Les Lex 2018

Yeh Dave? I found an Edmonds site that lists those rides that require Premium and those that just recommend it. Up to 2017, the RX 350h did not require Premium gas. A lot of Lexus rides do require premium. No data listed after 2017. I think my trusted salesman has been blowing smoke up my tailpipe. I always believed that the cutoff between the use of Premium had to do with the compression ratio. Hi compression engines need the higher octane. In low-compression engines, devices have been invented to avoid the clatter. I have the 2022 full line brochure on the Lexus models and the window sticker from one. And no where does it give the engine model names for any of the rides. So I don't know how you can tell which models use engines with what compression ratios, unless you own one and have the manual.

No pinging? Interesting! Initial release of the 2023 Next Gen RX will not be discounted at all, due to higher demand, probably until after the 2024s come in. Existing 350s will be old gen, so will take the traditional hit in resale value because of that. But then, the fact that the V6 is gone after 2022, may keep the demand up for older V6 models. May have to wait to see how many bugs have to be fixed on the new RX-350 platform, which is presently used on the Highlander. Have to wait and see how people react to getting the I-4 engine in an RX 350.

OK Dave: I’m due to jump up to the next Gen Lexus SUV in about a year. It almost has to be a hybrid because the Greenies have won the battle to get 5 and 6 dollar gas. But if the NX 350h and RX 350h continue to use only premium gas, It’s over. I’ll go grab a lowly RAV 4 before I’ll pay for Premium gas in anything. Premium is not always available at the gas stations and it’s 60 to 70 cents higher than Low Test. My last RAV 4 was "Just sort of OK" but it ran on Regular...

Hi Chuck! I have the same RX you have. The camera used for lane assist in not under the emblem but uses the one in your windshield. Since the electric steering is used to adjust steering based on road markings detected by the camera, getting the system calibrated seems about right. IF you replace a cracked windshield, same thing I heard. What does Toyota want to do the alignment "When" you actually need one?

That beautiful Mark Levinson sound/information system in the RX is really manufactured by Harman International Industries, Harman Kardon (HK), a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics. HK Products are generally made in China. Maybe other places. Samsung production can be found throughout S.E.A. Gracenote, Inc provides the metadata and a lot of the software and apps, probably. The Owners Manual that Lexus had published for the unit is awesome, IMHO. Yes, I would buy it again...

Oh, ya, Dave! Working in your neck of the woods, I wrote a ton of Engineering Change Orders. We could develop on-board electronic that allow the vehicle to diagnose all problem down to a component and send that info to the diagnostic print out, but the cost to Lexus would put them at an even greater disadvantage over other manufacturers. With the chip shortage, I am not surprised that they don't keep a good unit in stock. The New Vehicle market is so crazy, now, that there is not a single RX 350 for sale at my dealership. There are like a dozen 350s listed but they are all sold in-transit. In other words, folks are getting in line and taking what they can get before it leaves Canada. Knowing what they must of had to pay to snag an RX, I wonder how many of them care what a new windshield will cost them (including built in camera) should they get too close to a gravel truck? There goes that deductible. NX-350? Forget it! Can't even get in line... Don't know what they look like except for pictures, Dave. Thanks Mr. Pain for responding. Congrats on being an Engineer.

If you do have a problem, you'll get a Nasty Gram from Lexus Enform telling you that your oil is low. Great the you have a backup plan... Let me know if they will give you another free oil change at far less than the 10,000 miles interval. I forgot to ask!.

Can you still use voice control? If you say "Show Radar", will it respond even though it can't display the results? Your display is still powered if you get camera display. That display is driven by a video processor just like the one in your home PC. That processor is driven by the Entertainment system computer chip that is the heart of what your dealer calls "the radio". It displays selections and reads your selection to decide what to do next, like play the CD, etc. Your engine computer is just fine cause your car is running fine. So, without replacement parts, There is no way to go probing into these systems. No one does that anymore. I started troubleshooting integrated computer systems way back in 1965 (before the IBM PC), and we had to isolate down to a chip. No more of that. With a system this complicated, you get into trouble using logic to figure out what part is bad. Sometimes its a bad crimp on a connector pin or a spread pin not making good contact (a techs worst nightmare). Memory chips can be isolated using a total stereo replacement swap out. Unit goes back to the Mfg where they do have complex expensive test equipment that can do a pass/fail which tells the tech exactly which board to replace. He has no idea how your stereo computer system works, he just replaces which board the computer equipment tells him to. Sorry I could not be of help, but hope the above helps you at least understand how the entire industry deals with complex electronics. Last time I checked, all the cars you just mentions now have the exact same caliber of information/stereo systems that you have, and they are all made in the same places, like China. Once in a great while "Stuff Happen".

Like you, I put on about the same miles. So what I have been doing is going in for the first service about 18 months after I buy. Lexus does the rotation, tire pressure check, diagnostics and oil change plus a good car wash. Now you got about 18 plus months before you need to do your hands on DIY service. That puts you into 2025. So you got lots of time to figure out The who, what and where for stocking up on parts. Pitty the fool that commutes 50 miles one-way to work...

