lemon

Oh my God. That's brutal. I think I'm just going to live with the white dust problem in my RX. That's a major repair bill for the dealership, if they'll admit responsibility. New dash, new nav, new trim etc etc. The only good thing is, you've done enough mods and taken enough pictures for us here that you should have several pics showing the interior in it's previous mint condition. Mind you, based on where some of the damage is, there's no way they could deny that it didn't happen during the removal/install.

Here's the actual information received by the NHTSA http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms...0003-39160P.pdf Toyota's response NHTSA is not commenting on the story, but Toyota is. The company told the Free Press that its systems, "are not the same as typical consumer electronics. The durability, size, susceptibility and specifications of the automotive electronics make them robust against this type of interference."

One problem I see is that they don't come in 235/55/18 which is the original size of the tires on the RX400h (v rated I might add).

Toytota has already stated that the electronics are protected from this sort of thing. If cosmic rays could affect critical electronics that easily, there'd be planes falling out of the sky, your microwave would try to kill you, and your cell phone would melt your ear. Now an EMP, or a solar burst...that might be a different story.

I think the first gen had a different system than the second gen with most ppl agreeing that the first generation was a better AWD system. The third gen is different again from the second gen. The hybrid is a different beast entirely, with no center diff - the rear differential being electrically driven.

Assuming you're talking about the hatch, and not one of the back doors - the link below applies to a 2006, but I'm guessing there might be similar options available for the 2007 (via the dealer unfortunately). Have a look at #15. Is it possible the previous owner had it programmed from the standard (s) to the optional (o)? On my 2006, everything is set to standard (s), so to open the back door, I need to press the unlock button twice (first press unlocks driver's door, second press unlocks all the other doors). I can then open the hatch with the handle on the hatch itself, or I can press the power hatch button on the remote for .8 seconds and then the door power opens. Someone else on here had a problem where his vehicle (bought used) was set to use the power open option on the rear hatch whether the remote button or the handle on the hatch was used. He parked in a low underground and every time he opened the hatch with the handle, it would hit the ceiling. He ended up going to the dealer and having the options below reset to standard. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...st&id=12983

It's not just the winter gas, but also the colder weather. ICE has to run more to keep the coolant hot to keep the cabin warm, and also to keep the cats up to operating temp. I also find in the colder weather, just a little tap on the gas pedal will cause the ICE to kick in. Still, I have to agree with you that the hybrid is fun to drive.

Maybe those are official Lexus mats? They don't have anywhere near the coverage/protection of the Weathertechs

My wife used to have a 2000 VW Beetle and we went with the winter carving (without studs) on separate wheels for that vehicle. They were a very adequate winter tire with good ice performance. They are directional, if I remember correctly.

Found my shop manual. Will keep it under my pillow from now on. Here are the Mark Levinson stereo/speaker specs - Tweeter (these are the speakers in the A pillar) - 2cm, 8 ohms Squawker (the two up front in the dash) - 6.5cm, 8 ohms Woofer (in the front doors) - 6x9, 8 ohms Full Range (in the back doors) - 16 cm + 2 cm, 16 ohms (I think this is where they come up with the two extra to make 11 speakers) Squawker (center) - 6.5 cm, 8 ohms OUTPUT - 240 W

I can't find my shop manual (which really irks me) but I do believe one of those locations has two speakers in it. I 'think' the back door speakers are considered 'woofers' but also have a normal speaker in there. Or maybe the front door locations have a normal speaker and a tweeter. Argh..really need my shop manual. Regardless, one of those locations you've mentioned actually contain two sets of speakers.

My wife has a 2010 Equinox. The Michelin Latitude Tour is the OE tire on that vehicle. Having driven it a fair amount since she got it in December, I can say that the Latitude Tour is very quiet and the handling of the vehicle is actually quite good (that may have more to do with suspension design/geometry though). The tires have performed quite well in rain, and were 'acceptable' in the snow (I'm used to winter tires on my RX, so consider that a biased rating). I notice that Michelin also has the Latitude Tour HP. Not sure what the difference is... **edit** The Latitude Tour HP has a lower treadwear rating 440 vs 700, (higher traction rating AA vs AB on the regular Latitude Tour, has higher speed ratings - H and V depending on size vs T, however, does not come in a 235/55/18 (yet??) so the closest size would be 235/60/18.

