Little button behind gas pedal?
09-13-10, 07:56 PM
#17
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I hate the bucking futton. It annoyed me the first time at the Lexus driving academy. I've since got acclimated to it, but I still think it feels like some cheesy 1960's Chevrolet. Sure it works, but you've got to be kidding me...
I have not done the requisite investigation to remove the device and implant the functionality into the accelerator so I don't have to mash the pedal through the floor to get decent acceleration. It's on my list of things to do...
I have not done the requisite investigation to remove the device and implant the functionality into the accelerator so I don't have to mash the pedal through the floor to get decent acceleration. It's on my list of things to do...
09-13-10, 08:03 PM
#18
So back to the original question the is the kickdown initiated by the button itself or by throttle position and the button is there for feel? If its just throttle position I'd rather remove the button. I took a look at it as best I could and couldn't see any wires or anything.
Joe, lobux anyone?
Joe, lobux anyone?
On a side note the stupid repair and electrical manuals for this car are ridiculously expensive. I mean I would be ok if they were more exensive than my TSX manuals but still in like a direct correlation to the car price but its not even close.
09-13-10, 08:16 PM
#19
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I looked at as well once I got home and couldn't see anything. So I am beginning to believe it is like a high tension spring or something so that you can't do it without thinking about it first or something. However I might be picking up a set of service and electrical manuals soon so if my offer is accepted on them then we will know for sure.
On a side note the stupid repair and electrical manuals for this car are ridiculously expensive. I mean I would be ok if they were more exensive than my TSX manuals but still in like a direct correlation to the car price but its not even close.
On a side note the stupid repair and electrical manuals for this car are ridiculously expensive. I mean I would be ok if they were more exensive than my TSX manuals but still in like a direct correlation to the car price but its not even close.
You want to buy the printed manuals? No way. Far too expensive and only as up to date as when they were printed. No LSB, no Service Campaign info, no corrections, no updates, no New Car Features, grease stains on the pages after the first serious work you do....you'd be silly to buy the printed manuals
09-13-10, 08:58 PM
#20
They're cheap. You're just looking in the wrong place. I buy an annual subscription to TIS because I have a 1993 Supra, 2006 Scion tC, and a 2008 IS-F all in my garage. I pay $400 a year for TIS and it gives me access to everything Scion/Toyota/Lexus from 1990 to present. I do all the maintenance myself, so it's easy to justify the cost vs. paying the dealership to work on my car. I make up the cost with skipping a single visit to the dealer.
You want to buy the printed manuals? No way. Far too expensive and only as up to date as when they were printed. No LSB, no Service Campaign info, no corrections, no updates, no New Car Features, grease stains on the pages after the first serious work you do....you'd be silly to buy the printed manuals
You want to buy the printed manuals? No way. Far too expensive and only as up to date as when they were printed. No LSB, no Service Campaign info, no corrections, no updates, no New Car Features, grease stains on the pages after the first serious work you do....you'd be silly to buy the printed manuals
09-13-10, 09:19 PM
#21
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Ehhh personal preference I guess. I love my printed manuals for my TSX. I love being able to have them and flip through the pages to what I want and have it right next to me while working instead of having to always print the stuff from the online manuals. Plus $500 for all of them vs $400 a years seems like a better deal. I do some of my own maintenance but sometimes when things get busy I take it to the dealer. The main reason for my interest in them is for correct bolt torque specs and guide for removing interior panels and where the clips are so as to not break them when removing things to do installs.
Paper manuals are so 20th century.
09-13-10, 10:25 PM
#22
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So back on topic - I've always hated the force I needed to apply to get the kick down switch to work, so I decided (inspired by this thread) to solve the problem tonight.
Removing the switch is a bit of a pain, but not too bad. Unfortunately, if you want to remove the switch, you either need to break a small piece of polystyrene foam or remove the entire carpet. I opted for breaking the foam piece.
Once you have the switch out, the observant student will see where the two releases are on either side of the switch. Push them in with a small screwdriver and the switch assembly can be carefully pulled out of the metal bracket which holds it securely in the car.
Next, take the same small screwdriver and release the three catches at the bottom of the switch. This will expose the main spring and the center rod in the switch. Remove the circlip from the center rod and carefully pull out the top of the switch.
