RX400h

I was told by a Lexus parts person that the official service manual set costs in excess of $1500. In the event that someone scanned the pages of said books and posted them somewhere, I'm sure the owner of this site doesn't want to be accused "aiding and abetting" copyright infringement. I can't say that I blame him.

I believe Lenore is correct.

Paul, a bad or intermittant spark plug wire will produce similar symptoms. You might want to have the other dealership check them. Dave

I agree that this issue is rare among RX400h owners. A good mechanic will keep your vehicle while getting it to duplicate the rattling sound. A mechanic's stethoscope should be used to isolate the source. Are ther any other dealerships in your area? If so, by all means,get a second opinion. You need a better troubleshooter. And by the way,your English is better than that of many native Americans.

I try to keep tire pressure at 33-35 psi.Your results may vary, depending upon your tire selection.

While there is not much data to definitively state that the LS600h is reliable, I can say with little doubt that it will be very reliable. There are no set rules for whether or not you should buy a new or used vehicle. Certainly, buying a used Lexus is safer than buying a used BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne, given their poor reliability data. Most of us seem to have good luck with Lexus dealerships but there are some out there with "less than brilliant" mechanics. Most Lexus vehicles do well when it comes to crash tests. However recent tests that involve corner impacts didn't turn out too well for some vehicles. See: http://money.cnn.com/2012/08/14/autos/luxury-cars-crash-test/index.html

The RX400h is actually faster than the all-gas RX350 as well. Car & Driver clocked the 400h at 0-60 MPH in 6.6 seconds. At the time, that was faster than the Porsche Cayenne-S. Faster AND better mileage at the same time! In fact, the new GS450h, being lighter by about 300 lbs) is even faster at 0-60 in 6 seconds or less with EPA mileage ratings of 29 city and 34 highway.

Rey, Consumer Reports rates the overall performance that is based upon many things and yes, they personally test every vehicle they rate. Of course, you are entitled to your own opinion but to CR, the RX450h is quite a bit better than the RX350. See: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/05/how-consumer-reports-tests-cars/index.htm for more information about how they test vehicles. The bottom line is that you like what you have and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.

We're still running a Costco Kirkland battery for over 2 years - so far, so good!

Rey, Consumer Reports does favor the RX450H over the RX350 by a good margin. Ownership satisfaction is much better than average for the RX450h and just better than average for the RX350.

Are you sure it's a case of stripped threads? I take it you tried to torque the pan plug and it wouldn't tighten? A leak could be caused by a missing washer. I believe it is copper but it could be aluminum. Another option if the threads are indeed stripped is to have the hole enlarged and tapped for the next size bolt (plug).

Speaking of Apple products: I have spent quite a bit of time in Chengdu, China where the huge Foxcon factory is located. A coworker at our facility had worked for Foxcon as an engineer and told me that almost every month there was a suicide among the 100,000+ workers. The stress of long hours and hyper-demanding superiors pushed many employees to end their lives. Explosions in the plant are not uncommon, apparently. Combine these working conditions with the fact that Apple has some of the highest profit margins among companies that sell phones and tablets and you won't find me giving my hard-earned money to this company. Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now......

Congrats and welcome to the hybrid club. No other manufacturer can make a better hybrid than Toyota/Lexus. You will most definitely enjoy steller reliability to go along with your fuel savings. Dave

We averaged 25 before I replaced the battery and after I replaced the battery - no reset required. That is with a good mix of city and highway and with my occasional leadfoot on the weekends. It wouldn't hurt to do the reset, however and I'm sure your mileage will reach what we're getting. Keep in mind that our RX400hs can accelerate to 60 MPH in 6.6 seconds - faster than an RX350 with over 25% better gas mileage. (more if you live in a big city and must commute during rush hours.

Congratulations and welcome to the green side of RXs. We were one of the first buyers of RX400hs, back in 2005 after waiting one year. We have never regretted our decision. What used to be a weekly experience of filling up the tank (BH - before hybrid), is now a once every two week experience. As Rey and others have mentioned, it's a no-brainer when you: A. live in or near a big city and B. will keep your vehicle for many years Enjoy your new jewel!

Don't consistently run until almost empty and you should be fine. My brother-in-law's Toyota van had over 300,000 miles on it and I believe he never changed or had the fuel filter changed.

I haven't seen mention of this happening prior to your post. Have you checked with a local locksmith and dealership.

1000+ contacts? Are you really Tim Cook? There used to be a service that tested cell phones for compatibilty to Lexus vehicles but I imagine they are no longer around. Our Windows phones sync very well with our 06. Then again, we have fewer than 40 contacts among the two of us..........

If your engine is cold, it will start in less than a minute after you turn the key. If your engine is fully warmed up, you should be able to pull away (very slowly) on battery power, alone.

Perhaps Steve will chime in but one of my neighbors who has a few very custom vehicles has recommended 3D waterless car wash and synthetic cloths (bright green) that you can buy at Costco for a decent price. I have to admit, I am a bit skeptical but have agreed to try it out. My neighbor's cars haven't been washed in years, yet they look new. http://www.3dproducts.com/Waterless-Car-Wash.html

I recommend that you avoid using 87 octane gas on hot Summer days. This is when you will lose the most power. I use 89 octane during the Summer and 87 when it is fairly cold outside.

Lithium ion batteries in hybrid or all-electric vehicles have not been around long enough to prove that they last as long as NiMH batteries. The Li-ion batteries are much more expensive and are not easily recycled as are NiMH batteries. I'd wait a while before jumping on that bandwagon.

While I seldom look at the engine, right after parking the RX, this home-based AC advice may apply to your situation. My guess is that it is an indication that something is not right.

I noticed the same thing with the tires on my 400h but in the rear only. The oustide edge was wearing more than the middle. I recently had a four wheel alignment done as well, so that shouldn't be a factor. Is it under or over inflation that will cause this? Suspension design? Or maybe just my excessive highway exit ramp speeds? If the outside AND inside is wearing faster, then the tires are underinflated. If the outside-only is wearing faster than the middle and inside, then it is an alignment issue and you may already have that resolved.. cduluk, my tire wear is no indication of anything relating to a tire defect. It is simply a matter of slightly underinflating the tires. It is not noticeable unless I measure thread depth with calipers.

Je pense que votre anglais est meilleur que mon français! But yes, I believe the RX400h, if well-maintained, can last far longer than your requirement. Ours has been the most reliable vehicle we have ever owned.