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LXPearl

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LXPearl last won the day on February 18 2019

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  • Lexus Model
    LX470

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  1. All the LXs I can recall driving have had vibration in their ride, none have been as smooth riding as my RX or even the all trac Previa I had. The vibration level has varied on the LX/LCs I drove. Some of the newer ones I test drove were worse than my 01 LX. Even so, the LX is a truck in luxury guise with true 4WD, so the drive train and suspension have harmonic impact on the ride, even if the wheels are smooth. I had an excellent alignment tech who is now retired, but he did an excellent job on my vehicles. I always took the LX to him after getting new tires (Michelin LTX M&S H-rated) and he would align and balance. Even with road force, each wheel would have a different balance characteristic, so he would place them at the locations where they would affect the ride the least. His alignments were so good I did not need to rotate the tires but a couple times before replacement at about 70k miles (mostly highway). Since his retirement the alignments and balancing have been more challenging for me in getting a reasonably smooth ride, I have learned that dealers do not routinely use road force balancers even if they are in the shop. Being within specs is not the same as being on target/ideal, and the LX responds to the difference. Wheel/tire combos can challenge an ideal balance based on their own individual variances. I had a dealer work multiple times on my latest set of tires for the LX, but then I took it to someone trained by my former tech, and they improved the ride in one appointment. My conclusion is that the LX/LC is a luxury truck based SUV that is sensitive to both wheel alignment and wheel balance. Anything less than ideal will contribute to ride vibration even within specifications. It seems that some tire dealers get a premium line of tires from the mfg that have tighter specs than others; sometimes price is the guide here. I always thought that was a sales plug, but the variances my alignment tech would show me on the tires he balances seemed to support the scenario of a premium and lesser line of tires based on their allowable tolerances; though all would be within the broader specs for the specific tire. Other observations. New tires are smoother than old, and fresh AHC fluid is smoother riding than the old. The LX is quite impressive on unpaved roads and for me, this capability allows acceptance of some vibration on pavement. In contrast, the RX is very smooth on pavement where it is at home, but not so smooth on unpaved roads where the LX is king.
  2. I had a similar problem that turned out to be a leak from the A/C coil housing along a seam of the housing. I sealed it with tape, and it stopped the leak.
  3. Be sure you did not accidentally push the AHC Off button. Push it again to release it.
  4. The lock works well for the normal setting. If in any other, then the speed overide will reset the system to the normal setting when the speed setting is exceeded. The lock is best used when working on the vehicle with lifts and not when driving. If AHC is in the normal mode and noticeably adjusting at a stop light, there may be other issues with the system that need attention, such as a sensor malfunction or a leak.
  5. Davis When my mirrors quit doing the auto down on reverse while under warranty, the dealer would replace the rear view mirror as a unit, and it would work. There was an improvement made to the main controller at one time, but now it seems the exterior mirror end controller will go bad, primarily the auto mode. Even when my mirror would not auto down, I was able to control it from the main switch manually. When the manual adjustment quits working, I will get a new mirror unit.
  6. When the VSC TRAC lights come on, but no physical driving effects are apparent, then the source is likely electronic. I had an incident where the TRAC started doing its thing of alternately braking etc. while driving straight on dry pavement. Dealer found it was the yaw rate sensor. It has run fine after replacing the sensor. Most DIY readers are good for the simple things, but the dealer diagnostics will do much better at identifying the myriad of sensors on modern vehicles. Some dealers now offer to check the "check engine" light for no charge.
  7. As Silverbullitt mentioned, backing up then forward usually releases it when the light is on and diif lock will not release with a simple push of the button. Sometimes it may take a several iterations if it has not been used in awhile.
  8. Try checking your fan clutch. If stuck in the on condition, it can be quite noisy as engine rpms increase, and may sound like a truck. I usually had them go out causing the engine to heat up, but once it froze and never quit turning - sounded like a truck.
