mckellyb

Then this appeared at a local off-lease car "lot". It's really an old warehouse, they've been there for decades. 2008 LS 460 L, many an option (no four seat option or the executive rear seating bit, but I think everything else), 93K miles, very clean save for a bunch of small hail dents (hey, it's Texas, it's likely going to happen, anyway), paid just under $19K, Wednesday. The car was originally a Toyota corporate car in Cali...three years of that @ 9K miles per year, then it made its way to Texas for private ownership for the next five years. The guy traded it in on a newer S-class. So far, I love the beast. It's disturbingly quick for its size, gets killer MPGs on the highway, and it redefines the word "comfy". My wife is happy our garage now looks like this. I used to DD a 2005 Cadillac STS, V8, RWD, but it met an unfortunate end back in March or April. This LS makes that car look borderline primitive, and it was a pretty nice ride.

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp29/mckellyb/P1000102.jpg http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp29/mckellyb/P1000100_resized.jpg

Changed 'em this morning. The car is so quiet, unless the windows are open, and you're next to a wall/building, you can't hear the 'worn out chirpers'. Got 95K out of the OEM's...yeah, I know, sub-100K miles on an almost 10 year old car.... She, Princess, sat in storage for a few years, under our ownership. I'd say I got maximum life out of the inside driver's side pad! Funny, 'cause yesterday, I had to positively stomp on the WHOA pedal when the person in front of me stopped well short of traffic while they were fishing something out of the back seat of their Honda CR-V.

Sorry for the delay in posting, but it's been a while since I've visited, and this jumped out at me, being I was just here for my wife's RX. I heartily second this tire choice. I've been a fan of Kumho's since putting a set of KH-11's on a '95 Intrepid ES we used to own. On the side was molded, "FOR SUMMER USE ONLY". Yeah, whatever. I had a dedicated set of snows on a separate set of wheels, which I'd gotten for the mountains west of Denver, but in Portland, OR, there was no way I was swapping tires for the one or two snow days per year. Just not gonna happen. I was one of three people, and the only one w/2wd who showed up at work the one day it snowed. Granted, it took 20 minutes to get into the parking lot, but that was because of the inclines and angles involved. I've recently replaced the positively horrible OEM Headstones on the RX with a set of 5 Kumhos, and I'm quite happy. Only about 300 miles on 'em, but they're quieter and the hum tone they generate is of a lower frequency than the Bridgestones. Treadwear is 680, which gave me pause, as I don't want tires like iron, but they hold the ground better than the OEM heaps. I had a set of Michelin X-Ones on the above-mentioned Intrepid, and positively hated them from day one. The Kumho KR-21's almost impossible to find online right now, backordered until September, but a guy here in Austin, TX, managed to find a set of five, locally. Had 'em on the next day. $470 for all five, mounted, balanced, new stems, w/8.25% tax. It was the same price as me going mail-order then having to pay for all of the above, plus I'd have had to cart the new ones around. No thanks. Sometimes, the corrugated tin roof tire shack ain't a bad place to shop, if you know exactly what you're lookin' for. Discount Tire it wasn't, but Discount was absolutely -0- help this time around.

I too would love to have an override for the nav system, but on the RX, the gen 2/3 navigation system, I never see a 'dvd' option. It just doesn't exist. No matter where you go in the system, it's just not there. In these, the radio is a wholly separate unit in the center stack, which may be the difference. As it is, I have a burned 7.1 data disc which locks up a disturbing amount of the time. It happens enough so that I carry the OEM disc from 2002 in the vehicle, so, if nothing else, I have access to old data. I've gotten to where I can change the discs at a stoplight, if necessary.

When the tank was about half full, I unscrewed the gas cap but left it on the filler tube, and left it overnight. I'm still surprised this seemed to work. Remember, don't drive with it unscrewed, it's a guaranteed 'check engine' light cause.

Holy old thread, Batman! I finally figured this out. I actually caused this problem without knowing it. The RX spent 12 months in my mother's garage, stored while we traveled. I've stored motorcycles, snowblowers and PWC's over the years without problems...I've gotten confident in doing it. Put a Battery Tender on it, change the oil (fresh Mobil 1, of course), put max air in the tires and top off the fuel tank. It's this last one which bit me. I filled the gas tank to the top, which I'd not done in the past, as we'd lived in Oregon, land of gasoline is too dangerous for anyone but the minimum-wage pump jockey to touch the pump, but max fuel means less space for condensation, which is good. It turns out when the tank is filled to the tippy-top, or even close, somehow the vent tube clogs. I found if I put, at maximum, a third of a gallon in after the pump clicks off, then it's fine. I've had more than a few GM's, so the first pump shutoff usually meant the tank has another 5 gallons of capacity. Habits die hard. But in this case, and in the case of my Suzuki "Grand" Vitara, they both have maybe a half-gallon of viable fluid space left when the pump clicks off.

Fletcher Jones is gone. Bought out by Lexus of Las Vegas, morons that they are. I'm with you on shop rate. $260 to change the transmission fluid. Um, I think not. The waiting room is nice, bit it ain't that nice. I've actually 'felt' where the noise it and it on the left side of the shift console, almost exactly next to your knee, if you're of 'average' leg length.

