cduluk

I wouldn't be surprised. <_< The problem is that the individual metal wires themselves (inside the insulation) are very stiff. They're braided, but still very dense (which is unusual). After so many times of being played with, the wires "bend" left, and right, and left and right etc. After a while, the wires just snap inside the insulation. Just like a toothpick would after being bent in all directions. When i examined the wires to the plug in the Rx400h cluster, they "looked" fine because the wires' rubber insulations weren't broken, but when i wiggled one of the wires, i could tell the internal metal wire itself was broken. It would be IMPOSSIBLE for anyone else to find unless they wiggled EVERY inch of wire in the car. If i were to bring the car to Lexus, they would have NEVER found it... I have no idea how the wires are so dense while still being braided. Usually braided wires allow for some wiggling. So if anyone decides to play with the wires, be careful! :D

You're NEVER gonna believe this... After i posted this thread, i started to google the issue to see if anyone else's had a similar problem, and i found a thread i created last April on this SAME issue i had, but on my old Rx300!! http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...amp;mode=linear I was doing a similar gauge cluster mod in my Rx300 back in April, which required me to remove and install the cluster several times. And apparently (i totally forgot...) this SAME problem happened with the console lights going out, and i found the solution soon after :P In the Rx300, i found the issue to be a loose wire in one of the plugs behind the cluster. Because i was handling it so much, one of the wires must have popped out of rear the plug, which for some reason prevented the center console from being illuminated And GUESS WHAT!! I took the cluster out of the Rx400h, and guess what i found!? A broken wire in one of the plugs lol... So i soldered it back on, and everything works perfectly. <_< I guess the Rx300 and Rx400h work the same way in this sense... I have NO idea how i forgot this had happened to me before in the Rx300... but all is well now. So apparently i found the solution to my problem back in April lol

Well, i couldn't leave well enough alone on my Rx400h... This past week i've been working on a little project involving the gauge cluster (modifying the needles, nothing dealing with electrical though). I had to remove, install, and remove and install the cluster from the dash a couple of times however... I finished the cluster and installed it this afternoon, and i thought everything was working perfectly. NOPE. When it became dark i turned on the headlights, and noticed the interior center console lights (nav buttons, radio buttons, and shifter icon buttons) and the center "cubby" blue and amber accent lights, all not working. I remember from doing gauge cluster work on my Rx300, that if the cluster is not installed, it can affect other things such as this... so i made sure everything was connected, which it was. Also the dimmer switch, which was also fine. My next thought was that i somehow blew a fuse. I checked in the manual for any fuse with the words "interior lights" in it, there were about 5 possible ones. Checked them all, and they were all fine. So i checked EVERY fuse- the ones in the dash panel, and the two in the engine compartment. EVERY fuse is OK. Upon closer inspection, i notice that if i flick the light stalk (on the steering column) to parking light or lights-on (when the interior lights would ordinarily come on) the radio button lights "flick" ON for just a second, and go off. None of the other console lights do this (my guess is because the radio lights are LED's while the rest are bulbs, which wouldn't show the slight shot of voltage). I tried removing the radio, but the lights still didn't come on. I tried removing the car battery for a few minutes thinking something would reset, but nope... I checked the bulb that illuminates the shifter icons (on the same circuit not working) with a 12V source and it's working- so the lights aren't blown out or anything... they just aren't being given any voltage besides for that first second when i turn the lights on. Does anyone know what the problem could be? All of the other lights and functions of the car are working 100%. The radio and nav LCD are working fine. However, when i dim the dimmer switch, the radio LCD goes off... I've been working with car electrical stuff for a few years, i've encountered this problem before in the Rx300, but it's always been as simple as changing out a fuse. I'm not sure what could be wrong now though. All i did was unplug and install the gauge cluster a few times (with the car ON) which is my only guess to the start of the problem. I just don't know why the console lights are out because of it. The only hints i have is that when first switched ON, the radio icons illuminate for a split second, then go off. If it was a fuse or shorting problem, there'd be no voltage, period. But there is for a second... I'm thinking it's a computer issue? Any help appreciated! :( It's my 2008 Rx400h.

You must enter VOICETAG into the Phonebook of your RX. At the Telephone screen go to Phonebook, choose one entry, go to EDIT, now you are able to edit this entry, you must go to the second page of this edit where is VOICETAG. There you will record the name. It is finished now. It works with my 1st generation iPhone without problems, however iPhone by itself has no voice dial function. Regards Bluesman Thanks Bluesman. I've got it working now. Need to go into the phonebook entry to add a number, then I had to scroll to the next screen to see the option to record the name. We had a bit of a laugh when I was demonstrating it to a few friends and I say one name and the system thinks it's another. Must be it's something to do with my accents... is this for using the voice rec. for calling people's names in your phonebook?

Nope, it still can't understand it in mine :( I have NO idea why the US versions would lack this type of voice command. What the heck...

Nope, they're not supposed to be lit. :(

No prob.

