Got one of the first '08 Xbs delivered to Hiland Toyota's lot. My wife and I really love this car. Now 47K miles later the engine is having fit's. My wife abandoned the Xb and now it's mine to deal with.
At first she came home from work one night and said the engine light, anti-skid and VSC lights came on and it worried her. I couldn't see anything out of sorts under the hood so I disconnected the Bat. grd. for a few seconds. Secured it and restarted the car. Fixed. Three days later, it happens again. I did the cable thing and the lights went out again, everything looks 4.0. A week later my wife comes home from work and said the car is "running bad." Next morning I drive the Xb around and it runs perfect, but the same three lights are burning bright and golden. I did the battery cable thing again and the car runs great for several days.
Since my wife relieved me of our new Cube, I drive the Xb. Last night I take my kid to a theater 50 miles from home, 8 wintry degrees outside, then 5 miles from our destination and the car starts to vibrate, it loses power and it would barely maintain 55mph. Felt like it was running on two cylinders. I pulled off of the road and shut it off to see if it would somehow reset itself. Although it started right up and idled fine, fat chance, drive it and it balked. I did that start and restart two other times to no avail, turned around and drove this sick puppy on home. Just for giggles, I stopped at a gas station and refilled the tank to see if anything would change, but it still ran like a sick dog.
When my daughter and I made it home, we garaged the Xb and hopped into my trusty Dodge Quad Cab and made it to a different theater, showing the same show.
After coming home from the show, two 1/2 hours later, I hop in the Xb, fire the puppy up and it purrs like a kitten. Golden warning lights shining brightly. I undo the cable again and all is fine with the world. WTF!
Now the dilemma. What do I do next? The Xb is 11k past its warrantee. The Scion dealership I bought this thing from is 70 miles to the north(closest around.) And will they be able to replicate this problem when it runs fine or should I drive the thing up there on two cylinders?
At first she came home from work one night and said the engine light, anti-skid and VSC lights came on and it worried her. I couldn't see anything out of sorts under the hood so I disconnected the Bat. grd. for a few seconds. Secured it and restarted the car. Fixed. Three days later, it happens again. I did the cable thing and the lights went out again, everything looks 4.0. A week later my wife comes home from work and said the car is "running bad." Next morning I drive the Xb around and it runs perfect, but the same three lights are burning bright and golden. I did the battery cable thing again and the car runs great for several days.
Since my wife relieved me of our new Cube, I drive the Xb. Last night I take my kid to a theater 50 miles from home, 8 wintry degrees outside, then 5 miles from our destination and the car starts to vibrate, it loses power and it would barely maintain 55mph. Felt like it was running on two cylinders. I pulled off of the road and shut it off to see if it would somehow reset itself. Although it started right up and idled fine, fat chance, drive it and it balked. I did that start and restart two other times to no avail, turned around and drove this sick puppy on home. Just for giggles, I stopped at a gas station and refilled the tank to see if anything would change, but it still ran like a sick dog.
When my daughter and I made it home, we garaged the Xb and hopped into my trusty Dodge Quad Cab and made it to a different theater, showing the same show.
After coming home from the show, two 1/2 hours later, I hop in the Xb, fire the puppy up and it purrs like a kitten. Golden warning lights shining brightly. I undo the cable again and all is fine with the world. WTF!
Now the dilemma. What do I do next? The Xb is 11k past its warrantee. The Scion dealership I bought this thing from is 70 miles to the north(closest around.) And will they be able to replicate this problem when it runs fine or should I drive the thing up there on two cylinders?
