wwest

Your questions indicate that you're too much of a novice to tackle a DIY automotive project. Your transaxle uses ATF, automatic transmission fluid, actually a special purpose hydraulic fluid. Five quarts purchased at Lexus only.

I have very little doubt that your rim got cracked during the tire mounting process. Air pressure is used to seat the tire bead into the rim and the instant it seats a LOT of pressure is instantaneously applied to the rim. But I would still suspect, primarily, a manufacturing defect in the rim itself as the root cause. "...chrome completely trashed and flaking off....." Just where did you get those rims...??? Were it me, for safety, I'd go out, immediately, and replace the other two.

Rear parking/brake bulb failure.

Because of the way the heater itself is inter-woven, criss-cross wired, it is highly unlikely the heater itself has failed. Under the seat there are TWO electrical connections, one for the back and one for the bottom. It's possible one of these has snagged on something and pulled open.

The newer Prius models with the electric A/C compressor have an economy operation mode such that the A/C compressor is not run "full-out" as it is in the HH and RXh. In the Prius in economy mode an attempt is made to only keep the evaporator outflow just below the temperature setpoint. Say 68F for a 72F setpoint, instead of 32F as it would otherwise. While Lexus has stated that this option will not be implemented on their hybrid models (HH??) you can manually manage the A/C operation and get even greater MPG returns than the Prius' A/C economy mode. Simply turn off the A/C when the predominant outside temperature is in a range, say below 55F, wherein the use of the A/C for cooling is no longer beneficial. As of 2001 the RX300 had a c-best option wherein the A/C could be disabled indefinitely by the driver during any prolonged cool climate period. I leave mine off all winter. That option may exist on your RXh. If you allow the A/C to operate it will run "full-out" in an attempt to SQUEEZE as much moisture, dehumidify, the already cool or even COLD incoming fresh airflow as much as possible. Now to maintain your personal comfort level most of that CHILLED airflow will have to be reheated via a trip through the heater core. So, by disabling the A/C you will not only have the savings of no A/C compressor operation, but you will also be lowering the level of heat that must be extracted from the engine cooling water jacket resulting in the ICE running less often, or not as long, simply to keep the water jacket HOT.

Until the cabin atmosphere has warmed to your temperature setpoint, or closely nearby, the actions in defrost mode will differ. If you activate the defrost/defog/demist mode during cabin warm-up then the assumption is made that your intend is to remove frost from the exterior surface. Therefore in this mode at this "time" you will get a reasonably high level of heated airflow to the interior windshield surface. After the cabin has acclimated to you setpoint all you will get in defrost/defog/demist mode is a low level of "tepid" airflow, perhaps even 20F cooler than that required for footwell heating mode airflow. You may note that in this mode the system's "auto" light is not longer on. That's because the defrost/defog/demist mode is considered a "special" function whereby the airflow level (blower speed), warmth, airflow direction, and A/C operation are not in line with your "automatic" settings. You may also note that if you have previous turned the A/C off it will still automatically operate, without an indication of same, in this mode. That's provided you haven't had the dealer set the C-best options. If you wish to "leave" defrost/defog/demist mode and return to your previous automatic mode settings simply depress the defrost mode switch momentarily as it states in your owners manual.

