How Do You "jump Start" A 400h

[jerryray]

If for some reason you kill your batter by leaving lights on, will the Hybrid battery start the engine to charge the regular battery.

Or does the main 12v battery also start the engine?

[JasonATL]

The manual looks quite normal for a jump start. So, you can (according to the manual) jump start the 400h. I used my 400h to jump my RX 300 recently. Getting to the 400h's 12v battery is a simple matter of removing the cover by popping several pins -- all spelled out in the 400h manual.

Having said that, I accidently left my 400h's dome light on one night. I had done this before on my RX 300 and had to jump it the next morning. On the 400h, it started with no problem. I can't claim that the electric motor's batteries were what helped here, but I was sure surprised when it started with no problem. It could have been because the 12v battery was so new that the dome light wasn't enough to drain it.

[RX400h]

The manual looks quite normal for a jump start. So, you can (according to the manual) jump start the 400h. I used my 400h to jump my RX 300 recently. Getting to the 400h's 12v battery is a simple matter of removing the cover by popping several pins -- all spelled out in the 400h manual.

Having said that, I accidently left my 400h's dome light on one night. I had done this before on my RX 300 and had to jump it the next morning. On the 400h, it started with no problem. I can't claim that the electric motor's batteries were what helped here, but I was sure surprised when it started with no problem. It could have been because the 12v battery was so new that the dome light wasn't enough to drain it.

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I was under the impression that most new vehicles will shut off power if a light is accidentally left on for more than a certain time period. Even our old 94 Nissan Quest had this feature. I know my Corvette does as well. Why wouldn't a 2006 Lexus?

[jerryray]

The manual looks quite normal for a jump start. So, you can (according to the manual) jump start the 400h. I used my 400h to jump my RX 300 recently. Getting to the 400h's 12v battery is a simple matter of removing the cover by popping several pins -- all spelled out in the 400h manual.

Having said that, I accidently left my 400h's dome light on one night. I had done this before on my RX 300 and had to jump it the next morning. On the 400h, it started with no problem. I can't claim that the electric motor's batteries were what helped here, but I was sure surprised when it started with no problem. It could have been because the 12v battery was so new that the dome light wasn't enough to drain it.

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I was under the impression that most new vehicles will shut off power if a light is accidentally left on for more than a certain time period. Even our old 94 Nissan Quest had this feature. I know my Corvette does as well. Why wouldn't a 2006 Lexus?

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Not the rx400h, I had the doors open for 4 hours and the door lights never went off.

[uthorns1976]

The manual looks quite normal for a jump start. So, you can (according to the manual) jump start the 400h. I used my 400h to jump my RX 300 recently. Getting to the 400h's 12v battery is a simple matter of removing the cover by popping several pins -- all spelled out in the 400h manual.

Having said that, I accidently left my 400h's dome light on one night. I had done this before on my RX 300 and had to jump it the next morning. On the 400h, it started with no problem. I can't claim that the electric motor's batteries were what helped here, but I was sure surprised when it started with no problem. It could have been because the 12v battery was so new that the dome light wasn't enough to drain it.

←

I was under the impression that most new vehicles will shut off power if a light is accidentally left on for more than a certain time period. Even our old 94 Nissan Quest had this feature. I know my Corvette does as well. Why wouldn't a 2006 Lexus?

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Not the rx400h, I had the doors open for 4 hours and the door lights never went off.

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Another shortcoming of the 400h. What do you expect for $50K...perfection?? :whistles:

[patt]

The manual looks quite normal for a jump start. So, you can (according to the manual) jump start the 400h. I used my 400h to jump my RX 300 recently. Getting to the 400h's 12v battery is a simple matter of removing the cover by popping several pins -- all spelled out in the 400h manual.

Having said that, I accidently left my 400h's dome light on one night. I had done this before on my RX 300 and had to jump it the next morning. On the 400h, it started with no problem. I can't claim that the electric motor's batteries were what helped here, but I was sure surprised when it started with no problem. It could have been because the 12v battery was so new that the dome light wasn't enough to drain it.

