RX400h

Thanks for letting us know about what happened. It makes sense that the battery would need more than just a brief charge to allow the hybrid system to operate properly. Just about 3 months ago, I replaced our RX400h's battery, not because of any symptoms, but because it's been about 5 years since I replaced the OEM battery - no sense in getting stranded. In the event that a vehicle battery is inadvertently discharged, I have a Sears Craftsman auto-charger that can be set to slow or quick charge. Some batteries, like AGM types should not be trickle-charged at 2 or 3 amps, but most lead-acid types can be charged at 10 amps in less than a few hours. I have a Scangauge 2 in each of my MX5 and Mazda3 vehicles. Its gauge cable is always plugged into the OBD II connector. Its display normally is powered off when the ignition is turned off (as the default setting) but hybrids and Skyactive (as in my Mazda3) powertrains require the display-off setting to be tied to voltage, so that when voltage reaches 12.5, the display shuts down. I monitor voltage, intake air temperature, air/fuel ratio, and ignition timing (MX5) and the first three + coolant temperature (Mazda3). If I drove the RX400h as a daily ride, I'd have a scangauge in it, as well.

When I had my 01 Corvette, there was no way I could do a pad and fluid change without a special tool that would cycle the ABS and brake control module. Did you attempt to bleed your brakes?

Our 2006 RX400h with 100,000 miles is covered for the defective dash. It takes at least 6 months (still waiting) but we are covered.

According to tirerack.com, 20" wheels for your vehicle would require an offset of 35 - 38mm and a width of either 8 or 8.5 inches. Besides, unless your 20 inch wheels are forged, you will may end up with much heavier wheels, resulting in reduced acceleration and longer stopping distances. In addition, your ride will be punishing with the lower profile tires you would need. Tirerack has a great selection of wheels. You can probably find some that, at 18 or 19 " diameter, are lighter than the OEMs - making your RX even faster than it is now.

What a coincidence - I was born in Astoria General hospital, although most of my younger years were spent in Connecticut. I don't really like the new grills. Our next Lexus may be a GS450h that is a couple of years old. That grill looks better to me than the new ones. My wife accidentally put a crack in our front bumper when a commercial van driver braked suddenly. I wished we had the emergency braking feature that many newer vehicles have.

You must live in a small town. I use either Discount tire or Big O for tire rotations and changes. Discount tire handles my two cars that have Enkei wheels and they are very careful when handling them and their lug nuts. While I seldom have to remove tires/wheels in my garage, when I do, a Sears Craftsman Professional compressor with impact wrench (for loosening lug nuts, only) really comes in handy for that task and for topping off the tires' air pressure. I've found that the key to maintaining a safe working environment is to have the right equipment, take my time, plan ahead, and leave the stuff that requires painful body contortions to the mechanic with a lift. Oh,....and exercise regularly; it does help. I've got a few years on you (15 to be exact).

Years ago I decided that I was no longer going to do certain messy tasks the produce fluids that can't be taken to the local auto parts store. These tasks include coolant and brake fluid changes. For our Lexus I still change the oil, oil filter, air and cabin filters, but that's about it. When I was younger I did far more because a) I could without any painful reminders the next day and b) Money was tight Thanks for the warning regarding trans fluid changes. I think I'll leave that one for the shop.

Nice writeup, GW. I have done this to a vehicle, many years ago but have not needed to recharge an AC in any of my vehicles since then.

I remember those East Coast roads well. Please let us know how the strut replacement works out.

May I ask how many miles are on your odometer? Ours has approximately 102,000 miles and has never had any of the issues you mentioned.

It seems like you never observed the coolant level before your radiator change. Is that correct? I'd have to say that I never have, either. I can take a look this weekend but keep in mind that there are quite a few different noises coming from a hybrid system, some of which can be heard with the hood closed but I suspect, also some that cannot be easily heard with the hood closed.

Before I bought my salvage-title MX5 (2008), I called an auto body pro who has repaired and driven many a salvaged vehicle. He recommended rear-damaged vehicles, as they are easier to "get right" and less likely to have had multiple air bag deployments. He also said that having photos of the damage helps when it is time to sell the vehicle. I showed him photos of the MX5 damage which was provided to me by the owner, and the auto body pro felt that the car was a good candidate. One suspension component had to be replaced when I upgraded the shocks, sway bars, and springs. The car has been solid for 3+ years now and I am happy I bought it. I also spoke with my insurance agent to ensure that the car would be insured for what I paid. The general rule of thumb is that you should pay no more than 50-60% of the going resale rate for a clean-title vehicle having the same options/trim level. Insurance companies tend to insure the vehicle using that formula, so try not to pay more than that. Also, expect that many repair jobs include paint that is hastily done and not up to the same quality level as a factory paint job. That is the case with my MX5 and it doesn't bother me, since I worry less about every scratch or ding. So in summation, there are some great salvage title deals out there, as long as the repair is structurally sound (An auto body shop can inspect the repaired vehicle and let you know, one way or the other.) and the vehicle was not flood-damaged (potential electrical nightmare).

