2007 Is250 Awd System

[Melnod]

I purchased a 2007 IS250 AWD and just started thinking about the AWD system. Aside from the letters on my truck, is there anyway to determine if my car truely is working in All Wheel Drive and adjusting continuously according to the traction? Does anyone know is on one of the many menu screans or a push of a button on my dash that confirms my car is running on AWD? I can't find anything in the owners manual to test and acknowledge that system.

I guess one option is to have the mechanic confirm to me next time I get an oil change.

[bartkat]

Maybe take it on some dirt or gravel and see if it will spin all four wheels?

[1990LS400]

Maybe the previous owner put an AWD emblem on the rear and it is really a RWD car -- a little like what Rodeo Drive posers did back in the 1960s when they put a 6.3 emblem on the trunk lid of a 6-cylinder or 3.5 liter V8 Mercedes 300SEL or in the 1970s when they put a 6.9 emblem on the trunk lid of an ordinary 450SEL.

Are we being paranoid?

Brings to mind my brother-in-law trying to sell his bright orange Ford Pinto many years ago. I gave him some Porsche crest emblems to put on it and it sold quickly -- really ... I'm not making this up.

[Melnod]

Maybe the previous owner put an AWD emblem on the rear and it is really a RWD car -- a little like what Rodeo Drive posers did back in the 1960s when they put a 6.3 emblem on the trunk lid of a 6-cylinder or 3.5 liter V8 Mercedes 300SEL or in the 1970s when they put a 6.9 emblem on the trunk lid of an ordinary 450SEL.

Are we being paranoid?

Brings to mind my brother-in-law trying to sell his bright orange Ford Pinto many years ago. I gave him some Porsche crest emblems to put on it and it sold quickly -- really ... I'm not making this up.

Thanks. But I like the idea of trying to spin the tires on a dirt road and have someone watching. Darn...I just washed that car too.

[clay1]

I purchased a 2007 IS250 AWD and just started thinking about the AWD system. Aside from the letters on my truck, is there anyway to determine if my car truely is working in All Wheel Drive and adjusting continuously according to the traction? Does anyone know is on one of the many menu screans or a push of a button on my dash that confirms my car is running on AWD? I can't find anything in the owners manual to test and acknowledge that system.

I guess one option is to have the mechanic confirm to me next time I get an oil change.

Not sure - but I think the AWD has a bump into the drivers side foot well from the center console (center hump). Also (not that they couldn't have lowered the car) but the AWD sits higher then the RWD version. Event once you have looked at a 350 and a AWD 250 on the dealers lot. You can get 3 or 4 fingers between the wheel and the wheel on the AWD.

Now some may lower the car, but no one is going to take a stock rear wheel and raise the car. If it says AWD it most likely is.... and if the AWD goes out I would suspect a lite on the dash

[NicLX470]

Are you worried that it's not working or that your car is not truly an AWD model?

You guys sure are getting creative but the easiest way would be to turn your steering wheel all the way to the left or right and you will be able to see the CV joints if it is an AWD model. Also you should have the ugly 17" wheels that are all the same size. There is no menu screen or anything like that to show you the AWD status. The car is always running with all wheels pulling but I am sure it is bias at something like, 80% power to the rear and 20% to the front unless traction situations change and it can send power where it is needed. It's nothing that can be changed or turned off.

[smooth1]

Yeah, I thought the op just wanted to know if worked, not if he actually had an AWD or not.

@ Melnod, inside the tranfer case there are a set of sensors that operate/control the traction control ECU and monitor the power distribution. If you were to have a malfunction, The " little car with the slide tracks" on the dash would flash and you would loose your traction control, and a cel would come on telling you to bring the car in for service immediately.

[tex2670]

I purchased a 2007 IS250 AWD and just started thinking about the AWD system. Aside from the letters on my truck, is there anyway to determine if my car truely is working in All Wheel Drive and adjusting continuously according to the traction? Does anyone know is on one of the many menu screans or a push of a button on my dash that confirms my car is running on AWD? I can't find anything in the owners manual to test and acknowledge that system.

I guess one option is to have the mechanic confirm to me next time I get an oil change.

How do you know ANYTHING in the car is working? It's engaged all the time, so there's not a menu that can engage/disengage it.

[Melnod]

Some good feedback and advise, thanks to all.

There is a bump in the drivers side foot well as well as visible CV joints with the same tires all around. To tell you the truth I was just a little paranoid.

Cheers!!

I purchased a 2007 IS250 AWD and just started thinking about the AWD system. Aside from the letters on my truck, is there anyway to determine if my car truely is working in All Wheel Drive and adjusting continuously according to the traction? Does anyone know is on one of the many menu screans or a push of a button on my dash that confirms my car is running on AWD? I can't find anything in the owners manual to test and acknowledge that system.

I guess one option is to have the mechanic confirm to me next time I get an oil change.

[LEXUS IS250 AWD]

Happen to notice you live in the Toronto area as well. Etobicoke here. Believe me, just wait for the first snow fall and you will see your AWD in action. My car goes over snow like an SUV B) I don't think I could ever drive a 2-wheel drive vehicle again. Used to have so much trouble w/my old Celica GTS (front wheel), but this past winter was just great w/the AWD IS250. Snow piled parking spots were no match for this vehicle. Just wait & see.

& No I do not use snow tires, just the stock all season tires.