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The RX400h needs at least some energy in the 12 V battery to start. When the ignition is off, the high voltage traction battery is disconnected from the rest of the car by a relay. My recollection is that the 12 V battery is used to power the transition of the relay.

Part of the reason for the difference between your RX 400 and RX 300 dome light experiments might be battery life as you suggest. Also, it seems likely that the amount of power needed from the RX 300 battery to turn the starter motor and get the engine going is more than the amount of power needed to start the RX 400 where it may only have to supply a trickle to keep memories alive and a jolt to switch a relay.

[katzjamr]

Every time you jump start a modern vehicle you risk frying one or more expensive computer chips. In the average vehicle they can range from $300 to over 1K. With as much electronics as the 400h has i would never use it to jump start anything.

[RX400h]

If for some reason you kill your batter by leaving lights on, will the Hybrid battery start the engine to charge the regular battery.

Or does the main 12v battery also start the engine?

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Our old 1994 Nissan Quest would shut down electrical power (after a period of time) if any light is left on and the ignition is off. Even my Corvette will do this to protect its battery from being drained. Wouldn't you think that a 2006 high-end vehicle would have this feature?

[jerryray]

I would think it would, but apparently it does not.

Leaving the door lights on overnight will probably not kill the battery, but a couple of days would.

I was suprised the lights stayed on though.

[SW03ES]

Another shortcoming of the 400h.  What do you expect for $50K...perfection??:whistles:

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You really get old... :whistles:

Anyways, for some reason Lexus doesn't do the auto shutoff of the lights. Yet, oddly enough, a Lexus always turns off the headlights. Not sure why one and not the other. There are a lot of things out there like auto on headlights with wipers from GM, Ford's combo locks that other carmakers don't pick up, who knows why.

[jerryray]

Another shortcoming of the 400h. What do you expect for $50K...perfection??:whistles:

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You really get old...:whistles:

What's this "old" supposed to mean?

[uthorns1976]

Another shortcoming of the 400h. What do you expect for $50K...perfection??:whistles:

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You really get old...:whistles:

What's this "old" supposed to mean?

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"You really get old :whistles: " means that he's tired of me saying that the 400h has some minor shortcomings because I have done so several times. From now on, I'll keep my opinion to myself.

[uthorns1976]

I would think it would, but apparently it does not.

Leaving the door lights on overnight will probably not kill the battery, but a couple of days would.

I was suprised the lights stayed on though.

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My brother played the stereo with the doors open for a couple of hours while working on his 400h. After doing so, 12V battery was dead. So, it apparently doesn't take too long if you leave enough stuff on.

[jerryray]

I would think it would, but apparently it does not.

Leaving the door lights on overnight will probably not kill the battery, but a couple of days would.

I was suprised the lights stayed on though.

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My brother played the stereo with the doors open for a couple of hours while working on his 400h. After doing so, 12V battery was dead. So, it apparently doesn't take too long if you leave enough stuff on.

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The stereo and a couple of lights should take many hours to kill any 12v car battery.

Unless the headlights were on.

Was the key on acc position?

I am not knocking the 400, It has much more power than my 330 when I need it.

My to and from the city mileage has been around 25-26, now I am around the local streets and it's about 23, much better than 17 and 13 with the 330.

This deal cost me $21,000. I am not sorry I did it.

Now that I installed my wood dash and radio stuff, I have the car set to please me..

[uthorns1976]

Unless the headlights were on.

Was the key on acc position?

Don't know what postion key was in and I doubt that the headlights were on.

[SW03ES]

You really get old means it gets old everytime someone posts some tidbit they found interesting or took issue with about their RX400h he automatically slams the maker and the vehicle when he has no idea what he's talking about. Case in point, styrofoam bumpers. All cars with polyurethane bumper covers have styrofoam bumper interiors, yet he automatically posts "For $50k, shame on Lexus" when he has no idea how bumpers are constructed or if this is normal etc.

Opinions are fine, but sometimes certain members need to restrain themselves until they're sure they know what they're talking about. Its a vehicle, its not an android and I'm not sure why he expects it to be so superior to any other vehicle on earth. Other vehicles cost $50,000 too, $50,000 is not all that much anymore especially for a luxury SUV.