Hello all.

We've had our '04 LS for about a year now, and have been super pleased with the vehicle overall. Still wouldn't trade for anything else. One of my only gripes though, is the throttle, and how the transmission shifts under certain conditions. First off, I like how the pedal is mounted to the floorboard and pivots forward, giving a long, controllable range of motion (typical of bmws i believe). However, I do NOT enjoy the lag of response after pressing the pedal. Somehow the folks at Toyota used this "fly-by-wire" electronic throttle control system to delay the throttle a tad bit from the input, presumably to "soften" the acceleration from a stand-still. What an irritating thing to deal with, that I simply cannot get used to.

Being a sh1tty driver or not, this feature actually has negative effects, in my opinion. Especially from a very slow rolling start (5mph or less in a parking lot or something) when slightly pressing the pedal, the car does nothing, causing the driver to instinctively give a little more input, when -BAM- the system responds and there is all of a sudden way more power to the wheels than wanted.

A different scenario where this problem shines is accelerating from a slow speed on a relatively steep downhill. Instead of popping down to a higher gear, and allowing the driver to add a tiny bit of power to the wheels, I find that once the response lag is finally over, the motor unnecessarily winds up in a lower gear, giving way to much speed/power for the situation. Really? The computer feels it needs to remain in a lower gear when the car is literally coasting/accelerating on its own?

My situation may or may not be unique -- was hoping if anyone out there had any comments or similar findings. If there was some sort of modification, or re-programming that could be done to the computer(s) to rid the system of this lag, or change how the transmission shifts under slow speeds, I would be all over it.

I think there is something to be said about having a physical connection--a cable or whatnot from your foot or hand or whatever directly to the gas flow, no matter what the vehicle. Less **** to break too. Maybe just my opinion.

Thanks for reading.

 

I haven't really noticed these issues. Then again, I've been driving cars with electronic throttles for at least 8 years. Electronic throttle response problems are a common complaint on message boards and a frequent tuning parameter for aftermarket tunes. However, automakers state that electronic throttles (and their, um, controlled application) are key components for stability control, pollution control, mileage, and long life of driveline components. GM, for one, implemented a program to search the engine control computer memory (and possibly memory of other processors) to verify that a custom tune had not been applied when performing powertrain warranty work. If you had a custom tune and trashed your tranny, they could deny the warranty claim. Some enthusiasts were re-tuning their cars or trucks back to stock or having multiple ECMs to ensure that stock programming was in the vehicle when it went in for service.

 

I have an 06 and have absolutely no perception of any throttle lag on the LS.

Could it be that the perceived lag being felt by some is more of a characteristic of the 04 transmission setup/settings? Does it get any better if you leave the trans/car in "power" setting?

I may not be a great candidate to feel any lag because of my driving style. I drive my car gently aiming always for a smooth ride and good gas mileage. I avoid hitting the brakes unnecessarily, accelerating into red lights, rushing thru parking lots, tailgating, etc. If I am in a hurry or on a tight schedule, I leave a few minutes early as opposed to driving around like my *%^$* is on fire.

If the 04 has a lag, the first thing I'd do is have Lexus check that the trans is updated to current spec and needs no adjustment. One interesting thing to check would be to go in to the used car department and drive an 05-06 just to see if you also feel the same amount of lag in a newer model year.

 

i have a 06 and do not have a lag,i owned a 04 crossfire and that car had a bad lag problem.some times you pull out of a street and it wouldnt move for a second.very dangerous.

 

My '02 LS430 does not have any throttle lag but my '07 BMW does. It is annoying but I can live with it.

 

Other than making sure the tranny TSB has been applied to your '04, this little device should add a little fun to your LS accelerator... You can find it online for less than they advertise here...

http://www.sprintboostersales.com/de...430&engine=Gas

 

I, too, have just a slight bit of throttle lag in my '02 CL, most noticeable from a standing start as you pointed out when you said :

"this feature actually has negative effects, in my opinion. Especially from a very slow rolling start (5mph or less in a parking lot or something) when slightly pressing the pedal, the car does nothing, causing the driver to instinctively give a little more input, when -BAM- the system responds and there is all of a sudden way more power to the wheels than wanted."

Once rolling and up to speed, the delay, at least on my LS, virtually disappears.

Showing my age, I look back on the instantaneous response from my first car - a '57 Ford convertible - with envy, but only from a throttle response standpoint. When you pressed the gas, it responded IMMEDIATELY although the rest of the electronics left a little to be desired. Yikes, 8 tracks at that time hadn't even been invented

Happy Yule Y'All -

 

Get a Blitz Throttle Controller

 

Funny you point this out today. I was driving yesterday in "snow" mode & found that I liked it. This mode seems to keep the tranny in a higher gear, but allows you to input more throttle without downshifting. Seemed much smoother to me on dry pavement.

 

i actually experience the lag very slightly... it's a little frustrating, but strangely enough, i found that when i used bp 93 gas, it wasn't as bad... still happened a bit with other brands and grades...

i always thought that since my car is an 05 with 60+k miles, i needed to have the throttle body cleaner thingie done... may try to tackle that next summer...