Oh, I'm not clueless. I have an 18" long clear tube which is attached to a device allowing the tube to be screwed on to the top of an engine oil/transmission oil/gear lube fluid bottle. It's much like cheating, but in a good way. Just bugs me to no end this is the design which has been accepted for the last 50 years.

I started the multi-fluid change transmission 'flush' today, and man, did Toyota put some thought into making this quick and easy!! I am almost anxious to do it the next time...it was that easy. First, get a socket wrench, a 10MM socket and a ratchet wrench, though only if you're gonna remove the pan to clean/replace the filter. A bolt spinner, whatever you call those offset wrenches which allow you to remove bolts/nuts quickly, will not fit unless the front tires are a good four inches off the ground. Even then, the rear ones might be a challenge. Anyway, you need a 10MM Allen wrench, or what I have, read: bought, a socket which has a 10MM Allen key on the end. This rocks, as the factory puts the drain bolts in surprisingly tight. I thought my fluid wasn't burned that badly, if at all. Whooo-weeee, did that stuff stink while collecting in the drain pan. The front diff drain is also a 10MM Allen key, and it's worth it to drain it. I'd wager there is an additional 6-8 ounces of fluid in there. What's nice is no draining fluids drain onto any other parts, just straight into the pan. Oh, and my wife's '02 AWD doesn't have the metal mesh filter...damnit. It has the fiber one, which is exactly the one I don't want. Anyone know if the metal one is available anywhere? I like parts which can be cleaned and reused, as you can see how much and what kind of crud is being caught. I didn't have much in the way of clutch leavings in the bottom of the pan, and the magnets were pretty clean. The front diff's plug is magnetized, so make sure to clean it off, too. There was a 'fuzz' on the diff plug, but what I'd consider normal, given 46K miles. I can see changing the fluid every 20K is not going to be any trouble whatsoever. Checking the fluid after it circulating for about ten minutes shows me I will need to change it again, soon. Probably tomorrow. Edit/addendum: Who was the freakin' GENIUS who decided the dime-sized access point for the transmission's dipstick was adequate for adding multiple quarts of very low viscosity oil? I mean, if you so much as blink twice within five seconds, you could easily have a Superfund-sized oil spill to contend with. Is it that difficult to engineer/incorporate a tube which can accomodate a quart-sized bottle which goes to the transmission?! Oh, wait, I forgot...supposedly this never needs to be changed.

Oh, I'll share. This is the kind of thing which will send some of us to the nuthouse in a hurry. I'd have thought the Suzuki Grand Sucktara, the first car I bought new...embarassingly, would have cured me of having rattling/squeaking/odd noises bother me, but now I'm just more sensitive to it. Good in that vehicle, as it's broken three rear diff pinion gears in 75K miles. Sigh.

Way cool find! I gather those of us on gen 2 and 3 (an '02 RX300) are SOL.

Update: I almost do not believe this, but it seems the slightest incline which makes the nose lower than the tail will allow the funky first shift behavior. Playing around some more, if it's parked ever so slightly 'nose up', it's fine. The tiniest bit nose down, it "shifts" twice going into first. This is downright odd.

In my case, that's not is. I set the e-brake if there is the slightest incline...owning a 5300 lb. 2-door GM from the early-70's will teach you this the first time you don't do it. Plus, mine is still molasses-like in R through 1, or whatever the lowest gear selectable is.

Oh, got it. This makes sense, now that I've thought about it.

Way cool, West. I'm glad to see you're still around...it's been a couple of years since I've been here. The car was in storage for a while during our world travels, so the only issues it had was my mother banging the driver's side with her car door, about 25 times. I'll need to get lower cladding for the front and rear doors someday. It was better in her garage than leaving it outside...especially as our Intrepid was stored outside, already.

Yeah...thanks a bunch, Audi...and morons everywhere. I hate this feature. I've gotten in the habit of always doing it fairly forcefully, but ours still feels sticky after it's in gear. Not for long, as if whatever it is needs to warm up maybe two minutes before it's okay. Next time, I'll stay parked and time how long it takes...after I give the solenoid thingy a good second. I thought it was mechanical, 'cause if you hold the 'button' down under the top-left of the shift lever, it'll shift outta park regardless of whether there is a key in the ignition or the brake on. This is why I've not wedged it down, permanently.

I really appreciate the info. I remember when we bought the car, it had about 30K miles on it. As a result, I changed everything "needing" synthetic fluids (rear diff & "T-case", PTO is more accurate, thanks for that usage) to just that. Well, save for brake fluid. I learned at the time, the front diff is a unit configuration with the transmission. No problem, motorcycles share engine oil with transmissions, it's not any big deal...if you keep an eye on them, at least initially, to determine if there are any signs of trouble. I keep referring to the RX as my wife's car, it's HER'S, not mine...might be a hand-me-down to me in another 15 years...might not be, she really likes it. I figure it has an easy 200K in it, maybe 300K, if I keep it ultra-maintained. I'll drain both reservoirs, pull the pan, clean the screen (um, what should I use...I don't want to sound boneheaded, I've worked on cars going on 25 years, but this one might be "delicate"), refill, run it 20 minutes, drain, repeat one more time. I have 13 quarts. I wonder if it would be wise to drain the front diff every time. Can't hurt...what can it hold in there, six ounces... I can dig the clutch leavings in the pan. This is normal wear, and people with manual transmissions would see it, but it blows away. Lotsa metal is bad, but you're gonna see some. Wear is natural, if it occurs nice and slowly.

