Damon Dougherty

My Photograph Appears on Sierra Wireless Website

2011-12-02T10:50:00.003-06:00

While working on a project for Bentley Systems, I captured several images at a local electric substation. One of these images was used on a post I made in Bentley's User Forum (called Be Communities). The topic was on Smart Grid and the photo was used to support my editorial comments.

Anyway, while researching modems used in SCADA and substations, I came across Sierra Wireless' website. Scrolling down the page... I recognized the image (circled on the screenshot below). Flattering... but would like to see recognition too.

Lexus CHECK PCS error message is a global problem

2011-06-28T14:07:00.007-05:00

Over the last year i've had several emails from people around the world interested in how to properly diagnose their "Check PCS" problem. Most people have indicated that they had to replace the ECU, others seemed to have an intermittent problem with the power feed (alternator) or condition of the plexiglass cover. Regardless, this issue has been reported by owners of both the Lexus LS430 and the Lexus IS250. If equipped with PCS, anticipate a problem at some point.

Check of the map of incidents reported to me by people around the world with similar problems.

Location of Lexus owners experiencing problems with the Pre Collision System found on Lexus cars including the LS430 and IS250.

Mazda Miata Racing

2011-05-10T09:25:00.005-05:00

This spring, my father and I, took a 2.5 day autocross class that introduced us to performance driving skills and techniques. This included skidpad, slalom, "hands course", kidney bean course, and emergency steering/land change. After learning these basic skills, we took our knowledge to a course. This autocross course had many turns, slalom sections, and rarely exceeded 50 mph. It was very technical in nature and forced you to find the best lines. This is probably only the start for future racing.

Lexus LS430 Window Sticker

2010-08-19T11:20:00.005-05:00

For those of you out there that wanted to see what the original window sticker looked like for the 2005 Lexus LS430 with the Ultra Luxury package, here it is. This window sticker also shows the additional option of Precollision System (PCS). This package added $13,570 to the cost of the base LS430.

Note: If you have a better scan of your window sticker, let me know. I'd be happy to post here. Also, if you have a window sticker of another model LS430, i'd like to post those here too.

Photo Shoot

2010-06-13T10:05:00.005-05:00

After spending some time reading about taking great photos of your car, i found a great location in Decatur, Alabama to try out some techniques. Here is one photo that i took, and did some post processing on to make it look more professional.

For more tips visit this great resource. http://www.carphototutorials.com/

Lexus LS430 "Check PCS" Error and TSB

2010-03-29T10:45:00.002-05:00

Many Lexus LS owners have been asking for the TSB or TSIB related to the problem associated with the 2004-2006 Lexus LS430 Pre Collision System. I have attached a link so you can download the file and see for yourself what Lexus has posted regarding this issue.

"Some 2005 – 2006 model year LS 430 owners may experience a condition where the dynamic radar cruise control is inoperative, with “Check PCS” called out on the multi-information display. Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) B2056 and P1572 may also be stored. An updated cruise control computer has been made available to correct this issue." - From Lexus Technical Service Bulletin (EL012-06) Nov 9, 2006

Contact me to Download a FREE PDF document.

Post a comment with your year and mileage. I'm trying to keep track of all the problems associated with this TSB in hopes of getting us all reimbursed for this costly repair!

Lexus LS430 Ultra Luxury

2009-10-19T09:48:00.001-05:00

My mission to find a 2004-2006 Lexus LS430 Ultra Luxury was finally accomplished. I found a very clean-looking 2005 LS430 UL located in Oklahoma City, OK at John Vance Autos. The car was listed on AutoTrader, Ebay, and Cars.com. After some lengthy discussions with the expert sales staff, I decided to make the trip.

I used my frequent flyer miles from Delta Airlines and booked a roundtrip flight to Oklahoma City. Took an early flight so that I could use the roundtrip ticket if the car didn't check out. The dealer provided a free shuttle (30min drive) to their lot. When i arrived at the dealer, i saw the LS sitting there. I was amazed at how clean it was. I first thought this was NOT the car, but it was. I did a physical inspection and then a 20min drive. The car looked great, felt good and then the paperwork was completed. The staff at John Vance was great. I'm glad we did business and this car was exactly what i wanted.

The next step in the search was returning home. The trip was about 650 miles from Oklahoma City to Huntsville, AL. I left around 2 pm and made it home at 1 am. It was a long drive, but didn't seem so bad sitting behind this luxo-cruiser.

