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NO.

Leaving the windows open at night in the garage helped, tremendously, eliminate the odor from my new 1992 LS400 back when. It also helps to prevent those early morning episodes of windshield fogging over. The issue is fairly well documented at airsept.com regarding their EED, Electronic Evaporator Dryer, device.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6588860.h...ghlight=5343970 Wow...Double that, WOW..! I have NEVER seen a more direct admission of the hazards of engine braking on a FWD or front biased AWD in my life, never really expected too, from FORD yet. Good-o. You should note that the FEH/MMH regenerative braking is significantly reduced ONLY at, near, or below freezing. Regenerative braking is instantly reduced to zero if ABS needs to release the brakes to prevent lockup. But what about the ICE itself, does it raise the ICE RPM simultaneously to prevent actual engine braking? Now I am very sure, certain, sure, I never want to drive a FWD or front torque biased AWD in wintertime conditions.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6588860.h...ghlight=5343970 Wow...Double that, WOW..! I have NEVER seen a more direct admission of the hazards of engine braking on a FWD or front biased AWD in my life, never really expected too, from FORD yet. Good-o. You should note that the FEH/MMH regenerative braking is significantly reduced ONLY at, near, or below freezing. Regenerative braking is instantly reduced to zero if ABS needs to release the brakes to prevent lockup. But what about the ICE itself, does it raise the ICE RPM simultaneously to prevent actual engine braking? Now I am very sure, certain, sure, I never want to drive a FWD or front torque biased AWD in wintertime conditions.

I prefer to buy brake pads that eat rotors for lunch, the more brake dust all the better, tells me that brake rotor and pads have good adhesion, like moving sandpaper over soft wood, lots of GRIP! You need to monitor your ATF fairly closely, mine was dark brown and had a definite burned odor at only 40,000 miles

My years in MT in the early sixties were spent with RWD and tire chains. I haven't driven our 2001 AWD RX300 in MT very much, just out and back (Seattle/Lewistown) a few times and the only snow I have encountered was between GF and Helena and over the divide. My RX has 1.5" wheel spacers all around so I can install tire chains on the rear when there are needed. Otherwise Lexus recommends tire chains ONLY on the front, a patently UNSAFE, even hazardous situation. We have had some pretty severe snow and ice days here on the eastside of the Seattle area but I am always quick to install the rear chains so the RX300 did fine so equipped. If I go into the mountains for skiing I take our 94 AWD Ford Aerostar. The RX series is front torque biased 95/5 natively, and rear torque can rise to a high of about 25% with extended periods of front slippage. That 25% likely only applies to the RX300 and RX350 as the VC was dropped for the RX330 series. And keep in mind that ABS' purpose is to extend your stopping distance via keeping the front wheels from locking up and thereby allowing you to maintain directional control. If I were in your shoes I would look to the BMW X3 with manual transmission for survival in MT winters. Our 92 Jeep Cherokee LIMITED was retired to a ranch in north central MT, north of Denton, in 2000 and has now survived 5 years of pretty severe MT winters without even a scratch, RWD, AWD, and 4X4 modes.

As of 2004 the RX series used the DBW, e-throttle, to significantly reduce the number of premature transaxle failures in this series. Of course that resulted in apparently valid complaints of 1-2 second engine idle periods during "unexpected" downshifts.

First. read the material, description, of the EED, Electronic Evaporator Dryer, at Airsept.com for an overall description of the problem. It help greatly to open the windows in the garage EVERY night to prevent the build up of moisture within the A/C plenum.

Could very well be, just wondering if others had experienced this. If I'm being somewhat of a leadfoot in a tight turn I very definitely experience torque stear. Turning right seems to be the worse. The left halfshaft is the short one so that doesn't make sense to me.

The A/C compressor clutch will not engage if the refrigerant, freon, charge is too low, if the engine is at WOT, or: The engine water jacket temperature indicates that the engine is on the verge of overheating. Check and make sure the coolant level is topped off and the radiator cooling fans run at high speed when the engine temperature is up to normal operating temperature and the A/C compressor is operating, the A/C clutch is engaged.

Torque stear...??

Perfectly "normal". When the drive belt gets wet the A/C compressor drive pulley slips and the A/C quits. Make sure the "splash" shield is still installed under the radiator/front engine area.

If it doesn't do it every time it's likely a dead spot on the starter motor commutator.

I firmly believe that the solution is a simple matter of "fooling" the engine/transaxle ECU control firmware. Each time you lift the accelerator pedal, even ever so slightly, the system is designed to upshift on the assumption you desire to enter cruise, constant speed, mode. UNLESS you release the accelerator pedal VERY quickly and/or apply the brakes very soon after (or simultaneously for left foot brakers) lifting the accelerator pedal. This latter method TELLS the ECU that you wish to enter coastdown mode and as a result it will be much more likely to remain in the current gear ratio. Additionally should it remain in the current gear ratio the transaxle will be "set" to recieve, instantly, a downshift command if your next depression of the accelerator pedal is aggressive. In the recent past I have suggested that an aftermarket modification using the accelerator pedal sensor output might solve this problem. My idea was to send a signal to the ECU that the brakes were being applied each time the accelerator pedal goes to the fully released position.

