Les Lex 2018

Latest on the new RX-500h. NICE!

The Honda Ridgeline RTL has cross track and will hold a lot of e-bikes and Solar Generators and camping equipment. My dealer has NO RX 350s to sell so he would probably give me a hug for canceling my order if I had one. I would not be w/o Cross-Trac and Blind Spot Mirror for any reason. In 4-years, CT and BSM have saved me from a few fender benders. You still have the trailer hitch / trailer option but even that option has its many problems. You lose full use of the Backup cam and Cross-Trac. Safety vs Fun...

Exactly, Dave! The technology and geo-politics are changing so fast that you really want to slow down and ask the what-ifs. And with all the extra weight in the various plug-ins, tires will wear faster and generate more heat. Can't forget the Ford Exploder that kept blowing out tires because Ford and Firestone could not settle on a reasonable weight limit for the specified tire (depending on which side you talk to, of course). Engineers are only human...

But then again, the RZ 450e with a 0-60 of 5.2 sec. would be great for mountain climbing, but the rumored range of only 225 miles and an out-the-door loaded price north of 70K would qualify it as a novelty. But, then, there’s a lot of money floating around California, where Lexus would be pushing / sending expensive electrics anyway.

Great that they are willing to work with you to find the problem, Charles. If Lexus is like Toyota, you can call the 1 800 number and file a request for assistance. They will assign an expert from your dealership who knows the area of concern. You can take him for a ride and show him the problem. If you can demonstrate the problem, he would do what it takes to fix it of course. If he claims that it is a known problem, ask him to get you the Tech Bulletin. The TSB should explain to them how to fix it. If there is no TSB, then you need to ask them to decide on what and how they are going to fix the demonstrated problem. That approach has worked well in the past.

The rear wheels in the Rx 450h are driven independently by an electric motor. So when the RX is coasting, the front and rear motors are generating power back to the Hybrid battery. With the system turned off, there should be an open/zero load on the motor generator so the motor offers no resistance (regenerative braking) to the wheels, but rather puts a drag on the rear wheels simply by spinning the motor constantly. So, unless they put some kind of clutch off those motors, they would cause Both motors to spin when the RX is towed. How that would effect the life span of your motors, only your Owners Manual knows for sure. Since there is only one motor, there must be drive shafts coming off both ends that could be removed.

Couple of reasons, Dave. Pre-owned vehicles take a hit after the warrantee run out because dealer and buyer have to pay for certification. At 3 1/2 years, it's easier to sell a vehicle that has a 4 year warrantee, so I believe. Just so happens that it falls into the next generation RX. With the 16 to 22s all looking alike, it's a good bet the 23 will be a bit more daring in its style. Huntsville is the fasted growing city in the state and my area is becoming gridlocked. Gas tax went up but the new roads are still on the drawing board. This in not a problem unique to our area. I believe more people will start driving hybrids. Down the road, it may be harder to trade an RX 350. Greenies might even slap a Gas Guzzler tax on it. I'm now getting about 18 MPG city due to long lights and heavy traffic. An NX 350h would put out 41 MPG city. That is also an option that spells resale value down the road. Thanks, Dave!

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.