The front pads were just looked at and they are well within thickness specs. The car is used mostly on highways for its miles. There has been no (zero) problems with the car. (I still have that fear that the check engine light will come on when I am 1000 miles from home and the car stops running)
I am convinced the Costco deal is too good to pass up. I called 5 local tire places today and priced CTs (mounted,balanced,new valve,lifetime free rotation and flat fix, no dispoasl fee or other add ons) Costco $492. American Tire $672. Vespia Tires $688. ETD Discount Tire $718. Tire Rack $684. (includes shipping and local mount/bal/valve-no free rot. and flat fix) I live in notthern NJ about 45 min from NYC, where things can be fairly expensive. I bet most of the tire dealers take this into account when setting prices. Costco seems to have a national sale price.
If you liked the Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts, you should like their H/Ls even more, from what I've heard. They are an updated design, and cost more (of course).
Most airplanes do not have coolant, so that would not be the reason wwest has to pull over to the nearest cloud and park his puddlejumper. I wonder if Santa's Raindeer know he his flying around up there? Poor deer.
While wwest suggests that his coolants freeze/ boiling point is ok in his 92' LS, what he is not aware of is the coolants PH. When you neglect to change your antifreeze on a regular basis, the acidity of the solution increases over time, becomes very corrosive and eventually destroying things like heater cores, radiators, water pumps, and thermostats. Changing all your fluids on a regular basis is cheap insurance and if your "cheap" just DIY. I bet wwest hasn't changed the radiator hoses either...eventually it will catch up with you.
Thanks for the head slap...you know the saying: when you're too close to a situation....called leasing co. back today and they would not lower their last offer of $22.9k...so I may extend for 6 months while i reasearch my options. Need to spend less, we're buying two. Was interested in the Pilot but after reading about some serious probs here i better wait 6 mo. to see if Honda fixes them. Drove the Highlander, what a noisy engine! and driver/passenger seats are uncomfortable plus Pilot has greater HP and their seats are quite comfy. thnx to all.
The typical PH level for a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water is 10-11. You can buy test strips that can detect the PH level as well as the freeze/boiling point. This is important to monitor because once the coolant goes from alkaline to acidic solution it will start to attack all the metal parts it comes in contact with inside your cooling system. Another important reason to replace your coolant is to "flush" rust, scale and deposits that have accumulated in the system.
My Lexus dealer and another Lexus dealer in the area have always used Castrol oil in my vehicle when I've had the oil changed at Lexus. One uses Syntec and one uses dino (said did not need Syntec oil). Normally I buy the Castrol Syntec and have Toyota change the oil. Tonight I went to buy the Castrol and they had Mobil 1 Syntec in a 5 quart container on sale less expensive than individual quarts of Castrol. Is the Mobil 1 Syntec equal to the Castrol Syntec? Thanks
Hello Friends, we just purchased a 1999 RX 300 and I'm confused as to the type of gas the vehicle requires. The owner's manual recommends premium unleaded but I've heard from other people that the car will run fine on regular. Any advice would be appreciated.
I have run tests on both my Rxs, as have many others, and found no benefit to using premium. However, this opinion is not shared by all. Others feel that premium does not cost that much more and is worth it even if the benefits are not evident. The link below will take you to an interesting discussion on this if you are interested.
No evident benefit but still worth it? Hard to imagine how you explain that one. In my experience there is no benefit to premium except to the gas retailer!
I've been using Premium and Regular gas on my 96 Maxima, 00 RX and 02 QX4. No difference that I could found, idle smoothness, MPG, acceleration, etc. However owner's manual says "use premium for better performance..."
Don't forget to program your RX's clock. To save looking up the procedure in the owner's manual: 1. Push the "CLOCK" button 2. Push the displayed "H" button to set the hour (only goes forward so you need to go all the way around to set back one hour as required) 3. Push the "CLOCK" button again.
For those of you who own Lexii and live in the northern reaches it's time to disable your A/C. For safeties sake, if for no other reason.
The easiest way to do that in the RX is at the refrigerant pressure switch just behind the center of the front bumper in front of the A/C condensor/radiator "set". Just reach in and release the locking tab and disconnect the connector.
This is a dual mode switch set, it signals for the A/C compressor to be shut off when the "high side" system pressure is high enough, and it prevents the A/C compressor from running if the refrigerant pressure level is too low, not enough refrigerant in the system.
THE PRIMARY REASON.
