GDixon

Consumer Reports thinks it is junk. Check some other sources as well such as Edmunds for reviews.

They both have things that look like eyes! I'm guessing that the xenon is the unit on the left picture. Perhaps you can edit your post to include another line to look like captions under the picture. Thanks.

My thought is that the headlight controller acts more like a home HVAC thermostat. A thermostat measures the temperature and then acts in conjunction with the furnace or A/C by sending an electrical message. With the headlights, the gizmo in the rear sends a message to the adjusting motors to raise or lower the angle of the headlight beam. It probably is just a rheostat and the amount of electrical resistance is the determining factor for the message to the motors.

The Audi A6 is famous for its ability in snow and ice. Anything else would seem to be a step down. The snow tires carried in the luggage area would certainly cause the headlights to be lowered. It sounds like they may have been lowered too much by the signal from the adjustment lever in the rear. I'm guessing that you would rarely carry such a load so any modifications may not be necessary otherwise they will be consistently too high. Adjusting them for a single hauling session and then adjusting them back doesn't seem to make sense unless you have a setup like LexKid630 and can do it from the driver's seat.

1) Yep, that is how they work. In other cars/trucks, after washing the windows some fluid is left under the blades and will blow up on the window requiring an extra manual wipe. The Lexus does it for you. If you wash the windows while stopped it might be annoying. 2) Headlight aiming is a constant issue on this forum. Do a search or check out this post for a couple of methods for adjustment. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=41386 3) Look through the rims and see if the brake disks have rust on them. Also, if the car is very new then the pads may not be completely seated. After 5K miles it should not be a problem. My RX has never had noisy brakes over its 8K miles and it has gone through rainy weather. I haven't seen posts referring to the issue on this forum. 4) Lastly, the musty smell is an ongoing problem with many fixes suggested. The one most often posted is to turn off the A/C a few minutes before parking. Another is to open the window or sunroof slightly overnight. I leave the sunroof tilted open and have never had an odor. A search may yield other ideas or fixes.

You read directions well. The upload worked. The tires' weight won't have anything to do with the headlight adjustment since they do not cause the body to sag - they are unsprung. The device works by measuring the distance between the body and the swing arm. If the snow tires in back are a different diameter than the ones in front then there may be an issue. Maybe someone more knowledgeable on the headlight alignment, like LexKid630, might have an answer to the misalignment/tires issue. He might have installed the adjuster within reach just for the reason that you are experiencing.

To upload a diagram or picture look directly under the box used for messaging/replying with "Attachments" in the upper left corner. On the right find the box with "Browse", click on it, and look on your computer to find the file. If it is in "My Documents" on a Windows computer it is easier to find. Click on the file to get it to appear in the attachments box. Then click "Upload" and wait for awhile depending on your connection speed. If the upload fails then you may have to convert the file to *.pdf or *.jpg with a scanner. Then find the uploaded attachment in the "Manage Current Attachments" box and click on the far left icon to add it to your message. Have the cursor located where you want the file to appear. Click on "Preview Post" a little further down the post page, below the icons, to see if it worked. Good luck. BTW, I'm not sure why tbear2 recommendations not adjusting the adjuster by the rear wheel. I finally got to drive at night and the adjustment was perfect. The road was illuminated at least twice as far and my wife will now drive the RX at night. Nobody flashed his/her headlights to indicate being blinded.

Check out this post for other options. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;#entry265503

OK, I finally got off of my rear and under the car's rear. The headlight adjustment is a bit different for the 08 RX than what has been described in this forum and the IS forum. Attached is a picture of the adjustment device. It is on the passanger's side rear swing arm. Shortening the adjustment arm pulls the lever down and the result is raising the headlights' aim. Since I rarely drive at night the aiming was done on a garage wall. The adjustment doesn't seem very sensitive and at five feet the top edge of the light only came up about 1/2 inch when the adjustment arm was shortened about an inch. If my math is correct it will come up about 10 inches at 100 feet and 30 inches at 100 yards. We will see what happens on the next night outing. Oh, the adjustment nuts are 10mm. You will need two such wrenches. The pivot attachments have an 11mm square base. The nuts are very hard to move if the threads are dirty so a shot of WD-40 might help. It is a bit tight under there to work with the required two hands/two wrenches so jacking up the car or putting it on ramps helps access.

Even though other on this site will scoff, check out Consumers' Reports for their recommendations. I have an 2008 RX350 with around 7000 miles of mixed driving with some very high speed driving through the Nevada desert at maximum speed (111 mph). It has handled and otherwise performed flawlessly. There are some minor picky things that could be different but no real complaints.

I read this post a while ago and drove through some trees (while on the highway, of course) and also noticed the "light in the trees" effect. It is one of those things that if you concentrate on it you will go nuts - like a dripping faucet or a dog barking in the distance. Since it has no effect on driving or safety it is best ignored. There is no reason to let meaningless fixations cause stress.

