Suggestion For Improvement

[MikeP]

This might be a little picky because since owning my '04 LS430 a little over 2 months now, I have found it to be closer to perfection as any other car I have owned. My suggestion to Lexus is to illuminate all switches so they can be found at night.

Yesterday I picked up my car from service during daylight hours, so I had no need to use the headlights. Later that night, I took my car out for a drive and being so used to the "Auto" feature, I noticed immediately that the console was not lit when I reached to adjust the A/C. I then realized the headlights were not on and figured the tech working on my car turned the switch off when needing to turn the ignition switch to test the sunroof. I reached for the stalk and turned the switch, but because it is not illuminated, I couldn't tell what position it was in. I turned until the headlights were on, but didn't know if the switch was in the manual or "Auto" position. Since both steering wheel stalks are multi-functional, it would be nice to be able to see the options illuminated at night.

The same for the overhead console. A couple of times at night, I have reached for the sunroof switch and after "feeling my way around", I found it. Again, it would be nice to have these switches illuminated so the driver doesn't have to fumble to find the right one.

I honestly don't mean to nit-pick because the LS430 is so perfect as it is. I just think these additions would make the car a little safer and more user-friendly at night.

Anybody have other suggestions for Lexus?

Mike

[SW03ES]

Yeah Lexus generally doesn't like to do this. It has to do with too many lights directly around the driver's sightline being disctracting at night. I've never seen a car that had illuminated multifuntion stalks.

[90LS400Lexus]

Yes, excessive lighting can be dangerous.

[SW03ES]

Mercedes and to a lesser extent Lexus are trying to find alternatives to backlighting. Mercedes now for instance uses very very low amber lighting inside the cabins at night to help illuminate some of the controls and space that is not backlit. Studies have shown that this very dim ambient light is not as distracting as over-lit backlighting. Lexus is doing this too, in the RX330 for instance the center console area is very dimly illuminated at night by LEDs, as are the door handles. On my ES the footwells are dimly lit amber at night. Not sure about the 04 LS as I haven't looked at my dad's close enough to know.

[MikeP]

The LS430 does have the amber ambient lighting also in the footwells, the door handles and I think shining on the console. I did notice this morning that the steering wheel buttons are illuminated, so I think the multi-funtion steering wheel stalks would be less in the driver's line of site than those.

Mike

[SW03ES]

But for some reason nobody illuminates those stalks...

[GRAND_LS 4]

I was just thinking the same thing.... I don’t think that adding more lights would be more dangerous... have you guys not seen the instrumental cluster for the LS? it couldn’t be more brighter if they tried. So the dangerous issue might not be the sole reason.

I especially agree about the sunroof and dome light controls, a small dim LED would have done the trick.

[SW03ES]

Actually the Lexus optitron lighting reduces distraction by making it easier to zero in on the info you're looking for.

[FastXTC]

Suggestions I submitted to Lexus USA:

- The rear license plate mounting area on the trunk lid should include a noise isolating rubber pad. Since there are only two mounting holes to hold the rear license plate in place, there is a possibility of the plate rattling against the trunk lid under certain road conditions. The noise isolating rubber pad should eliminate this. The 2004 RX330 already has this pad.

- The Lexus DVD Navigation System software should include a basic arithmetic calculator. This calculator function could be located in the Options, Information Menu screen.

- The legal notice at the Lexus DVD Navigation System start-up is very annoying. For the inconvenience, I would expect that the front passenger would be allowed to operate certain functions of the navigation system and the hands-free phone system while the vehicle is in motion.

- While it works well at night, the auto-dimming mirror does a poor job of reducing high-beam headlamp glare from vehicles behind the Lexus during the day. The auto-dimming mirror in my $28,000 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix does a much better job during the day and night.

- The silent nature of a running LS 430 motor requires an electronic engine start system or a double start defeat. This feature is already standard on lower-priced luxury automobiles, including Cadillac and Lincoln.

- The mobile phone holder in the center console is a great idea, especially for a Bluetooth connected phone. However, the Lexus Bluetooth system needs an audible ringer to indicate incoming calls. Otherwise, a phone with its ringer on low level or vibrate mode will cause incoming calls to be missed when the Lexus audio system is not powered on.

No response has been received.