Probably too late, but I would have gone the other way. In the warm weather I can easily get around 8l/100km, vs the 12l/100km a friend with a 350 is getting. Moslty city driving is where the hybrid shines, and a gas engines sucks. On the highway, the hybrid and the gas are closer in consumption. A quick check at www.fueleconomy.gov shows 27 city vs 17 city and 25 highway vs 22 highway (hybrid vs 350). Normal maintenance is no worse on the hybrid for normal things (oil, spark plugs etc.) and better for some - (like the brakes won't have to be replaced as soon on the hybrid due to the regenerative braking). At some point you may/will have to replace the traction battery, but you're looking at $2-3000 as of late, not 5000 or 8000 like all the chicken littles claimed when the hybrid first came out.

Why don't you just get a tire in the OE size - 235/55/18?

I think the Primacy MXV4 is different from the Energy MXV4 s8, which is what some RXs came with. The Energy MXV4 s8 is V rated and comes in a 235/55/18 which is the OE size. The Primacy does not come in 235/55/18, and the nearest size 225/60/18 is H rated.

Looking at your profile pic...do you have a different bumper on there as well? The lower intake looks different.

I've posted at www.bobistheoilguy.com a VOA (virgin oil analysis) and UOA (used oil analysis) on the Toyota 0w20 that Toyota is now recommending be left in certain vehicles for 10000 MILES. Have a look if you're interested. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbth...nt=2&page=1

This is rare, indeed but in any case, you still can't compare that 420 treadwear rating to one published by any other manufacturer. Consumer reports does include treadwear comparisons in their ratings and they show the V-rated Versado getting a "worse-than-average" rating while the T-rated Versado achieved a "much better-than-average" rating. The Michelin MXV4 achieved a better-than-average rating in the H category. You're right. And according to this http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/tec...e.jsp?techid=48 the treadwear rating doesn't really seem to mean much, unfortunately.

If you're worried about the tan mat being darker than the interior, the black is much much darker.. They are darker than the tan of the vehicle, but not by much. Looks fine in my 400h, which is tan. I had black rubber mats prior, and the black against the tan looked like crap, I thought.

That makes sense, yes, but then why does the Parada have the same UTQG whether it's an H rated or a V rated model? The wear rating on either the H or the V is 420 and the traction rating is AA

What does speed rating have to do with the tread life? Speed rating is a measure of how well the tire stands up to heat (the higher the speed, the more heat generated) and is usually indicated by a greater sidewall stiffness. Anyway, just checked and V or H rated, the UTQG is the same for the Parada - 420 AA, which is actually more than some of the Yokohama all season H rated truck tires.

The only time I could imagine 'needing' the TPMS to warn of a completely flat tire, would be if one was using run flat tires. Regardless, even with a TPMS, I would still check the tire pressures manually with a decent gauge on a regular basis.

Where are you getting this information from? That's a daft system - I dont' know why the system wouldn't be able to tell the exact pressure in each tire individually. My wife's 2007 Impala did it, and it was instantaneous.. Your 2008 has sensors in each wheel that transmit to a receiver in the vehicle, so Lexus should have been able to do it that way. Earlier systems used some method of the amount of tire rotations relating to the amount of air in the tire or something. Again, the 2006 DOES NOT have a TPMS system (not event the counting tire rotation system)

There is no TPMS on the 2006 400h period. Not even an 'indirect' system as some moron at the dealership mentioned. I'm not sure about the 330.

No, you're right. I spoke to the guy at the metal fabricating place and he 100% recommended stainless. He figured about $100 in stainless and the rest labour (some fancy bends to do at the front of the skid plate. Total would be around $600. For the extra $100 I'd rather go with this than spending $500 at lexus for another piece of plastic that might do the same thing next time it snows. The other option is online at a US dealer where I've found it for $227 USD plus shipping.