wwest

Hey, I'm 67, 68 in July, you can't expect me to remember every lttle detail, can you..??

Your '92 LS400 uses a transistor for controlling all(***) speeds by full HIGH speed, in that case a relay is used to bypass the even the small level of voltage the transistor would drop. With only 12 volts every little bit counts. Your solid state blower speed control has failed or actually more likely only the final power transistor itself. "You" can manually only select three blower speeds, the solid state blower speed controller can set ~256 speeds.

If the suspension interference were not a factor a different wheel offset could be used to move the wheel "inward" and thereby avoid the rubbing. But moving the suspension components, rear strut and spring, is NOT a simple task. What i meant by new suspension was, do i need new struts meaning they are too weak and letting the car bottom out on the fender....... High performance struts/shocks, typically, do not reduce the rate at which the wheel "retracts" due to roadbed "obstructions", only the "return" rate. The wheel/tire MUST be able to move quickly away from high points, obstructions, in the roadway or......

I agree that "measuring" the change can be performed on a dyno, however, "feeling" the change can be very real. For example, there are a number of "changes" that an experienced race driver can tell his crew chief about throttle response that a Superflow SF-902 or an SF-600 Flowbench CANNOT. "..experienced race driver..." I agree... But how many of those do we have amongst the overall RX ownership populace. 5...?? Sorry, perhaps I used an inappropriate example. My point is that "changes" in throttle response can be "felt" very often by an average driver. There are literally hundreds of posts right here on this site that describes "seat-of-the-pants" (butt dyno) experiences. :D "..literally hundreds of posts...." Yes, and I'm willing to bet good money that the clear majority of those "seat-of-the-pants" judgments of improvements were significant biased due to the fact that the "judge" had already spent a not insignificant amount on the modification. I'd bet that in the majority of those "posts" you could have told the owner that the modification had been done when actually it was not and the owner judgment would have remained the same, POSITIVE. CAI, Cold Air Intake, K&N, simple 10 cent 1/4 watt resistor in the IAT circuit, etc.

Sorry, you simply cannot compare the obsolete "technology" that today remains in current use in aircraft engines with the much more current, up-to-date, technology today used in our modern automotive engines.

Many of you have undoubtedly noticed just how "busy" these new transaxles have become. Oftentimes, seemingly, virtually continuous down/upshifting as we drive along on to us, relatively smooth and level roadbeds. That continuous up/downshifting is a direct result of the modern technological improvements available to the automotive manufacturers of today. These newer 250-300HP V6 engines can now be safely operated at extraordinarily low RPMs, RPMs that in the past, "near" past, would have put the engine's service life at risk to inadvertent (undetectable) knock/ping from, due to, lugging. CVTs, coming soon to a car near you, will help. *** There are now, often, due to the wider useful RPM range of these new (over-powered??) V6 engines, two actual O/D "hard" gear ratios available. Plus the O/D lockup clutch might be optionally used in the top 3, or even 4 "hard" gear ratios, resulting in a 9 or 10 speed gearbox. Use of the O/D lockup clutch now only changes the drive train's final drive ratio, but also results in sigificantly increasing FE due to the removal of the highly lossy torque converter being out of the loop. What you are speaking of is "spark knock" caused by, as you explain wordily, ignition timing. I am speaking of knock caused by BMEP, which is the kind of detonation that destroys engines, and is caused by combustion chamber pressures exceeding the octane value and hence the knock resistance, of the fuel. Your career in rocket science has failed you. Pilotguy undestands BMEP as he is a pilot, like me. And here I though I have covered all three instances, causative factors for engine knock/ping. 1. Ignition too early.. 2. Pre-ignition before spark due to low octane, A/F mixture too lean, overheated engine block, or "glowing" carbon deposits. 3. Engine lugging.. flame-front travel rate exceeding downward "speed" of piston. First noticeable at WOT and LOW RPM and if allowed to continue, exist all the way into higher RPMs, will be highly destructive to the engine. Recipricating engines have a HP/Torque curve/graph that indicate a rise in HP/Torque with RPM so "lugging" is much more probable, prevalent, at lower engine RPMs. Knock/ping due to lugging the engine using a stick shift can happen with ANY octane but more likely with octane too low for compression ratio. I guess I must have missed something in pilot school/training but then insofar as I know our C210 nor my T210 ever "suffered" due to my lack of knowledge. Since detonation in an airplane engine cannot be so readily heard it is best to always lean slightly to the RICH side using the EGT gage. This is probably the extent of my knowledge unique to airplane engine operation on this matter.

