New to the Club and Already Botched My 1st DIY (1 Viewer)

[robo200]

Greetings! I was shopping for a 200 series but saw this 05 LX470 with 160K on the odometer popped up asking for $10K and snatched it up. Minimum rust for a northeast vehicle. I’m a competent DIY mechanic and was pretty satisfied with the inspection.

First I tried was to take a look at the burnt inner tail light bulb, but one screw felled into the crack and never to be seen again.

The truck drove home across multiple states with little problem but the next day it threw CEL, VSC Trac and VSC OFF lights on an easy local hockey dad drive. OH SH*T was an understatement for how I felt at the moment.

Noting there is a bit of crust on the battery terminals, I cleaned and tightened them, and all lights were gone! Chalk one in the win column.

Questions for the forum:

1. Is there a website like realoem.com for BMWs, that you can plug in a VIN and get factory correct parts diagrams and part numbers? “What’s the part number of that lost screw?” would be an easy answer on the website and a ballpark price.

2. What are some of the better online sources for Toyota and Lexus parts? And how often/when discount events happen?

3. For the tail light, it should be Sylvania 7443 based on my search. Can I use LED bulbs?

Cheers!

 

[T4R2TLC]

Welcome!

Partsouq is your best bet for that parts diagram and often for best pricing.

Many Toyota dealers run promos, those often seem like higher discounts and lower prices than Lexus counterparts. Decatur in Alabama has 25% off and free shipping right now. Often there are threads on this forum to note good deals.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Welcome to the madness!
Use partsouq.com (as @T4R2TLC mentioned) has good prices and if you plug in your VIN, will get you correct part numbers, often with an accompanying diagram.
Most of your questions are already asked and been responded to in this forum - you will find search very useful when looking for them.
Also, 100-series FAQ - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/100-series-faq.30754/ is a great resource and covers many basics and definitely worth a read!

Finally, I always tell my friends that for screws and nuts and other small stuff, just hit your local parts/hardware store with a sample in hand - they can usually give you a matching piece for next to nothing!
Remember - these are hardy Japanese trucks and not finicky BMWs! they are much simpler to work on, will take a lot of abuse without complaining and the stuff you fix will stay fixed for a long time! Yet, they will never drive like a BMW and comparing them to BMWs will most likely ruin all the fun for you

 

[Zjohnsonua]

Finally, I always tell my friends that for screws and nuts and other small stuff, just hit your local parts/hardware store with a sample in hand - they can usually give you a matching piece for next to nothing!
Remember - these are hardy Japanese trucks and not finicky BMWs! they are much simpler to work on, will take a lot of abuse without complaining and the stuff you fix will stay fixed for a long time! Yet, they will never drive like a BMW and comparing them to BMWs will most likely ruin all the fun for you

For a couple dollars worth of entry costs a pick-a-part is your place for fasteners. I've not been charged for them yet...and I've been doing it for years. Extra perk, you're getting OEM JIS bolts (pull from Subaru, Honda/Acura, and Toyota/Lexus)...not the hardware store DIN standard which has larger heads whose tools won't fit in many locations.

 

[nissanh]

Get OEM set of light bulbs (make is Koito) on both tail lights and stop worring about burnt bulbs for another 15 years. Apply some dielectric grease to bulb holders and wire plugs for easy removal for your son or anyone taking it apart in 2038

 

[J1000]

I bet the CEL will come on again. Just FYI when the CEL comes on it throws the other lights too, but that doesn't mean anything is wrong with those systems. Get an OBD scanner. The most common CEL is evap system leak from a gas cap or similar. No big deal. Nice truck!

 

[Malleus]

@robo200
PartSouq is mostly reliable, but not 100% infallible. Try Lexus Parts if you want the most updated availability and pricing for the US. Use your VIN to get the most correct parts list for your specific truck.

Also, PartSouq prices do not include shipping from UAE, which can sometimes be more than you save. YMMV. PartSouq, and all other Arab sites are down until 02OCT2023 for Mohammed's birthday.

Amayma trading is a Japanese distributor, which also has copies of the Toyota electronic parts catalog. IMHO, PartSouq's interface is the easiest to use.

There are also Toyota repair manuals and electrical wiring diagrams for every model in the Resources section, for free download. These are pdf files and fully searchable. Most have bookmarks. You can also download Techstream, which is the Toyota service program used by the dealers. You'll need a OBDII dongle to connect the truck to your laptop. Everything you need to know is here.

Don't forget to include the details about your truck (year, mods, etc.) in your signautre, so you don't have to continually answer the questions. Most answers are year model specific, or at least year range specific.