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My buddy is looking to get a small truck for business use, no need for towing but he wants to be able to store a lot of equipment. He's currently looking at a Toyota Tacoma and a GMC Canyon, and prefers the engine and looks of the Canyon (V6 model). I usually default to Toyota over American cars, but is there anything particularly good or bad about either of them?
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Mar 15, 2015 19:56
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LeeMajors posted:The Tacoma is a fantastic truck (I've owned two) and will be running long after we are all dead and gone. Apparently you can get the Tacoma with a manual transmission, but not the Canyon, so that's looking like a pretty decent option.
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Mar 16, 2015 06:53
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I'm having a weird issue with my 2003 Lexus GS430, it's been going on for a while now but now that it's getting worse it may be easier to diagnose. It usually happens when the car has been driven for a while and warmed up (and the weather is warm), what happens is when you're stopped at a light and the car is idling, there is a definite roughness with the engine. It feels like a misfire, but it seems to me that you feel it more than a misfire (more power behind whatever is happening, if that makes sense). It's also not consistent, it usually seems to happen every 8 or 10 seconds, but sometimes it will do it every second or so. I brought it to the mechanic, but it was cold outside and despite them leaving the car idling in park for an hour or so, they couldn't recreate the situation. The car isn't throwing any codes, which makes me think it's not a misfire. It's been doing that for a while now, but now that it's warming up it's been getting worse. To make things more interesting, I drove the car to the gym yesterday, and it sat in the parking lot for 1.5 hrs. When I got in, the car started doing it right away (in park, which doesn't usually happen), but once I drove home it seemed to make it better (which is the opposite of how it had been manifesting itself before). It also feels like the car "clunks" too much when you change from drive to reverse, or reverse to drive, but that may be a separate issue related to the transmission mounts. I also noticed the RPMs fluctuate when it happens, but I'd expect a typical misfire to throw a code. Ideas? I'm worried it may be something to do with the transmission, but I don't know enough about auto transmissions to make an intelligent guess. Torque converter failing?
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May 28, 2015 20:21
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I need to replace the battery on my car key, and the screw is tiny and beyond stripped. What's the best way to get it out? Also, what's the best way to figure out the correct size replacement screw? I'm guessing the local hardware store won't have the right size, but maybe I'm wrong. It's for a 2003 Lexus GS430.
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Jul 13, 2015 07:32
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I've gotten a ticket for no front license plate when parked at an airport overnight in California, but usually you're only going to get pulled over for it if the cop is looking for a reason to pull you over. I've also gotten pulled over for speeding but let off with a no front plate ticket, I kind of wonder if it's better to have something small they can ticket you for in case you're speeding but they're feeling nice.
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Aug 6, 2015 18:26
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Neitherman posted:I've got another question about my 2007 Nissan Altima with the CVT. I have a friend with the same issue, pulling over and restarting the car seems to fix it. I thought it was probably heat related, but I don't think she had to wait that long for it to cool down. I'm also forgetting now if it only happens in the summer, or if it's ever happened in the winter. She has a Murano with a CVT, but I'm guessing it's the same tranny issue. She's tried bringing the car to the dealer multiple times, but they can't recreate the issue so they won't fix it. I guarantee if you went there out of warranty, they'd be happy put a new transmission in there for a huge amount of money. I looked into the issue and never found a good resolution, but good luck. It only occurs for her when she drives from Arizona to LA, I'm not sure if she's taking the same route as you, but it's definitely up a long incline. Also, I don't think it's slipping, I think it's going into limp mode, which is cleared by restarting the car. I wonder if an aftermarket tranny cooler would help? I don't know how having a CVT complicates adding an aftermarket cooler though.
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Sep 1, 2015 18:24
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I need to replace the shocks on my 2000 Lexus LS400. I can get Bilstein shocks for $115/each, a Monroe shock+coil assembly for $129/each, or a pair of BuyAutoParts shock+coil assemblies for $155 total. The Montroe assemblies have a number of bad reviews talking about sounds the shocks or shock perches make, and I can't find much info on the BuyAutoParts ones. I'd rather not have a part that's going to have issues, and the difference in cost isn't that much, but I do like the idea of just having a complete assembly ready to go. What should I get? I'm leaning towards the Bilsteins because I know they'll be good, but they're also more of a pain in the rear end.
