smooth1

For used parts on such a new car, I would think you would need to go to a salvage yard to get one off a totaled car. They have some message boards where they check for parts being requested and they will let you know if one comes thru and how much they want for one. Local is going to be your best bet for used parts.

monkeys

That is a trick question in your case. But a good to one to raise. If you disconnect the battery, you'll effectively reset the ECU also. SO the events that have happened will be cleared and if cleaning the sensors ends up not fixing anything, then when you take it in, they won't be able to look at the performance history and look at the events logged in the ECU, hence you'll waste that time and money again. BUt in order to clean the sensors, it is a good idea to disconnect the battery and reset the ECU. Which is why I think you might want to consider just taking it in and atleast doing the diagnostic to get the right problem fixed.(I'm not talking about the Auto Zone scan they do for free, they only read you the cel code.) I see alot of people buy parts and end up spending as much money if not more doing that then just getting the diagnostic and fixing the correct problem. I in no way am saying that the diagnostic is a 100% tool, but it could end up saving you time, money and hassles. If your RX and other cars are starting to approach higher mileage and you intend on keeping them , I suggest to all my friends that they invest in an ODB II scanner that has freeze frame and enhanced detail code readings as if you have to have you car diagnosed even 2 or 3 times, it has just payed for itself. And even if it does show something that you are unable to fix, it is allways better to go a mechanic armed with knowledge then be at thier diagnostic mercy.

I'm not exactly sure on the RX. But if you get under the car and look at the trans, you can easily find it with your hand, or see it clear as day. they are the only things sticking out of you trans with a wire connected to it like a spark plug. It just screws out.

Without me being able to look at you car directly, the cel could even be unrelated at this point. An 02 senser wouldn't have anything to do with the slipping of the tranny or the hard shift. Those are signs of more problems to come. I would atleasat change the tranny fluid to the correct type 4 asap. And I haven't noticed any set amount of time for these issues to start happening. Sometimes it doesn't even become an issue. I've seen people flush for the first time at 100k miles and not seem to have any problems, and I've seen some flush at the same time and have tons of trouble afterwards, sometimes right away, but mostly I have seen the problems start about a month afterwards. I guess it could depend on how much they drive the car. It's a crap shoot at that point. Sometimes it's where the tarnish is and how the sludge inside is built up, and just how much. There is a speed sensor on the transmission as well. That could be related. The MAF feeds info for the shift points also, so it could be that. I would suggest going in for a full diagnostic and find out for sure. If the cel came on breifly, then an event has been logged in the ECU and can be retrieved. A good tech will see that on the scan and be able to investigate it.

Unfortunately, your friend at the dealership could be correct. HAve you had the transmission flushed regularly before? I see this problem alot. Flushing your trans always sounds like a great idea, but only if you have done it form the beginning and thru out the life of the trans. The issue is the heat from the trans breaks down the fluid, which reacts with the surfaces of all the internal components causing them to tarnish and create sludge. Once this has happened it is better to leave it alone, and just replace the fluid 3-4 quarts at a time from the pan. Because if you remove all the tranish and sludge, what you leave behind are gaps and spaces that cause the transmission to slip and stick. If this starts to happen, the only thing you can do is drive it while you save up for a transmission rebuild or a new transmission. This is ridiculuos! It's up to them to know what the correct fluid is. Alot of car manufacturers have very specific ATF requirements. If they are unaware of them, then they are not qualified to be performing transmission flushes! He was giving you the " I'm an idiot, heres some BS, now go away." line! If they didn't replace the fluid with the correct one, then you very could have a case for the issues your having.

Looked to me like a part listed for the scheduled services.

I agree. I think that looks like a good report. I don't see anything on that report that raises any red flags. But, never take a carfax report over a good experienced walk around, and a lift inspection. ( The car is put up on a lift and looked over by an expereinced mechanic to check for problems that may not have revealed themselves yet, or covered up.)