Does the compressor run continuously or in intervals...? The remix vane door may be stuck in the full reheat position.

Absent the poor FE of the RDX engine due to derating until the turbo comes on line that award would have undoubtedly gone to the RDX. The clear majority of the time the RDX engine runs in the derated, 8:1 compression ratio, mode. Shame. But I wonder, like the RX350 buying public at large, if J D Powers wasn't also mislead into believing the RX350 has a center open diff'l aided by a VC. It doesn't. Would you mind translating this into plain english for the rest of us? :( When the RX330 was first introduced the marketing material touted the fact that like the RX300 the center open diff'l F/R torque distribution was modifed with wheelspin/slip via the use of a VC, Viscous Coupling/clutch mounted across the F/R outputs of that diff'l. The shop/repair manual indicates that the RX330 did not include this feature and when I pointed this out to Lexus via customer_satisfaction_inquires@Lexus.com the RX330 marketing material was corrected. This marketing mistake seems to have now been repeated for the RX350. All of the marketing material for the RX350, even to this date, printed and online, indicates that the RX350 has again adopted the VC. The NCF, New Car Features, section of the online (techinfo.toyota.com) documentation for the first production year of the RX350 states that the RX350 uses the MF2AV center diff'l vs the MF2A used in the RX330. The included pictorial shows the MF2AV as including the VC. On the other hand NONE of the online shop/repair manuals, or any subsequent manual/year or for all/any year of the RX350 indicates the MF2A remains in use, not the MF2AV. Only the NCR for the initial production year of the RX350 makes any mention of the VC or the MF2AV diff'l. Also. On three separate occassions I have attempted to question, bring Lexus attention to, this via emails to customer satisfaction. The dessertion resulting from thse emails always results in conversion to phone conversations at Lexus request and in each case has resulted in a promise to get back to me with an answer within 48 hours. The return call has yet to happen. Three separate tries.... In addition I have tried to order, obtain a price quote, for a MF2AV center diff'l for a 2008 RX350 (VIN# supplied) from at least two online suppliers. One of which, Carson Toyota, I have done a fair amount pf past business, parts purchasing. I never get any response. In addition to all that if one reads the detailed theory of operation for the TC, Traction Control, system for the RX350 it seems improbable that even were the VC in place it could ever come into use. And that TC operational theory also reads exactly the same as the RX330, which Lexus has admitted, after the fact, that does NOT include the VC. So, IMMHO, if you have purchased an AWD RX350 you might have a good legal claim for some level of compensation against Lexus. Oh, one more point. I understand that as of the '08 MY the TC function can be disabled, turned off, by the driver. If that is done and if the RX350 actually does have a VC in that case it may actually be useful provided the VC fluid's formulation, activation "time constant" is conducive to same.

If the suspension interference were not a factor a different wheel offset could be used to move the wheel "inward" and thereby avoid the rubbing. But moving the suspension components, rear strut and spring, is NOT a simple task.

I agree that "measuring" the change can be performed on a dyno, however, "feeling" the change can be very real. For example, there are a number of "changes" that an experienced race driver can tell his crew chief about throttle response that a Superflow SF-902 or an SF-600 Flowbench CANNOT. "..experienced race driver..." I agree... But how many of those do we have amongst the overall RX ownership populace. 5...??

