Lexus cars and trucks

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2009/09/68500008/1
recap of September’s recall/warning

Amazon.com Part Finder: http://snurl.com/LexusPA

Does anyone have recommendations on how to "fix", or even live with, some of
the weird irritants in a RX-350?  Examples:

1.  The wasted cupholder to the left of the steering wheel (in previous
models, it was a small drawer for storing parking stubs/change/etc).

2.  The absolute disaster in the center console with accessory outlet
access.  I have a USB extension cable, a cellfone charger cable, and a DC
accessory cable extender installed, but that severely disrupts use of the
console for storing anything else.

3.  The door pocket water bottle holder causing the swing out door to get
jammed in the "out" position.

4.  The two side pockets on the trunk floor.  One is about 2 inches deep and
the other is shallow with a weird shaped bottom.  If these two bottom liners
are lifted, you can see that there is ample space available below to make
the pockets into useful storage space.

5. Can the legaleeze warning stickers in multiple languages be removed from
the flip down visors, without damaging the fabric?

6. Has anyone tried fitting a full sized spare into the trunk?

–Wayne

"Dozens of owners of the latest, third generation Toyota Prius hybrid
have filled complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, alleging that they have experienced brake failures,
according to TheDetroitBureau.com."

http://www.freep.com/article/20091228/BUSINESS01/91228016/Brake-failu…

“It was a sensation of losing control,” reports 39-year-old Robert
Becker, when he recalls what happened when he tried to slow down at an
intersection near his home on the west side of Manhattan.  All was
going smoothly until he hit a pothole and suddenly, “the brakes seemed
to release.”  The human resources executive adds that, “it scared the
hell out of me.  I wasn’t sure I could stop in time.

He did – barely – but since then, Becker has had the problem repeat
itself regularly.  And so have a number of other owners of the Gen-3
2010 Prius, according to complaints filed with the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, as well as comments posted on owner
chat sites like PriusChat.com.

Full article at:
http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2009/12/is-toyota%E2%80%99s-image-abo…

"In a first, Toyota led the U.S. auto industry in recalled vehicles
this year, thanks to its largest safety-related problem since it began
selling vehicles in the United States.

The Japanese automaker has struggled with the fallout from the recall
of 4.3 million Toyota and Lexus models for unintended acceleration
linked to fatal crashes."

In contrast, Ford recalled 21,993 in 2009. An all time low excluding
the legacy of the well known brake switch problem. That’s less than a
small company like Mitsubishi!

Full article:
http://www.freep.com/article/20091230/BUSINESS01/912300358/1332/Toyot…

I have a 2004 LS 430.  The car’s Bluetooth system
doesn’t allow telephone numbers to be manually
entered for outgoing calls when the car is moving.
The number buttons on the screen "gray out."

I note that there’s a way to override the navigation
system so as to allow destination addresses to be
input while the car is in motion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysXzM9t7erQ

Is there a similar override/workaround/hack that will
allow telephone numbers to be punched in and an outgoing
call made while the car is moving?

Geoff

–
"The libido is life’s fuel gauge."
— Sam Sacks, _Commentary_, Jan. 2010

With approximately 560 hp and 480Nm of torque, the V10 will enable the GS-F to stand toe-to-toe with the 556 hp Cadillac CTS-V, the 518 hp Mercedes E63 AMG, and the 555 hp 2011 BMW M5.
Read More: http://www.worldcarfans.com/109123023752/new-lexus-gs-f-to-receive-lf…

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Lexus NewsHub: Latest auto news sourced from websites, portals and blogs
http://www.carshops247.co.uk/news/Lexus.html

for ES330, GS450h, IS300, LX470, RX450h and 25 other Lexus
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Amazon.com Automotive: http://xrl.us/LexusParts

Posting crap he knows nothing about regarding Toyota and Lexus.  If john
could only afford a Toyota…  Too bad he has to take public transportation.