Wow, that really !!! Man, I am so sorry to hear that! Report it to the police right away. They can check for cameras and witnesses or anything that might help. I'd be calling the Las Vegas Crime lab and have Grissom on the case right now!! LOL!! What a frickin jerk!! I would have chased that guy down! until I got that plate number. I would have followed him while on the phone with the police all the way! I don't care how many traffic laws I would have to break to follow him!

My dad used to tell me: "If your standing in a hole and you want to get out, stop digging!"

The open loop and closed operations no longer change the A/F ratios as in previous models. It used to be considered making the operation safer in an open loop, but no longer, so this isn't a variable anymore. LOL!! No it won't! The ECU will just not send as much fuel to the combustion chamber! The engine will not be as efficient as when it warms up, but again, that doesn't translate to MPG's!! So you're suggesting that an engine can run less efficiently without using more fuel? What exactly do you think the word efficiently means? Lemme try this as simply as possible... I'm fascinated to see how you can continue to give right answers and then reach totally wrong conclusions- True or false- in colder weather the oil will take longer to reach operating temp? True or false- the colder and thicker the oil is, the more friction in the engine? True or false- the more friction in the engine the more fuel it require to run the same? Can you point me to the Lexus technical info BTW that suggests the 2IS doesn't use open and closed loop mode like just about every other modern car on earth? Especially since guys who have actually scanned the ECU at work observe it using both open loop and closed loop anf the AF ratio changing between them? Thanks! Apparently it's you who needs the definition of efficiency. Because then you would have known to ask if we were talking about mechanical efficiency, thermal efficiency, volumetric efficiency, and so on, of which, none of them have anything to do with MPG. Which really shows it's your conclusions that are incorrect. Not mine. In which decade are we talking about? ( I thought you knew physics???) If you did, then you would know that oil lubricates the internal moving parts of the engine as they heat up and expand, causing thermal breakdown, which causes the moving parts to sieze and fuse together. The idea of "cold starting friction" went out with Teflon and PTFE resins in Slick 50, Duralube and the likes. So, False. Are you implying that thicker oil creates more friction??? That's a ridiculous statement. So, false. This would pertain to mechanical efficiency. Mechanical efficiency is the percentage of energy that the engine puts out after subtracting mechanical losses such as friction, compared to what the engine would put out with no power loss. Most engines are about 90% mechanically efficient. Nowhere in any of those formulas are MPG's ever associated with it. So, False. I never said that Lexus doesn't use an open or closed loop system. I said, that the theory behind using it has changed. Don't forget our cars use direct injection with cold injectors to suppliment light load conditions. It's a different system that enables the engineers alot more control over when the fuel is introduced to the combustion chamber. So the need to run richer fuel mixes is under more control than before. That's part of the reason why the 350 and other cars can now produce more hp, and still get the same gas mileage. But I'll see what I can do.

I've also found this to work...... " Honey, look at that will ya?! girls dresses like that in a convertable...makes me sick........Look at how far down that tank top goes, and how high those shorts are riding up. You know they must know people can see that!! And see how the wind blows her top back and it flutters in the wind showing way more than she should?" It's like thier just begging for attention!

Maybe consider a darker wrap around style of sunglasses and just call them your "driving" glasses. LOL!!! Just remember to control the head tilt. ROTFLMAO!!! B)

The open loop and closed operations no longer change the A/F ratios as in previous models. It used to be considered making the operation safer in an open loop, but no longer, so this isn't a variable anymore. LOL!! No it won't! The ECU will just not send as much fuel to the combustion chamber! The engine will not be as efficient as when it warms up, but again, that doesn't translate to MPG's!!

