C6 Chris

Try again and be sure to tap BETWEEN the horizontal lines, not the top/bottom of the monitor... I was able to do it, but what to do from here, I haven't a clue...

We have a new 2007 400h, have not tired it yet, but it sounds like it son't work. Any update on this?

My firend that owns a RX330 said he once knew how to do this, but has since "lost" the secret. Anyone know?

The only thing I could find was a drawing of the batteries on page 13 in this .pdf file that's called "Lexus RX400h Hybrid - Emergency Response Guide". I think it's supposed to be used by emergency response personnel when dealing with the vehicle after its been involved in an accident. I think I'll print it out and keep it in the glove box... Lexus RX400h Emergency Response Guide .pdf attached also... Jim Very Interesting, thanks for posting... How the heck did you find this?

Yeah, that's what I thought too, but our friends owns an AWD RX330 and it too has a flat floorboard in the back...

Just wondering how many there are and how big they are. I was pleasantly surprised with how little they affect interior space in the 400h. I understand this is not so in other hybrids like the Camry...

Ouch! :chairshot: Was yours one of the early ones? A 2006 or 2007?

Curious. What is your wife's reasoning for wanting a Range Rover?

I'm still a little confused with all this. Let me get this straight. The battery is being charged all the time when coasting and is evident by see the display indicating power going from the wheels to the battery. Regenerative Braking assists the stopping power by applying power to the electric motors to slow the car down Right? So how do you know when this is occuring? Can you tell by reading the displays or is it happening all the time when braking? If there is no visible indication, then how do you know when it is not working? Confused, but trying to understand... :-)

Thanks all for your valuable input! So the Vais Unit comes with Aux In, but the Lexus Unit does not? Interesting. I guess the Vais unit gets installed by a third party and not Lexus if I go this route. Sounds like yours hasn't been installed yet, so have you actually compared the two installs and confirm is they are functionally the same, except for the Aux-In? Also, where is the Aux-In actually installed in the car? Also, how does it work? Where is the button to switch between them?

Thanks for the reply. So there appears to be at least two solutions to add XM - THe Vaistech XM and the "Lexus XM Box". Is suspect Lexus does not make the unit that does this, does anyone know who makes theirs? Also, are they functionally the same?

I remember this and thought the same thing when they did this. Absolutely, a real issue that manufacturers need to consider. Guess that's why the 2007 RX400H prominently displays the HYBRID tag on the sides. Lexus listened to the 2006 Owners!

We just got our RX400H at $500 over Invoice ($5000 below MSRP) and we are in the SF Bay Area. This is how we got this great price. First I wrote an email listing the minimum options, in our case, White and NAVI, and offered $500 over invoice and said we were ready to pay today in cash. I then went to Lexus and emailed every dealer within 100 miles of us the same email. I received a response from every one, some didn't have the color and the ones that did would not go that low. Most were $1500 over invoice and one was $1000 over. However, one called and met my price over the phone. The cool thing is that there was no haggling.... If ther couldn't do it, they said so, if they could then they followed through. Hate to tell everyone this "secret" way of getting a great price, but when you go to Lexus Dealers, one thing is very clear - there is ALOT of money being made by the Dealers!

Just curious to see how current owners reply to this poll.

I cannot believe a car of this caliber does not come with Satelite Radio (but does come with a button labeled SAT). :chairshot: I have talked to several dealers and received price quotes of $700 - $1000. Don't know the brand of the equipment, but thought you folks here could give me your input on what works what doesn't. Or what to look our for...:whistles:

Did you figure this problem out? I presume you have the rear seat entertainment and so had your laptop plugged into the 110V outlet in the back?