Problems about this car:
On the drive home the Radar Cruise Control stopped working suddenly. I knew immediately what the problem was, as many ClubLexus members have posted problems with the PCS System. Looks like there issue was with the ECU located behind the passenger glove box. This part, MSRP $778.17 from Lexus, has been re-designed by Denso. The original part is prone to failure, so my cruise stopped working at 250miles into the trip home.

Searching for LS430 Ultra Luxury

2009-09-09T14:49:00.001-05:00

After two failed attempts to find my next car, I'm doubting that my next car exists. I've recently decided that another LS430 Ultra Luxury sedan would be a good replacement for my Lexus SC430. I've taken two road trips to buy this car, but both of them had less than acceptable paint work. My search continues for a 2004-2006 LS430 UL.

Search for a new vehicle

2009-07-15T10:41:00.000-05:00

It's not much of a surprise that I'm in the market for another used car. This cycle occurs every 2-4 years and usually results in me loosing money on the deal. Not that I'm over paying for the cars I buy, but after selling my car and getting a new one, the exchange always results in more money being applied to the car fund.

This time around I'm looking for a four-door vehicle that comfortable seats 4 adults. I'm considering several cars and SUVs including the 2005-2008 Acura RL, 2003-2007 Lexus GX470, 2006-2008 Lexus GS430, 2003-2007 Lexus LX470, and Acura MDX. I've owned both Acura's and Lexus cars before, and noticed the quality differences between the two. That's not to say that there are not Lexus vehicles that have less than stellar build quality. For instance, the Lexus GX470 has some of the worst leather I've seen in their model lineup. It doesn't hold up well, as I've witnessed on several 2004 and 2005 used SUVs. And the numerous Acura RLs i've looked at have held up poorly to the daily use of buttons/controls. They seem to also show signs of wear on the leather and plastic inside the cabin.

Since my past cars have been the premium products from Lexus (LS430 Ultra luxury edition and the SC430), my standards are quite high. My search for an affordable, clean used luxury car will continue...

Photo Credit

2009-04-13T14:42:00.000-05:00

I was just made aware that one of my photographs taken on a business trip to San Diego, California has been published in Schmap San Diego Guide (Seventh Edition). The image was taken from the San Diego Convention Center terrace, which looks out over the harbor toward Coronado Island. It was certainly not one of my best pictures, but it was recognized and used none the less.

No financial gains on this one, but I was given photo credit. Not so bad.

Coronado Island
Link here...

2009 DistribuTECH Conference

2009-02-09T13:09:00.000-06:00

This past week I attending the annual DistribuTECH conference. It was held in sunny San Diego California where attendance was actually the best ever. I believe I heard the total figure to be near the 5,700 mark. Very impressive since we're in the middle of a recession and most companies are closely monitoring their travel expenditures.

The topic of the week was centered around Smart Grid and Intelligent Electrical Networks. Nearly every vendor in the massive exhibition floor had some reference to their smart grid offerings. In some cases this was just a marketing ploy, but others are really positioning themselves as a modern gird innovator. All the usual software vendors were in attendance, however some vendors appears to scale their booth and personnel back to minimize the impact this conference has on travel and non-billable hours. The traffic on the showfloor appeared to be less fruitful than in years past. I expect that most of the buying public is on hold and therefore do not have a serious interest in browsing the exhibit hall.

Noticeably more involvement in the conference hosted breakfast roundtables too. The breakfast roundtables were well attended and seem to provide a great format for exchanging ideas in a non-commercial atmosphere. I anticipate these to be more beneficial in years to come.

The conference sessions also appeared to be well attended. There was several presentations that were standing room only. These sessions were mostly centered around the Smart Grid topics.

Toyota Sienna XLE Limited - JBL Navigation Problem

2008-12-23T09:20:00.001-06:00

Puzzled by the inoperable navigation system, i decided to do some research. A little history first. On very rare occasions, the JBL head unit would not come on at all. We experienced this problem less than five times in the 2 years we've owned this van. The unit would not come on for a few minutes after starting the vehicle, but would eventually become operable (usually after 5 minutes). Two weeks ago, the unit would not come on at all. Every button was unresponsive. The rear entertainment system worked fine, however no audio was heard thru the speakers due to the head unit being off. After looking at several RAD (radio) fuses in the engine compartment and driver's side fuse panel, as well as removing the head unit and ensuring proper connections, the JBL navigation unit suddenly began working again. It word for less than 1 day before returning to the dreaded "black screen". I found a list of all radio fuses from Sienna.org and inspected all of them. They all appeared to be in good condition. After re-installing the fuses, the radio again began to work.