Talk about irony. This morning, when returning the '05 or '06 RX330 loaner, which neither my or my wife liked, to the scam-artist dealer, I noticed the newer car, with 18K on it vs. my wife's 46K has the EXACT SAME behavior. I even experimented at a stoplight, after it was good and warm, 15 miles of city/highway driving, put it in neutral, turn the engine off, let it sit for 15 seconds, restart, shift from neutral to drive, and sure enough, it shifts twice while engaging first gear. I'm baffled. It might be an actual "they all do that" kinda thing. Of course, it does not make it right, but....

I appreciate it, but the noise I have is related directly to acceleration/decceleration. I can get it on turns, occasionally, but not often. The RX, to me, isn't a car which inspires exciting driving. Plus, the VSC beeps at me on cloverleaf exit/entrance ramps, so I know I can't get away with much. This noise is definitely on the driver's side, and I'd swear I can feel whatever it is sliding along the plastic. It sounds like it too is plastic, though of the hard sort. Whatever it is has mass, it's not like a wire loom junction sliding about.

I was thinking that, but I'd like to get it all out as quickly as possible. Here in Lost Wages, land of Southern Cali prices, the Toyota dealer has trans fluid @ 6.47/qt. Still way, way less expensive than the $11/qt. as the sole Lexus dealer in town. So...whatcha think about the filter? Drop the pan and clean it, just for good measure, or leave it be? Those of you who have tackled the filter, is the pan gasket reusable? It should be, but y'never know....

I'm glad you asked this, as our '02 AWD does the same thing, but only when we park it at my stepson's house, and their driveway is sloped just a bit. We back it in, so they can get in/out of the driveway. It doesn't happen every time, seems to be worse when it's either damp or cold. If it's both, it remains difficult to move to any gear for a few minutes, then it's fine. Odd. It's a linkage thing, but I haven't a clue as to what's happening.

Dude, my bad. I didn't mean to come off curt. I've been seriously miffed about the transmission, and moreso about the local dealer. It's Vegas, so they're rolling the dice, IMO, with a $4K transmission.... Don't type while angry or frustrated.

Took my wife's ride, a 2002 AWD down to Lexus of Las Vegas, yesterday, told them, in detail, about the funky neutral or park to drive partial shift then full shift, and extended holding of 1st gear. Today I get a call saying, "we didn't feel anything out of the ordinary." Then the 'service advisor', AKA middleman to the mechanic, claims the fluid was really burned. A 'flush' is $260. I can buy 10 qts. of fluid for $70, change it myself, and be done with it. Here is the question. Anyone know how long it takes to circulate the 4 quarts from the pan to the system and refill the pan with 4 qts. of the old, supposedly burned stuff? More than anything, I do not trust them, given the answer I received. Plus, I smelled, felt, and did all but taste the fluid, and it did not seemed at all burned to me. I've actually tasted transmission fluid in the past, but it was completely accidental. Thanks for any help, even SWAG's. I personally figure 12 second would do it, based on what I've seen other pump out of the transmission cooler with the engine at idle. Also, how imperitive is it to clean the screen? I consider the screen superior to the new fiber one, IMHO. I figure I can check to see how clean the fluid is getting by sucking, carefully, on a small clear tube shoved down the trans dipstick tube, to see how much cleaner it is from the start. If still funky-looking, repeat. I may only change the fluid once or twice, then go to changes every 10K indefinitely. "The transmission fluid does not need to be changed under normal operating conditions." Let's see, it doesn't have a trailer hitch, has been to the Rockies once, in the winter, and has seen full-throttle probably 15 times. Grrrrrrr. edit: my other option is to get 15 qts. of fluid and change the fluid three times, running the engine with the shift ever in reverse, neutral or drive, to get everything intermingled. It probably circulates normally in park, but I'm not taking a chance at this point. Gotta love it when a $40K car makes you paranoid about non-essential maintenace, according to the manufacturer, before 50K miles.

Part of the problem, a large part, is I cannot get under the dash, at all, thanks to being partially crippled in a bike accident about five years back. I just cannot turn the correct way anymore. As it was, it took me a good half-hour to get the four very easy to remove fasteners out. Embarrasing, but I'm still trying to do stuff myself. I'm not trying to elicit sympathy...hey, the really fun hobbies can kill you. I'm good with that. Live life while you can...it would suck to have a tree fall on you while on the way to work and you'd been living a conservative life, only to regret it as you're being squashed. So, for those of us who cannot see the obvious, a little help? Although, I see your sarcasm, and can dig it. It must be hidden somehow. Clever people at Lexus... On my Suzuki Grand Vitara, if I look at an interior part with the right 'tude, it falls off. I've gotten lazy...