One of the sensors could be bad. It appears to be time to take the car in for warranty work.

Are you a man of wealth and taste?

Even better, you can buy a HVAC filter from Lowe's or Home Depot and cut out a piece the same size as the Lexus filter. There are various styles and quality of filters to choose from at a substantial savings. Duct taping the edges seals them in as well as, or better than, the original.

Check out this tread for the RX headlight adjustment. There is a similar one on the IS forum. The computer input is adjustable. I haven't tried it yet but will soon. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=41386

There seem to be several posts regarding "hitch installation" on the RX. Also, "headlight issues" such as high beam reflections, the low beam adjustment, replacement choices, lens cleaning, and so forth. Thanks for the reorganization effort.

Maybe the speed limiting issue is because the car would tend to bounce more over a bump at speed - or just travel in more of a wave pattern that would cause the mechanism to constantly adjust. The suspension-dependent device would also be compressed/extended more often at higher speeds. Perhaps the thing is designed that way to prevent premature wear out fatigue. Just a guess. Anyway, the RX will be put up on ramps to see if I can find that bugger and adjust it. It is bit of a tight fit while on the ground and also a camera wouldn't fit under there very well. Just need to find the time to do it.

Great diagram! I know it takes a lot of time and effort to do such things and it is very much appreciated. I was looking for something smaller than the diagram shows so I'll try again. By the looks of the photo that you drew on, the lever is on the passenger's side rear ("right-rear arm"). The IS people have theirs on the driver's side. I'll check it out and take a picture if I can find it. Maybe someone else will be helped out with a posted picture. Your drawing should be enough for a good mechanic but a picture of the actual device may work better for the more challenged among us. Figuring out how to mount an adjuster in the cockpit is no small feat - very impressive. :D

Of course, it is part of the computer system. BTW, we recently were in Kalispell on a trip to Glacier NP (the Going to the Sky road was closed ). Beautiful town and surroundings. My wife loved it - but it was early fall. Winter would probably change her mind.

Try this. http://www.colgancustom.com/shop_vparts.php#1

Thanks again for the try to help out. I was just over on the IS forum and someone was having the same headlight aiming issue. Apparently there is a very obvious fixture near the driver's side rear axle on an IS. One would think that Lexus would use the same fixture on the RX. All of the pictures of the thing were gone however and the picture poster didn't have them anymore. Crawling under the 2008 RX350 with a flashlight did not reveal anything that looked adjustable except for the large bolt adjustments for the swing arms and anti-sway bar. If LexKid630, or anyone else for that matter, can provide a picture of the device it would be very much appreciated. All around both sides of the rear axle were inspected but without a solid visual clue about what to look for it was fruitless. The device must work on the principle that LexKid630 mentioned. A fixture attached to the unibody on one side and the axle on the other side measures the distance, probably by a rheostat set-up, and the electrical signal is interpreted by the computer and the headlights adjusted. It will probably be simple once it is tracked down. In the meantime, my wife is reluctant to drive the car at night and I find it disconcerting.

Echo other posts on this issue wanting more info. Anyone who has access to the deleted pictures please post them again on this site. At one time there were pictures that showed exactly the issue, the placement, and the fix. The directions are great but it is the old "picture/1000 words" issue. Thanks.

Some of these issues seem to have lessened or gone away as the car has been broken in. Either that or the newness has worn off, the bugs are still there, and they are just not being noticed. #1 - the throttle delay doesn't seem to be as pronounced. #2 - jerking still happens but perhaps I'm learning how to deal with it. Acceleration is still abrupt at times. #3 - the hitch situation is resolved. A hitch was purchased and installed for a fourth of the dealer's price. Details at http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=39543 #4 is partially resolved. The spark plugs are nearly impossible to self-change but are supposed to last for 100K miles. Still no third-party repair manual. The oil change needs a special wrench but there are several helpful posts on this site about the size and availability. My filter wrench is from Assenmacher part # TOY 640 - it appears to be heavier duty than stamped metal or plastic ones. It also fits several Toyota internal replaceable filters on other cars. Wix (or Napa) have the filters for less - cabin and engine air as well. Some members here take their cars to Toyota for service and save some cash.

Since you are looking for a roof top carrier and won't remove the rack my previous post is not applicable. I can see why a concern would be had for an unsecure roof rack system if you are carrying bicycles, skis, or luggage. Have you looked into a towing hitch and then getting the carrying attachments that connect to it?

They are well under $5 each from a dealer. I saw one on eBay but the shipping added up to more than the dealer price. That is for an RX - not sure about a 97 LX. You may want to take frenchycv up on his offer if the price is reasonable. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LEXUS-RX330...sspagenameZWDVW