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Sep 1, 2015 22:20
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life is killing me posted:They want to do 3 flushes in succession because their guy thinks that could fix the problem. If it doesn't, though, I'm out almost $400 for a car we may not end up even fixing in the event it needs a new transmission, because ~$6000 for new transmission + $2000 labor and taxes and all that poo poo = Probably close to $10k, money we don't have just lying around. In other words, if it comes down to a new transmission, not sure it's worth fixing versus just selling the car back to them and buying a new vehicle. For starters I'd go somewhere other than the dealer, and have them put in a used replacement transmission instead of a $6k new one (if the transmission is even bad). When the dealer wants that much cash, even paying for a tow to an independent mechanic is going to save you cash. You can get a used tranny for around $1.5k http://www.autopartsfair.com/acura-used_transmissions/tsx-2010-catalog.html?campaign=theautochannel
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Sep 8, 2015 20:10
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I need to do my rotors and this is my first car where they've been held on with brass screws. Of course one screw came out ok, and the head on the other instantly started to strip. I don't think any of my drill bits will work for drilling it out, so I need to either buy a manual impact driver, or the appropriate bits. The head isn't completely stripped, think there's a chance an impact driver will work? I may just buy both tools, as I'm sure they'll be useful to have in the future. What are the best bits for drilling out a screw? Unrelated - my brother has a GMC Arcadia and recently had to change the battery. He said he had to use a Torx bit to remove an interior panel on the passenger side to get access to the battery - WTF? Is this common now on newer cars?
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Oct 7, 2015 17:10
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That impact driver did the trick on my rotor screws, the best $10 I've ever spent (besides the $5 I spent on a BFH). Out of curiosity, is this brake setup common for 4 pot calipers? If you can't tell what's happening, the two pins in the center go through the brake pads, the metal piece in the center of the caliper keeps the pins under tension so they don't slide out, and there is a small cotter pin like piece that goes through the pins on the back of the caliper to also keep them from coming out. It seemed like German engineering, but it's on a 2000 Lexus. I've only run across the usual sliding pins on calipers, but I've never had to do brakes on a car with opposing pistons as opposed to pistons on just one side. 
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Oct 9, 2015 21:52
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My friend''s 2002 Honda Accord is throwing a P0740 code - torque converter clutch circuit. From looking online, it seems that replacing the TCC solenoid doesn't always fix the issue, the code is sometimes indicative of a bigger tranny issue. Since the part is ~$180, I'm guessing she's much better off just going to a Honda specialist to get it diagnosed? $180 for a part is pretty expensive if it doesn't fix the issue. Apparently the car is shifting fine right now, but the code has been there for a while (and comes back when it's cleared).
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Oct 25, 2015 21:22
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SCA Enthusiast posted:In addition to the above options, most US counties that I know of have hazardous waste disposal site. A quick google search should turn up one in your area. Especially useful for things like coolant, and they'll typically take old electronics.
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Nov 12, 2015 09:58
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I'm about to move to a house that only has a small garage and a sloped driveway, but I'd like to be able to work on my cars still. Is it a really dumb idea to park the car so that the side you're going to work on is facing downhill, jack that end up so the car is pretty much level, then work on it? I forget how steep the driveway is, but i don't think it's that bad. *edit* I think the garage is going to have too much crap inside to actually fit a car, it's a very small one car garage.
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Nov 24, 2015 07:21
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Any recommendations for a bluetooth gateway / adapter I can plug in to an aux in on my car? I'm going to mount it in the center console, so ideally it's something that just turns out once it receives power through a 12v -> USB adapter.
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Jan 10, 2016 19:06
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I need replacement upper control arms for a Lexus LS400. Any brand particularly bad / good between AC Delco, Raybestos, Dorman, Beckarnley, Mas Industries, and OES genuine? I'm inclined to avoid OES genuine just because they sound like they're trying to trick people into thinking they're OEM parts.
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Mar 28, 2016 20:46
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2003 Lexus GS430 with 170k miles, the powering steering makes a lot of noise when cold, but goes away once the car is warm. I'm not sure if the PS fluid has ever been changed, but if it was, it was a long time ago. Any chance changing the PS fluid will make the whine go away, or does that mean something in the pump is likely on its way out?
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Jan 16, 2017 21:18
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Not that it matters because my friend already bought the car, but I thought the new Jeep Grand Cherokees were lemons, but I don't remember why I thought that. Am I right?
