Curt

Okay, here are my symptoms. I'd love to have you guys tell me what's wrong before I start barking up the wrong tree.

I have a 1990 Lexus LS400 with traction control. The roads have been very snowy and icy here, and I've been using traction control a lot. I suspect that my alternator may be getting weak because a couple of times I've had the inside lights go dim and the radio cut out, but only after a long stretch of using traction control. Perhaps the traction control system uses a lot of electrical power while not letting the engine rev up to charge the system. I've been losing a little power steering fluid, and presumably the fluid is dripping from the pump to the alternator and my days are numbered. I'm planning to change the pump sometime within the next few weeks, and hopefully I'll catch it before the alternator is fried. I'm still annoyed that I don't have an ammeter on the car, but that's another story.

I said all of that because it might be related to my current problem, but I don't know. I hope you can offer some advice. This morning the traction control system seemed to be on 100% of the time. The engine revs up to about 3,000 RPM's, and there's a rumble from the back of the car and the car doesn't go very fast. But the TRAC light isn't flashing. It doesn't seem to have power to go up hills. The transmission fluid is full and red.

So who has a guess for what my problem could be? What else do I need to do to get you more information?

I was able to slowly drive the car home and I'll be using the Camry until I get this figured out. Any ideas?