MajorCommonElectrical

Lexus LS: Starter motor buried under the intake manifold

Starter motor buried under the intake manifold is a common electrical fault on the Lexus LS on the 1989–2000 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,100 to $2,400 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 12 documented faults on the Lexus LS.

Vehicle: Lexus LS
Engine: 4.0L
Years: 1989–2000
Fuel: petrol
System: Electrical

This page covers the Lexus LS as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Lexus LS faults12 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Intake manifold or Starter motor yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

On the 1UZ-FE V8 the starter motor sits in the valley of the engine, underneath the intake manifold. It typically gives up somewhere between 160,000 and 320,000 km, and the part itself is not the problem — the labour is, because the manifold has to come off to reach it. The plastic heater control valve nearby is brittle by this age and very often cracks during the job, so it gets replaced at the same time. The failure announces itself first as a starter that hesitates or clicks once before catching, especially when the engine is hot. Nobody does this job twice, so a car with a recent starter invoice is worth more than one without.

What you would notice

A click or a pause before it cranks, worse when the engine is hot
Occasional need to turn the key twice
Slow, laboured cranking with a known-good battery
Coolant smell or a damp patch in the engine valley — the heater valve nearby

How to check it

Where to look. In the engine valley beneath the intake manifold, between the cylinder banks

Ask the seller to leave the car unstarted so you get the first cold start, then drive it, park it hot, and start it again — a tired starter shows itself hot far more readily than cold.
Listen for a single click, a pause, or a slow first turn before it catches.
Do that hot restart two or three times rather than once.
Ask directly whether the starter has been replaced and for the invoice; it is a memorable bill.
While the bonnet is up, look and smell for coolant around the middle of the engine, which points at the heater valve beside the starter.

Parts involved: Intake manifold, Starter motor.

What it costs to put right

$1,100 to $2,400 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the starter motor been replaced, and do you have the invoice?”
“Does it ever hesitate to start when hot?”
“Has the heater control valve been replaced?”

Now check the Lexus LS you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Generation High Output — 'Lexus LS400 Common Problems'
ClubLexus — 'UCF20/21 1995-2000 LS400 FAQ' thread

Lexus LS buyer questions

Is starter motor buried under the intake manifold serious on a Lexus LS?

We rate it major and common on the Lexus LS. On the 1UZ-FE V8 the starter motor sits in the valley of the engine, underneath the intake manifold. It typically gives up somewhere between 160,000 and 320,000 km, and the part itself is not the problem — the labour is, because the manifold has to come off to reach it. The plastic heater control valve nearby is brittle by this age and very often cracks during the job, so it gets replaced at the same time. The failure announces itself first as a starter that hesitates or clicks once before catching, especially when the engine is hot. Nobody does this job twice, so a car with a recent starter invoice is worth more than one without.

How much does it cost to fix on a Lexus LS?

$1,100 to $2,400 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Lexus LS years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1989–2000 Lexus LS. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Ask the seller to leave the car unstarted so you get the first cold start, then drive it, park it hot, and start it again — a tired starter shows itself hot far more readily than cold. Listen for a single click, a pause, or a slow first turn before it catches. Do that hot restart two or three times rather than once. Ask directly whether the starter has been replaced and for the invoice; it is a memorable bill. While the bonnet is up, look and smell for coolant around the middle of the engine, which points at the heater valve beside the starter. Look here: In the engine valley beneath the intake manifold, between the cylinder banks