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Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

4696 messages,  Last post on Dec 02, 2009 at 11:52 AM

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#2058 of 4696 Re: Spencer [wwest] by desertguy Nov 29, 2004 (5:36 pm)
Replying to: wwest (Nov 29, 2004 4:05 pm) So a $2000 NAV system must be checked with mapquest to be sure it is correct? lol I think I'll just stick with mapquest although I've had some really bad courses plotted by it.
#2059 of 4696 Re: Wwest [pilot130] by spencer327 Nov 29, 2004 (6:01 pm)
Replying to: pilot130 (Nov 29, 2004 2:12 pm) are you saying the dvd map coordinates are fixed in time when it was manufactured, where the GPS signals are constantly updated for magnetic deviation,hence the deviation discrepancy with older DVDs. I am going to check and see how much the position would be off at my lat/long from the DVD date interesting !
#2060 of 4696 GPS signals... by wwest Nov 29, 2004 (6:09 pm)
have absolutely no relationship to magnetic directional information, deviation or otherwise.   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.
#2061 of 4696 Cessna... by wwest Nov 29, 2004 (6:14 pm)
I guess technically ours was a T210.
#2062 of 4696 Re: Safety Hazard?? [pilot130] by persnicketyme Nov 29, 2004 (6:26 pm)
Replying to: pilot130 (Nov 29, 2004 2:47 am) I've driven 4 '04 and '05 Highlanders. I was able to reproduce the hesitation on all of them. No variation. It is most unlikely, therefore, that this problem (no quotes!) occurs only on some models. Rather this suggests that some drivers are more sensitive to it. The odds are extraordinary that I would get 4 defective units in a row out of a great number of "normal" ones. The "problem" IS a problem. 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. Replies to this message: wbay (Nov 29, 2004 8:45 pm) landdriver (Nov 29, 2004 10:38 pm)
#2063 of 4696 Has anyone tried.... by wwest Nov 29, 2004 (7:37 pm)
manually shifting into first gear as you come to a stop. If the transmission "follows" the shifter and actually moves into first gear then that manuver just might eliminate the hesitation as you start up again.   Maybe not as a permanent solution but at least as a trial to learn more about the circumstances surrounding the hesitation.
#2064 of 4696 Re: Safety Hazard?? [persnicketyme] by wbay Nov 29, 2004 (8:45 pm)
Replying to: persnicketyme (Nov 29, 2004 6:26 pm) I share your assessment; some won't notice the hesitation simply because they drive differently than I do. The argument that the problem only occurs on very few cars is weak, since I was able to reproduce the hesitation on the very first '05 I test drove. What are the odds? Feathering the accelerator helps, but when I start to feel like the traffic behind me is catching up too quickly, it's nearly impossible to not stomp on the pedal...isn't that what you do when you need to move quickly? Being aware of the problem is fine and dandy, until that day comes when awareness doesn't help.
#2065 of 4696 rear hatch latch by wbay Nov 29, 2004 (8:48 pm)
Has anyone experienced a balky hatch latch? I have this intermittent problem with the rear door latch where the hatch doesn't want to close properly, instead slides off to the right slightly and makes a jarring noise. It shuts just fine, but sometimes takes a second try.
#2066 of 4696 Re: Safety Hazard?? [persnicketyme] by landdriver Nov 29, 2004 (10:38 pm)
Replying to: persnicketyme (Nov 29, 2004 6:26 pm) persnicketyme I agree with your assessment 100% as I believe it accurately sums up the issue. I test drove both an '05 HL and an '05 RX330, and both, as well as my '01 HL, exhibited hesitation in an identical way (speed up to 30 mph, remove foot from accelerator, wait for car to slow to 25 mph, then floor accelerator -- will exhibit ~1 sec hesitation before transmission downshifts a couple of gears (doesn't have anything to do with whether you're making a turn) (is independent of fly-by-wire as the '01 doesn't have it)).   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.)
#2067 of 4696 My RX300.... by wwest Nov 30, 2004 (9:46 am)
is an 01 AWD and I am on record as saying the hesitation syndrome does not exist in it. What it does do is shift into "neutral" (for wont of a more descriptive or correct term) during coastdown and/or just before coming to a full stop.   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? Replies to this message: landdriver (Nov 30, 2004 11:26 am)

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