Good And Bad Stuff

[halwid]

After reading a number of posts I think we have the only 2007 ES 350 that isn't having some sort of transmission problem. Our car is less than a year old with just over 17,000 miles and has served my wife well as her Real Estate car. No surging, just smooth shifts. Our only problem so far is that the seat will not adjust to individual drivers automatically. Mirrors work fine, but the seat has quit. I'm sure this is an easy fix for the dealer under the warranty.

I agree with those who say there isn't enough light in the car at night unless you position whatever it is you want to read directly under the beam of the overhead lights. Lexus should have put an overhead light somewhere in the rear seat area that would have created more ambient light in the cabin.

I won't continue the Navigation system lock-out discussion except to say that we're all big boys and girls, and if we choose to have our Nav system operate to accept input from the touch screen while we're moving, then give us the choice at purchase time and require our signature on a hold-harmless clause. My Acura TL allows this input and I don't believe the Honda legal staff is any smarter than those attorneys at Toyota.....or maybe they are. When you're out with clients showing 10 or more houses in a day, it sure is easier to put in new addresses on the run.

We have found that the voice activation isn't as good on our Lexus as it was on my wife's 2002 Acura or on my 2007 TL. As far as the Bluetooth stuff, I can't comment as we haven't used that yet, but will now that my wife has a cell phone with that feature.

The things we like best about this car include a roomy cabin that seats 4 adults with space to move around, terrific in-town mileage (we're getting 24-25 around town), adequate power whether you're in town or on the Interstate, and an overall feel of comfort. This isn't a sports sedan, but I don't think that's where Lexus was going with this model. If you want to rock and roll get an IS....an Acura TL or something more exotic.

[wwest]

After reading a number of posts I think we have the only 2007 ES 350 that isn't having some sort of transmission problem. Our car is less than a year old with just over 17,000 miles and has served my wife well as her Real Estate car. No surging, just smooth shifts. Our only problem so far is that the seat will not adjust to individual drivers automatically. Mirrors work fine, but the seat has quit. I'm sure this is an easy fix for the dealer under the warranty.

I agree with those who say there isn't enough light in the car at night unless you position whatever it is you want to read directly under the beam of the overhead lights. Lexus should have put an overhead light somewhere in the rear seat area that would have created more ambient light in the cabin.

I won't continue the Navigation system lock-out discussion except to say that we're all big boys and girls, and if we choose to have our Nav system operate to accept input from the touch screen while we're moving, then give us the choice at purchase time and require our signature on a hold-harmless clause. My Acura TL allows this input and I don't believe the Honda legal staff is any smarter than those attorneys at Toyota.....or maybe they are. When you're out with clients showing 10 or more houses in a day, it sure is easier to put in new addresses on the run.

We have found that the voice activation isn't as good on our Lexus as it was on my wife's 2002 Acura or on my 2007 TL. As far as the Bluetooth stuff, I can't comment as we haven't used that yet, but will now that my wife has a cell phone with that feature.

The things we like best about this car include a roomy cabin that seats 4 adults with space to move around, terrific in-town mileage (we're getting 24-25 around town), adequate power whether you're in town or on the Interstate, and an overall feel of comfort. This isn't a sports sedan, but I don't think that's where Lexus was going with this model. If you want to rock and roll get an IS....an Acura TL or something more exotic.

"..we're all big boys and girls,...."

NOT...!!

If we use the number of DUI citations as reference...

Like the barkeep that continues to serve a drunk you cannot "hold harmless" the dealer/manufacturer.

[halwid]

Perhaps I should revise the statement so you can understand it.

As a person spending money on a product, we should have the right to enjoy ALL the features of the product without limits created by others under the guise of protecting us from ourselves. How we decide to use the product and avoid causing problems for others by it's use is a matter of personal responsibility.

[SW03ES]

After reading a number of posts I think we have the only 2007 ES 350 that isn't having some sort of transmission problem.

You really aren't the only one. The vast majority of owners have no problems.

Lexus should have put an overhead light somewhere in the rear seat area that would have created more ambient light in the cabin.

They did this in the '08

When you're out with clients showing 10 or more houses in a day, it sure is easier to put in new addresses on the run.

I'm a real estate agent too and I've been using the nav system for going on 5 years without being able to input destinations when driving with no problems. Sure it'd be nice but I load up the addresses before we head out and its not a big deal.

[nyuhsuk]

When you're out with clients showing 10 or more houses in a day, it sure is easier to put in new addresses on the run.

I'm a real estate agent too and I've been using the nav system for going on 5 years without being able to input destinations when driving with no problems. Sure it'd be nice but I load up the addresses before we head out and its not a big deal.

I don't know if the models previous to the 07/08 models can but the current models have the 'Address' voice function that works fantastic to input while moving. I stumbled across it by accident but I use it all the time now after Google-ing a location's address. Is there a way to search POIs using the voice commands while moving? That'd be a killer function.

[halwid]

After reading some of the posts on this board, I'm beginning to wonder if our Voice Recognition is working properly. Even using the book and saying exact phrases very carefully we're not getting proper responses. We don't think it is our speech patterns, as I have been in the radio business for many years and my wife was a teacher before getting into Real Estate. Being originally from the Midwest we think our "accent," if any shouldn't be a problem. Is there any way to test the Voice Recognition?