I think some people are confusing a MAP system with a MAF system. In a MAP system, the timing and A/F ratios are all programmed to follow a ridgid program based on a set of values established for each stage of throttle positions and rpm in the ECU, or, for those a bit older and remember carburated engines. So, in a system like that, any change to one of the contributing factors such as air temp can have an effect on the amount of power the engine can make and hence run leaner or richer, as the fuel amount will remain constant, unless manipulated directly. In other words, the engine doesn't self adjust as it is following a preset program. I've only seen this system used in aftermarket though, and mostly used for forced induction applications as technology has long since changed for the production car market. They all run MAF systems now that all self adjust. Maybe some systems aren't as good as others at adjusting, but that is a completely different conversation. In this case, since the amount of fuel is NOT changed due to the intake air temp, which means you have changed the A/F ratio, then you would see an improvement in fuel mileage due to the air temperatures. But in this case you would see an improvement in colder air, not warmer, as the amount of power being produced would result in less throttle input, but also remember, in this case you would be running a leaner A/F ratio and that could be dangerous for the motor. So there is a trade off. Hi Smoothie, While I read and understand what point you are trying to make, there are only so many "tricks" the little ECU can pull out it's little chip butt. It can only "fool" the charge in the combustion chamber so long! If my IS250 is running down the freeway here in sunny AZ at 100d F and 10% RH and it's getting xx MPG, then I beam myself and my IS250 (way too expensive to drive!) over to Billings, Montana - ambient air temp is 30d F and RH 10%, will I see the same MPG - assuming both Phoenix and Billings are the same elevations? B) It's not about "fooling" the combustion chamber. It's about maintaining the same amount of air mass.Oxygen has mass. That amount of mass can fluctuate in any given volume of air. Hence the MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, not the VOLUME AIR SENSOR. Hotter air has less mass, and colder air has more mass. The mass reqiurements for the A/F mixture don't change. They are fixed. So is the size of your cylinder. The ECU will only allow the same amount of mass into the cylinder, no matter what the temp is. SO if the air is colder, the ECU will simply adjust to allow the same amount of mass into the cylinder. Now if you were to pressurize the cylinder, or force more VOLUME of air into the cylinder, causing the air to compact and warm, then return it to say an intercooler to further create more mass per volume of air it causing it to become more dense, but this is a completely different scenario as we are talking about forced induction. And in these cases, the MAF can never see "boost" conditions as it wil try to adjust and throw the car into "What the hell is going on!" mode. Natually asperated engines controlled by a MAF sensor reading ECU system, will be constant. These newer fuel programs that Toyota and others are coming out with are designed alot differently than before. Let's not confuse some things. I am not saying NOTHING changes fuel mileage. I am only saying that the ambient temprature does not change the fuel mileage by itself. If we were to set up a controlled enviornment, with a motor on a bench, and measured power output and fuel mileage seperately, you would see the motor produce more or less power as the temp went up or down, but you would not see the fuel consumption rates change at all. We are talking about MPG. Not the effiency of the motor to produce HP. More HP doesn't translate to better fuel mileage. In that case, take a 3.5 liter, 1000 hp motor, while it is a very efficient motor as it can produce alot of hp per liter, more than most others, I don't get any more miles per gallon. This also explains why high miles per gallon vehicles don't have high horse power also. (Wouldn't that be great though?) It's allways a trade off.

Oh we are crystal clear alright. Everything you have listed so far effects other things that may or may not effect fuel mileage. Nothing you have listed has anything to do with the temprature or summer vs. winter directly effecting fuel mileage. as everything you have listed can be said no matter what the temprature or time of year. HOW you drive your car will effect fuel mileage. The physical attributes of the vehicle will change and fluctuate no matter what time of year or the outside temprature. So again, your point is moot. But you can continue to think your right.

LMAO!!! The darkest days of our automobile engineering evolution.

Glee club?

LOL!!! I need a video of that !