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Feb 3, 2018 02:28
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Is there any worn out item in the rear suspension that would make accelerating from a stop in the rain especially worse? I got my LS400 when it already was 13 years old with 90k miles on it, but I feel like traction control always kick in while accelerating from a stop when it's wet, unless I really baby it. I just put on new tires today and it's the same thing. The other cars I've recently driven in the rain (GS430, 350Z) don't have it nearly as bad.
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Mar 22, 2018 03:40
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Wrar posted:Suspension absolutely can make a huge difference in traction. If your shocks are blown the only resistance to movement will be the springs. Sumitomo HTR Z III, which I don't think should suck in the rain (they're summer tires, but it's rarely even in the 40s here), but I know for sure my shocks are way past due. I'm getting new shocks put on today, and it's pouring rain, so I guess I'll see if that was the answer.
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Mar 22, 2018 18:08
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I just got brand new tires on my car, the same as I had on previously, and when I'm driving it sounds like a sticker or something is stuck on them. It's fairly loud, hard to tell where it's coming from but maybe all 4 tires, and the sound tempo increases with speed. I had my mechanic look at it as he was installing new shocks and he said he didn't see anything that would cause the noise. Any ideas on tracking this down? I was going to jack the car up and see if I can see the tires hitting something, but I don't know what I'll see if the mechanic didn't see anything when it was on a lift. I was going to drive ~230 miles this weekend, part of my wonders if it'll wear them down enough to make it go away, but I'm not sure that'll work or be a good idea.
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Mar 23, 2018 17:39
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rdb posted:It could very well be the leftover adhesive from the stickers that come on new tires. If its not gone by the time you get back from your trip its worth a look. It's surprisingly loud, but the fact that my mechanic didn't see anything makes me think you may be right. I guess I need to go play autocross with my land boat in parking lot and see if that helps.
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Mar 23, 2018 19:08
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The lower door panel of my LS400 fell off, I still have the panel but I'm trying to figure out the best way to reattach it. There are tiny plastic clips that are broken and don't look like other clips I've seen on Lexus before, and I can't find them on parts sites online, but I don't think they'd do the bulk of the holding anyway. I'm tempted to use a bunch of 3M VHB tape, thoughts?
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Jun 26, 2018 02:40
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Yeah you're probably right, I just don't think the little broken off clips can actually be what holds it on. There is obviously existing 2 sided tape there, but I'm wondering if I'm missing something.
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Jun 26, 2018 03:12
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My (new to me) 2007 Lexus LS460 has been doing this annoying brake squawking/barking thing, even when the car is stopped. It's a known problem with the brake actuator, however the replacement part is around $1900 at the dealer or ~$1200 on ebay (supposedly new, but I worry about spending $1k+ on an ebay part). The TSB says bleeding the actuator may fix the problem, and either way I need Toyota's Techstream software to zero the pressure on the actuator to do any kind of work on it. There are tons of cheap cables for Techstream on Amazon / ebay, but it looks like a lot of the cable + software combos are just cracked versions of Techstream. If that's all I need, great, but if you pay for Toyota's tech site it looks like you get access to legit Techstream software for $65 for 2 days' worth of access. However, I'm not sure if that will work with knockoff cables, or require some expensive cable. Tl;dr - what's the cheapest but reliable way to get Techstream access?
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Mar 22, 2019 19:58
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Hmmm the official cables are $500 or more, I see a pirated version and an old laptop in my future
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Mar 22, 2019 21:46
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Motronic posted:An old laptop is convenient, but I run all of that crap in virtual machines (like the free version of virtualbox) and just "pass through" the usb cable. That way I have a nice clean place for each of the various ones I run and messing with one doesn't break the other. Sometimes just being up to date with windows update past a certain point will break this crap, so my VMs are just dumpster fires of security vulnerabilities and old poo poo because once it works I just stop right there, take a backup and keep running it as needed. I just assumed USB pass through wouldn't work, but I think the last time I tried that was years and years ago. I'll give that a shot first, I certainly don't want to run the cracked version on my normal laptop
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Mar 23, 2019 01:53
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If the Lexus manual calls for their special service tool (SST) 09023-00101 to remove some brake lines, as far as I can tell I just need a 10mm flare nut wrench? I've never had to mess with brake lines before, but it seems like this would be fine, unless I should spring for one with a flexible head.
