Hello. I did a forum search and found 3 examples of vehicles being broken after using the Apexi throttle booster. I desperately want to get rid of the throttle lag in my Luxury GS350, but I don’t want a $1,000 repair bill 9 months later either. Can you all give me some suggestions? Are you guys still using these? Do you all recommend them or not? Should I look for a different company than Apexi?

Thanks in advance.

 

It's not an ECU tune so it won't change engine performance, just mash your pedal harder, it's the same thing.

 

I have had it installed on my GS for almost 2 years now without issues. Was given a GS as a loaner once while my car was in service and the lag was so obvious.

 

Wrong.

It doesn't do the same thing, it makes a big difference. I have the ECU tune as well and together it should have been how the factory was. I've had my Apexi for over 2 years and run it in red mode all the time with sport mode. It was one of the best mods I've done to the GS.

 

Warning:

iamsammy84
"So I have used the Apexi Throttle Controller for almost 9 months and last month I have been having issues with my car. The trac off will turn on and my check engine light will turn on. I will lose power on the pedal and will not accelerate. If i turn off my engine and turn it back on, I will gain power back on the pedal. Here and there the check engine light will turn back off and on. Yesterday morning, the acceleration pedal wasnt working at all so I ended up towing it to the dealership. They concluded that it was because of the Apexi Throttle COntroller that messed up the volts on the sensor? I havent heard anything bad about the Throttle Controller doing this. Has anyone had a similiar problem? They are asking for $900 to replace the sensor. Thank you in advance."

Source:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ler-issue.html

 

Just drive the the car harder. It's not like you can break it if you stomp on the pedal harder, or do what I do, drive it in manual sport+ and drop gears using the paddles when the tranny hesitates. I was thinking about getting a apexi but the fact that my wife drives it and it could be left on red, tied with the fact that 3 members have had throttle issue that either cleared up after remou the apexi or required a repair turned me off to it. I have read thru that that's thread and the apexi sounds like a unsafe clever hack. It probably drives a higher voltage than spec to the car's pedal input to truck the car into thinking the pedal had been smashed down.

 

The gs350 is fast , it just really makes you work for it.

 

You need to think about how it works, you're conflating 2 very different ideas. Despite what you dream it does to your car, it does NOT make your car faster. It is NOT capable of doing anything your right foot (do you drive with your left foot in america?) isn't capable of doing.

All it does it manipulate the throttle position input, nothing the stock pedal circuitry cannot do with a compentant driver. Any 'feelings' or improvements you think you are getting from the controller are available by the correct use of your right foot.

The only benefit of a throttle interceptor is that it saves your little foot from pushing as far...and makes your wallet lighter. Once again, it's brain doesn't interface with the ECU to do whatever you think it does, it's a single analog input.

 

Hello,

As long as you get the throttle controller properly installed you will not have any issues.

Usually those errors come from a bad installation which causes some of the wires to get messed up.

If interested, I can give you more information and I do have these in stock!

-Josh

 

I wouldn't think it is possible to install it incorrectly and it work at all. I don't think a bad installation 'causes' the wires to get messed up.

'iamsammy84' seemed to be saying that after using it for 9 months he started having issues.

 

I had mines for 3 years, mostly on red/high throttle everyday all day. I've had no issues with mine. Don't know what a bad install would be. Its all plug and play.

 

I don't have the controller or know the specifics, but I do work with a lot of analog signals. Quicker response is done by faster processing and/or less manipulation.

Does it bypass the ECU?
If so, then I can see how it would work very well. The stock ECU has a debounce and filter of the signal from the gas pedal. This takes out the sudden spikes and dips to allow for a smoother ride. To test it - just tap on your pedal repeatedly and see how the car reacts, and do the same exact thing on another car. The GS350 simply won't react due to how the computer processes the signal.
The throttle controller should shrink the debounce time to make pressing the pedal give a quicker result.

 

We've had customers return the product because they somehow kinked the wiring which would cause a short circuit.

-Josh