retired00

Errr, this is the hybrid thread? The 400h doesn't come in models FWD / AWD. The rear axle has no physical connection to the ICE. Thus AWD is all you get w/ the 400h. 2WD or AWD. Only them's is the choice. :) FWD is the accepted term for Front Wheel Drive, which is what I have. Check the Lexus web site.

WTF? Very vague! Can you elaborate? Have any experience with the Proxies or just Toyo's in general? Different user, but I also developed a lot of noise on Proxes TPT on a 2003 MB E320 after about 17,000 miles. They still had plenty of tread but I could not take the noise. Pressures, alignment, balance, and rotation were all fine but I had to get rid of them purely for the noise.

You may find in your area, like mine, the AWD is not readily available on dealer lots in parts of the south. For the weather we experience, I have been very satisfied with the FWD and the standard VSC on this car and others in weather, including snow or icy streets. The "premium" on trade later will also depend on your area. Ask the dealer what their mix of FWD AWD sales is for the 400h.

Use dental floss, and a little WD40 if it needs to be lubricated to aid removal. The WD or a specific 3M adhesive remover will work on the residue, then wax. Shield the surrounding area if you use the WD or 3M.

Actually I have overhead salespersons tell customers that "B" mode stands for battery and it increases the hybrid battery recharge rate. In the few cases I have stepped in and challenged this statement there was one time that the salesman called a service technician who verified the salesman's statement to be true. Page 414, left column of the 2006 RX400h drivers manual... "{B} Using engine braking. (picture) To use engine braking intentionally, downshift the transmission to "B" position and take your foot off the accelerator pedal. During high speed driving you may feel that engine braking is less effective than that of an ordinary vehicle. Do not continue normal driving with the transmission in "B" for a long time. This may cause decreased fuel economy." While not exactly explicit the last sentence clearly implies that the use of "B" mode will degrade the ability to use regenerative braking for recovering energy. and in the previous paragraph, in the "D" section, it leads into this section by saying it's for use on long downhill grades.

The Goodyear tire is a fine tire, but its wear rating (on the sidewall--not a "warranty" but a relative treadwear rating) is low compared to some others. It's a balance of ride and handling when mixing the compound, and the Goodyear Eagle is just not a high mileage tire compound. Some other Goodyears are long wearing. Since you make no reference to how often you check your tires or the pressure you keep them at, mileage will vary based on how well you care for them. 8500 is within possibility for a tire that is not well inflated or improperly aligned (either initially or after road impacts). I would say you got off very well financially for 4 new Michelins, and if you don't already, I'd start checking the tire pressure and wear pattern weekly, and keep them at at least 32 psi, 35 if you are OK with the ride. Tires only have material and workmanship warranties, not wear or road hazard unless advertised as such.

Actually, side air bags are in the side of the seatback on every car that has them now, to my knowledge. The idea of mounting them in the door panel ceased a few years ago.

some info from the '06 manual: Even if the wiper lever is in the “AUTO” position, the system will switch to variable intermittent operations in the following conditions: When the windshield gets extremely cold (at less than –10C [14F]) When the system malfunctions However, when the windshield gets extremely hot (at more than 90C [194F]), the wipers do not operate even if the wiper lever is in the “AUTO” position. When the ignition switch is turned off with the wiper lever in the “AUTO” position, and then the ignition switch is turned on again, the automatic operation may not work even if raindrops are on the windshield. In this case, move the lever to another position and return it to the “AUTO” position again

Basically, on your meter, you'll see the power arrow flowing to the battery and the dash gauge will dip below zero into blue. That indicates the drag caused by the motors and powering the generator. That's the regeneration of power. When you're stopping in a panic, there's never going to be much regeneration because the wheels are stopped or braking at threshold, so there's less wheel rotation/regeneration. If you did not have ABS and had all 4 locked in a skid, there'd be none. On the Lexus site, there's a link for How Hybrids Work mid page in a box, I think it will give some insight. Braking simply says when coasting or braking it stores electrical energy. The focus is on regeneration of power, not on braking, so when the term "regenerative braking" is used I think in terms of "regeration of power while braking." (I'm probably making this far simpler than it is, given the whole process is run by the no-doubt big $$$ Power Control Box, but the concept is what's important to me.)

I agree with you on this, rather than what is often characterized here as first we use regenerative braking, then the discs are engaged when needed. The brake pedal or simply lifting off the gas signals the planetary gear to engage the motor as a generator, providing resistance as it charges the battery, which helps slow the vehicle, but the brake pedal also engages the disc brakes using plain old hydraulic pressure from your reservoir. The more pedal pressure, the more braking is applied. The meters on the dash do display regenerative charge, and if none is occurring then either the meter or the engagement of the planetary gear is failing, and you'll likely feel less coast-down drag. The Lexus site has a good animated graphic of how the entire system functions.