I think some people are confusing a MAP system with a MAF system. In a MAP system, the timing and A/F ratios are all programmed to follow a ridgid program based on a set of values established for each stage of throttle positions and rpm in the ECU, or, for those a bit older and remember carburated engines. So, in a system like that, any change to one of the contributing factors such as air temp can have an effect on the amount of power the engine can make and hence run leaner or richer, as the fuel amount will remain constant, unless manipulated directly. In other words, the engine doesn't self adjust as it is following a preset program. I've only seen this system used in aftermarket though, and mostly used for forced induction applications as technology has long since changed for the production car market. They all run MAF systems now that all self adjust. Maybe some systems aren't as good as others at adjusting, but that is a completely different conversation. In this case, since the amount of fuel is NOT changed due to the intake air temp, which means you have changed the A/F ratio, then you would see an improvement in fuel mileage due to the air temperatures. But in this case you would see an improvement in colder air, not warmer, as the amount of power being produced would result in less throttle input, but also remember, in this case you would be running a leaner A/F ratio and that could be dangerous for the motor. So there is a trade off.

LOL!!! This is great! Ok, so of all the things you listed, you came back with the tire pressure issue and the boutique fuels. Are you conceeding the other points then? And btw, your dispute about the fuels.......You never thought to ask if the OP was going to the same fuel station or not, so again, your point with that is moot. He could be fueling up with E85 for all we know at this point. And he did say that for the last 6 months, which would mean that the summer or winter mix thing is not pertinent at all in this. But we can continue to involve that fact in our debate if you would like. I don't disagree with this statement, the problem here is that the lower temp also improves the grip of the tires, along with the engines ability to produce more hp. We can't really gauge which as more of an influence on the times, but the bigger issue is that all the drag times posted don't include the amount of fuel used to acheive those times. Which is the topic here. If I produce more hp and use the same amount of fuel, I have improved the efficiency of the motor, but not the fuel mileage. You would still burn the exact same amount of fuel. In your tire pressure issue, while I understand your point of the temp. effecting the psi, it's more about the psi in the tires effecting fuel mileage, not the temp itself. Underinflated tires can easily be remedied in any outside temp. situation. You can still run underinflated tires in hot weather and have the same effect on fuel mileage. The IAT measures the air temp coming in, the MAF measures the amount, the H02S measures the results of the combustion, and it all adjusts accordingly. But the 14.7:1 ratio never really changes. We aren't talking about the 14.7 part, we are talking about the 1. That 1 is allways 1 for every combustion stroke, unless it's altered by a smaller fuel injector, recalibrated at the ECU, or fuel flow is restricted somehow. How much power that cumbustion stroke makes is a byproduct of that 1. Colder air =more oxygen = more fuel gets added= less foot input on the throttle to acheive the same power. Hotter air = less oxygen = less fuel gets added= more foot input on the throttle to acheive the same power. It's an offsetting equation. We all prefer the more power part, but agian, the fuel consumption is the same! And if someone brings up the "cold air intakes" argument, that would really prove they have no clue! While some aftermarket intakes do help improve engine efficiency by reducing the air restriction, and making the intake tubing more smooth and less turbulant, they have little to do with "cooling" the intake air, and again, while they may help create more power, they do not reduce the amount of fuel consumed.