Just from personal experience, you need to be able to define, show / demonstrate the problem before using the consumer protection laws put in place here. Why? When you get into areas like comfort, noise, handling, ride, smell, appearance, etc., those are subjective senses that don't lend themselves well to quantifications that lead to a pass/fail criteria which can then be used to arbitrates a successful conclusion and solution. The Lemon Law arbitrator is suppose to be independent and fair to both sides. So I wonder if an arbitrator would even take the case if it involved issues subject to personal interpretation. In such a case, it helps if/for the seller to do some quick PR and swap out the seat anyway, right? Just looking at both sides.

You got one more free full service oil change / checkup and tire rotation. It's not cheap if you had to pay out of pocket. I know cause they tried to bill me before they realized I was one day short of the 18 month cut off. Enjoy the 350, Anthony....

OK, I see you did get it new. No, I have not seen that before either. May have a ring turn on you but you could tell if that happened. You have free maintenance on that... Lower right side of your window sticker.

Great, Ralphy! People love that CarPlay. I don't need it cause I stream all the music off of an 8 GB flash drive and have the onboard Nav system for direction. Calls are linked thru the iPhone via blue tooth. So, some day, I may figure out a reason why I need to have it.

Page 58 of your 2020 Multimedia system owner's manual, last line says: Step 2: Connect the device to the USB port. Having to plug and unplug a cable on my Apple phone seems like "Extra Work", especially when I forget my phone in the car when it isn't stuffed in my pocket.

Thanks, Dave! Not to worry, Sain. The way it works from my own experience: you contact the dealer and request that the District Manager take your case. He makes his rounds to your dealer bi-monthly or there about. He has to look at your problem and rule on it. Lemon Law applies to used cars under OM Warrantee. IF he can't fix it after so many attempt, he and you mutually decide on what happens next. No reason to fight over the outcome. If you can't agree on the decision made. You ask for mandatory arbitration as called out in your sales contract. Lexus should set up the arbitration for you, as I recall with Toyota. Arbitration did not cost me anything but that's been many years ago. Arbitration board will decide on who is in the right and who is not. I'm am NOT advising you to use the Lemon Law or to take any specific coarse of action. I'm just telling you that your sales contract will give you all the information you should need to solve your problem. I won my case, by the way. They took the car back and back payed all my car payments. Great people!!!

Interesting Note: I left my El Cheap dash cam plugged in when I took my T Cam in for scheduled service. When I got it back, I was shocked at what I found recorded. They drove the vehicle from one shop to another with the hood up going from oil to tire rotation. Crazy! The mechanic talked about being drunk the nite before, and on and on. Point being, you can lear an awful lot about how your ride is treated by leaving the Cam on, ha ha...

Hi Dave! It's rare to find a 21 on the lot, in my experience because it's can't be a lease and folks just don't trade that quick. The 21 and 20 RX are dang near identical and I have no such problems with noise at 70 MPH Interstate, understanding that "NOISE" is always subjective. Might ask the dealer to show you the tech bulletin, Sain. Otherwise, if the windshield has been replaced, they might not have used the low wind noise OEM glass. Check the part number. Too early to have gasket/seal problems, unless it was a poor repair job or something.

This bit of FYI is printed on the RX 350 window sticker on the new 2022 RX: Quote... Lexus Enform Safety Connect, Service Connect, Remote, Wi-Fi Trials. 4G network dependent. This trial period on their Inform site said 24 months free.

Google search : extra beeps unlocking Lexus. Lots of people with that problem, Wayne. Some talk of sticking door actuators. So not all doors locking or unlocking per the program. I'm surprised that he didn't look at the computer and check the readout for an error code. Either way It can't be normal. Reason: the computer is monitoring / reacting to the process of unlocking the vehicle. A programmer would never program the computer to arbitrarily decide to change the number of beeps because he feels like it. It's the program telling you that something unexpected has occurred. Lexus has access to computer flow charts that would tell them every reason for changing the number of beeps. The hard part is getting them to take the complaint seriously and actually look it up. It took Toyota about a year to research a problem where their manual was wrong (not updated when the model was updated). As a result, me not being able to use a needed USB function. They sent me a nice check for the time and effort needed to find their error.

Go to the net and watch a few Police chases where you will hear a sound from the engine when he tromps on the gas following a sharp curve. That's the same sound coming from my RX and most likely yours. Depending on the air intake air filter design, the sound being emitted is coming from the intake valves opening and closing which gets transmitted from the intake manifold thru the throttle valve, then thru the air filter and out the air scoop up front. That particular sound that I am hearing is perfectly normal. If an air filter could be designed like a muffler, you would not hear that sound. I kind a like the sound. If that does not make sense, Chrissy, take your dealer's mechanic for a ride.