Now the (sort of) tricky part. Push the center of the switch assembly slowly towards the end where you removed the cap. There is a LOT of very sticky grease in this thing, so it will take a bit of pushing. If you push too fast, four ball bearings will fly out of the assembly and do their best to disappear (as all ball bearings do when released from captivity). If you are careful, you'll get all four of them because the grease is very sticky (did I mention the grease is VERY sticky?). Inside the center body are two springs which look like ball point pen springs. They are responsible for the initial stickiness you feel when you press the gas to the floor because they're the detent *****. I cut about 1/8" off both of these springs then put the ***** back in place to reduce the amount of effort I need to use to get the switch working. Put the circlip back on the center post after installing the top of the switch.
Before installing the main spring, cut one full revolution off of it. This does make the spring stiffer, but since we're not extending the free length of the spring, we're reducing preload AND stiffening the spring a little. Both actually work in our favor here. Now install the bottom cap, and put the assembly back in the metal bracket and install in the car.
I can just barely feel the switch engage now. It's EXACTLY how I think it should have been from Lexus. Just enough feedback to know you're on it, but not requiring an extra push just to get the gas to the floor.
It feels better to me, AND it only cost me about a half an hour.
NO, I didn't take pictures. This isn't a mod for someone who barely knows the difference between a common and a phillips. Anyone who's been working on stuff like this will be able to easily see what I did once they have the switch out, and they'll be able to make the changes I described without permanently ruining an expensive part.
FWIW, if the switch goes permanently closed, the ECM will ignore the switch, so shorting it out is a bad thing.
Removing the switch is a bit of a pain, but not too bad. Unfortunately, if you want to remove the switch, you either need to break a small piece of polystyrene foam or remove the entire carpet. I opted for breaking the foam piece.
Once you have the switch out, the observant student will see where the two releases are on either side of the switch. Push them in with a small screwdriver and the switch assembly can be carefully pulled out of the metal bracket which holds it securely in the car.
Next, take the same small screwdriver and release the three catches at the bottom of the switch. This will expose the main spring and the center rod in the switch. Remove the circlip from the center rod and carefully pull out the top of the switch.
Now the (sort of) tricky part. Push the center of the switch assembly slowly towards the end where you removed the cap. There is a LOT of very sticky grease in this thing, so it will take a bit of pushing. If you push too fast, four ball bearings will fly out of the assembly and do their best to disappear (as all ball bearings do when released from captivity). If you are careful, you'll get all four of them because the grease is very sticky (did I mention the grease is VERY sticky?). Inside the center body are two springs which look like ball point pen springs. They are responsible for the initial stickiness you feel when you press the gas to the floor because they're the detent *****. I cut about 1/8" off both of these springs then put the ***** back in place to reduce the amount of effort I need to use to get the switch working. Put the circlip back on the center post after installing the top of the switch.
Before installing the main spring, cut one full revolution off of it. This does make the spring stiffer, but since we're not extending the free length of the spring, we're reducing preload AND stiffening the spring a little. Both actually work in our favor here. Now install the bottom cap, and put the assembly back in the metal bracket and install in the car.
I can just barely feel the switch engage now. It's EXACTLY how I think it should have been from Lexus. Just enough feedback to know you're on it, but not requiring an extra push just to get the gas to the floor.
It feels better to me, AND it only cost me about a half an hour.
NO, I didn't take pictures. This isn't a mod for someone who barely knows the difference between a common and a phillips. Anyone who's been working on stuff like this will be able to easily see what I did once they have the switch out, and they'll be able to make the changes I described without permanently ruining an expensive part.
FWIW, if the switch goes permanently closed, the ECM will ignore the switch, so shorting it out is a bad thing.
09-14-10, 01:43 PM
#25
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It's wired to the engine ECM. I tested it this morning. There's just a very slight click, almost unnoticeable, when going WOT. I like it a million times better.
It would be possible to remove it, but you'd need to install a switch on the accelerator to provide the same functionality. You could easily make that switch completely imperceptible. I chose to modify the existing one because it's pretty easy to do.
It would be possible to remove it, but you'd need to install a switch on the accelerator to provide the same functionality. You could easily make that switch completely imperceptible. I chose to modify the existing one because it's pretty easy to do.
09-14-10, 07:24 PM
#26
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That last part is good to know because my next question was gonna be what happens if you just tape/glue/whatever it down all the time lol
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