Lexus' climate control systems use the A/C systems ability to dehumidify the passenger cabin's atmosphere EXCLUSIVELY in order to prevent and remove condensation on/from the interior surface of the windshield. Even on the coldest day in the dead of winter while they very well know that the system is completely and totally inoperable for this purpose.
The only reasonable(??) explanation for this that I have heard so far is that if the proper method were used in defog/demist mode, the front seat passengers might become extremely discomforted by warm or even hot airflow to the windshield.
I suppose their thinking is that death is only discomforting to your loved ones.
Yes, you can manually turn the system off but what Lexus doesn't tell you, nor is there any direct indication thereof, the A/C system will still be activated in defog/demist mode. Unless you disconnect the switch.
Now I would be the first to advise you that the A/C system can be extremely helpful in defogging the windshield and keeping it defogged. But that ability is limited by local climatic conditions, sometimes severely so.
A design limitation of the A/C system is that it CANNOT cool the airflow below freezing without becoming clogged with frozen condensate. So all systems are designed such that the A/C cooling evaporator's temperature does not decline below freezing. Actual temperature where the compressor is disabled is more typically about 35F
The problem is, currently, there is NO WAY to detect whether or not the relative humidity of the airstream is high enough that cooling it to 35F will result in any substantial level of dehumidification.
Absent that capability the safest thing to do is to use HEAT when the vehicle operator indicates that the windshield is/has fogged over.
Things are worse than you think.
Once you use the A/C cooling evaporator to dehumidify the airflow, even in the LEAST efficient manner, a thin film of condensate will form on the 10,000 square inches (92 LS) of evaporator surface area.
Once you "leave" the defog/demist mode and the A/C compressor shuts off, what DO YOU think happens to that "thin film" of moisture just previously condensed onto the evaporator? Better not be so quick to return the system to recirculate! Or worse yet, don't let it return to recirculate automatically because that's the mode it was in when you activated defog/demist.
So, even if the climatic conditions are such that the A/C dehumidification process does contribute some level of aid in defogging the windshield its still very likely to bite you in the behind in the end.
You may have already noticed that with the A/C manually turned off each time you use the defog function and then return to normal mode the windshield fogs over again shortly thereafter. I'm sure you can see why that would be a never ending cycle.
So, during the winter months, for safeties sake...
Disable the A/C compressor.
If you notice the windshield beginning to fog over...
1. "Flick" the temperature setpoint control knob clockwise.
2. Activate the front defrost/defog/demist function.
3. For the quickest and surest defrost/defog/demist functionality confirm that the setpoint is on MAX HEAT.
4. In worse case conditions it doesn't hurt to lower the rear windows slightly to more quickly evacuate the cabin's humid atmosphere.
CAUTION.
In a Lexus there is a distinct possibility that the reason the windshield initially started to fog over is because the climate control system has automatically shut off the A/C compressor. Now allowing ALL of the previously condensed moisture to evaporate into the passenger cabin's atmosphere. If that is the circumstance then the initial result when you activate the defrost/defog/demist function will be virtually INSTANT "blackout", no forward visibility at all or at least very little. The earlier Lexus used the OAT sensor for this function, shutting down the A/C compressor if the OAT declined below freezing. On later models the A/C evaporator downstream sensor indication below freezing is used to signal an A/C compressor shutdown.
1. Initially you might find that the system airflow has a horrid mold and mildew, dirty gym sock odor. Bacterial spores thrive and multiply mightily in the 50-70F damp, dark, dank environment of the A/C evaporator plenum.
Many modern day manufacturers, Lexus and Porsche included, attempt to mask this odor by running the A/C system continously, keeping these little "buggers" coated with that thin coat of mositure so their "out-gassing" is washed away down the condensate drain.
If the odor does not subside within a few days you might consider purchasing a 12 volt powered UV light source to install within the passenger cabin to help combat the barterial growth.
1. With the A/C system disabled there will be no moisture accumulated on the A/C evaporator to promote the mold and mildew growth.
2. The GRANDLY STUPID Lexus climate control will still automatically switch to cooling mode, airflow routing to the face and upper body, in the dead cold of winter when your human metabolism is screaming heat, give me more HEAT!
But with the A/C disabled this airflow is not likely to be as cool nor as dry as it might otherwise be.
I have 26,500 miles on it and have developed a loud squeak under the hood. My son says it sounds like something is rubbing together. I thought it might be a belt of some type. Seems to occur when the engine is cold. Is this something I need to be concerned about?