My understanding at this point is that there is some poor connections in the fuse box that is prohibiting the correct amount of current to be supplied to the JBL head unit. This could be due to rust or not properly seating the fuses. Either way, the problem appears to be solved. BTW, the JBL head unit costs $3,700 from the Toyota dealer. Glad this didn't require a replacement!

Now, if I could just figure out how to fix the heated driver seat problem without taking the seat apart or going to the Toyota dealer for service.

TPMS Lights-up Again

2008-11-04T12:32:00.000-06:00

After a week in the airport parking lot, my SC430 alerted me upon return that the tire pressure was low. I checked all the tires the following day and found that the pressure was around 30 psi for all 4 tires. I increased the air pressure up to 33 and the light turned off. Very sensitive. A cold front went thru the area and that probably reduced the tire pressure. All is well.

Just 2 weeks later and the light came on again. Again, cold front came thru over the weekend and the car was sitting outside. I started the car up on a cold Monday morning and, bingo, the light is on. I have not checked the pressure in the tires again, but will take a look later in the week. Just a major design flaw. These TPMS' are not what I expected.

USER ERROR! Actually, the tire pressure was low in one of the tires. It was only a few psi below normal, but did require me to put some air in it. The roller coaster ride continues.

Side Mirror Install - SC430

2008-09-30T10:51:00.000-05:00

When I bought this car, the driver's side mirror was working, but the electro-chromatic glass was damaged. Only half of the glass actually changed brightness at night due to a small chip on it. Using Ebay, I found a used one and won the bid. It was shipped within 2 weeks and arrived last week while I was in San Francisco at the Oracle conference.

The mirror install took less than 1 hour and works as I expected. I had to remove the driver's door panel to access 2 of the 3 screws holding the mirror assembly to the door. There was also a wire that needed to be disconnected inside the door panel. Very easy to do and now the new mirror is ready to go.

Oracle Open World 2008

2008-09-24T23:42:00.000-05:00

This week I've spent my time at the Oracle Open World Conference in San Francisco California. Over 43,000 people attended this huge event. It lasted a total of 6 days, of which I spent only 4 in the conference sessions and exhibit floor. Oracle announced their entry into the hardware business by creating a new Database Server. They're partnering with HP to build the hardware, but Oracle will market and sell it under their name. Oracle did a good job of having plenty of sessions, entertainment, and exhibitors. However, they might be loosing focus now that they're into so many different things.

While visiting the EXPO center at the show, I saw 3 cars on the show floor. A F1 racecar at the Accenture booth, A 1980's Delorean, and a 2008 Lexus SC430. I dropped by and registered to win it, just for grins. Didn't win, but don't care really. I have one at home :)

TPMS

2008-09-16T13:16:00.000-05:00

Tire pressure monitoring system. That is the most recent issue with my car. After leaving from work, the TPMS warning light on the dash lit up and remained on until I turned the car off. I checked all the tires and they looked fine. I also checked the pressure in each tire and they were all a little low. Read around 29psi where the owners manual states 33psi. I added the air and re-started the car to see if that fixed the warning light. DID NOT. I read the owners manual section on the TPMS and learned about a switch inside the glovebox. This switch allows you to select a MASTER set of sensors and a secondary set of sensor for a second set of wheels equiped with TPMS. I togged it back and forth and returned it to the master setting. I re-started the car again... same light still on.

The next morning, I started the car. NO LIGHT. What a surprise? I expect that either a sensor is about to fail (battery life) or the tire pressure was a little low and the sensor needed time to re-register the new pressure. Either way, the light is off!

Battery Replacement

2008-09-11T08:37:00.001-05:00

Bought a new battery for the Lexus SC430 yesterday. Set me back about $125.00. Hopefully this is the only "maintenance" i have to do for a few months!

I noticed the battery was starting to die over the last few months. It became evident when the starter cranked with a little less vigor than normal.

Purchased an Interstate MTP-91 as the replacement.