cduluk

Hey guys, As we all know here in the US, the 06-08 Rx400h never came available with the option for the "push button start" that Lexus had implemented as far back as 2004 with the LS430, and with the IS, ES and GS by 2006/2007. Well, after reading a post by another member on here who had purchased an Rx400h from Japan, i learned that the push button start is in fact available for the Rx400h!! Here's the thread: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=70125 Apparently citizens of Japan are better than us, and so Lexus engineered a smart key system for their Rx400h's. But i am wondering, can this feature somehow be installed on our US spec Rx400h's? I can't seem to find ANY information for the car branded "RX400h" in Japan, but i found some info on the "Toyota Harrier Hybrid" which is the name they give the Rx400h in Japan. Here are some pictures of the Harrier Hybrid: You can note in the first and second pictures the "PUSH TO START" button where the ignition would be, and the slot where the key enters (similar to the LS430 system). And under the radio you can see they have controls for the "auto retracting" mirrors and you can see the seats have the perforated leather and the exterior mirrors have the LED signals... and the list goes on... Here are a couple for sale: http://www.j-spec.com.au/wholesale/2005-Toyota-Harrier_Hybrid-49810001.html http://www.j-spec.com.au/wholesale/2007-Toyota-Harrier_Hybrid-Premium_S-package-49203143.html http://www.j-spec.com.au/wholesale/2008-Toyota-Harrier_Hybrid-49812685.html And even this 2005 has the smart key system: http://www.j-spec.com.au/wholesale/2005-Toyota-Harrier_Hybrid-49813905.html I'd be willing to bet that all of our US Lexus dealers haven't the slightest clue these Rx400h's are even in existence, so do you think there's any other way to determine if our US spec Rx400h's could be modified to utilize this smart key feature? My guess is that it's next to impossible, probably requiring miles of new wiring and new computers, but it would be pretty cool to get it to work! If i could find a scrapped Harrier Hybrid with this feature i'm sure the computers for the smart key could somehow be installed on one of ours... I found the sticker ID for one of these, but i can't understand the VIN # !! What are your thoughts?

Is the font on the center console buttons (for the radio and climate control) written in English or Japanese? How about for the gauge cluster (speedometer, power meter, fuel and temp gauges)? And is the speedometer and tachometer in "miles per hour" or "kilometers per hour"? In your current location of Sri Lanka, do most car speedometer's read in mph or kph? As for the navigation "language", word around town is that the language can't be changed even if you get an English disc... However i can't seem to confirm this ANYWHERE online. Do you happen to have any Lexus/Toyota dealers in your area? If so, they might be able to tell you if it's possible. If not, they could easily replace the disc with an English one and see if the navigation language changed. My guess is if the center console (radio and climate control) has English writing on it, replacing the navigation disc with an English one might be enough to switch the language. But if it has Japanese writing on it, it might be more difficult. The question is whether the language info is stored in the module that the nav disc goes into, or in the center console itself, or if it's not stored anywhere in the car, but that it chooses the language based off of the nav disc. Can you post pictures of your Rx's instruments?

Ohh and to answer the original question, (sorry, i got distracted!!) that smart key looks very similar to that of the '06-ish Toyota Prius, so the battery replacement is probably the same. See here, pg 37/67 for pictures and such on how to replace the key battery. It's size CR2032 which you can get at Radio Shack etc. http://freepdfhosting.com/bf8a9ed41c.pdf If your key is definitely of a "different" design than that of the Prius here, can you post more pictures of your key? It's just hard to determine from the pic you posted what it looks like exactly. I can see the "buttons" portion is different than that of the Prius, but the body looks similar. This is the first time i've ever heard of an 06-08 rx400h using a smart key system, and i bet it's the first for everyone else on this forum too, and even Lexus dealers here in the US! I wonder if this system can be added to our RX's? Arjuna, would you mind posting your car's VIN # (found on a sticker located on the drivers door pillar)? I could then look up some of the part numbers for the smart key system!! :D

I think the glass can come off, see post #7 on this page: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-second-generation/372648-2007-rx-led-mirror-diy-with-pictures.html The mirror glass itself can be purchased, it's $258.37 on Parts.com: http://www.parts.com/oemcatalog/index.cfm?action=getPartLocator&siteid=2&chapter=ARB8950&sectionids=0,2732&groupid=2740&subgroupid=3742&makeid=20&model=RX%20400h&year=2006&catalogid=2&displayCatalogid=0 But personally i would look for a used mirror on eBay as you'll be able to save some serious money... Here's an auction for the mirror itself: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-09-LEXUS-RX330-RX350-DRIVER-DOOR-MIRROR-GLASS-OEM-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4840ef698fQQitemZ310327077263QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories And another: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/mirror-RX330-RX350-RX400H-Mirror-Glass-HEATED-RX-04-09-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5199e0c158QQitemZ350473994584QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Is this like the 3M clear bra? Only in a color?

I'd bet on poor body work. I don't see how factory paint could fade like that... At the factory, the paint and atmosphere is VERY well controlled. It's more likely that a body shop used cheap clearcoat and didn't prep the area well before blending. Odds are, they greatly reduced the clear to do a simple clear blend, and with heat and age the clear deteriorates leaving behind what you see here. I'd take the car to a body shop so they can closely examine the area and determine what happened, and see if the car can simply be cut or if the clear needs to be sanded and re-cleared.