skyfish400h, your directions are quite good for "so cal" but can be dangerous, even deadly, in moderately cool and humid or wet and COLD climates. First, probably a totally useless point of clarification, but the A/C cannot be effective, whatsoever, in defrosting the windshield. Defrost implies frost, and that is a circumstance that is virtually EXCLUSIVE to the exterior surface of the windshield. But, like you, I suspect the post has to do with interior windshield defog/demist rather than actual defrost, as that is one of the major flaws in the design of the Toyota/Lexus automatic climate control. Becuase of the inherent flaws in these systems designed by NipponDenso, Denso US, it is highly advisable to always keep the A/C system off, or completely disabled, when the OAT is predominantly cool, say below 55F. Yes, the A/C can sometimes aid in the effort/need to defog/demist the windshield, but from the owners viewpoint that capability is completely and totally unpredictable. The efficiency of the A/C to dehumidify the incoming FRESH airflow is totally dependent on outside climatic conditions. Because of the unique design of the Denso climate control airlfow routing, for which they actually hold a US patent, it is a practical impossibility to have the climate control operating at a reasonable human comfort temperature level and keep the interior windshield surface clear of condensation at the same time. The best answer I can give you is to leave the system in defrost/defog/demist mode with the temperature setpoint set as far above your personal comfort level as you can stand and then use the blower speed manually to control overall passenger cabin comfort. As of 2001 Lexus introduced two new c-best options, one to allow you to disable the A/C indefinitely and the second to unlink the A/C from automatic operation (with no indication of same) in defrost/defog/demist mode. I also noticed that as of 2005 the system will automatically switch from cooling mode to combined heating and defog mode if the OAT declines to or nearly freezing. That will very likely result in not just a few accidents, injuries and maybe deaths, before Toyota realizes that "switch" should be done at ~45F if the trend is outside temperatures are lowering. Once the passenger cabin's atmosphere is acclimated to your temperature setpoint it will automatically default into cooling mode. Not only will this be significantly discomforting to you on a night, or day, when the surrounding landscape is predominantly cool or cold, it doesn't allow any warming airflow to the interior surface of the windshield. So as you drive along feeling somewhat chilled due to radiant "cooling" from the surrounding landscape and cool and dry airflow directed to your face and upper body, the windshield is being thoroughly CHILLED due to the cold airflow impinging on the exterior surface at roadspeed. Eventually the interior surface of the windshield will be lowered to the dewpoint of the cabin atmosphere and you will have a real problem on your hands. Keep in mind that once the A/C has been used, even as much as 24 hours ago, a significant level, thin film, of moisture will always remain on those roughly 10,000 square inches of evaporator cooling vane surface area. That's why and how that horrid mold and mildew, dirty gym socks, odor developes within the A/C plenum. Those microbes just dearly love breeding in that damp, dank and dark environment. See the EED, electronic eveporator dryer description at airsept.com for more information.

Oh, ozone..... I see the newer LS430's have a UV light inside the A/C plenum just upstream from the evaporator core to combat the bacteria that comprise the mold and mildew family. Obviously that would generate an ozone odor as a side effect and maybe the LS430 design has been expanded to other models of the product line.

Compressor is not turning at the proper rate when compared to engine RPM. Belt slipping??

The electrical odor isn't right but every thing else you say fits the mold and mildew "dirty gym sock odor" problem many new cars exhibit after about a year. Go to airsept.com and read up on their EED and see of that fits your symptoms.

Nothing, insofar as my own experiences would indicate.

Just read a post elsewhere in which the owner of a new 2006 Sienna was wondering if the TSB would help prevent the problem they were experiencing. So apparently the 06's are being shipped from the factory with the same, or much the same, hesitation problem.

Haven't tried it but according to the Lexus shop manual it's a Bit***ch.

Rumor has it that the RX350 will be available for purchase in the early spring of 2006. The new V6 uses DFI into the combustion chamber to facilitate a "lean" burn capability and even better fuel economy than today's model. With any luck at all it may even have the new RAV4's more robust and capable AWD system as the current one is somewhat lacking in comparison. There is also the issue of the current 5-speed transaxles throughout the Toyota/Lexus product series having a low level and seemingly random occurance of engine/throttle hesitation. Apparently a delay of 2 or even 3 seconds before the engine responds to gas pedal pressure if a transaxle downshift is "commanded" as a result of the engine torque required of the new pedal position. The initial TSB to address this problem was first issued in the spring of 2003 and very well describes the three circumstances under which the hesitation is known to sometimes occur. There have been multiple versions of the TSB issued since and the yea/nay votes on the latest are still coming in. I'm personally more of a champion of Lexus than otehrwise, currently drive a 2001 AWD RX300, but my next SUV purchase might be the BMW X3 or the Mazda CX-7 if this hesitation issue isn't soon addressed satisfactorily.

If the cable connected to the water control valve doesn't move at all when its disconnected from the valve and the system is commanded from max cold to max heat then the blend door servomotor inside the A/C plenum under the dash center is stuck or has failed. If you are sure, CERTAIN, of the above then you might be able to force the blend door into the max heat position via the appropreate pressure on the cable core and then (***) tie the water control valve open. Then use the blower to regulate the cabin heating level. ***After checking to make sure your "pressure" didn't unstick the servomotor.

