xxstewart

To get the bolt out, I'd try using a small crowbar. Apply pressure between the frame and bottom of the bolt head to force the nut against the inside frame surface, and use your ratchet to unscrew the bolt. The nut should spin into its previously welded position, fixing it so that it resists turning. The weld may have broken due to rust/corrosion on the bolt threads that created excess resistance when you tried to remove it. Before removing this last bolt, and before reintalling all the bolts, I'd use some WD40 or penetrating oil to lube the threads a bit. Once you have the broken nut's bolt removed, you have the problem of fishing the nut back onto the bolt. (Twelve bolts may seem excessive, but I'd not advise leaving this bolt uninstalled. Its absence will distribute the hitch load among the other bolts, and probably unequally.) Try fishing a bent coat hanger through the adjacent hole and holding the nut in place while getting the bolt threads started. Then use the crowbar again to create pressure to hold the nut stationary. If none of this works, try drilling an access hole nearby the stuck bolt. Start with a small pilot hole (~ 1/8") and enlarge it in stages. A step drill bit works really well for this. Good luck!

The passenger light will also illuminate when you place an object on the passenger seat. The owners manual may indicate the trigger weight, but 10 to 15 lbs makes my GX passenger light come on. If the light is on and the seat is empty, it's likely a defective sensor or wiring to the sensor.

Take your car to an INDEPENDENT repair shop and ask them to do a compression test on the engine. This consists of pulling one or more spark plugs, connecting a pressure gauge to the cylinder, and cranking the engine. If pistons and/or valves are bad, compression pressure will measure low because of leakage past the rings or valves. This test should take less than 30 minutes and cost you less than $50, and confirm whether or not you need an engine rebuild. If you do need an engine rebuild, find a reputable independent repair shop that specializes in engine rebuilds, and have the work done there.

My understanding is that the airbag sensors are accelerometers that trigger the airbags when the vehicle speed drops dramatically, and that bumper impact is not required (as were earlier airbag systems). If this is the case, you shouldn't find any direct linkages between the bumper and the airbags.

Did you get a quote from an independent air conditioner repair shop?

Regular oil & filter changes every 5K (or 6 months - whichever occurs first) is the most important maintenance procedure you can do to ensure 100K miles of problem free motoring. If you don't like being sucked into dealer maintenance schedules and paying $500 for an oil change, windshield washer refill, and tire pressure check, learn to do these things yourself. Six quarts of Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic and a Fram filter will set you back $40 at Walmart and an hour's effort on Saturday morning (less time than you'll spend drinking espresso in Lexus dealer's customer lounge). Synthetic oil doesn't decompose at high temperatures, and is worth the extra money. Don't neglect the air filter either. All that nasty brown stuff you see hanging in the air over metro areas is particulate polution that gets sucked through your engine. Take out the air filter and vacuum it from the intake side when you do your oil changes. If you live in really dusty areas or drive on gravel roads frequently, do this more often.

The 2004 GX has ABS and skid-control. While you were braking, did you feel the brake pedal pulsating? The beeping noise was indicating that the anti-skid control was engaging (I think). Sounds as if you might have really bad winter tires on the vehicle. Are they snow rated?

Are you saying the smell is coming from the GX wheel wells or the trailer wheel wells? If the GX, are you a left-foot braker that uses the brake pedal for a foot rest? Do you always brake on long downhills, or do you downshift? Are your wheel rims hot when you touch them?

Why not consider having your existing wheels chromed? You can probably get this done for about $200/wheel in a couple days. Oversize custom wheels will cost at least twice this, and you'll need new tires too -- probably a $2,000 adventure. Before spending this much $$$, drive somebody's LX that has oversize wheels, and see if you like the change in the ride and handling that comes with shorter sidewall tires.

Dealerships derive about 10% of their revenues, but about 50% of their profit, from their service departments. Last I checked, LX's are in short supply due to production problems in Japan. Seems as if the tactic here is "if you can't sell 'em, service the hell out of 'em." But are you one of those 2-footed drivers who was taught to drive with your right foot on the gas and your left foot on the brake? I see vehicles all the time on the highway whose brake lights are constantly going on and off, while the vehicle never slows down. Driving with one foot on the brake pedal all the time is stupid, not a safe driving habit.

If you were parked at a shopping center, mall, or box store, check with the store security. Video cameras are everywhere, and you might get lucky identifying the moron who hit you.

By "bumper cover" do you mean a rubber or vinyl guard strip to protect it from shopping carts and other drivers that use your car for parallel parking assistance? I looked into this a couple years ago, and couldn't find anything that didn't look tacky. I ended up installing Waag front runner and rear bumper guards (www.waag.com). I think I ordered them from Auto Seattle -- about $700 total (note - the Toyota 4-Runner parts fit the GX). Installation took only about 2 hours -- maybe less with a second pair of hands. Waag's "Frontrunner" is a half-height bumper - not as steroidal looking as the full brush guard style product.