  9. I was considering an AWD 400h as well as an AWD350; but this topic has changed my mind about AWD hybrids. I had an 01LC that I traded in on an 04 Sienna AWD for better mileage on our many family travels at the time. The Sienna was capable in the snow, but the TRAC/VSC was quite noisy, kicking in frequently. It also engaged anoyingly at low speeds prevently steering as desired. The Sienna, Highlander, and RX have the same AWD base; operating as 2wd and auto engaging to AWD when slippage is detected. I quickly started looking for an LC/LX and found an 01LX. The extra cost in gas was well worth the smooth reliability of an excellent AWD system in the LX. I also owned a mid-engine 95 Previa Alltrac that was excellent in snow and ice - pre-VSC/TRAC. It was good in light snow but did not have the clearance to handle heavier snow (>6") well. Tires do not fix inherent vehicle capabilities, but they do improve the capability of a particular vehicle. I found all season tires lost significant traction below half tread; whether 2wd or 4wd, I would replace tires before winter if they were getting close to half tread; especially when we had regular trips on I-70 between KC and Denver. Winter tires have improved, so I may consider a set in the future, especially for my FWD RX300.
  10. benzowner, The Lexus NAV maps are finalized in the fall of each year from several sources. Lexus takes a year for quality review and production. When they release the new DVD version, the map component is already one year old. In contrast, Garmin provides updates about 4x/yr; however, I find errors on them as I travel. The Lexus NAV may give me some strange routings at times, but the map portion, though a bit dated, has been quite reliable. I tend to use both NAV and Garmin while traveling.
  11. dasgeek, Thanks for the simple approach with photos! The photos are an improvement over the TSIB drawings. I had tried what you describe, but when I found the bulb end hard to remove, I hesitated, based on the instructions in the TSIB fcalling for removing the running board to do the lights. I will now do your approach and continue. Per TSIB: - Bulb = PT212-60001-01 - Module end cap w/ bulb = PT212-60002-01 (I suspect the module assy is for those who break it trying to change the bulb?). PS: I was looking at an 06LX a few months ago and it had a different design though generally similar in appearance to my 2001 running board. On it, the puddle lights appeared to have separate bulbs from the fiber optic lights.
  12. Your Differential Lock button got bumped by accident and you experienced the locked 4WD mode. If you are driving on pavement the hard steering is representative of the strain on the drivetrain in locked mode and the damage you can cause to the drivetrain. On the LX the Diff Lock button is on the dash and can accidentally get bumped - I have done it and so has my wife. The impact if engaged while on pavement, and especially with a turn, is enough to cause one to always be aware of where that button is located. In snow, dirt, or mud it is great to have. The LX has fulltime 4WD with a viscous coupling differential and is very effective. I have rarely needed the Diff Lock.
  13. The new drive shaft has lube in the slip yoke. The lube tends to harden with time and prevents grease added from the zerk from getting to the slip yoke. The clunk can get rather irritating - when coming to a stop as well as taking off. When properly lubed, there is a slight engagement feel. Without effective lubing, the thump/clunk can be quite irritating. I drove a used LX for sale at a dealer that was more than slight - it had received regular dealer maintenance, but lubing the driveshaft may not be high on their list to do instead of just "check.".
  14. The manual indicate removal of the front caliper. I tend to remove the bottom bolt and swing it upward to get at the pads. I used ceramic brake lube (from Advance Auto) on the backing of the pads and on the sliders mentioned above with good results - the brakes are very quiet. Both front/back disk pad replacements are easy from my perspective. I started out doing drum brakes for years, so disk pads are simple. One of the key steps after the new pads is to break in the pads/rotors to each other. I take the vehicle out and do a series of about 10 stops from 60 mph down to about 5 mph. This heats up the pads and rotor and although fade can be noticed, the braking will feel smooth and consistent. I then drive at about 60 mph with no stops for about 15 min to let them cool down. It is important to never come to a full stop nor rest at stop with pads engaged during the breakin - or the pads will leave deposits on the rotor and you will have to start all over to get smoothness again. In an unexpected need to stop, I have used the emergency brakes to hold (uses a drum pad in the rear). The Superstop site had a good description for break in several years ago. I have used the method when brakes have become rough - i.e. pad deposits seem to be creating rough stops. The 100 LC/LX have been unusual for me in that the rear brake pads wear out much faster than the front. I highly favor the OEM pads by Toyota, the only disappointment I can recall is with a set of TRD pads on the front.
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