There is a fairly high wattage DRL voltage dropping resistor mounted directly under the battery tray in my '01 AWD RX300. But I vote for ignoring the "your lights are on" folks in favor of the additional safety factor of the DRLs.

What brand and where did you buy it, how much...??

Many of you have undoubtedly noticed just how "busy" these new transaxles have become. Oftentimes, seemingly, virtually continuous down/upshifting as we drive along on to us, relatively smooth and level roadbeds. That continuous up/downshifting is a direct result of the modern technological improvements available to the automotive manufacturers of today. These newer 250-300HP V6 engines can now be safely operated at extraordinarily low RPMs, RPMs that in the past, "near" past, would have put the engine's service life at risk to inadvertent (undetectable) knock/ping from, due to, lugging. CVTs, coming soon to a car near you, will help. *** There are now, often, due to the wider useful RPM range of these new (over-powered??) V6 engines, two actual O/D "hard" gear ratios available. Plus the O/D lockup clutch might be optionally used in the top 3, or even 4 "hard" gear ratios, resulting in a 9 or 10 speed gearbox. Use of the O/D lockup clutch now only changes the drive train's final drive ratio, but also results in sigificantly increasing FE due to the removal of the highly lossy torque converter being out of the loop.

No.

If you only tell them what they've done right.....

Just for your information both of the 2007 rental cars, Chrysler Sebring and Mazda minivan, I drove on vacation in fairly flat HI in the early spring of '07 simply could not decide which gear to use, continuous "hunting", cruise control or no.

Just curious if you actually own an 08 ES350? Your response sounds credible yet every fact begins with, "apparently..." "according to..."I assume..." which does nothing but fuel undocumented rumours. And using "numerous complaints on the internet" as documentation is less than helpful to those really looking to buy this car. Anyone is entiltled to post opinions, but it would be more useful if the posts iincluded first-hand information. I own a 2008 ES350. If there is any kind of flaw with the transmission, then it's a great flaw that I hope Lexus keeps intact! :-) No, the only vehicle I own which might be of interest in this context is a 2001 AWD RX300. I have the factory shop/repair manuals for almost every car I have even owned going back to a 1964 T-bird. Latest ones are for 2003 Prius and a 2004 RX330. I stop buying them once Toyota made all of this documentation available for a fee on the internet. Google for: 2008 toyota hesitation

Absent the poor FE of the RDX engine due to derating until the turbo comes on line that award would have undoubtedly gone to the RDX. The clear majority of the time the RDX engine runs in the derated, 8:1 compression ratio, mode. Shame. But I wonder, like the RX350 buying public at large, if J D Powers wasn't also mislead into believing the RX350 has a center open diff'l aided by a VC. It doesn't.

"FIX IT..." You could do that yourself by forcing an advance in ignition timing or leaning of the A/F mixture anytime the engine is under load, normal crusing load, and the RPM is below ~2500. That would result in engine ping/knock below that RPM and then the shift "map" would be automatically modified by the engine/transaxle ECU to avoid gear ratios that would result in knock/ping. But the FE would go "south", perhaps dramatically so.

When "you" are driving you are able to see the "future", roadway conditions which might require a bit more gas, etc. On the other hand the cruise control drives "blindly" into the future and therefore doesn't "realize" an incline in the roadway has been reached. But the cruise control does have some "prediction" capability to compensate. It's goal is to attain/maintain a FIXED speed so it can compute and select EXACTLY the most correct, highest, gear ratio to maintain that speed provided conditions are not outside the "norm". The cruise control also has the ability to change the ignition timing to slightly "slow" the vehicle on a downhill run. That seemingly, takes us to 18 (see below) "gearbox" ratios. That always results in a more abrupt, noticeable, action by the cruise control than would happen with human vision in use. Add that to the fact that these new cars use the O/D lockup clutch in 2 or even 3 of the top ratios means they have as many an 9 forward gear ratios to select from for CVT emulation (best FE) and you end up with one "busy" gearbox. It's even possible, concieveable in my mind, that cruise control has more gear ratios available, automatically (exclusive of the ignition timing caoability), than do you. The core, base, problem is that you purchased a significantly OVER-powered vehicle and thus the engine, even at an exceptionally low RPM, can produce enough, just barely enough, torque to move the vehicle along fairly briskly in cruise mode right on the cusp of lugging vs not. And that's the "place" to run that engine for best FE but then even a minor "pertubation". Pity the trucker with an 18 speed manual gearbox and Diesel at $6.00.