This is why our carrier, T-Mobile sends us a reminder every so often to power down our phones. Like other electronic devices, a periodic reboot is advisable. On another note, my wife and I have phones with dual sim card capability. I am tempted to install a second one for business use, but wonder how it would work with our vehicles. Since I travel to other countries as part of my job, having a no-tool-required replaceable battery really comes in handy - pop off the back cover, remove and replace the battery, and continue phone use. Yes, our 950 and 950 XL phones are a tiny bit thicker than some of the slimmest phones, but the advantages for travel seem to outweigh any disadvantages.

Many years ago when I used Rain-x, it left a film of some sort that was very hard to remove. It was just within the wipers' swept area. My 1989 Mazda MX6 GT had glass headlight lenses and they still looked great after 25 years. Of course, I didn't have to look through them while driving!) By the way, after a number of years and enough pitting to cause vision issues, most windshields will be replaced by insurance companies (assuming their customer's vehicle is covered) for just the deductible fee. I'm getting ready to claim my MX5's windshield for replacement. It gets pitted very easily, since it sits much lower than your average vehicle.

Okay, I have to chuckle a bit here - Not too long ago I viewed a TED presentation about perception based upon small data samples. The speaker presented cases similar to yours in which personal experience from a very limited sample formed strong opinions that did not necessarily represent the overall "picture". According to Consumer Reports magazine, (which bases its findings on tens of thousands of data points from owners of almost every type of vehicle) both the Lexus RXs and Elantras are reliable overall. However, the RXs have had a much more consistent high-reliability rating compared with the Elantra. In fact, if we look at the 2008-15 Elantra reliability table, we find that the 2009-2011 models had some serious reliability issues like: Major transmission Suspension Brakes Paint/Trim Power equipment. It looks like you did "luck-out" with your 2008, as it did not have these issues and was thus rated as "Better than average". The RXs had only one worse than average category in 2009 (Suspension) compared to the Elantra's 10 areas of worse or much worse than average ratings during the same span of model years. Every single year (2008-2015) of Lexus RX has a Much better than average overall rating. The Elantra has only one Much better than average overall rating (2014 model year). It has 2 Worse than average overall ratings (2010 and 2011), 2 Average, and 3 Better than average ratings. Our 2006 RX400h has been near perfect with no unscheduled dealership visits. It has been the most reliable vehicle we have ever owned. But our experience parallels that of the vast majority of owners. Of course, there will always be some "outliers" that will cause their owners to swear off Lexus. We once owned a Honda Accord that needed a new transmission at 60,000 miles, but that too was an outlier. Honda Accords continue to have a stellar reliability record. Given the hybrid RX's complexity, its overall reliability is truly amazing. Compare the much less complex Toyota Corolla to the Elantra and you will note that the Corolla is also a step ahead in the reliability department. I have to give the Koreans credit; they are improving from producing the least reliable and lowest ranked car company (during the 80s) to being ranked #11 by Consumer Reports.

I shudder to think what that cost you. We're sailing (gently) past 102,000 miles on our RX400h and no (knock on wood) problems (yet).

Even glass windshields get pitted after years of following vehicles on the highway. I can assure you that no "coating" for plastic lenses is permanent. Aliphatic polyurethane (thermoset) is not adversely affected by UV rays but even the hardest formula will eventually haze from pitting.

Have you tried www.tirerack.com?

JB, I wouldn't expect any more that 3 weeks, but really, that depends on how long previous drives have been. For example, a quick, 2-3 mile trip to the grocery store every so often will not sufficiently charge the battery. After a few of these short trips over a span of a month or two, your battery, being only partially charged, would not be likely to last nearly as long as a fully-charged battery, each having the typical constant drain on it while not being charged (sitting in the garage) Also, I noticed that you hooked up the battery charger "for a short time". You should always charge the battery until it is fully charged, not just until it can turn over. I suspect that your battery is still not fully charged.

It would be very difficult to cause an engine start failure from changing your oil and filter. My guess is that your battery needs to be charged or replaced if it is 5 years old or more. As sha4000 suggested, check your battery cable connections, first. If that doesn't help, take your battery to an auto parts store to have them load-test it.

First, you should never let a battery drain to a charge that is not strong enough to start the vehicle. Every time this happens, you shorten the life of the battery. If you know the vehicle will not be started for more than a couple of weeks, you should use a battery maintainer like the battery tender plus. They keep the battery fully charged so that you will never be surprised when you do go to start your vehicle. Now, you may have some life left to your battery and you can maximize that by hooking up a Battery tender before not driving it for an extended amount of time. We are on our third battery as well. Each lasted about 5 years.

The auto headlight feature should NOT drain the battery. If you are referring to "Remote start", then there is a chance that it was wired incorrectly. An auto electric shop should be able to isolate the problem, quickly.

I agree; have your wheel bearing checked. How many miles are on your vehicle?

It's not the water pump that failed; it's the gasket. Ours was saturated (but not yet leaking) at 90,000 miles. Gaskets that are heated and cooled many thousands of times over the years cannot last forever. Thus, it didn't come as a surprise when I was told of the orange color surrounding the water pump.

Most likely it is a failing 12V battery. How old is your battery? If it's nearing or surpassing 5 years, it's time to replace it.