Ashpoint

Shame about that. You can probably get by cutting a couple of wire pieces (100mm each) off a wire coat hanger. Alternatively you can go buy the tools from a wrecker or Lexus (probably have to buy the whole kit) or easier still find a friend who'll lend the tools to you (you'll only need them for 5 minutes!) Remember that there are two processes involved here. First you expand the clips by pushing the tool (or wire) in on both sides through the little holes in the fascia. Then, secondly, you have to get the fascia out. With the tools, after you've freed the clips, you exert a slight sideways push so you can ease out the fascia. The wire from a coat hanger is probably fine enough to expand the clip but not rigid enough to exert the sideways grip so you can ease the fasciaa out. I read with interest that there is a recess under the Emergency light button and you can use that with a small flat screw driver blade to ease the fascia out. Once it moves, you can grab the fascia with your fingers and it will come out really easy. Believe me, once you've done it the first time and understand the process - it's easy to do (I've done it several times already. Just take your time and take care not to mark the fascia or your dashboard.

Did you have a "Mummy" look? The pesky things are hard to locate. Open the tool kit and look at the center spine. The tools are quite small and VERY easy to miss seeing.

How do I increase the Microsophone leve of the inbuilt Bluetooth. Callers comment that my audio level is quiet. I understand the level control is in one of the "hidden" menus.

Ok, I finally completed the work by installing the switch so that the destination can be fed into the NAV unit while the car is in motion. I don't anticipate doing the destination feeding when I'm driving but the mod allows my passenger (usually, my wife) to feed the NAV address while I'm at the wheel. Sharing the experience I list the following observations: The switch came from the USA as suggested by Technique in http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-second-...switch-diy.html where he says: You DO need to file away some plastic in the switch housing to mount this switch. Nothing too hard with this! I mounted the switch so that in the OFF mode, the car behaves normally. Switching down (ON) the NAV functions can be accessed. Normally the switch is only ON for the minute or so while the passenger feeds in the NAV destination. In operation, our sequence is as follows: Switch closed (up) - you can't enter a destination while in motion MAP/VOICE screen - see normal map display. DEST screen - see a dimmed ADDRESS icon Switch open (down) - The MAP/VOICE display is unreliable (read useless!) DEST screen - you can now enter a destination in the DEST screen while the car is in motion. When done, switch back to closed (up) and select MAP/VOICE Be aware that when your switch to open mode and select the MAP/VOICE screen, it can take up to 20 seconds before the display locks back onto reliable display mode. All-in-all, an excellent modification given a little bit of bravery needed to hack into your beloved IS250.

Ok, did mine today and thought I would share experiences. Dowloaded and created a DVD of V15. Couldn't find any links to V16 (yet). The video by Korvan on the 7 September 2008 in this thread is well worth viewing before attempting this task (thanks Korvan for uploading). I had troubles finding the two tools. I opened the Safety Triangle pack before I "discovered" the false tray over the mini spare wheel. Then I found the funny shaped tool kit next to the spare wheel. Upon opening the tool kit, I didn't immediately find the two slim keys located in their own fully covered pocket in the centre spine of the tool kit. Using the tools I found that a reasonable force was needed to push the tools home. Then it took a reasonable force to "walk" the clock fascia out of the dashboard. After that, things progressed smoothly from ejecting the original DVD and inserting my own. Be aware that there's a shortish wait while the DVD spins up, initialises, then presents a screen warning not to change power settings till the loading process completes (about 45 seconds). On the first drive test, it took a few minutes for the display to come onto a correct track. (Initially I was tracking in nearby Sydney Harbour). After the few minutes lost in the Harbour, the tracking settled onto the correct road and now a few days since the update, all is 100% good.

From the WhereIs site Someone, please revisit this site when a torrent of V16 appears

Can you give more informationn about the "credit card sized fob" What is it, how much, where can I get one, etc

Well done! Thank you VERY much. My "missus" will also love it. I'll call the Lexus dealer today and will ask for it be done. FYI, my wife has a chemotherapy regeme that causes her fingers to be constantly in pain so the task of opening her door is generally an irritant for her.