The problem actually gets lots worse with multiple passengers and frigid weather. Lexus vehicles are quite well sealed for addition comfort and quietness, and the "exhauster", outflow air port, size is baffled and minimized. So even with the system not in recirculate the cabin humidity will rise rapidly.
I have no idea what wwest is talking about. All that rambling could be summed up in one word "huh". I'm still trying to avoid those roller jacks he used for his 4WD test. Still convinced that one will bolt from the side of the road, lodge itself underneath the RX, and render my useless 4WD..."useless".
this is such a boring subject. I believe that nobody really cares. I believe that keeping your interior window surfaces clean goes a long way towards preventing this fogging catastrophe. I believe I have never had this problem. I believe talking about improving the performance, handling and appearance of our RX's is far more interesting. I believe I'm going to bed.
Keeping your windows and windshield clear and clean of the out-gassing from plasticizers and other residues is a damn good idea, there is no question that a clean windshield surface is less likely to fog over.
But. In the wintertime the outside of the windshield is enduring continuous impingment of COLD airflow, which transfers directly into the inside surface. If the temperature at/on the interior surface of the windshield declines to the dewpoint of the cabin atmosphere, you have a problem.
I forgot to mention.
It is without a doubt a plain nuisance and can be extremely discomforting to have the system automatically switch to cooling mode in the wintertime. But what I forgot to mention is that when it does that NO SYSTEM AIRFLOW IS ROUTED TO THE WINDSHIELD. In footwell/floor, heating, mode a substantial level of the system airflow is automatically routed toward the interior surface of the windshield, helping to keep its surface above the dewpoint.
Willard, When you unplug your AC during the winter, do you think it is a good idea to hook it back up and run the AC for fiteen minutes per month to lubricate the compressor seals?
Having sold my wonderful RX a few months ago, I still come back to visit my friends occasionally. When I saw the post from Willard, I just smiled. The more things change, the more they remain the same.....huh? :^) All kidding aside, I consider him to be an incredibly intelligent individual, despite our disagreements.
In a word, YES! If you choose to disable your compressor, once a month you should perform the following: 1. Re-enable the compressor and turn on the system for 5 seconds, then off for 5 secs. On for 5, off for 5. 2. Do this a few times (10) then let it run for a few minutes. 3. This will circulate freon, which serves as a lubricant for the compressor. 4. Or....do the right thing and don't disable it. Let it do it's job summer and winter. No problems!
For those of you that have looked at my profile, I am in cold and frigid Minnesota. I have not had any problems keeping my windshield clear in the winter. Maybe wwest is experiencing a loss of thermal transfer from his 10 year old anti-freeze?????
Obviously it wouldn't hurt to reconnect your compressor every so often to allow the lubricant mixed in with the refrigerant to re-coat the internal wear parts and re-wet the seals.
Personally I don't believe it's necessary but each to his own.
If the connector weren't so convenient to get to I would have probably installed a switch under the dash since the switch wiring to the A/C ecu is just behind the glove box.
I bought a new RX300. It has now 800 miles on it. Now when I drive it at very low speeds (in parking lots etc..), I hear a very anoying noise coming from the back of the car. It sound like the wheels are rubbing against a solid metal. Of course when I drive it at high speeds, I do not hear it becasue of the other noises. Is this a normal noise coming from a new car until it wares out a bit?
No noises other than engine hum are normal, not when the car has 800 miles, not when the car has 80000 miles. Make sure you have the spare secured tight and no other lose objects in the back and try again. If the noise persists, You should take it to the dealer immediately.
Nothing works as well to wake up a sleepy RX300 townhall community than a long wwest post!!
I am sure wwest has a very good point in doing what he does with his/her cars but most of us are too busy with enjoying the car and other lively chores to spend time on following wwest's recommendations.
Thanks so much for the help on my question about new tires for our '99 RX 300. Sounds like the Michelin XTs and Bridgestone HLs would be a good choice. However, I found that both of these tires come with raised while lettering and I personally prefer blackwalls on this car. The tire dealer told me that they could simply turn the white lettering to the inside. Has anyone tried this? Seems like you could see the white lettering on the inside of the tires which might look kind of stupid. Thanks again for all the help.
I had my new Michelin Cross Terrains mounted with the letters facing inward. Within a couple weeks, the white letters were sufficiently dirty that they do not show!
