.0 non-turbo engines), TEMS suspension, EMV screen, not to mention the 4-wheel steering or active suspension. Shortly, features found in Lexus always have their equivalents in Soarers but not the other way round. In their long lives many Soarers exported from Japan as used cars have been fitted with the Lexus badges. | |
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| 84. | Can you advise what is the present value of a particular model Soarer/Lexus SC300/400? I wish to buy one and do not want to pay too much. |
| There si no way I would hazzard a guess about a purchase price of any car. Classified advertisements are useful to see how much private sellers are asking. | |
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| 85. | How can I remove and repair a cracked centre ventilation register? UPDATE. |
| New illustrated on-line procedure has been completed for this task. Outline of the procedure is accessible through Enquiry, Prices and Order page | |
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| 86. | Does the EMV Manual show the details of video inputs for the EMV screen to help with connecting other devices (such as PAL TV tuner, DVD) to the EMV screen? |
| No. The EMV Manual is a user guide to the functions and operation of the EMV screen. Technical information on the inner workings/repair/modifications of the EMV screen and its associated electrical components is simply not available. | |
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| 87. | Is the Toyota Soarer 2.5 T/T engine repair/service manual available? UPDATE. |
| Yes, it is but in Japanese only. See the Enquiry, Prices and Order page. | |
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| 88. | Do you offer compliance for cars other than Toyota Soarer UZZ series (such as Nissan Skylines & 300ZX, Subaru WRX etc.)? |
| No, we only comply 1991-1995 Toyota Soarers V8 (UZZ series). | |
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| 89. | Why is it that my seat-belts sometimes lock up before they can be secured? |
| One of the reasons why the front or rear seat-belts sometimes lock up is their sensitivity to being installed exactly at the correct angle. (The original Toyota belts have special brackets that allow only one position for installation but replacement belts are mostly generic and can be mounted at any angle with potentially disasterous consequences for their correct function). The result is that the new belts retract correctly when the car is on a perfectly flat surface and stationary, but as soon as the car starts moving or stands on even a slight incline the belts (specially the rear ones) lock up. The fix is to get access to the seat-belt inertia retractors/reels and re-align them. Only people who know what they are doing should attempt this. | |
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| 90. | The seat-belt warning symbol in the combination meter stays on even when the driver's seat-belt is secured. What may be causing it? |
| The reason why the seat-belt warning lamp is always on in the combination meter in some cars has to do with the switch in the drivers seat-belt buckle in Soarers. The original switch is either normally open or normally closed (I cannot recall) and the replacement buckle (if it has any switch fitted at all) has it connected in the opposite way. Often the replacement buckle switch is not wired up at all or the wire connection is broken and the light remains on constantly. Fix is not difficult. Look under the driver's seat for a wire to the buckle. It is easy to undo 4 bolts of the driver's seat (and some connectors for seat movement motors) and lift it up. The buckle switch wire could be dangling in the air or connected wrongly. Even Soarers with the original seat-belt buckle fitted may have this fault if the connection wire is broken. | |
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| 91. | Does the Lexus Repair Manual cover the hydraulic suspension or the 4-wheel steering system of the Soarer UZZ32 variant or the TEMS air suspension system of the UZZ31 variant? |
| The Lexus Repair Manuals do not contain any information about the hydraulic suspension or the 4-wheel steering system of UZZ32 Soarers nor the TEMS air suspension of UZZ31 Soarers. These options were not available on Lexus SC300/400 sold in the USA and the Repair Manuals cover the US specification cars. | |
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| 92. | Some Soarers do not display the outside temperature in the combination meter and only have the time display there. Is is possible to activate the temperature display somehow? |
| Different year model Soarers have different features, such as the external temperature display. It is not possible to "activate" this feature. Most likely this would require the fitment of an external temperature sensor and the LCD display in the combination meter that would support the external temperature indications. | |
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| 93. | I was offered an extended warranty plan with a Soarer by a used car dealer. Are such warranties any good? |
| For an article on extended warranties read here. | |
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| 94. | My Soarer has a problem with fuel starvation, when cold or hot runs well but in between hesitates unless the throttle is floored. I tried to change the fuel filter but its fittings can not be undone. What can I do? |
| The fuel filter needs to be changed first, as it may be blocked. Given the difficulties with removing it I would say it may have never been replaced. No doubt it may be difficult to remove as I had a similar experience with disconnecting the hose and tube fittings under the fuel tank. I thought I would nearly break the fitting off before it gave way. Perhaps you should try spraying the connection with WD40 or similar agent and leave it for a while to loosen up, but you may have already done that. A special ring spanner with a slot may be needed, as used for undoing brake line fittings. The filter should not be assumed to be OK. Other problems worth investigating after changing the spark plugs, hi-tension leads and fuel filter would include the fuel pressure regulator and/or the throttle position sensor (TPS) on the engine. Lexus Repair Manuals contain details of the Lexus SC400 fuel system and location, testing and repairs of various components. | |
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| 95. | What is the maximum road speed of a Soarer without any performance modifications? |
| In the standard trim the maximum road speed is limited to 179 km/hr. With a maximum speed delimiter fitted the car can reach the maximum speed of about 250 km/hr. | |
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| 96. | Sometimes when hot my car does not want to start up. In repeated attempts the engine always fires up immediately but dies in seconds. When the car cools down it starts up normally. What is wrong? |
| Most probably the fuel pump ECU is faulty. Check FAQs 45 & 46. This fault needs to be repaired promptly or the car will not start at all soon. | |
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| 97. | Is a Soarer radio suitable for installation in a Lexus for use in the USA, or the other way round? |
| For use in the USA the answer is "not really". The Soarer radio physically fits in the Lexus centre console but its FM range is about 20 MHz lower and AM frequency stepping is 9 kHz and not 10 kHz as needed in the USA. Also, the Soarer radio controls are arranged as a "mirror image" of the Lexus radio. Apart from the "mirror" controls layout issue, it is feasable and perhaps even desirable to install the genuine Lexus SC400 radio in a Soarer in countries such as Australia, N.Z and UK as this provides the best possible quality reception on the FM band (with correct indications, too) at the cost of a useless AM band. These two radio types (with CD button for remote 12-CD changer) are plug compatible. | |
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| 98. | Does Startrade Australia presently sell Soarers or import them to order from Japan? |
| No, we do not presently sell or import Soarers from Japan. | |
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| 99. | Do you supply after-market suspension height controllers for TEMS fitted Soarers? |
| We do not sell or recommend using the after-market TEMS controllers. In order to attain a low ride height they allow adjustment of air pressure in the TEMS units below the minimum pressure recommended by Toyota and this can cause damage to suspension struts. | |
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| 100. | What are the recommended scheduled maintenance intervals for Lexus SC300/400 - Soarer V8? |
| Details of the scheduled maintenance intervals are shown in the Lexus SC300/400 Owner's Manual. Schedule A for heavy usage (towing; driving on dusty, rough, muddy or salt-sprayed roads; repeated short trips less than 8 km and outside temperatures below freezing, police, taxi or door-to-door service) calls for regular 6,000 km service and Schedule B (normal usage) calls for regular 12,000 km service interval. We have no information on the recommended scheduled maintenance intervals for 2.5 litre twin-turbo Soarers. | |
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