Thanks, I will ask. But, I think the front passenger door is a hardware issue not electronic. Michael

On a Windows Mobile system, you need to bear in mind that it IS Microsoft! So, like all Microsoft issues - re-boot! I usually re-boot my phone at least each 2 weeks!

Hi... The car automatically locks all doors when underway. Once we stop... If the driver's door is opened from the inside, the door is unocked and opened with a single open action of the door handle. The front passenger needs to unlock that door before opening the door. Is there a modification so that the passender door can unlock and open in the one action (like the driver's door)?

Ahhh... Success! I changed my phone to another HTC Cruise fitted with a beta version of Microsoft Mobile 6.5 and problem resolved. The Blue Tooth in the IS250 is now reliable and (by my definition) useful. I'll run the current setup for a few months before changing the phone to a RTM version of Windows Mobile 6.5 OR more likely, hold out for a phone with Windows Mobile 7. Thanks to all the contributors to this thread and who helped restore my faith in the Lexus system.

All good responses - thanks. I'm supposed to be getting a Blackberry to trial. It will be interesting to see how that works.

Further update: The Lexus dealer service manager called back to say there was no firmware upgrade and said that 90% of BT issues were with the phone and not the car. So, I'm going to experiment with some other phones.

Thanks all for the responses. The car is an April 2008 GSE20R build that I have owned since early July this year. I'll try another phone. My son is a phone junkie and has an assortment of iPhones, Blackberrys, etc. So I'll borrow one of his and respond back here in due course. Thanks again...

I would be interested in member comments and experiences with the Lexus BlueTooth facility. I sold my BMW320i for the IS250. The BMW was always rock solid with the BT pairing with the phone as fast as the Lexus does. Once paired, the comparison stops. The BT in the BMW was ALWAYS rock solid never missing a beat! The Lexus drops the connection regularly for seemingly no reason. I leave the phone sitting next to the ashtray and have recently taken to keeping the phone charged with a lead from the cigarette lighter socket. Oh, yes, I reboot the phone regularly just in case that's a solution. I'd make a call, finish normally, look down and see the BT has dropped out after the call has finished. A few minutes later, again for no reason, it's paired up again. Some days. the system seems stable for hours on end while on some days dropped pairing is the order of the day! Another example. I do a Speed dial call after particularly noting that the BT is connected and get greeted with a screen warning that the phone connection is not there! A minute or so later without any reason, the BT is UP again! I generally have the Lexus screen sitting on the Speed Dial window so I can see the BT status. Somtimes I'm driving and see the BT connection stop then spontaneously reconnect a short distance down the road. Other times, I get an incoming call that fails to get answered because the BT is not connected. Usually I manually answer the phone and tell the caller I can't hear them because of the BT. I ask them to wait a few minutes and call me back. Then I stop the car, attempt to manually restart the BT and wait for the caller to call back (or return his call if I have a record of his number in the phone)! Restarting the BT is an exercise in frustration with the restart sometimes being easy and sometimes impossible! Restarting often involves rebooting the phone, autoconnecting the Lexus BT, changing the security code, stopping and starting the BT on the phone, etc! I've tried all combinations. I've tried to be analytical and to determine if there's a pattern but as yet can't find a sequence of events that triggers the drop out. I phoned Lexus in Melbourne last week and was told to speak with the dealer service manager about a firmware upgrade. The dealer told me there was no such thing as a firmware upgrade and suggested that the issue is with the phone. Fair comment, but the same phone was always rock solid in the BMW (and in my wife's VW Golf). The Lexus dealer said he would check and call back but that hasn't happened yet (no problems with that being as it was that I spoke with him only last Friday). I'm in the car for long periods and a reliable in-car phone system is important for my job (and safety). I'd be happy to change the phone (or car) to have this important function working correctly. The phone is an HTC Cruise with Windows 6. Anyhow, I sure would appreciate knowing the experiences and suggestions of others.

Thanks. That's a great resource.

Hi... Can someone post the removal instruction about how to remove the centre consol in an Automatic model. (I've seen a USA vireo on U-Tube showing removal instructions for a geared model).