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Mar 25, 2019 19:01
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poo poo, I'll have to take a look later and see how tight it looks. I may just buy a crows foot wrench and a flex head wrench, it looked like a fair amount of work overall to get to the point that requires the special tool, and I really don't want to get halfway through and get stuck for lack of proper tools.
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Mar 26, 2019 00:57
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jimmychoo posted:Hopefully this is a first for AI, but I have a 2010 Hyundai Accent that's weak af but gets me tootin' around just fine. I only started driving in earnest about a year ago and use the car maybe ... 3x a week or so. I don't fill up the tank much. I had that problem with my car (LS400) for years until it got totaled, from what I read online there was some hose connected to the filler neck that vented gas fumes back to a charcoal canister, and if it got clogged it could cause the problem. Mine did it pretty consistently, but I just learned to not stand right next to it when it was about to auto shutoff and I could avoid getting sprayed with gas.
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Mar 27, 2019 01:46
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I'm in California and paid my registration before I performed the smog check (was doing it last minute and didn't have time for the smog check). When you do that, the DMV says you won't be able to complete the process online, and you should expect to receive more instructions in the mail. It's now been a month since I paid the registration, and I haven't received anything in the mail. I got the car smog checked two weeks ago, and from searching online it sounds like the DMV information when you check out may be outdated and I should just receive tags in the mail, but I don't have tags yet either. They're supposed to send tags within 5 business days if you renew in the usual manner online, so I'd expect them to have arrived by now if they were going to come out automatically. Anyone know for sure? I'm super busy at work until the end of next week, but maybe it's worth swinging by AAA and seeing if they can just give me the updated registration and sticker.
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Jul 19, 2019 19:29
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This is going to be an obscure question but maybe someone in here knows. I'm trying to replace the passenger cooling servo on a 2003 Lexus GS430, it's the servo that controls the blend of hot and cold air. I actually did this job 8 or 9 years ago, but apparently I forgot whatever I learned back then. In order to get to the servo, I need to remove this white air box, but I have no idea how I removed it before. I already unscrewed one screw on the bottom, but I can't figure out where the other screws are. I think some people have taken it apart, and I tried and got it partway there, but I think I'm missing something. Any ideas? There are posts on the Lexus forums about it, but all the photos are gone from them so I can't tell what they were trying to show. 
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Dec 29, 2019 02:17
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Got a 2007 Lexus LS460 that won't start this morning, and gives a "parking brake not available" message, along with flashing all sorts of warning lights. My wife hasn't really been driving the car that much recently, other than short trips to the store (but those do involve going on the freeway). I checked the voltage and the battery is at 11.5v, and the batter is only around 1.5 years old. Worth taking it out to put on my Optimate 5? I'd rather not have my wife get stuck somewhere due to a dead battery, but that doesn't seem THAT low to me.
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Apr 8, 2020 17:06
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It's not a normal parking brake, it's some automatic button pressed one that is apparently not working. I can't tell because I can't start the car.
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Apr 8, 2020 17:16
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My buddy has a 2011 GMC Acadia that I'm pretty sure has never had any suspension work done and is at ~100k miles. It's been feeling sketch while driving so he wants to replace what's busted as cheap as possible. I'd go OEM, KYB, or Bilstein but he doesn't want to spend that much unless necessary. Is there any difference between all the generic brands that appear on Parts Geek or the usual auto stores? Or any recommended manufacturer that's cheaper than the ones I listed? The cheapest ones I've seen are all from places I've never heard of - TRQ, Detroit Axle, etc. It'd be nice to get one that doesn't require a spring compressor but it's not the end of the world if that's the better option.
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Feb 19, 2022 08:57
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nitsuga posted:In general I would say some level of quality is a good idea. Even Mevotech stuff has been pretty good to me. But yeah, anecdotally, the boots and sprung bits on cheap parts always seem to fail prematurely and need to get replaced once again (with something better). Without knowing what's wrong, it's hard to say how much your friend would save, but I'll bet you'd save the most by narrowing down what the problem is and replacing just the affected components. At 100,000 miles it could be a number of things, but an inspection and test drive should narrow down what could be wrong. I think I saw Mevotech available for the SUV so I'll see if he can find that. Re: not needing suspension replacement by 100k, that was my rough guess on his mileage but it could be way higher, all I know is he said it feels sketch as hell when he hits bumps so it's definitely shot
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Feb 23, 2022 18:07
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