RX400h

I have a strong suspicion that the problems you are having has something to do with the theft. I have been reading posts in this Forum since before the RX400h was released and I have never heard of such an issue. Please tell your wife that it is very rare that a Porsche is more reliable than a Lexus. The 911s are particularly trouble-prone, according to Consumer Reports.

Holy cow! Does this mean no suction-cup mounted radar detectors either? Tom Apparently, you can mount it in the upper center area of your windshield. I still think that it is highly unlikely that the police will stop you if your electronic device is not within a 5-inch square area. (another silly law)

Garmin's discliamer is clearly aimed at reducing their liabilty for any damages (fines) that their CA and MN customers may incur by mounting the GPS on the windshield. Which is understandable, but is incorrect regarding suction cups given the CA code as written. However, one is subject to fines for improper placement. The 5" square area on lower drivers side seems to be the only "legal" spot, but I could make a case for the lower center (at least on the RX) since you would only be blocking your view of the top of the dash... which meets the "spirit and intent" of the law. Lucky for me, my GPS screen is built in ;) My GPS is built-in as well. I found that disclaimer when looking for accessories for my Dad's Garmin Nuvi 660. By the way, it is a nice unit, but not quite as nice as our system.

Here's where I saw the "statement": https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=1347 I, too, believe some "safety" rules are getting out-of-hand. You can have sunglasses in a center console cubby, take a quick turn and have them fall underneath the brake pedal, but you can't have a suction cup-mounted device? What's next? <_<

Well that looks interesting, although technically Californians cannot have any electronic device attached to their windshields with suction cups. Do they have other ways of mounting it? How about visibility? It does look like it blocks some.

Did you post this in the Lexus RX300 / Lexus RX330 / Lexus RX350 Forums? I understand that the non-hybrid RX350 is similar to the RX400h in many ways, but to be honest, I haven't seen any complaints regarding speedometer and/or odometer accuracy in this forum. How far off is your vehicle's speed and distance measurement?

I suggest 34-36 psi. The 30 psi listed in the manual and on the door jam sticker is incorrect. (Many of us learned the hard way!)

As a reminder, you don't have to buy oversize tires to notice an improvement over the OEM Goodyears. Quite often, worn tires are noisey and harsh when compared to their brand-new state. My Bridgestone Alenzas are stock size and handle incredibly well. Somehow, I have a feeling that the procedure you mentioned does not recalibrate everything related to tire-related calculations. Of course, I could be wrong...

There's an additive, as well, at auto stores. Put the contents in the tank, and drive it. I used it many years ago on an 83 MB diesel. We drove low annual mileage and the engine developed detonation. Literally, after about 20 miles with the additive in the tank, it stopped the detonation and it never returned. Good stuff, but if you already use Chevron it would be overkill unless you're trying to cure a problem. I agree, although you could save quite a bit of money by pumping Arco gas and then using a can of concentrated Techron every so often. Chevron gas is expensive compared to most other brands.

Your problem appears to be rare among us RX400h owners. Another thing I should mention is that anytime you know you won't be driving a vehicle for more than one month, you should add fuel stabilizer to the gas. This prevents the gas from getting "sour", which tends to wreak havoc on components that come into contact with it. I throw a can of Techron in the gas tank of each of my 4 vehicles at least once per year. It does work! Dave

I know that high-sulfer fuel has been blamed for many a gauge/sender unit malfunction in C5 Corvettes. Many have resolved the issue by pouring a can of Techron in their tank. California already has low-sulfer fuel, but perhaps other states do not? ....just a thought.

Guys, some forums have an "Off-Topic" section that allows almost any type of discussion. This forum does not, so in order to avoid animosity about a subject that was not the main topic of this post (thankfully), I think it's time for this post to end. Dave

Keep in mind that the factory-specified tire pressure recommendation that is listed in the manual and on a door jamb sticker is incorrect. The correct pressure should be 34-36 psi at approx. 70 degrees, before driving. The best I could do was to get free mounting and balancing after my tires were worn out at the inner and outer edges after 18,000 miles. When you get new tires, ignore the factory pressure spec; your tires will last much longer. I recommend the Bridgestone Alenzas - excellent tires and highly rated by the Tirerack customers.