That plastic cap does nothing other than the one on the tire valve stems, protect the actual check valve from damage or contamination.

If you do it on the low side, it is not dangerous. Use the side where you added the R132A. Using the high side can be very dangerous, I have no proof of that because I am too chicken to try it. :) Not to name any names to protect the innocents ;) , I know someone that had the same symtoms and he used a phillips screw driver to relief the pressure until the fan would continue to run. AC was blowing very cold. It is up to you, you can save your money or take it to a shop. I am not encouraging you to take a chance, you should "always" trust a licensed tech to work on your car...:whistles: Warning, reliefing your AC using the method mentioned here is illegal in most states, and should be discouraged. You could also be fined a large amount of money. In "max cool" position the compressor should run unless: A) The dual function pressure switch indicates a system pressure so low as so the compressor would be damaged due to low/no refrigerant flow. Clearly NOT what is happening here. B) As the compressor runs the refrigerant pressure on the high side increases to a maximum level at which time the compressor clutch circuit is opened due to the other function of the same pressure switch. As the liquid refrigerant is metered to the evaporator core and boils away the high side pressure declines to the point wherein the compressor is again cycled on.. You may have a blocked metering valve to the evaporator.

Poor/reduced braking ability at the right front, worn pads or sticking slider/caliper.

It might help their appearance if you switched to "tower" style LED lamps via autolumination.com

I wouldn't buy any Toyota or Lexus FWD or front biased AWD (FWD platform based) product until it becaomes exceedingly clear that the engine/transaxle delay hesitation problem/symptom, which seems to randomly occur, has been fixed.

One of the things that can help improve the efficiency of these early models is to disconnect the push/pull cable from the hot water flow control valve and lock-wire the valve completely SHUT during the summer months. And keep in mind that in recirculate mode with max cool set the lowest blower speed will not only be more efficient at cooling the interior down sooner it will also result in a much cooler level of airflow from the vents/outlets.

If you live in the Seattle area and can readily demonstrate that your FWD or front torque biased AWD Toyota or Lexus exhibits the engine/transaxle delay/hesitation symptom I have a "trial" fix I would like to try. My idea is to prevent the engine/transaxle ECU from commanding an upshift under some of the conditions defined within the Toyota TSB that "addresses" this issue. By passively, non-destructively, monitoring the accelerator position sensor's output voltage we can determine that the accelerator pedal is in the process of being released and the instant it is released the trial circuit will activate the brake lighting system. Not the actual brakes, just the circuit that "tells" the ECU that the driver is braking and therefore perhaps provide an indication to the ECU that the driver clearly does not want to enter "cruise" mode. Hopefully (it is a "trial") this will prevent the inadvertent/undesirable upshifts which as most of you know I believe are at the root cause of the delay/hesitation symptom. The trial circuit will include a switch so the driver will have the ability to readily switch back and forth between the trial circuit and "as shipped".

Thanks for the quick reply! I will check another dealer see if they have the harness...may i ask how much you paid for the harness itself? Here is the quote from my dealer: $190 X 2 Knock Sensor $130 intake manifold gasket 4.5 Hours of labor Coolant refill plus tax is how the $1100 comes. I am at north burb of Chicago.Looks like my dealer is kind of !Removed!... I would try, first, simply disconnecting both knock sensors. It sounds as if one or both are continuously sensing engine knock which will result in a rich mixture and poor, slow, upshifts and quick downshifts under load. Your 2000 has the earlier "resonant" knock sensor versions making it unlikely the ECU will "know" that are disconnected. And they refused to do the work without conclusion the problem themselves. To get the code scaned will cost me $120. I have heard horrible stories that similar problem turns out a transmission replacing work at $4000 to $6000 also need leave the car there for 10 days. I would try, first, simply disconnecting both knock sensors. It sounds as if one or both are continuously sensing engine knock which will result in a rich mixture and poor, slow, upshifts and quick downshifts under load. Your 2000 has the earlier "resonant" knock sensor versions making it unlikely the ECU will "know" that are disconnected.

Same wires, typically with a capacitor (hi-pass) coupling to the tweeter as a built-in "crossover".

It seems remote even to me but you may have inadvertently triggered the LSD (Limited Slip Differential) simulation/virtualization aspect of your traction control system, especially if you do not have VSC, but maybe even if you do. Traction control uses the ABS wheel speed sensors to determine if you are encountering wheelspin/slip due to a slippery surface or too much throttle. In a really tight turn the traction control may get fooled into thinking wheel spin/slip has occurred as a result of the desparate rate at which the rear wheels are turning vs each other and/or vs even the front. With VSC there is a stearing wheel position sensor and thereby the system can "know" why the rear wheels are turning at a different rate, provided the early versions of VSC foresaw that eventuallity.

1990...compressor clutch failure probably overdue.