I would guess that the upcoming RX model will have DFI, direct fuel injection (into the combustion chamber) for improved fuel economy and just maybe the RAV4's new AWD system. Both probably worth waiting for.

I would not only wait I would not even buy a new RX350 unless Lexus could somehow prove, or assure me, that the engine/throttle hesitation problems that the 04 and later RXes are exhibiting are finally addressed. Otherwise both the BMW X3 and the Mazda CX-7 will get my serious consideration when my current SUV ride needs to go away.

....Jolt...?? The transaxle will upshift as you slow to a stop and only after coming to a full and complete stop will it finally downshift into 1st gear. Some describe this initial upshift as a feeling as if being bumped lightly from behind. It will also upshift at higher speeds when you fully release the throttle momentarily and that is described as the slingshot effect. But I don't know as one could call it a "jolt". These transaxles, seemingly, have a history of premature failures at 70-80,000 miles. While the owners manual has no recommendation for ATF maintenance many owners, myself included, are finding that the ATF is looking contaminated and smelling burned at ~40,000. Many dealers are responding to the problem by recommending flushing the transaxle every 15,000 miles. There may very well be a "secret" warranty that covers these issues but insofar as I know neither Toyota nor Lexus has made any public announcements on these failures. Reluctantly I would agree to flushing but at 30,000 miles. My guess is that these failures are related to the fact that the transaxles upshift during even brief coastdown periods and now find themselves in the wrong gear ratio if the driver suddenly applies pressure to the gas pedal. Since the gas pedal is "hard-wired" on these early models the engine will instantly rise to acceleration torque levels as dictated by the gas pedal but in the meantime the transaxle is hurridly getting itslef into the proper lower gear ratio so as to not lug the engine down. On a manual transmission how many times can you drop the clutch at high engine torque levels before replacing the clutch? Same here. So as of 2004 the RX uses a DBW system to prevent the engine torque level from rising until the downshifted clutches can have time to fully and firmly seat.

Mine come from Costco and my very well be made by the same OEM as makes the diehard.

Because of a unique, patented, design it is fairly difficult to get warm airflow from the dash and/or the windshield defog/demist/defrost outlets. Don't know about the MY you refer but the 92 has a push pull cable through the firewall to operate the hot water control flow valve. As you move the coltrols from max hot to max cold you should be able to observe the control valve being moved full travel.

I think, not sure, that only the RXes with the towing package have the ATF cooler. Mine is located in front of the passenger side front wheel liner if you want to look/check. I wouldn't dare use any aftermarket ATF, Toyota only. Some of the components in these new transaxles are made of totally new materials to this venue, carbon fiber lockup clutch for instance, and only the OEM ATF will be a certain "fit". And actually HOT ATF is the normal running mode, but yes, over-heated ATF can be really bad news. If you check your owners manual you will discover that there is a warning light in the instrument panel that illuminates of the ATF is overtemp. Insofar as I know mine never illuminated but yet at 40,000 miles my ATF looked and smelled burned. No doubt over-heated clutch frictional surfaces due to no engine/throttle hesitation to allow them to fully and firmly seat before the onset of engine torque just after a downshift. After 04 that was fixed by using DBW to delay engine torque for a few seconds after a downshift.

Keep in mind that modern day torque converters are a lot smaller that their older brotheren. In today's cars the clear majority of the time the lock-up clutch is engaged and the torque converter does absolutely no work. I would be very surprised if modern day torque converters have an ATF capacity much greater than one quart. So only 1/2 quart, at most, would be left after draining.

I'm pretty sure I posted the mod at clublexus years ago.

At ~40,000 miles the ATF in my 2001 AWD RX300 looked and smelled burnt. I drained and refilled with 4 qts of ATF purchased at Lexus. About a week later the ATF again looked burned. I discovered the diff'l drain plug should be removed and another qt could be drained. Back to Lexus to purchase 5 qts with an argument from parts manager that it only required 4 qts. This time I dropped the sump pan and cleaned about 1/8 inch of non-magnetic ground up pencil lead looking debris. Installed the 5 qts which resulted in a very slight overfill when warm according to the dipstick. AT 50,000 miles my ATF is now still pink like new. So no one is about to make me believe that this transaxle will hold more than 5 qts.

With a CEL indication the trac off is a default, automatic, indication, fix the CEL and the trac off will go off. It's in the owners manual.