Apparently the Toyota and Lexus FWD and F/AWD 1-2 second transaxle downshift delay/hesitation has not yet been resolved, fixed. There are numerous compliants about this for '08 models thoughout the internet plus there is a clear indication the Toyota/Lexus design engineers are still trying to adequately address the problem. At least one of the '08 models have a new firmware feature wherein the engine/transaxle ECU watches and learns the driver technique for managing the gas pedal when desiring to coastdown to a lower speed immediately after a period of acceleration, light, moderate, or heavy acceleration, vs a desire to simply enter constant speed cruising mode after a period of acceleration. According to the feature write up a slow and easy lift of the gas pedal is assumed to be a sign of a desire to begin cruising and the transaxle will upshift accordingly. Whereas a quick or sudden lift of the gas pedal will result in the transaxle remaining in the lower gear to attain a significant level of engine compression braking. With the "abolition" of the transaxle's pressure holding/sustaining accumulator back late in the last century the inability to support two gear changes in quick suscession was lost. So the basic idea of this new firmware "feature" is to avoid instances wherein the transaxle makes what turns out milliseconds later to be an inappropreate gear change. I assume if this new feature proves to be a success in the one "trial" model it will be adopted via TSB throughout the fleet.

Finally got my car to the dealership to take care of that light bulb and some other things. The car will be ready tomorrow or Friday. I'm going to quiz the service technician on the process to change out the bulb. When I dropped the car off, he didn't know exactly how it was done. Thought it was a simple matter of removing that large grey fabric covered piece in the liftgate. Said it was held by a number of metal clips, but he wasn't certain. Stay tuned. The bottom cover on the tail/liftgate is held down with plastic ball and socket clips.

You're right. Lexus called today. The dealer, or Lexus...?? Basically, they said since I didn't get all my service done at Lexus, they are denying my "good will" claim. I tried to assure them that the car was indeed serviced properly but he said that didn't matter. The fact that I did't have Lexus do the serive was the main reason. Sucks but at least they did call back and at least they did consider it. IMHO, I probably wouldn't have got reimbursed 100% anyway. Maybe 1/2. And considering I would have had to have all service done plus the repair done at Lexus, I don't think it would have saved me that much anyway. Lexus wanted more like $5700 for the repair. They will send me a $400 service coupon to use for whatever future service I might have done at Lexus. That might cover 2 oil changes. LOL If not Lexus then you should contact them and plead your case. Customer_satisfaction_inquiries@lexus.com I think that's the correct email.

We all have different takes on this, but my opinion is based on objective data that I've collected from my particular car. When I put the filter in, my highway mileage (cruising at 75mph-80mph on the interstate) went up 4.5%; it's that simple for me. My K&N isn't going anywhere!! :) One wonders just what other maintenance item Blake may have addressed at the same time the K&N was initially installed...?? New tires..?? Proper tire inflation...?? Oil change to synthetic...?? New/cleaned spark plugs...?? Switched to 2WD mode..?? New oxygen sensor..?? Cleaned the MAF/IAT sensors..?? And finally... Gasoline supplier switched formulations....??

Try this link: http://www.lexusofroseville.com/PersonalizedSettings Just choose the model that you want to see the personalized settings and click "Personalized Settings" in the left box. Then scroll down the right box to see them. But be aware that LPS is a small subset of the customization options (C-best) actually available if you can get the dealer to show you all of them.