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Not quite that simple, but close enough for government work!!
My two main problems with the Lexus Nav have to do with, 1, calculating the shortest distance to a point vs the shortest time. If I let it, it would send me up to 100 miles out of my way between two points. Luckily I discovered the flaw early on because the route it calculated as the shortest time I knew with definity that it was not.
If you use this feature you should always crosscheck.
The other most common problem is that if it loses the satelite(s) even briefly then once the satelite is recovered it completely "resets" its immediate past memory. So you can be traveling along under nav guidance on a highway adjacent to I5 and then have the system "reset" and start giving you new directions because it now "thinks" you are on I5.
In other random instances I have had it direct me to the wrong place for a specific address. Most of the time when I realize the error I simply re-enter the destination address, it recalculates correctly and all is well.
But several times, a definite minority, I have had it fail to calculate the correct location 2 and 3 times in a row.
The strange thing is that the wrong location it takes me to is almost always only a few blocks from the correct location.
Generally, as insurance, I try to do a mapquest printout before setting out to an unknown location.
Strange, the last plane we owned was a C-210. Your P210 didn't happen to come out of Portland OR previous ownership, did it?
I am going to check and see how much the position would be off at my lat/long from the DVD date
interesting !
I am going to check and see how much the position would be off at my lat/long from the DVD date
interesting !
GPS is based strictly on distances from satelites to known, fixed points on the ground. From there on its strickly a matter of geographic map accuracy in relation to those fixed points. And admittedly that map accuracy is extremely good, typically within a few yards.
Basically the GPS signals are used by your nav system to compute your position in relation to those satelites. From there a map database is used to correlate that information into your geographic position, be it flying, on the ground, or on a boat at sea.
You could probably even use them, the Earth satelites' GPS signals, to locate your position on the earth facing side of the moon provided you had a good moon map.
That said, the hesitation can certainly be reduced (but not eliminated) by pressing more softly on the accelerator and waiting about 1/2-1 second for the transmission to catch up.
I like the car enough that I purchased one, aware of the hesitation problem. I still notice it periodically, but it's such a good car in most other ways that I am willing to put up with it. I can imagine circumstances where this may be a danger to me, but with the awareness I have of the hesitation possibility, I think I'll always be prepared.
Maybe not as a permanent solution but at least as a trial to learn more about the circumstances surrounding the hesitation.
I agree with your theory that it's dependent on the driving habits of the owners; I quickly adapted to it almost without being aware of it, but can imagine that certain drivers may find it unacceptable. It may also depend on the driving patterns prevalent in certain metropolitan areas. Areas where drivers are very aggressive and thus rely on split-second timing in negotiating traffic may be affected by it much more than drivers in more laid-back areas.
(wwest, as both my '01 HL and the '05 RX330 exhibit the problem, I suspect it's present your RX300 as well.)
My suspicion about all of this is as follows.
When the Prius was in design phase they decided to eliminate engine lagging torque during "coastdown" in favor of simulating the same "feel" using the battery charging braking regeneration system. Even today the Prius driver can manually select engine lagging torque or battery recharging.
And then via engineering "cross-polination" someone in the FWD design area realized that the same method, eliminating engine "drag" during coastdown by taking the transmission out of gear would result in improved fuel economy. They may have even realized that a side benefit might be fewer loss of control accidents in adverse roadbed conditions due to engine braking on the front drive and STEARING wheels.
I think we have pretty much confirmed that the hesitation issue only applies to Toyota/Lexus FWD models or AWD with front torque bias.
Now, my 01's gas pedal is directly connected to the engine so if I suddenly go WOT while the transmission is not in gear the only design choice they had was to put the thing in gear as quickly as possible.
Sorta like on my 300HP C4 applying WOT and THEN releasing the clutch. Burned smell from the area of the clutch.
My transmission fluid smells and looks burned at only 38k miles, this for a vehicle that has NO factory recommedation for transmission fluid, has a towing package, external transmission fluid cooler, that has never been used. I am seeing reports of transmission failures for my model years between 60k miles and 100k miles.
Anyone want to guess why my Transmission fluid is burned at 38k miles?
So, someone with e-throttle suddenly goes WOT in the same circumstance. The transmission firmware "talks" to the engine and says "wait" I need to get myself into gear and give the transmission clutches and bands an additional few hundred milliseconds to fully seat".
Seems, if true, a problem that could readily fixed in firmware, right?
NOT!
Before even one was shipped these vehicles were EPA qualified for a specific city/hwy fuel economy. What does the EPA say, or do, if the manufacturer, after the fact, wants to go back and revise the fuel economy adversely?
And possibly even more pertainant, what about the PR issue?
Now, I have heard that the hesitation problem in the 05 RX330 has been fixed, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't I seen a posting wherin someone was asking why the MPG rating of the 05 was poorer than the 04 by only a MPG or so?
#956 of 1163 Re: Heywood1 by cybernut04 Aug 30, 2004 (9:01 am)
Reply
Mentioning TSBs when taking your vehicle in for service may fall into the "your mileage may vary" category. I had a problem with our '04 Sienna and a hesitation in the transmission. First dealer I went to, before I completed my first sentence the service manager said "that's normal", so it was an uphill fight from the beginning. I mentioned the TSB partly just to have the guy take the problem seriously - and he said, well if there's a TSB we'll check it out. They did something (but nothing to do with the TSB) and the problem wasn't fixed.
The second dealer started to give me the same "it's normal" speech, but this time I had the shop foreman take it out for a drive with me, and along the way, we talked about the lag I was experiencing. I asked - without ever mentioning the TSB - if Toyota had received other complaints about this lag (yes), and if Toyota ever issued any special instructions to mechanics dealing with these kinds of problems (yes). And that was when HE told me that he would check the TSBs. He did, he told me there was a software patch he could install, he did, and the problem was solved.
