Japanese Text/buttons In A Gs350

[k3nny]

First of all, a great big hello to all of you as this is my first post.. :)

Beautiful cars you guys have and a wealth of information too!

Anyhow, i recently got back from Japan and i saw a couple of 2006 Lexus GS350's in a few export yards waiting to be auctioned out to a lucky bidder.

I thought the price was quite attractive and compliance for import into australia aside, i had a few enquiries on the technical side that i was hoping someone could help me out with..

1. The instrument cluster display (the little box in the middle below the speedometer/RPM) displays everything in Japanese. Door ajar, trunk open, engine oil low or any warning messages at all is displayed in Japanese.

Is it possible to change this to english? Would a simple swap of the instrument cluster to an AU spec one from Lexus Australia do the job? Or i was told that it was merely programming that was needed as the cluster is just a LCD display and displays whatever is sent to it, be it Japanese or English.

2. The EMV touchscreen display in the middle displays everything in Japanese. Even the buttons surrounding it for climate, audio etc are all in Japanese.

Is there anyway to change this to English?

If i swapped this unit out once again for an Australian Spec unit, would it automatically display everything in english?

Some tell me that if i swap the whole EMV touchscreen unit to a English market unit, it will all display everything in English and the upside is the surrounding buttons will now be in English too.

Some people tell me that even if i swap it out, it will still display japanese because its just a display and it just displays what it is told to display, be it japanese or english. Rather they said that something else needs to be swapped out or reprogrammed. If thats the case, and it could be cheaper, as long as it displays english after the reprogramming or swapping of some internal computer, i could live with the japanese buttons.

3. The radio frequency is japanese 79.90 - 89.90.

Is there anyway to change this to 89.90 - 107.90 as per the rest of the world?

In my previous E60 BMW that i also brought in from Japan, a simple swap of the CCC (the single disc slot unit) fixed the frequency problem and the idrive showed the regular frequencies after the swap. Practically plug and play with some very minor coding.

Is it the same with this Lexus too? really dont fancy using the device that changes the frequency upward (ie: 92.90 being 82.90 etc).

I will post the information if i manage to find it out elsewhere or from lexus which ive sent an email to!

Thanks once again for any contributions or answers from anyone in advance.

Really appreciate it and im looking forward to owning this lovely baby!

[OO-521]

Hi,

It will still be in Japanese as Japan uses a hard drive for their Nav etc, Aus uses a disk.

[DANSLEX]

First of all, will save you the hassle and let you know you can't comply a JDM Lexus GS in Australia. The only GS you can comply is the 1st generation one, as it hasn't been sold here locally. If a car is sold locally, you cannot bring a grey import in. Only exception being if you have lived in Japan for 12 months and have owned the vehicle you wish to import.

[illusivedreams]

Eligibility for Personal ImportsTo be eligible to import a Personal Import, there are several things you must prove:

• You have owned and used the vehicle overseas for a continuous period of 12 months

• You are a Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia or in the process of application

• You are of an age that entitles you to hold a license or permit to drive a vehicle of that type

• You haven't imported another vehicle under the import concession in the previous 12 months

• You undertake to comply with any road safety standards requirements imposed by registering authorities

Note: The government administration will consider people who are under the 410 and 457 Visas with additional requirements.

The following persons are not eligible to import a vehicle under the Personal Import Scheme:

• Visitors

• Temporary residents

• Foreign diplomatic personnel

• Companies and / or corporations