[sharpcolorado]

No transmission problems with my 2007 ES350. As far as the Voice Control, I adjusted the microphone volume on the car (using the special setup menus), and found the recognition to be much better, though it was not bad to start with.

[es3502007]

No transmission problems with my 2007 ES350. As far as the Voice Control, I adjusted the microphone volume on the car (using the special setup menus), and found the recognition to be much better, though it was not bad to start with.

I sure would like to know where you found that setup menu to adjust the microphone volume? Some voice commands work fine. My bluetooth,,,,, no problem, but some dont work at all or i get other functions.

[sharpcolorado]

To change your microphone volume for Bluetooth conversations or voice commands to your Lexus-

Access a service menu that is normally hidden:

1) Press and hold the INFO button for 5 seconds.

2) Toggle your parking lights switch on then off at least 5 times (inner-most rotator on the lights lever to the left of your steering wheel)

3) A service menu then shows on your screen.

4) Use on-screen buttons to navigate to the NAV Service menu, then "Bluetooth"

5) Adjust the microphone volume higher (default is 0). I went to 3 with good results.

6) Power off the car with the ignition button.

If you had the voice recognition prompt ("after the beep say a command") off, you have to turn it off again, since the microphone volume change also changes this.

THERE ARE NO OTHER USEFUL SETTINGS ON THIS SPECIAL MENU

[es3502007]

To change your microphone volume for Bluetooth conversations or voice commands to your Lexus-

Access a service menu that is normally hidden:

1) Press and hold the INFO button for 5 seconds.

2) Toggle your parking lights switch on then off at least 5 times (inner-most rotator on the lights lever to the left of your steering wheel)

3) A service menu then shows on your screen.

4) Use on-screen buttons to navigate to the NAV Service menu, then "Bluetooth"

5) Adjust the microphone volume higher (default is 0). I went to 3 with good results.

6) Power off the car with the ignition button.

If you had the voice recognition prompt ("after the beep say a command") off, you have to turn it off again, since the microphone volume change also changes this.

THERE ARE NO OTHER USEFUL SETTINGS ON THIS SPECIAL MENU

Thanks for the info. I would have never figured or found that. I'll try it out....thanks again!!

[AZBIMMER]

I tried the following, and was not able to reach the service menu. Any clarifications?

Azbimmer

To change your microphone volume for Bluetooth conversations or voice commands to your Lexus-

Access a service menu that is normally hidden:

1) Press and hold the INFO button for 5 seconds.

2) Toggle your parking lights switch on then off at least 5 times (inner-most rotator on the lights lever to the left of your steering wheel)

3) A service menu then shows on your screen.

4) Use on-screen buttons to navigate to the NAV Service menu, then "Bluetooth"

5) Adjust the microphone volume higher (default is 0). I went to 3 with good results.

6) Power off the car with the ignition button.

If you had the voice recognition prompt ("after the beep say a command") off, you have to turn it off again, since the microphone volume change also changes this.

THERE ARE NO OTHER USEFUL SETTINGS ON THIS SPECIAL MENU

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

I think I know the answer to this already but thought I would ask anyway....no way to enable the nav system to work while driving anywhere on any of the service screens? You probably got this question 50,000 times (and now 50001). Thanks.

[Peter350]

I tried the following, and was not able to reach the service menu. Any clarifications?

Azbimmer

To change your microphone volume for Bluetooth conversations or voice commands to your Lexus-

Access a service menu that is normally hidden:

1) Press and hold the INFO button for 5 seconds.

2) Toggle your parking lights switch on then off at least 5 times (inner-most rotator on the lights lever to the left of your steering wheel)

3) A service menu then shows on your screen.

4) Use on-screen buttons to navigate to the NAV Service menu, then "Bluetooth"

5) Adjust the microphone volume higher (default is 0). I went to 3 with good results.

6) Power off the car with the ignition button.

If you had the voice recognition prompt ("after the beep say a command") off, you have to turn it off again, since the microphone volume change also changes this.

THERE ARE NO OTHER USEFUL SETTINGS ON THIS SPECIAL MENU

I was able to adjust the volume but how do I turn off the "after the beep say a command" and just have it beep?

[Tango19]

I have a perfect transmission too. I suppose if you come to a forum where people come to ask about problems, you end up reading about problems.

I have an 08 ES. I think they added lighting to the cabin after the 07 model year. I really like the interior lighting as it can be used while driving at night without interior "glare" like my old car's cabin lighting had. I also love the way it fades up at night as soon as I touch the engine stop button.

I have nothing bad to say about the nav system. I put addresses in my preset buttons and select them at will while driving. My voice commands work well, and I can call up POI's easily. Of course, I don't use my car in my job. But with all due respect, the last thing I want to worry about is my wife driving home from work on the highway while a real estate agent, speeding along in oncoming traffic, is busy typing addresses into their dash board.

I have had one rattle develop, but I know where it is. It's caused by the little square insert directly under the seat belt anchor on the side pillar. If you touch the insert, it moves in and out freely. I slipped a tiny sliver of felt in the seam (doesn't show) and it stopped the slight rattle and buzz I had when I cranked my ML audio system. I'll have the dealer look at it, as I'm sure most all ES' must have the same issue.