WHAT THE!?!? I want that!!! Over here in the USA that's not even an "option", in fact i've never hear of an Rx400h having the push button start. I want it though!

Thank you cduluk, you are the man! It worked, as always. No problem, glad you got it! <_<

I doubt the Prince gives a rip. They probably donate it to the homeless for a tax write-off. LOL Hahah

Just apply a good wax... Try Collinite's insulator wax #845.

Try off the panel on each side (towards the bottom) and remove the 11mm bolts on each side.

Wahh? Can you take a picture of the key and "push button" on the dash? The Rx400h models did not come with push button start. That wasn't available until 2010. The only "manufactured date" of 07 hybrid with PBS was the GS or LS...

About a second before the engine's about to start, you can just about hear a little "electrical" sound coming from the engine bay. It must be the generator cranking or something!

That is precisely what worries me...my next door neigbor has a 2003 highlander that experienced the sludge, and because the lawsuit was filed in 2002 his vehicle was not covered, exactly the same engine, and no fixes...I hope we arent left out to hang in the wind...Sometimes their propriortory information is just plain customer unfriendly.... I agree, it doesn't make much sense to me. I don't understand why they wouldn't include the '08 models, because we all know nothing was changed for the 08's. All of the parts used in the 08's were taken out of the same parts bin as all the ones installed on the 06 and 07's out there, including the Highlander.

Search the word "transmission" on the Rx300 forum and you might find some interesting information...

So i take it there are no side curtain airbags? What are they gonna do with this thing once the day is over? I doubt it could be converted back to its original configuration.

Should we seriously believe this was somehow fixed for the 2008 models? Either Lexus realized they screwed up on the 06-07 models and quickly fixed it for the 2008's, all the while letting every 06-07 owner drive around for 3 years knowing that something could go wrong... or they're telling us a lie that the 08's are fine. In either case it doesn't sound very good. And i love how they write that the boards will either be "inspected" or replaced. If they're "inside" of the inverter, does that mean the inverter will need to be taken apart and possibly "put back together" if some mechanic at Lexus "thinks" it's OK? Do you think they'll have to tamper with any gaskets or what not?

13 MPG?? My guess is that the ISC reset wasn't done completely. The ISC reset isn't an "all or nothing" procedure, meaning any changes to the procedure will tell the car exactly how economic you want the car to function at. If you don't hold the pedal for the set amount of time and the battery doesn't charge enough or charges too much, you'll make the car think you want better or worse mileage.

Take some pics... And i would try eBay for a used one...

Are you talking about the projector headlight lenses? The things that look like eyes in the headlights? There's really no cost/time effective way to clean them, as you'd need to bake the headlights open, prying the headlight lens apart from the assembly, and then put them back together. I've done this a few times with Lexus headlights and it's a difficult, MESSY, and boring job. And you'll probably have condensation issues after that. I would simply look for a used headlight on eBay...

OK, so are the headlights at a manageable level now that you adjusted them? Most likely as mentioned earlier its the sensor on the RR control arm that's corroded and sending faulty signals to the cars computer. If you can remove it from the car and open it up, you should be able to clean it. You shouldn't need to replace it. I'm not sure which side it's on with the ES but my guess is right rear. Here's a link that shows what the sensor looks like (from a GS maybe?) but they're all the same. It'll have two little arms on it, connecting the RR control arm to the base of the car. So when the car has weight in the back, it pushes down on the control arm and the arms attached to the switch move, letting the switch know it needs to adjust the headlight level. http://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-second-generation/528965-quick-question-rear-headlight-autoleveling-sensor.html It might seem like a difficult job, but it really isn't. When you find the sensor just take one part off at a time and you'll be fine. If you can't find the sensor, take a few pictures of the area under the rear wheels and i'll spot it out for you. <_< And when the sensor's fixed, you'll need to readjust the headlight level back down... no biggie!

Oh yeah.. Is the noise like a clanking or suspension noise? Or more of an ambient wind noise?

What are your current symptoms/observations? I'm having difficulty following what the specific problem is. Tell me if i have it straight here... So when you got the car, the headlights were aimed at the ground. But when you turned the ignition on (with headlights on), did the lights sweep up and down? If so, at what level did it start, go to, and finish? How did you first adjust the headlights, by turning the nuts on the housings? If so, if they were aiming down and you adjusted them to aim level, at present when the sensors start working you should notice the headlights aiming too far up. And did you adjust both headlights or only one? If you can describe in more detail the present state i'm about 100% sure i can guide to you towards a solution, as i've worked on these headlights a LOT. <_<

Were the headlights ON?

I'm here! <_< But unfortunately the '07-'09 LS460 tail lights are NOT interchangeable with those of the '10-'11. They're shaped a little differently in the trunk area. Here's the 07-09 here's the '10-'11 The outer lamps (on the rear 1/4 panels) seem to be the same shape and are probably interchangeable, however it wouldn't line up if the trunk portions were of the different style than the outer portions. If you were really adventurous, you could buy the entire trunk of the '10-'11 models which would fit the older models...