[Melnod]

Happen to notice you live in the Toronto area as well. Etobicoke here. Believe me, just wait for the first snow fall and you will see your AWD in action. My car goes over snow like an SUV B) I don't think I could ever drive a 2-wheel drive vehicle again. Used to have so much trouble w/my old Celica GTS (front wheel), but this past winter was just great w/the AWD IS250. Snow piled parking spots were no match for this vehicle. Just wait & see.

& No I do not use snow tires, just the stock all season tires.

Small world...I used to own a Celica GTS too.

I got stuck twice last winter in my rear wheel drive car and said "no more". I'm looking forward to this winter.

I ended up getting a deal set of snow tires locally.

Thanks and good cruising...

[1990LS400]

I got stuck twice last winter in my rear wheel drive car and said "no more". I'm looking forward to this winter.

I ended up getting a deal set of snow tires locally.

Excellent move on getting snow tires -- AWD is nice but it isn't going to help you stop: http://autos.canada.com/winterdriving/stor...a3-8366cc87deae

Your TRAC, ABS and VSC will be much more effective with snow tires than with all season tires. At the first substantial snowfall, consider taking your snow tire equipped IS to a big empty parking lot (without light standards!) and drive it hard in figure eights and circles ... drive it hard enough for the audible VSC alarm to sound .... try to lose control -- it's a good way to understand your car's handling characteristics.

Resist the urge to feel "bullet proof" when driving on regular streets in snow. Mainly remember that cars on all season tires aren't going to be able to stop nearly as quickly as you can.

And if you see member "LEXUS IS250 AWD" stuck in a snow drift on his all season tires, wave to him kindly and smile as you drive past. ;)

[LEXUS IS250 AWD]

Tell me about it, I truly wanted an IS350 but that would be asking for trouble in the winter. Too bad they only make it in RWD

[mr_raider]

You can tell in winter. Try going uphill on a snow covered road. If the Traction control is enabled the rear wheels will not spin, and the car will barely move. If disable the TC, your rear wheels will spin, but then suddenly the front will lurch forward and start moving.

Be careful though, it is a heavily rear biased RWD system, you can fishtail the back easily if you give too much throttle in a sharp turn.

[reyoasian]

I have a 09 IS250 AWD. Apparently, the AWD from Lexus is a "fake" AWD. I'm hearing that the traction control on this is horrible with very slow reaction; slow enough to scare you *BLEEP*less.

It's nothing like the full-time AWD quattro, which was awesome when I drove my friend's A5 last winter.

Lexus' AWD is one of those where the power is still mainly in the rear most of the time (I think it's 80/20 rear/front split) and when the car slips, the car adjusts its power between front and rear wheels to fix things. But this "slip" just might be too late. I'm really thinking of an Audi for a next car in a few years....

Happen to notice you live in the Toronto area as well. Etobicoke here. Believe me, just wait for the first snow fall and you will see your AWD in action. My car goes over snow like an SUV B) I don't think I could ever drive a 2-wheel drive vehicle again. Used to have so much trouble w/my old Celica GTS (front wheel), but this past winter was just great w/the AWD IS250. Snow piled parking spots were no match for this vehicle. Just wait & see.

& No I do not use snow tires, just the stock all season tires.

I hear the stock all-seasons on the IS250 are horrible! Which tires do you have? I have the Stoneridge ones I think... I'm still shopping around for a set of snow tires though since my parents are making me =\ Hopefully it will be fine. My friend who has an 06 IS250 AWD says he had trouble in winter at times, and hit his rims on the curbs a few times after turning, so he's planning to get snow tires this year as well.

[Sidney07]

Interesting post, and welcome to the forum.

The Lexus IS 250 AWD, while perhaps rear-wheel biased, actually works very well. I've driven in 6" of fresh snow, compact snow and ice, and all sorts of conditions in between. We've has an 07 and 09 IS 250 AWD. Both cars have had the "horrible" stock all season tires. Amazingly, I've never gotten stuck, hit a curb, or had the late reaction traction control situation you describe that scare's one "bleep" less. No, actually, the car does very well in the snow, as I'm sure many on these forums will testify to.

While Audi's are wonderful automobiles, they don't even come close to Lexus in reliabilty. But don't take my word for it....do some research.

The Lexus is my wife's daily driver. I drive a Subaru Legacy. While I am partial to the Subaru's AWD system, I have a great deal of respect for the Lexus AWD, as it has earned my respect through experience.

Drive safely.

[reyoasian]

Interesting post, and welcome to the forum.

The Lexus IS 250 AWD, while perhaps rear-wheel biased, actually works very well. I've driven in 6" of fresh snow, compact snow and ice, and all sorts of conditions in between. We've has an 07 and 09 IS 250 AWD. Both cars have had the "horrible" stock all season tires. Amazingly, I've never gotten stuck, hit a curb, or had the late reaction traction control situation you describe that scare's one "bleep" less. No, actually, the car does very well in the snow, as I'm sure many on these forums will testify to.

While Audi's are wonderful automobiles, they don't even come close to Lexus in reliabilty. But don't take my word for it....do some research.

The Lexus is my wife's daily driver. I drive a Subaru Legacy. While I am partial to the Subaru's AWD system, I have a great deal of respect for the Lexus AWD, as it has earned my respect through experience.

Drive safely.

I'm just kinda of stating what I hear around, but I've ought to test it out for myself this winter! Shopping around for some decent snow tires right now :)