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It should, it is an Explorer ;) How different is the aviator from the explorer? We both know that the explorer's aren't very reliable, but does that mean the aviator will most likely have the same problems? All i think about when i think of the aviator is that it's just an explorer with a different badge. Where did you hear about the Ford Explorer not being very reliable? I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with that statement. Ford motors are my background. We build mustangs for a living. In 1998 Ford had the SUV roll over issue with the tire blow outs. Even though it was not a design flaw, it hit Ford hard. And they knew it was going to really hurt their image. So, rather than discontinue the Explorer, they made a decision to face the music and turned to the European Ford Falcon division and redesigned the entire vehicle. And, they used the 60 degree V6, although a very detuned version, downed to 210 hp from the 380 original hp design. The explorer was actually over built, and one of the best ever produced. The only issue that Ford seems to deal with is that they are still using frame over assemblies, and not unibody designs like most imports, hence the truckish ride. And if you ever pop the hood of the Ford, I really have to say, that they are very easy to access everything from spark plugs, to throttlebodys, and everthing in between. I just wish they had all the toys. Ford has the truck market by far. But in the car market, it's either granny luxo or raw mustang with nothing in between. I had an 03 Ford Explorer with a Kenny Bell pushing 650 RWHP and knockin down 11 sec. 1/4 miles. My dad has a Mustang the runs high 7's, low 8's. When it comes to motors, Ford has a great pool to pull from. I wish the Ford executives would roll up thier sleeves and put some real thought into the designs and products. That's what ails Ford. From the time I bought my first car.... No, actually it goes back farther than that. The little Ford Ferguson was always my favorite farm tractor, Farmall second. My closest brother ALWAYS drove Ford cars. My first purchase was a 1956 Ford Fairlane purchased used at Westside Ford in mid-1961. I stuck by Ford until '91 when I abandoned my '84 Ford T-bird Elan for a new '91 Lexus LS400. I had ordered and placed a deposit on a Lincoln Mk xxx but when it arrived the dealer waited to increase the price. IMMHO the low point for Ford was blaming the tire company for the Exploder's rollover tendency. It was Ford engineers that made the decision to lower the air pressure as a "fix" for the tendency of rollover and they should have taken the blame. I still own three Fords, a 1993 Ford Ranger PU (I4/stick/130,000), a 1994 AWD Aerostar w/130,000 miles, and a Four Winds MH E350 V10. But a new Ford,....maybe about 10th on my list.

There are two really good reasons why your Lexus dealer charges those extraordinary service prices... Smallish "fleet"...! Extraordinarily reliable "fleet". So feel sorry for them but not to the point of using them for service.

O/D is locked out, disabled, until the engine and transaxle reach normal operating temperatures. Additionally as the engine ages, wear and whatnot, the ECU will become more reluctant to use O/D since the engine might no longer be able to produce enough torque at lower engine RPM O/D roadspeed levels. This latter symptom will be more pronounced with a cold engine as the rings are not yet fully sealing the cylinders.

The strap is now the only accommodation, there is a slot/shelf in the top back of the glove box to seat the manual in.

The kit is failrly inexpensive and the part/section that is leaking is the only thing you need to DIY (relatively simple) overhaul.

Check the water level for each cell. If one cell is significantly lower than others you have a bad cell so replace the battery.

Here's an excerpt from a posting by 92Lex for replacing a timing belt: Remove air duct - (1) 10mm bolt : Remove fan clutch: http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r15/gsxr37/103_0330.jpg Remove fan clutch by loosening these 4 bolts behind it: http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r15/gsxr37/103_0329.jpg The entire posting is at: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...=14705&st=0 Here is a link for the option of replacing your mechanical fan with an electric one: http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/cooling/fanconversion.html Oops... Looks as if the LS uses a thermostatic spring for fan clutch control not a VC.

O/D is locked out until operational temperatures are reached, about two miles from my house generally.

In the center of the engine driven "fan" is a viscous clutch that "stiffens" the coupling to the engine as the heat coming through the radiator rises. When you start the engine cold the fan should simply freewheel, turn but not forcefully. The viscous clutch has likely failed.

If I had the V6 heads milled to get a 13:1 compression ratio on my '01 AWD RX300 and then restricted the intake manifold pressure via the DBW system such that the effective compression was never greater than 10:1 would I have a "virtual" Atkinson Cycle engine?

Tire circumference different L/R ? Tire inflation, wear rate?

There are drains inside the roof, one at each rear outside corner, for what (little??) water gets through the sun roof seals.

The only problem we have had with our '95 LS is a broken EGR tube, expensive, that.

