jbarhorst2

When there is room in your tank (less than full) water vapor contained in your tank can condense and possibly freeze during the winter months. The more you let your tank go low in the winter, the more opportunity you have to allow water vapor to enter. However, with all the additives in fuel now, this is much less likely to happen. Fuel lines froze more often before the 90's. Your fuel is always coming from the bottom of the tank anyway, so waiting until the tank is almost empty does not really change what is at the bottom. Your fuel is constantly moving in the tank and mixing anyway. However, there is a problem that you cause by allowing your tank to go low. Your fuel pump is cooled by the liquid fuel that it is pumping. Your fuel system is basically a loop. Your pump can deliver more fuel than your engine needs. Excess pressurized fuel is returned to the fuel tank. Pumping this fuel to the engine and back causes it to heat up slightly. The more fuel you have in your tank, the bigger buffer you have. The less fuel you have, the more it will heat up because it is making the trip more often. Heat is bad for nearly any pump. As your fuel pump gets hotter, it wears out more quickly. Keeping more fuel in your tank (more than 1/4 tank) helps to slow this wear. Tom

Sounds like it is the shift release solenoid. Is it a single click? That is normal. Is it multiple clicks, that is not really normal and you should open the panel to see what the solenoid is doing. This solenoid allows you to shift out of park after you put your foot on the brake. It is a safety feature mandated by the government after the Audi issues in the 80's. Tom

Yes, it comes out in 2006, but it will be labeled a 2007 model. Any car released on January 1st or later of a year can be labeled with the following year. Tom

Is your "wool looking thing" actually wool fiber or is it synthetic? Wool is too harsh on most automotive paints. Unless, the car has been repainted with an Imron 5000 or something like that. Your wool looking thing should be made of synthetic fiber for most automotive compounding work. Foam pads from 3M work well for the final glaze step. Tom

I had a similar issue when I bought new tires for my SC300. The vibration started exactly when I purchased the new tires, but the tire shop told me that I needed new universals on my driveshaft. Morons. I had them balance again with no luck. It ws better, but not completely gone. He then told me that he does not have 0.25 ounce weights because he does not believe it makes any difference. So, I went to another place and had them balanced again. Vibration gone. I went back to the first place and gave him a lesson in tire balancing that his "30 years in the business" didn't teach him. He told me that he has never had an issue with increased vibration on his car, a Chevy Cavalier. I didn't have the heart to go any further after that comment. The guys does good work, but he cannot balance a tire to save his life. Go to another shop. I think you'll be much happier with your tire purchase like me. Tom

I agree. They should repair it.

I agree. I don't think I would go using non-factory units on a modern car. Just my 2 cents. I don't have the service manual for the RX yet. Perhaps someone else on here who has the manual can give you accurate removal instructions. Sorry. Tom

I found what I was looking for. I also found some other interesting info. There are different types of airbag sensors now that we have side airbags and all the new gadgets. I'm not sure which one our RX has. I'll have to go look, but here is the link to see a cutaway version of the sensor I described above. Tom Airbag sensor link

The reason that your airbag did not go off when you hit the deer is the force of the collision. The airbag sensors do not work by getting crushed. They work based on the rate of deceleration. Typically (at least on the sensors in the 90's) you will have a metallic ball bearing contained inside the sensor. When the deceleration rate is large enough, the ball bearing moves forward in the sensor package and makes contact with two metal wires. I believe everything used to be gold plated to reduce or eliminate corrosion. When the contact is made, the airbag is signaled to deploy. There used to be a cut open sensor picture on the web, but I cannot find it now. Remember that force = mass X acceleration. The heavier the object is that you hit and the faster you are going will make your airbag more likely to deploy. Tom

I believe you can change the steering wheel, but to change to a gated shifter I think you need to change the transmission. Anyone else? Tom

I believe most sensors (at least the older ones) are triggered at speeds of 12 mph and above. The newer sensors "read" the severity of the impact and adjust the air bag deployment force. Will the grill guard affect the force read by the sensor? Yes. Will it really make that much of a difference? I don't believe so because the deployment is programmed for such a low level anyway. Just my 2 cents.

Look at the little door where your cassette goes in. Ther will be a "number" on it. If it starts with P, then it's a Pioneer. Tom

My dealer explained to me that when you are driving and your radio station goes to static because you are too far away it will find a new station for you. I have never tried it on mine to see if it actually works.

I don't have a problem with the R-134a in the cans, but I do have a problem with most of the oils. Make sure you get the one that contains the oil recommended by Lexus. Most of those cans contain ester oil which is not good for your system. Again, no bubbles in sight glass should mean that you have a full charge (or very close). Be careful filling it any more. You could damage the expansion valve. Tom

It should not affect it. Those switches work because of the massive deceleration forces caused by contact with another heavy object. I don't think your guard will affect the deceleration enough to make a difference. Tom

Look at the sight glass for the AC while it is running. Put it on MAX COLD. Do you see bubbles in the sight glass? If so, then you can probably add a little. If not, then you don't need any. Be careful about both how much you add and the type of oil that your can contains. If you charge with the wrong oil you can cause more problems than you currently have.

I think your brake pads are slightly worn. As your brake pads wear, more fluid goes from the reservoir to the caliper piston chamber. After enough fluid moves, the sensor in the reservoir says you need more fluid. Just try topping off your fluid first. It's only a couple of bucks. If that does not fix it, then you can look elsewhere. At this point I'm convinced that the parking brake usage and the light are coincidence. Tom

Exactly right. The hardest part is wiggling the cover out and back in until you get used to it. It can be a little tight when it sticks to the rubber edge on the filter. If you have a shop vac or a vacuum cleaner with a hose I would take just a moment to vacuum out the air box while you have it open. Tom

I like that picture. It almost looks like an old time black and white photo until you see the red light on the dash and the color looking out the windshield. Kind of a cool optical effect, I think. But, people have told me I'm a little off anyway. Tom

Both are very easy. Which one are you talking about? The engine air filter or the air conditioning air filter? Tom

SW03ES, I did not notice any more rear room when I sat in the 2 that my dealer had last week. I think you would be much better served with an LS if you are going to be having a lot of people in the back seat. Also, you will get fewer "heel scuffs" from people getting in and out in the LS simply because the door opening is larger. I noticed that my shoe seemed to catch the door sill when I tried to get in and out of the GS rear seat. 2006GS430 - I agree, we don't care about the weather. Bring on the pics! Tom

It will go out when all the rear bulbs are working. You may still have a bulb that is out. If both sides look the same, then maybe you have the same bulb out on both sides. Tom

That does seem to be a reasonable price. That is almost as low as the trade in price. I am cynical. It almost seems too good. Be sure you check it out very well. There could be something wrong. Tom

It would be a significant (pronounced "costly") endeavor to change from the hard drive system to the DVD system. Tom

Make sure it's throttle body cleaner. Don't use carburetor cleaner.