Personally, if I have another problem like this, and if I research it and find a TSB, I will go to the dealer armed with that information, but I won't actually say "TSB" - with the first dealer, I don't think it was received well, and it acted against my best interests.
The burnt transmission fluid is a useful datum point in these discussions for identifying the root cause of the hesitation issue, as you propose, as both could be related to the rough shifting associated with the transmission. Next time I check my transmission fluid will check for burning to see whether it's endemic of all V6 HLs/RXs, but currently only have 15K miles on mine -- I believe you said it had a brown color?
My understanding is that the people who are experiencing the hesitation on a regular basis are experiencing it when accelerating while coasting, rather than when accelerating from a stop, so your shifting test should be amended to manually downshifting while coasting. If doing so eliminates hesitation then this supports it being able to be resolved via firmware. If not then its still possible its a firmware issue as the firmware may still be delaying downshifting when downshifting manually, as shifting manually is still ultimately controlled by firmware.
(As I haven't been perusing the RX boards for some time, can't remember whether someone submitted a post relating to decreased fuel economy on the '05. Did notice the '05 behaved the same as the '01 and '05 HLs (all V6 AWD), so I question whether it has been fixed in the '05. But you should know better than me as you're monitoring the RX boards.)
I wonder if we could drop-in the chip that has the fix for the Sienna into the HL?
I ask some people on the camry forum from edmunds and they said that the 1/2 to 1 second delay is the "thinking period", which is the time of deciding(calculation) which gear it should shift to!
Watching the Tach is made difficult since there is a slush pump, torque convertor/multiplier in the middle, and then there is also the torque convertor lockup, or not, to consider.
Additionally the tach is most likely driven by the engine ecu, not a direct "measurement".
As far as the hesitation problem is concerned, this has happened once to me, when attempting a pass on a hill under 3/4 throttle. Lasted about 1/2 to one second. Then an abrupt shift to first, should have picked up second in my opinion, and we went flying up the hill.
What I usually do now when passing or merging is manually pick up a lower gear--third or second--this has solved any hesitation concerns,
is that true or just talk?
If it exists, how does it ever work in a rental car environment or in a family with 4 drivers, or for a company car?
Unless it relearns after each restart.
ie like on a Toyota web site or something?
That would make no sense whatsoever.
1st time light came on: Toyota said someone other than Toyota must have changed my oil and left off the hose (which was true)
2nd time light came on: They (Toyota)didn't tell me any reason. Said they cleared the codes and reset my computer.
3rd time it happened we were out of state and took it to a non-Toyota mechanic. He said it
had two error codes pointing to something with the manifold or catylytic (spelling?) converters, oxygen sensor... and for me to take it to Toyota but the Toyota there out of state could not take me in until days later. The mechanic cleared the codes and light has not came on since (after approx. 600 miles driven) and when I got home, Toyota here said they don't trust codes from other places!
Also, it appears there is a good rebate of $1,500 to $2,000 on the 2004 models
Thank you.
The new gas caps are designed to allow/maintain a slight vacuum in the gas tank. Starting with a full tank as the tank empties a vacuum will form naturally.
An EPA effort to reduce evaporative vapors from escaping the fuel system.
When you remove the cap for filling the vacuum is always lost but as a result of the "fill", the firmware recognizes that's a "normal" loss.
If you open the gas cap but do not fill the tank you may find a CEL a short time later.
I had a four-cylinder Camry, with which I was perfectly happy for years. Then my husband got a V6 sedan, which prompted me to get a V6 sedan, and it all went downhill (or uphill....fast) from there.
If you've never known anything but a four-cylinder engine, you'll probably be perfectly happy (unless you have heavy loads and lots of hills).
But if you've been with a newer, buttery-smooth V6, you probably can't go back.
To me the 4 cylinder does a fine job for Rav 4 and Honda CR-V's but the Highlander needs the 6.
Question - Other than the infamous sporadic hesitation when turning at 20 - 30 mph (either from stop or moving), and the brake rotors wearing out too quick (one of the main things I hate about my 2001 Impala front AND REAR rotors at 30,000 and now again at about 70,000. Brake pads are fine.) What should I look out for. It sound like there aren't a lot of issues with HL beyond rotors and hesitation. Did I miss anything?
(Other minor issues reported in the past: mushy brake pedal feel, minor rattles in interior, unbearable air buffeting effect with only rear windows down (common on many other vehicles; crack front windows to eliminate), wheel bearing noise, factory tires perform poorly in snow, optional JBL "premium" sound system doesn't sound all that great in most people's opinions, steering wheel squeaks and windshield popping noise in cold weather, somewhat wimpy air conditioning; possibly some of these issues may have been addressed in more recent models.)
the problem is the car has no hot water shut off valve to the heater core in the dash so when the Ac is off (and on too) the outside air is heated about 8-10 degrees all the time summer and winter.
Does not sound like much but it hurts in summer. when my warranty is out I will add a shut off valve.
this was a Toyota economy choice- most cars have both an air damper shut off and a water valve shut off.
Try it get a small thermometer, turn AC off, cold control on full cold, say a 60 degree day- ride at 40 MPH - outside air will be heated when it comes out the dash.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04343/423383.stm
Mine seems to cover it up by not writing a new ticket.
i have had a $1000 self paid job go bad , and also a warranty job on another car fail. In both cases I had already had the toyota dealer survey person call and ask about it , when I went back and they reworked both of them (free) they did it on the cuff so to say with no paperwork. Are they trying to hide the rework from Toyota?
What does your dealer do? think Toyota is aware of this? After all it makes Toyota and the dealer look better.
Sorta related- my dealers front end guy says their alignment machine is over 25 years old , and is "not good on these new cars".