I guess the possibilities are endless and we may see some or all of what you mention, W. For an efficient, yet somewhat powerful sedan, the Camry Hybrid is stellar, IMO. Ah, but we are getting a bit off-topic again. What happened to the snow country comments. Maybe the original poster received enough information...... Dave

Okay, let's not get too far off-topic here. Debating whether global warming is real or not can easily get out of hand, so why don't we back away from this issue - at least here. The gas prices here are expected to go up to $4.00 or more, this Summer and I think that's reason enough to have a hybrid SUV. Thanks, Dave

I am still somewhat amazed that Jeeps are still selling, given their less than stellar repair history (according to Consumer Reports and neighbors who had them). I guess their two advantages are their off-road ability and their cost. Still, I will always remember my neighbor's comments about his Grand Cherokee: "Every time I look underneath it, I see another leak!" The RX400h is light-years ahead as far as fuel economy, quality, and reliability - well worth the extra cost, IMO.

Many OEM tires wear out far more quickly than aftermarket versions, even by the same manufacturer. This is why I stayed away from the OEM tires when it comes time for replacement. Still, one might assume that the Michelins are longer-lasting compared to the OEM Goodyears, but as I mentioned previously, it is those Goodyears that are made of a very soft compound, not the aftermarket Goodyears, which have been highly rated by many magazines and Tirerack buyers.

I bring up the warranty issue because many header manufacturers state in their warranty that it is voided if the headers are wrapped with a thermal barrier. I had Doug Thorley headers in my 68 Corvette and I remember seeing this warning. I can theorize why this is so. Stainless steel will corrode quite easily if moisture and anaerobic conditions are present. Let's say you take a piece of 316 stainless steel and immerse it in a pool of water. It should remain pristine as long as its passivation "layer" is exposed to moving water. Now take that same piece and bolt a plastic washer to it. After only a few weeks, the stainless steel surface that is under the washer will exhibit pitting corrosion. Perhaps if the entire exhaust pipe is hermetically sealed so that absolutely no moisture may enter, the stainless steel would remain pristine. However, chances are that a wrap of some sort may not completely seal the surface underneath it, allowing crevice (pitting) corrosion to occur. So the key is to seal the pipes so well that no water could possibly wick its way in and underneath the "barrier". Dave

Excellent writeup! However, I think I would research into this application a bit further, as most header manufacturers will void their warranty if thermal wraps are applied. Apparently, the metal used for exhaust headers is designed to radiate heat outward to help cool the metal itself. Barrier coatings are sometimes used as stated: Thermal Barrier is an excellent heat barrier and is recommended for the bottom of intake manifolds & exhaust crossovers to reduce heat transfer. It may also be applied to windage trays, crank scrapers and crankshafts for oil shedding. In certain instances Thermal Barrier may be desirable on the inside of oil pans where good heat retention is desired, such as at drag races, where oil in the pan may become cold while waiting in staging lanes. Although heat and sound are greatly subdued by applying thermal barriers, the potential damage to the underlying metal in exhaust header applications should not be underestimated. I would also check with Lexus to verify whether this type of modification voids its warranty. Dave

A good comparison should come after many thousands of miles, IMO. I've had many different types of similarly-sized tires over the past 10 years on our Nissan Quest van - Goodyears, Sumitomos, Coopers, Dunlops, etc. and most, if not all felt great for the first 5-10 thousand miles. It's the mileage that comes after that that will separate the wheat, so to speak. That being said, I continue to be cautiously enthusiastic about our Bridgestone Alenzas - great tires thus far!

Some people use a cage to contain their pets in the back. I find that if someone is in the back seat, he or she can keep my dog still. If I need to take her by myself or with one person, I take my 1989 Mazda; it's hard to scratch the fabric seats!

Say, the steering wheel IS on the wrong side!

I had a similar experience with Sumitomo tires on our Nissan Quest. The tires were perfectly quiet and smooth for about 10,000 miles or so. After that, the tread noise became very irritating, at best. We now have over 1000 miles on our Bridgestone Alenzas and from what I've read in the many reviews on the internet, they should remain quiet for a very long time (non-unidirectional threads probably help in this regards). As was mentioned, though - time and mileage will tell. So far, our Alenzas get two thumbs up from my household. Dave

Generally when that happens, it means the base material was not properly prepared OR primer was not applied before painting. ALWAYs use a primer before painting steel or aluminum. Dave

....impressive reply by WWest - good explanation!