I have no idea why they would do that =( In my 08 if I say "automatic air conditioning" when it's off, it replies with, "system is showing higher education icons" Yupp lol

You've gotta strip the factory clear unfortunately. I've done this several times, it can be done :) http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...c=57087&hl=

The air conditioning commands don't work in my 08 :(

The only command i find useful is "suspend guidance". It's useful when you're using the navigation to guide you somewhere. When you get to a point that you recognize, you can tell it to "suspend guidance" and the thing stops talking to you. It's easier than having to press all the buttons on the screen to stop the guidance. You can also tell it to 'resume guidance' and it will start guiding you again. Other things the voice rec. can recognize: (per my memory) "FM radio" -switches whatever mode you're in to FM "AM Radio" "CD Changer" "seek up" "track up" "Radio OFF" - turns the radio off OR you could just press the buttons on the steering wheel... lol You can also use the voice rec. to call a certain phone number by reading off each digit (if you have bluetooth set-up) but it can't recognize the names you've programmed the numbers as... And you can tell it to "GO HOME" if you have your home address programmed in the nav. That is, if it decides to understand you. A lot of times you give it a command, and it'll tell you "point of interest not found" or something like that... Then it changes the nav screen view and inserts all these symbols... honestly it just makes more work for you Other than that, i don't find it useful. Commands i wish it could understand: -Temperature increase/decrease to (whatever degree) -Fan speed increase (or decrease) -air conditioning OFF (or ON) -defroster ON (or OFF) But NOPE :( But check out an Acura and it has them...

No, the 400h voice recognition system doesn't do temperature. That's the wrong list.

If your Rx has the function, there will be a button on the right side of the steering wheel with a person's face on it. Press, and you will be prompted to state a command after hearing a woman speak. But you can't tell it to raise or lower the temperature. There aren't many commands that it can recognize...

It's fairly easy to remove and replace them. I was going to buy the ones above but after getting more details about the materials used, decided not to. They're the cheaper LED's and there's no voltage regulator. They won't last very long... Also those clear ones were designed for the foreign version Rx which uses the rear bumper lights as rear fog lights, so the harness might not fit the US version without some work. I might order them in the spring, replace the LED's, add a regulator (to keep the voltage at 12) and make a new harness.

By tail lights, do you mean the lower red sidemarker lights? The taillights are already clear... And what do you mean by "change them out"? You mean leave the holes in the bumper empty?

I actually have done this- replaced all the seats in my 03 Rx300. AND, i actually had this exact problem. It ended up being the new seat's seatbelt latch (on the side of the seat). There must have been some loose wires or a bad switch in there, because the computer couldn't register that a belt was actually clicked in when it was. You can use the seatbelt latch from your old seats (if you still have them). The piece i'm talking about is the latch with the red button on it. You can do a test. Find the plug that goes to the seatbelt latch, and find the two pins in the plug (that comes out of the floor). Connect the two pins with a paperclip (simulating the seatbelt latch having the belt in it). If the light stops blinking, you know the belt is the problem. I'm positive this is your issue :)

If it's anything like the process in previous years, the 2010 won't be coming out until August of 2010, so in about a year. $47k "sounds" high, but i guess the 010's are higher than the 09's were.

the stock non-mark levinson radio is TERRIBLE in the Rx400h. :(

I'll admit the overall atmosphere around here's been on the negative side lately. Too many complaints : compliments.

How can anyone compare the Nissan Murano to the Rx400h?? The Murano is like a tin can in comparison lol

Hey guys. I found a nice gallery on the 2010 Rx450h from Car and Driver. The Rx450h has a more stylish front bumper compared to the Rx350, which i think makes the front a little less fugly. This 450h also has LED headlights and a nicer grille which also make the front end much more appealing. If only the interior was a little less fugly, i might consider it :( http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09..._rx450h_photo_1 That is one sexy car...

Depends on when your 08 Rx was produced. If it was produced in late 07 it will have an older gen than those produced in 08.

oh yeah- find the auction where they offer the "trade" (chrome for factory silver), and email them about doing it for a single rim. I had to do this last year because i scraped one chrome wheel on a curb, and had them trade my silver spare for another chrome one. They charged me $150.

Lexus didn't list HID's as an option on the GX or LX because they felt the headlights were too high, and that HID's might be too blinding to cars even if angled downwards... Ever have an Escalade with HID's coming at you? I'm in an SUV myself and they're blinding lol.

I also want to add another under the cons... The auto wipers switch- You can't tell if it's in the OFF or AUTO mode just by looking at the stalk. If you leave the stalk in the highest position (minus the position to spray) that's "OFF" meaning the auto feature is not activated. But if you leave the stalk one position lower, that's AUTO. And below that is ON, FAST, then FASTER. You can't tell visually if it's in the OFF or in AUTO position. And it's so easy to accidentally hit the stalk... and when you do, you have to move the stalk through the motions to find out where AUTO is... There should be a light on the dash telling you if the auto-wiper function is ON or OFF, similar to the light for AFS OFF.