The 2nd row seats in my 2008 GX fold up against the front seats, but do not fold flat. I've removed the 3rd row seats as I haul cargo far more often than passengers. I think newer GX's have fold-flat 3rd row seats (not sure), but I'm not aware that the 2nd row seat design has changed. Building an elevated floor is not a good idea as a sudden stop may send cargo sliding at head level into the driver's seat. If you haul large cargo items frequently, consider buying a collapsible trailer like the ones Harbor Freight sells (they fold up for compact storage). One will set you back about $200 - $300, but will keep your GX from getting nicked up inside, and is much easier to load/unload. Once you own a trailer you'll wonder how you managed without it. I have one of the 48" trailers ($200 - assembly required) and use it all the time.

If you go with a larger wheel diameter, you'll need to use tires with a shorter sidewall. Have you driven a GX with 19" or 20" wheels? They might look cool and corner aggressively, but you'll find the ride is stiffer, and you'll feel bumps in the road like never before. If you bottom out a short sidewall tire in a pothole, likely the wheel will get dinged beyond repair. You may discover also that short sidewall performance tires have a much shorter life, and you'll be replacing them after 25K miles. My 17" OEM wheels may look dorky, but I'm more interested in preserving my GX's ride and handling in mountain winter weather. My Bridgestone Revos have 30K miles on them and still have half the tread left. If I had $5K to blow on looking cool, I'd probably get eyebrow hair transplants to look like George Clooney.

I've had Dunlops only once in my life on a BMW about 25 years ago. They went out of round after about 10K miles, and I had to replace them despite still having ample tread. Have never bought Dunlops since. Uneven tread-wear (you said the edges had only 30% left) results from improper inflation pressure or misalignment. Bite the bullet and buy a new set of decent tires, and have the pressure and alignment checked regularly. I have 30K on a set of high-end Bridgestones and there's still have more than half the tread left.

Other questions -- How many times every day do you normally lock and unlock the vehicle?

I'm curious about the cause of failure. Were the actuators worn, or was there corrosion that caused them to cease operation?

I have a standard Class III factory installed hitch on my 08 GX. Why do you want to install this pintle hitch instead of a standard frame mount? I doubt this pintle hitch is really "Class IV" (7500 lb) rated. You can find Class III hitches online for less $$$, and installation isn't any more difficult.

What do you mean "not cutting it"? Does your GX handle poorly, or are you just not turning enough heads without a chromed set of oversize 22" rims? One thing to consider when you transition to oversize rims and short sidewall tires is the roughness of the ride. You'll be able to corner at higher speeds, but you'll feel every seam in the concrete. If you live where road maintenance is poor (potholes), you can easily bottom out a short sidewall, and ding your rim beyond repair. An expensive experience just to look cool. And you can forget about taking the GX off-road.

I was looking for bumper guards like this a couple years ago, but they all looked like cheap add-ons. Instead, I installed Waag FrontRunner and Rear Bumper guards - a bit more $$$ but a bit more protection. Best price at the time was from AutoSeattle - about $650 together. Toyota 4Runner P/Ns fit my 2008 GX, although 1 bolt was too short because I have a hitch that attaches at the same frame points.

You might try stopping at a local police station or towing service, and ask if they can "slim-jim" the door. This is how locked doors can be unlocked -- maybe they can spring the release mechanism also.

I agree with everyone else -- your battery shouldn't be discharging over a period of 2 days. The problem is some component that's not shutting off when the car is stopped. Here's what I would do. Go to Radio Shack and invest in a $30 digital voltmeter. Read the manual that comes with it so you know how to measure current (amperes). Disconnect your LX battery (+ terminal) and connect the voltmeter leads to measure current. When the LX is off, you battery should not be supplying much current -- I'm guessing no more than 0.2 amperes. Since your battery is going dead in a matter of days, you may see a current of several amperes. Locate the fuse panel and start yanking fuses to see which one makes the amperes drop. I'd start with the electronic related items like the navigation system, entertainment system, etc. There's probably no need to pull fuses for headlights and other systems that can be observed visually. When you find the fuse that stops the battery current, write it down, and tell your dealer. Have them do the same test, and maybe they'll be bright enough to replace the system that's at fault. Finally, don't try to start your car while the voltmeter is connected for measuring amps.

The A/C magnetic clutch relay is an interesting diagnosis, and could well explain why the A/C indicator light flickers. But on my 2008 GX, all the light indicators on the climate control unit flicker -- even the rear defrost indicator. Flickering only occurs when the light brightness control rheostat (lower left of steering wheel next to 4WD switch) is set for dimming. When it's set to full brightness (past the tactile detent), the flickering stops. Flickering seems to affect the gear shift console indicators also, which is controlled by this rheostat. Are there any TSBs related to replacement of this dimmer control?

I bought one from AutoSeattle for $113. I think it's worth it.

Did you check both your keys? If one key works and the other doesn't then it's a key issue. Otherwise it's a car issue.