Lane keep assistance (LKA) is not reliable especially around curves. I tried it a few times on the 18 RX. Don’t like it and don’t use it on the 2020 RX. The wife gets excited when I take my hands off the wheel. But if I used it the way it weaved within the lane, the Cops would have pulled me over for sure. I’ll try to test the 2020 and report back. The entertainment system's radio tuning display is incongruent. I did not see that problem. MP-3 music was great. The climate control display is not the most intuitive. You are right, a lot of functions went to software and made in complicated. The dual climate control segregation could be better buffered for the front seats. I thought it was fine. Carplay is not available. Do the post-2018 models have wireless navigation app interfaces like Carplay and music streaming? Yes for Carplay.. With all my 6000 tunes on one USB, I do not use streaming. 360-degree view. Is this feature available for the 2022 model? You have to play the “Package” game to get that. Hard to find…. The parking radar was and is so perfect that all you have to do is watch for the warnings. Try to hit a post with the 18 and 20. It stops you dead in your tracks. Same for backing out or lane changes. No need for 360 view. Ride quality on rough roads (as is common in Houston) could be better. As a comparison, the ride quality in a RAM 1500 truck on rough roads is smoooooth. A Lexus luxury vehicle should not be bested by a pickup truck for heaven's sake. You have the concept somewhat wrong. You can’t please Car and Driver with handling by designing a SUV that rides like a 6000 pound Lincoln Continental. The use of thin 20 inch tires guarantees you a stiff ride of sorts. If you put 500 pounds of cement bags in the cargo area, the ride would be improved. The Ram is heavier than the RX. You can't compare the two. Go with 18 wheels rated for comfort if that’s your thing. But it will hurt your resale value. i.e. Don’t fiddle with the O.E.M config. Software updates. Does Lexus offer continuous over-the-air updates like Tesla? Never needed one. For comparison, can anybody offer a personal experience of the RX350 vs Tesla Model Y? No, the Y has been declared io be somewhat less than reliable? Thanks for asking...

Which NX is a better choice for the money - the NX 450h hybrid, or the NX 450h+ Plug-in hybrid? The h+ costs roughly 11 to 15 thousand dollars more due to the addition of the added battery pack. The h weighs in at 4,475 lb which is 364 lb lighter than the h+. So the h+ when driven without charging from a charging port gets poorer gas milage than the hybrid due to the extra weight. The h+ battery holds the equivalent of one gallon of gasoline, since it will go 37 miles on a charge and would get 37 MPG if the battery was not charged and the engine was used instead. A Level 1 charger (typical in a garage with a 110V wall outlet) will replenish your EV’s battery with about 4 to 5 miles range per hour, or 10 hours to complete the job. I estimate that at 1200 Watts draw, the electricity will cost about $1.20 and will replace a gallon of $3.75 Premium gas for a net saving of $2.55 a day, when used. But, that kind of power usage daily will push me into a higher utility rate for electricity. And the most you can save on a commute is a gallon of gas because you can’t charge the h+ on the way to work. So if you have to drive more than 18 miles oneway to work, the remainder of the difference is running at about 37 MPG / engine only where as the h is getting better MPG cause it is lighter. And will it effect my homeowners insurance rates due to the inclusion of a bigger hybrid pack? I’d have to ask the agent. I’d require a 135 degree, Rate-of-Rise Temperature detector above the vehicle tied to a contact close on a wireless sender to the Alarm system and programmed to the Fire port to dial the Fire Dept. in case the battery pack overheats and burns. Parts cost only is about $100 if you DIY and already have an alarm system. Finally, I have a hard time believing that someone would pay about 14000 more for basically the same functional packages and then mess with plugging and unplugging it constantly, just to save a few dollars a day just to make up for the higher car payment. Penny wise and pound foolish? Conclusion: If a slightly faster Quarter mile is what I absolutely got to have, then the h+ (if it ever gets here) would be the logical pick.

Maybe not, But... The 2020 RX added a button in the back hatch, next to the button that closes the hatch. So the RX unlocks everything when I open the hatch. IF I press the [Padlock closed] icon button next to the original [close hatch] button, it locks everything and closes the hatch all at one time. That button was not on my 18 RX.

Good information to know about the UK, John. All warrantees have fine print of course. But, in general, drivetrain warrantees do not cover engine and electrical here. Even Bumper-to-Bumper warrantees do not cover everything, especially maintainable items like spark plugs, etc. I got a drivetrain warrantee on a well used Caddy Seville. It developed a clanging sound when I put it in gear. Dealer gladly put it on the rack and fixed the problem (labor cost at my expense). Reason? A bolt had come loose on the transmission. Had the bolt come out and the transmission failed, they would have had to cover the entire expense, no deductible. The Devil is always in the details.

Most dealers sell older vehicles "AS IS" so there is no implied warrantee. If her shop mechanic is not experienced enough to pinpoint the cause of the power variation during a test drive, he can put it on the Dynamometer, and plug it into the diagnostic analyzer. If the diagnostic verifies there is a serious problem, Then you go thru the process of elimination: plugs out of spec, gummed up injectors, too rich or too lean due to computer /sensor loop adjustments, Air Filter? Lots of elements in the drive train to inspect.