The regenerative braking is the electric motors acting as generators which will recharge the battery while slowing the vehicle. You will both hear a whine from the motors and see the green arrows on the energy screen (with the nav system) pointing to the battery from both the front and rear motors along with the energy "tach" residing in the blue area. The friction brakes are the usual pad/rotor brakes that the ABS will control like on any modern vehicle. If you are light on the brakes, you can nearly stop the vehicle on just the electric motors. If you press hard, you will get both the electric motors and traditional brakes working together. Press really hard, below 35 mph, and you can get the tires locked up and the car stopped before the ABS kicks in. :whistles: (The passenger was asking for it!) The problem I'm having with my vehicle is that the electric motors will stop braking (for no clear reason - excluding a dip/bump) leaving just the pads/rotors to stop the vehicle. The main problem with this is the stopping power is reduced and the stopping distance is increased unless I compensate by pressing harding on the brake petal. I'm curious if others are having the same issue with the updated transmission code. Thanks for the explanation, but the electric motor will act as a generator irregardless of whether the car is braking or not - I think this is fundamental to all electric motors. I have heard the term Regenerative Braking, but thought it was more of a generic term to describe this basic electrical characteristic of electric motors and the reduction in speed associated with the resistance provided due to having to turn the electric motors. Anyways, perhaps there is more to it; does the car actually use the magnets in the motor to apply braking power to the wheels? If so, then 1) I don't know why they would call this "regenerative braking" since it probably reduces battery power and 2) now I can see the delicate balance the computer must use to balance between braking provided by the motors and braking provided by the pads. BTW, how are the brake pads powered in this car? I suspect there is no hydraulic fluid or maybe there is and pressure is maintain using an electrical pump?

Sorry, but I really can't shed any light on your question - I'm too new to my RX400h. But I am curious about better understanding the issue of regenerative braking and "friction" braking; are these two different braking systems in our car? Also, how do you know when one system or the other is on?

Thank you all for your helpful insights! I am looking forward to being a new member of your "Club" :P Too bad about there not being a book on this specific car. This is my wifes car and my car is the new C6 Corvette and previous to that the C5 Corvette. (For those Hybrid Owners our there, the C5 & C6 Corvettes get 28 mpg (30 mpg at 60mph) on the freeway and 19 in the city, not bad for 400 hp) Anyways, there are lots of books on the Corvettes over the years, but one in particular is on the C5 (1997-2004) Corvette and is called "All Corvettes are Red". The book talks about how the car almost got cut from the lineup, how the C5 Corvette was conceived, its success, the technology behind it (balsa wood in the floor, hyrdoplaned formed rails etc.) and the political movements within GM during this time. I imagine a similar scenario played out at Toyota as many different ways of solving various systems were discussed, tested and then implemented. Anyways, would make for an interesting read... Unfortunately, I guess that if it is ever written, it may be in Japanese. :whistles:

We just took delivery of our White AWD 400h this afternoon. Got a great deal and transaction went smooth. Since then we have driven about a 120 miles mostly on the freeway. Haven't been through all the manuals, but a few questions have popped up that I am sure you enthusiasts may be able to shed some light on. 1. RX-400H BOOK - Is there a book available that talks about the development and technology behind this car? I would love to read a book-length story about this car. 2. HYBRID BATTERY - After driving over the hill to dinner, I noticed that battery charged to almost full, but not quite. After dinner, we noticed that the battery now registered less than 50% full. Is this normal? Does not seem right. Also, does the Hybrid Icon ever register full? 3. BREAK IN - The engine seems to kick in at times when the battery is full and we are slowly accelerating to low speed, ie, <30mph. I thought this was the perfect time for 100% battery. Perhaps this and the previous issue is related to break-in of the hybrid system? 4. DRIVE TRAIN LASH - I don't know what to call this, except this. I noticed that when cruising at a constant speed, that a minor uneven thrust is felt, kinda like a minor version of giving it gas, then letting off, then on, then off. Is this normal? 5. LEXUS PREPAID MAINTENANCE - Did you guys go for this with your car? $4000 for 4 years of maintenance seemed steep, so we passed at purchase, but we still have a chance to add it later. The kicker with this dealer is that they would pick up and drop off the car on a flat-bed and they included an Extended Warranty to 7 years... The last part was only if bought at time of original purchase. 6. FINISH PROTECTANT - For $1500, they offered an protector package that included insdde and out protectant install with detailing annually for five years. Again, we told them we would have to think about it...

When I bought my 2001 Corvette and later my 2006 Corvette, I was disappointed with the local Dealers who didn't have the specific car and was determined to sell their Vettes at MSRP, sometimes higher or at best, just a bit lower. So, with the help of CorvetteForum.com, I was able to locate a dealer in the midwest who I sold me the specific car I wanted at a great price. The key was what is called a Courtesy Delivery. The selling dealer never took delivery of the car, instead it was sent directly to a local dealer, who charged $300-500 to take delivery, besides that cost, there was no other costs associated with this type of purchase. The bottom line, is that this method allowed me to get the car I wanted at a price that was not inflated by the local market. Anyways, does Lexus have something like this? Am I likely to get a better deal this way or will local dealers sell me a 400h at anything near invoice?