This is incorrect. Sorry..... Of course tire pressure and the obviuos things can effect your gas mileage, but warm or cold air coming into the engine has no effect on fuel mileage. That's why there is an IAT AND a Mass air flow sensor. Warm air does not result in a leaner mixture of fuel. If a mass ratio of 14.7 to 1, air to fuel, needs to be maintained, then the engine will keep it there. A lean mixture is a mixture with more air (flip side of the coin, less fuel) than the stoich mix requires. To run a richer or leaner A/F mixes, you would have to reprogram the ECU and that is not available yet. Cruising at 2200 rpm, in warm air, the engine is pulling in less oxygen, and so it is making 10 units of power, and runs at 53 mph. In order to cruise at 55mph, the engine needs to run faster, at 2250 rpms to achieve 11 units of power. Likewise, in a cold air scenario, cruising at 2200 rpm, the engine is pulling in more air, and so it is making 11 units of power, and runs at 57 mph. In order to cruise at 55mph, the engine needs to run slower, at 2150 rpms to achieve 10 units of power. The differences your seeing at WOT are in the amount of power the engine is capable of making with the RPM range it is limited to, not in fuel efficiency. In colder air, the motor would still be able to produce more power and hence run faster, but it would still use the same amount of fuel. Can you point out which part of my post, specifically, is wrong? because I list half a dozen points about when it's cold out. 0 of them have to do with the temp of the air coming into the engine. And you admit I'm correct about them causing worse mileage when it's cold. Then you tell me I'm wrong by giving a lecture on air temps entering the engine. Which isn't at all what I was talking about. This would be taken by anyone with a mechanical background as referring to the intake air temp. Again, all monitored and adjusted for by the ECU and hence, won't change the fuel mileage. The car would simply run at a higher or lower RPM to create the same amount of power. And in todays engines, tolerances levels are much tighter than say the 1980's in which piston rings would need time to warm up and flex to create the seals on the pistons, but not in todays engines. only for the first few feet of travel as they come up to temp. But even then, your really reaching here. I don't even know what you are trying to say here, or where you are going with this. The term "summer blend" is shorthand for a menu of federally and locally mandated summertime fuel recipes that are designed to cut down on smog. The gasoline we use is always refined from an intricate blend of ingredients; the process combines coffee-dark crude oil with various additives that increase performance or make fuel burn more cleanly. Because overlapping federal and local requirements call for different recipes in different locales and seasons, there are approximately 20 distinct "boutique blends" of gasoline sold in the United States. Some Americans end up pumping a blend called Carb (named for the California Air Resources Board) while others burn Atlanta (named for Georgia's capital, where it's sold). Refineries brew their summer blends by removing hydrocarbons that are more prone to evaporate in hot weather. These chemicals, called volatile organic compounds, react with airborne pollutants in the summer sun to form ozone, one of the main components of smog. From June 1 to Sept. 15, the EPA mandates that pumps in 12 high-ozone urban areas—such as Los Angeles, New York City, and Baton Rouge—deliver gasoline that meets special low-evaporation standards. Several states have voluntarily adopted the rules, and 15 have enacted their own seasonal-blend regulations on top of the EPA's. For example, pollution-conscious California has mandated that service stations must start selling its summer blend in May. As the BTU ratings can vary by 3-4% from one fuel company to the next, the 1.5% difference in the summer to winter blend is kinda moot.

This is incorrect. Sorry..... Of course tire pressure and the obviuos things can effect your gas mileage, but warm or cold air coming into the engine has no effect on fuel mileage. That's why there is an IAT AND a Mass air flow sensor. Warm air does not result in a leaner mixture of fuel. If a mass ratio of 14.7 to 1, air to fuel, needs to be maintained, then the engine will keep it there. A lean mixture is a mixture with more air (flip side of the coin, less fuel) than the stoich mix requires. To run a richer or leaner A/F mixes, you would have to reprogram the ECU and that is not available yet. Cruising at 2200 rpm, in warm air, the engine is pulling in less oxygen, and so it is making 10 units of power, and runs at 53 mph. In order to cruise at 55mph, the engine needs to run faster, at 2250 rpms to achieve 11 units of power. Likewise, in a cold air scenario, cruising at 2200 rpm, the engine is pulling in more air, and so it is making 12 units of power, and runs at 57 mph. In order to cruise at 55mph, the engine needs to run slower, at 2150 rpms to achieve 11 units of power. The differences your seeing at WOT are in the amount of power the engine is capable of making with the RPM range it is limited to, not in fuel efficiency. In colder air, the motor would still be able to produce more power and hence run faster, but it would still use the same amount of fuel.

Now see, that car is fuel miser icon that is now sought after by many along with the Yugo! If you drove that car today, you would be seen as a green world saver with a smart economic savy!