Comments
At 10,000 feet above a thick cloud layer covering the entire Seattle region...
Your wheels will be on the ground, consider yourself lucky!
Link to the left.
<---------
Costco $492.
American Tire $672.
Vespia Tires $688.
ETD Discount Tire $718.
Tire Rack $684. (includes shipping and local mount/bal/valve-no free rot. and flat fix)
I live in notthern NJ about 45 min from NYC, where things can be fairly expensive. I bet most of the tire dealers take this into account when setting prices. Costco seems to have a national sale price.
Isn't that a concern?
Anybody know what a safe ph factor for (car) coolant is? And is that the proper item to monitor?
Thanks
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?s=ec521f5c0f021f1f60bd92e2643c5063&threadid=61427
2cents
1. Push the "CLOCK" button
2. Push the displayed "H" button to set the hour (only goes forward so you need to go all the way around to set back one hour as required)
3. Push the "CLOCK" button again.
Pete
The easiest way to do that in the RX is at the refrigerant pressure switch just behind the center of the front bumper in front of the A/C condensor/radiator "set". Just reach in and release the locking tab and disconnect the connector.
This is a dual mode switch set, it signals for the A/C compressor to be shut off when the "high side" system pressure is high enough, and it prevents the A/C compressor from running if the refrigerant pressure level is too low, not enough refrigerant in the system.
THE PRIMARY REASON.
Lexus' climate control systems use the A/C systems ability to dehumidify the passenger cabin's atmosphere EXCLUSIVELY in order to prevent and remove condensation on/from the interior surface of the windshield. Even on the coldest day in the dead of winter while they very well know that the system is completely and totally inoperable for this purpose.
The only reasonable(??) explanation for this that I have heard so far is that if the proper method were used in defog/demist mode, the front seat passengers might become extremely discomforted by warm or even hot airflow to the windshield.
I suppose their thinking is that death is only discomforting to your loved ones.
Yes, you can manually turn the system off but what Lexus doesn't tell you, nor is there any direct indication thereof, the A/C system will still be activated in defog/demist mode. Unless you disconnect the switch.
Now I would be the first to advise you that the A/C system can be extremely helpful in defogging the windshield and keeping it defogged. But that ability is limited by local climatic conditions, sometimes severely so.
A design limitation of the A/C system is that it CANNOT cool the airflow below freezing without becoming clogged with frozen condensate. So all systems are designed such that the A/C cooling evaporator's temperature does not decline below freezing. Actual temperature where the compressor is disabled is more typically about 35F
The problem is, currently, there is NO WAY to detect whether or not the relative humidity of the airstream is high enough that cooling it to 35F will result in any substantial level of dehumidification.
Absent that capability the safest thing to do is to use HEAT when the vehicle operator indicates that the windshield is/has fogged over.
Things are worse than you think.
Once you use the A/C cooling evaporator to dehumidify the airflow, even in the LEAST efficient manner, a thin film of condensate will form on the 10,000 square inches (92 LS) of evaporator surface area.
Once you "leave" the defog/demist mode and the A/C compressor shuts off, what DO YOU think happens to that "thin film" of moisture just previously condensed onto the evaporator? Better not be so quick to return the system to recirculate! Or worse yet, don't let it return to recirculate automatically because that's the mode it was in when you activated defog/demist.
So, even if the climatic conditions are such that the A/C dehumidification process does contribute some level of aid in defogging the windshield its still very likely to bite you in the behind in the end.
You may have already noticed that with the A/C manually turned off each time you use the defog function and then return to normal mode the windshield fogs over again shortly thereafter. I'm sure you can see why that would be a never ending cycle.
So, during the winter months, for safeties sake...
Disable the A/C compressor.
If you notice the windshield beginning to fog over...
1. "Flick" the temperature setpoint control knob clockwise.
2. Activate the front defrost/defog/demist function.
3. For the quickest and surest defrost/defog/demist functionality confirm that the setpoint is on MAX HEAT.
4. In worse case conditions it doesn't hurt to lower the rear windows slightly to more quickly evacuate the cabin's humid atmosphere.
CAUTION.
In a Lexus there is a distinct possibility that the reason the windshield initially started to fog over is because the climate control system has automatically shut off the A/C compressor. Now allowing ALL of the previously condensed moisture to evaporate into the passenger cabin's atmosphere. If that is the circumstance then the initial result when you activate the defrost/defog/demist function will be virtually INSTANT "blackout", no forward visibility at all or at least very little. The earlier Lexus used the OAT sensor for this function, shutting down the A/C compressor if the OAT declined below freezing. On later models the A/C evaporator downstream sensor indication below freezing is used to signal an A/C compressor shutdown.
