jaswood

Simply adjust all four sensors....

The RX's V6 will soon have to adopt DFI, and thereby a significant gain in FE and HP/torque. If not 2012 then....soon. Or we may soon see an RX250. With adoption of DFI the new 187HP I4 in the Venza may be deemed powerful enough for use in a Lexus, maybe even an AWD Lexus. I would love to see a hybrid AWD Venza using a new 200HP DFI Atkinson cycle I4. AWD implemented with the new electromechanical clutch, not an extra electric motor.

You have a KNOWN problem so why not tackle that first and see where things "go".

Having run the engine over a long period of time outside of closed loop mode may have caused a modification of the O2 sensors's metallic make-up. It may take 200-300 miles of closed loop driving to clear the sensors. My basis for that statement: Just after I purchased, new, our '01 AWD RX300, I had an incident that required semi-continuous engagement of TC (MUDDY dirt road), lots of front braking apllication and virtually FULL engine dethrottling. A short time later I got a CEL (& VSC) which would not remain cleared via resetting so I purchased a new O2 sensor. Before I took the time to install the new sensor the CEL cleared of itsself. A few months ago I had a repeat of the same situation and ended up, again, with a CEL (& VSC). My '01 is NOT DBW so the engine dethrottling is accomplished via EFI fuel starvation. That results, of course, in a very oxygen RICH exhaust flow. Apparently the RICH oxygen flow has some adverse effect on the sensing element of the O2 sensors. So, just as before, after a driving 2-300 miles, the CEL cleared on/of its very own. Anyone interested in buying a 10 year old, NEW, never used, O2 sensor..?

The CEL code might well be an indication of a fault(***)detected by the oxygen sensor, not necessarily the sensor itself. Leaking injector, for instance.

I'd first go to Ebay and check for a used set but in good condition.

That's classically an indication of low ATF. Might be other problems but I'd go "there" first.

Lexus climate control systems automatically switch into "cooling" mode, dash outlet airflow, on the coldest darkest night in the dead of winter (Damn discomforting, that!) once the cabin atmosphere rises to nearby your temperature setpoint. You can defeat this via having the dealer set a c-best option to other than the factory default. I recently brought my '10 into the dealer and asked him about changing the default for the climate control so as not get cold air from the dash vents on cold days. He said they couldn't do anything. I mentioned "c best" and he just said those are the programmable things that are in the car, but this wasn't one. Has anyone actually had a dealer make this change and if so, what exactly did they do? Dealers, for some rather strange reason, possibly factory directed, seem to be EXTREMELY reluctant to disclose the existence of certain C=best options. This could also just be the lack of motivation as the charge they are allowed to charge for doing these C-best revisions are pretty minimal. On the other hand some of the descriptive texts for some of the C-best options require an English speaking Japanese "in the know" engineer/technician to interpret the description's rather odd/strange wording.

Oops, sorry, but after reading this post you might want to go back and replace that "fusible" link. ALL automotive cigarette lighters have this same "fusible link", not to limit current flow but to prevent the cigarette lighter itself from starting a FIRE. That fusiable link is in reality a soft lead wire link that will melt open if the heat of the lighter lasts to long or gets to HOT. I used a small link of lead solder to replace mine.

The LS has a compressor rotation rate sensor and if the compressor is enabled and not turning cognizant with engine RPM the dash A/C light will begin flashing. The A/C light can be on constantly but the compressor not running for several reasons. First, the refrigerant pressure sensor is indciating too low refrigerant, pressure too low, or pressure too high. Obviously a failure of the hi/lo switch itself could result in this situation. WOT condition, I don't remember if the TPS is used for this or an actual mechanical switch is used to detect WOT. The engine coolant temperature rising close to the point of overheating will also disable the compressor. The LS engine coolant temperature sensor is prone to failure.

Take your RX to a known reputable A/C specialist shop/technician.

There are only 2 sensors unique to VSC, a steering wheel rotational position sensor and "yaw" detection sensor. The first is integral to the steering wheel/assembly and the second is floor mounted, bolted to the floor. Under the rear seat I think. Try disconnecting the battery for 5-10 minutes to reset the VSC ECU. "..over bumps..." Loose yaw sensor, maybe "loose" internally.

Jaswood, what is the reference for the information that you have supplied? I would be very interested in reading that. The "abolition" of the old ATF line pressure control system is documented in the online factory repair manuals, etc, for the '99. If that is not the subject you questioned then what/which.

HEADS-UP!!! The '99 and '00 RX300 models are incurring an unusually high level of premature transaxle failures, F/awd models especially so, it seems. A new ATF line pressure control technique was adopted with the introduction of the early RX300. There was an inadvertent, unforeseen design FLAW with the use of this new system that was not satisfactorily addressed until the RX330 series adopted DBW. As an interim fix the '01 and after RX300 models always came with towing option, additional ATF cooling, a less (a LOT less)functional VC (Viscous Clutch), and the mechanical rear LSD option was dropped.

Lets see, driver's side cat pipe glows red, passenger side sparks look okay, driver's side not. Plugged cat will cause red glow. Fouled plugs indicate misfires, misfiring will result in unburned fuel combusting downstream causing the cat to glow red. Rich mixture code might mean failed, open, injector, but is also indicative of poor spark ignition. But multiple fouled plugs leads us back to ignition coil, not a single failed injector. Multiple failed injectors is a possibility but much less probable than a single failed component, the ignition coil or ignition firing module. Without digging out the factory owners manual does anyone know if each of the ignition coils service all four plugs to a side...? Swap the ignition coil firing control module wiring/connection left to right and see if the problem moves. Woodinville.

"..re-designed transmission.." Sorry, no, NOT. DBW was adopted so rising engine torque could be delayed until the transaxle shifting could complete. Mostly downshifts for acceleration so it was important that the clutches be firmly and fully engaged before the engine began producing a rising torque level.

Ebay

well the reason i was thinking to do this is because the crankcase is pumping carbon burn off into the intake manifold...wouldnt this gunk up the car, and by doing this mod extend the life of the engine? I think the EGR tube/inlet is a much greater source of the long term deposits on the inside of the intake manifold.

Clear turn/parking/taillights and you'll be done.

Possibilities: Under heavy braking the lower caliper edge might be contacting the rotor outer edge due to: A) Worn guide pins. B) Worn guide pin sleeve within the caliper mounting bracket. C) Caliper mounting bracket distorting under brake stress.

Does it not occur to anyone that those 20" wheels with short sidewall, no "give", tires might be the problem...?

I'm betting the compressor is NOT running. Look closer while someone else turns it on and off.

If you happen to be doing this due to "stalling" movement then they is a TSB that applies.

The stearing damper for my '92 LS has been "stored" in a drawer of my tool chest since shortly after purchasing in late '91. I removed it when I upgraded to 16X8 Wheels and wider tire treads. No ill effects so far that I know of.

Not to mention the extra ATF cooling capability of the external ATF cooler.