I can offer some insight, after 7 months with mine: 1. No book that I know of, but the web and the Lexus sight have a good deal of how it works data, not sure I've ever seen a history book. 2. The battery indicator goes up and down all during your trips, will probably go from high to low in a couple miles of slow driving with mostly electric. It will register full on rare occasions, but maximum life is better induced within a range above empty and below full. 3. The car decides, basically, not you. Degree of acceleration, speed, battery charge, need for engine heat for the cat converter or radiator, etc. Sometimes I'll notice 100% battery use on a slow route, and the same route the next time has the engine on to supplement. Don't overthink it, is what I've decided. I'm getting 30 mpg around town, just what I wanted and that's how I monitor its use of the battery. 4. I don't notice any of that but some people have mentioned it. It is a CVT so it's never really "locked up" like a conventional transmission in overdrive. 5. Each person has to do his own math, I don't keep cars that long nor have an issue with getting it to them for service. 6. Meguiars NXT is a great wax, lets you check the finish yourself, and is a nice weekend detailing chore that takes less than 4 hours--which you should probably do at least 3 times a year, not once. The Lexus paint looks great after a coat. Leatherique makes great leather cleaning products. Both for much less than $1500 IMHO.

I'd take your cup of coffee along to the dealer's, ask for a tech or service advisor to ride with you and go where you feel the problem. If they say it's normal, ask to ride in another new car on the lot to compare. You definitely should not have any bounce unrelated to road surface irregularities.

The system operates when the vehicle speed rises above 30 km/h (18 mph), and stops when the vehicle speed drops below 5 km/h (3 mph). It's in the manual. 5 R and 15 L is correct. It's on the web site.

Could you just be hearing the leather rubbing between the 3 backrest pieces of the back seat where they touch? I put a little Leatherique on the surfaces and cured it, but it had occurred first in warm weather.

Probably the best tactic is to give them a chance to make it right before you return the survey, and tell them what the problem is. Tell the sales or service manager directly. The surveys are important, and I do not believe they are anonymous. They are not on US Chrysler products.

maximum load per tire, on the sidewall: 1709 lbs per tire, 6836 total. Edge wear is inflation related as well as driving style.

The Goodyear tires are only sidewall rated for a treadwear of 260, versus 400 on the Michelin MXV on my Toyota, so it's not all the car's fault, nor Goodyear's--it's really the choice they made in putting that lower wearing tire on the car in the first place. There are longer wearing Goodyears, as well as other brands. Those ratings do give pretty good relative wear ratings, although I'm not sure what the 100 wear "standard" is supposed to equal in miles.

I don't think you'll see any car drawing the air intake for the ventilation and heating system from the rear of the car! In fact, you're warned not to drive with the hatch open for just that reason. The intake is just below the windshield, and the same air is drawn for vent, heat, or a/c. Just make sure that area is clear of debris.

Just go to www.lexus.com and you can build and price what's available. There is no hybrid yet, to my knowledge.

What did you do with the dead battery? Back a while ago, someone mentioned that you should never "jump" the starting battery. Dave You can jump start it, with the usual precautions (pg 495 '06 400h manual): "If the auxiliary battery is discharged, the hybrid system can be started by jump starting. Depending on the vehicle condition, however the engine may not start. Before jump starting, remove the engine compartment cover. (See “Removing the engine compartment covers” on page 538.) To avoid serious injury and damage to your vehicle which might result from an explosion of the auxiliary battery, acid burns, electrical burns, or damaged electronic components, follow instructions carefully."

It was Thanksgiving, and they asked you to come back Monday. I think that's reasonable. Give them a chance to satisfy you. The car is certainly not out of service, and it is a holiday.

One answer may be simple: The Goodyear Eagle RS-A on mine only has a treadwear rating on the sidewall of 260. I have an '06 Avalon, as well, with a Michelin MXV4 S-8 that has a 400 treadwear rating. The tire just is not a long-wearing model. I had the same Goodyear tire on a Mercedes sedan in the past and it only got 17k miles. As I mentioned before, it is not uncommon for Tire manufacturers to supply car manufacturers with good-handling (therefore, soft, sticky thread), and quiet tires that do not last long. The manufacturers know full well that the tires perform well only for a short number of miles; chances are, they are getting them at a low price. A Discount tire salesman told me that most tire manufacturers make tires like this - some Michelins last only 10-15,000 miles, but perform extremely well while they last. It is really unfair to single out one manufacturer. Goodyear makes very long-lasting tires that are consistently top-rated by magazines such as Car & Driver and Consumer Reports. I have had excellent experiences with Their GS D3 tires. Dave I really don't think I did "single out one manufacturer". I singled out the Goodyear Eagle RS-A with a treadwear rating of 260. Same tire I had on a 2001 Mercedes. Just a low treadwear rated tire.

I assume you have the same catalytic converter we have in the US, and it must be maintained at a hot temperature in order to work on exhaust emissions, so it calls for the gas engine to run in order to keep the converter hot. I think that may be what you're seeing, so the colder it is and the shorter your trip, the more it would call for the gas engine. Later in the day, the outside temp will assist with the process and the converter will warm faster.

One answer may be simple: The Goodyear Eagle RS-A on mine only has a treadwear rating on the sidewall of 260. I have an '06 Avalon, as well, with a Michelin MXV4 S-8 that has a 400 treadwear rating. The tire just is not a long-wearing model. I had the same Goodyear tire on a Mercedes sedan in the past and it only got 17k miles.

It's improved from the early Corvette version. I have SmartKey on an Avalon and I have no idea about the "how" but the Toyota SmartKey only unlocks the door or trunk when you grip a door handle while the key is on your person--and only starts when the key is inside the car. It's hard to fool, and sometimes won't unlock if you use only a couple fingers on the handle. The manual shows receiver ranges around the car for the various operations. Convenient, neat, but not a must have for me. It will probably be there on the RX in an option group in the next generation.