1. Initially you might find that the system airflow has a horrid mold and mildew, dirty gym sock odor. Bacterial spores thrive and multiply mightily in the 50-70F damp, dark, dank environment of the A/C evaporator plenum.
Many modern day manufacturers, Lexus and Porsche included, attempt to mask this odor by running the A/C system continously, keeping these little "buggers" coated with that thin coat of mositure so their "out-gassing" is washed away down the condensate drain.
If the odor does not subside within a few days you might consider purchasing a 12 volt powered UV light source to install within the passenger cabin to help combat the barterial growth.
See
http://www.airsept.com/eed.html
for more detail.
Advantages.
1. With the A/C system disabled there will be no moisture accumulated on the A/C evaporator to promote the mold and mildew growth.
2. The GRANDLY STUPID Lexus climate control will still automatically switch to cooling mode, airflow routing to the face and upper body, in the dead cold of winter when your human metabolism is screaming heat, give me more HEAT!
But with the A/C disabled this airflow is not likely to be as cool nor as dry as it might otherwise be.
So, when the Giant Pumpkin is put to bed and Thanksgiving is on the horizon, that ol' "Face of Death" can't be far behind if you're driving a RX.
But to REALLY be on the safe side, most of us prefer to simply remove the windshield until Easter and use goggles when going out RX drivin'.
Actually, it's very refreshing, sporty, and somewhat Old World English.
One can't be too careful these days.
Thanks, WW, for your annual timely reminder.
But in the back of your mind remember, when your Lexus windshield starts to fog over and nothing else seems to clear it....
But. In the wintertime the outside of the windshield is enduring continuous impingment of COLD airflow, which transfers directly into the inside surface. If the temperature at/on the interior surface of the windshield declines to the dewpoint of the cabin atmosphere, you have a problem.
I forgot to mention.
It is without a doubt a plain nuisance and can be extremely discomforting to have the system automatically switch to cooling mode in the wintertime. But what I forgot to mention is that when it does that NO SYSTEM AIRFLOW IS ROUTED TO THE WINDSHIELD. In footwell/floor, heating, mode a substantial level of the system airflow is automatically routed toward the interior surface of the windshield, helping to keep its surface above the dewpoint.
Very imporatnt point, sorry I forgot it.
Steve, Host
When you unplug your AC during the winter, do you think it is a good idea to hook it back up and run the AC for fiteen minutes per month to lubricate the compressor seals?
1. Re-enable the compressor and turn on the system for 5 seconds, then off for 5 secs. On for 5, off for 5.
2. Do this a few times (10) then let it run for a few minutes.
3. This will circulate freon, which serves as a lubricant for the compressor.
4. Or....do the right thing and don't disable it. Let it do it's job summer and winter. No problems!
Steve, Host
Personally I don't believe it's necessary but each to his own.
If the connector weren't so convenient to get to I would have probably installed a switch under the dash since the switch wiring to the A/C ecu is just behind the glove box.
You beat me to it.
Let me know how this works out for you...
Regards,
-ss4
(religiously opposed to smilies and smirkies)
I bought a new RX300. It has now 800 miles on it. Now when I drive it at very low speeds (in parking lots etc..), I hear a very anoying noise coming from the back of the car. It sound like the wheels are rubbing against a solid metal. Of course when I drive it at high speeds, I do not hear it becasue of the other noises. Is this a normal noise coming from a new car until it wares out a bit?
Thanks a lot.
Make sure you have the spare secured tight and no other lose objects in the back and try again. If the noise persists, You should take it to the dealer immediately.
I am sure wwest has a very good point in doing what he does with his/her cars but most of us are too busy with enjoying the car and other lively chores to spend time on following wwest's recommendations.
Don't take the RX off-road so we don't really care if it doesn't have a locking center diff'l nor granny grunt low.
Many of us don't encounter wintertime on road conditions that require/demand a more capable AWD system.
Very few of us will ever encounter the specific climatic conditions that will lead to instances of instantaneous windshield fogging.
And ever fewer of us will ever need to land an airplane "dead-stick". But try getting your license without learning how to.
I had similar situation before and found a big nail on tire. The noise could only be heard at very low speed.
Thanks again for all the help.
Pete