Posted in the wrong forum I think, however we have the answer. Its bolted in, the main fuse blocks have long legs that have bolts retaining them from the side. A little disassembly of the covers will reveal the bolts. Cheers. But be sure and disconnect the battery FIRST.

The rear tires' inside sidewall clearance is the limiting factor. And yes, I speak from experience.

do you have first hand experience of this? Yes.

Check the hot water flow control valve in the engine compartment at the top center of the firewall for full travel movement as you switch the control from max cold to max hot.

"...will there be a significant impact on the ride quality?..." You're kidding us, right...??!!

"..we're all big boys and girls,...." NOT...!! If we use the number of DUI citations as reference... Like the barkeep that continues to serve a drunk you cannot "hold harmless" the dealer/manufacturer.

Yes, and the Freestyle has been discontinued as has the T-bird. Oops, sorry, I forgot to mention the Aerostar, probably of the time the absolute best R/AWD system, and certainly one of the first, discontinued after the '97 MY.

Apparently the system "thinks" the cabin temperature is above your 80-84F setpoint. The IAT, Interior Air Temperature sensor behind the little window above the (US) driver's right knee might be open. The OAT, Outside Air Temperature sensor just behind the front bumper in front of the radiator might be open. Or the sunlight radiation sensor on the top front of the dash panel at the inside bottom of the windshield may have failed indicating you are driving in BRIGHT sunlight. When you move the setpoint to max heat or max cool all of the sensors are bypassed and the servomotors are simply driven to whichever extreme you have selected.

When you say "mirror" do you by any chance mean to say WINDOW...? The left and right outside rear view mirrors are heated using electric resistance heating. They are on the same control circuit as the rear window resistance heating. But yes, due to a unique aspect of the climate control design when you have the system in bi-level air distribution the footwell area will get airflow as much as 20F warmer that the dash outlet airflow. Assuming you have a temperature setting of 72F that 20F cooler airflow temperature will often be somewhat discomforting on a cold day, especially when the radiant heating quotient is in the negative. The far left and right air distribution outlets aer supposedly for keeping the front side windows free of condensation and therefore the airflow from those is ALWAYS cool, and dry if the A/C is operational and the climate is such that the incoming fresh airflow can actually be dehuimdified. Those two outlets are manually operated so I typically keep them fully closed except in the summertime when actual cooling is desired.

I believe that most auto manufacturers today have the A/C come on with the defrosters to dry out the air. The default program of most cars is if the H/AC system goes out, it is automatic to def. w/A/C and your temp select controls how much heat you get. If it's the inside mirror that is fogging up, then get some "Rainex" anti-fog and put it on. I was told that Lexus already on the 330's has an anti-fog coating on the windows, I don't know if that applies to the 300's. If you smoke, it means you must clean the inside more often as the coating attracts smoke. The efficiency of the A/C for dehumidifying the incoming fresh airflow is a function of the local climate. Therefore the safest and most relaible method of quickly defogging the interior surface of the windshield is to use MAX HEAT, MAX BLOWER SPEED, FRESH inlet airflow in defrost/defog/demist mode. years ago it was quite reasonable to turn on the A/C since it might accomplish at least some minor level of dehumidification and thereby be an aid in defogging the windshield. Today's HIGHLY efficient cooling evaporators act much like a sponge. So once the A/C is switched off the cabin will often be FLOODED with the previously accumulated condensate as it now evaporates into the incoming airstream. So, use the A/C as an aid for defogging or preventing windshield condensation, but once you shut it off be diligently prepared for the result, even if it was yesterday when you last switched it off. See: http://airsept.com/index.php?loadmod=eed

When you manually put the system in full or partial defrost/defog/demist UNTIL the cabin temperature has risen to close by your setpoint, the system will blow reasonably WARM airflow from the interior windshield ducts and therefore keep the interior mirror somewhat defogged. Once the cabin temperature reaches the point wherein the climate control switches, would switch, to the cooling mode, airflow from the center dash area, then it is a practical impossibility to get the system to supply enough warm airflow to keep the windshield defogged let alone your inside rear view mirror. The best procedure I have found is to put the system, manually, in mixed defrost/defog/demist and footwell air distribution mode, turn the heat up to max. Once the mirror (and/or windshield) is defogged reduce the blower speed to something a bit more quiet and then adjust the heating level downward slowly until you reach a point of human comfort. Google for: wwest demist denso For more information. PS: I always TOTALLY disable the A/C compressor circuit throughout the winter months. My '01 RX300 has two c-best options that address this VERY issue, I don't know if they go all the way back to '99.

That wouild most result in an ABS fault indication..........also.