lemon

Could be the pump that checks for leaks in the EVAP system. You should hear all the funny noises the RX400h makes after it's shut off.

Just a piece of advice for posting in internet forums. Typing in ALL CAPS is akin to SHOUTING in real life. Unless you really want to make a point, try typing in lower case.

There is a TSB about a 'rocking feeling' at 70mph (and one at 40mph). Apparently a simple flash upgrade to the tranny computer can fix this. It only applies to vehicle below a certain VIN number. Look at the TSB sticky posted at the top of the forum.

Do you have an owner's manual, or do you need specific instructions?

You can have the doors unlock when the key is removed from the ignition and/or the driver's door is opened within 10 seconds of the ignition switch being turned to the ACC or LOCK position. The instructions are in your owner's manual (a fountain of knowledge) on page 44/45. If you don't have an owner's manual, I'll expand on this answer. One thing I can suggest to you is that you need to very specific in the 5 second count to enable or disable any of the locking features. Easiest thing to do after you hold down the door lock button is to count 5 flashes of the : in the clock display then release the button. You may want to check the sticky above titled "...neat little tricks..." which also goes over the procedure.

Yup. The Canadian guide recommends 96000 KILOMETRES for CVT and rear diff. The coolant is also recommended to be changed at 128000 KM, but elsewhere it's 160000 KM

I'll have to keep that in mind when my Zaino runs out. The Zaino is pricey, and you're right about the amount of work to apply it (the results are worth in my opinion, though). However, I'm not getting any younger and if the NXT2 is easier to apply with similar results, it might be worth checking out.

You might also want to check the forums at http://www.autopia.org/ which is a site dedicated to car detailing. I personally use Zaino Brothers wax http://www.zainostore.com/ I use the Z2 Pro with the ZFX flash additive and the results are amazing. I usually put two coats on in the spring and the fall. Between the two coats I use the Z6 gloss enhancer spray, which really gives it a wet look (wash and dry car, apply Z2 with ZFX, buff off, apply Z6 spray, buff off, apply final coat of Z2 with ZFX, buff off). If it's an older car, or I feel grit embedded in the paint, I will use a clay bar after the wash, then wash again, then wax. Seeing as your car is new, the clay bar would probably be pointless, but as time goes on and you feel industrial fall out, tree sap and other crap adhering to your paint, the clay bar is like magic. The Zaino is expensive, but so was your vehicle.

I also changed the rear diff fluid (and when I removed that fill plug, the fluid level was exactly where the service manual indicates - 0 - 0.5mm below the bottom of the fill hole - it just dribbled out slightly when I removed the fill plug) and that fluid came out looking almost like new. Still bright red and not smelling much different than fresh out of the bottle. Mind you, the rear diff doesn't see a whole lot of action on the AWD system in this Lexus, unlike my previous Subaru Outback which was true AWD (front and rear diffs always powered). The CVT fluid was darker than fluid fresh out of the bottle, but not dark enough to warrant any concern. It also smelled pretty much like new fluid. If you've ever drained a tranny of fluid that was in longer than it should have been, you'll know the smell and colour that would cause concern - very brown fluid and an almost rotten smell. I didn't have any of that with the rear diff or the CVT. Keep in mind that I'm the second owner of the vehicle. I don't know what maintenance the previous owner had done. The maintenance guide does recommend tranny and diff fluid change at 96000km here in Canada. I bought the vehicle at 115000km, so it may have just been done. Just as an aside, the guide also recommends the Super Long Life Coolant is good till 160000 KM, but should be changed at 128000 KM ONLY in Canada. FYI, both the CVT and rear diff use Toyota ATF WS (ATF World Standard) which is Toyota's most recent forumula. I don't know if it's synthetic or not (96000km change interval would lead me to believe it might be or maybe a synthetic blend). I know it's only considered a so-so fluid at some oil specific and Toyota specific sites (www.bobistheoilguy.com and www.totyotanation.com), but to do both the rear diff and CVT you need about 6 litres and it's about $9 a litre here in Canada (probably cheaper in the US). To me that's not a lot of money to ensure longevity of the diff and tranny. I plan to change the fluids every 48000km just for my peace of mind (and I like tinkering).

Umm, no. I might have been born at night, but it wasn't last night. :P I have the service manual, and have worked on enough vehicles in my lifetime to know what transmission fluid looks and smells like. The vehicle HAS been driven since I changed the fluid, with no ill effects. Also, 1/4 of a litre is 250ml. The manual states 4200ml (4.2 litres) for a drain and fill. 250ml short in a 4200ml fill in not a lot of fluid given the overall capacity of the tranny. My thinking is that the tranny was overfilled in the first place, as I've never had tranny fluid exit a fill hole before and per the service manual, the level should be at the bottom of the fill hole (where it currently sits after I've changed the fluid) and not over the fill hole. How it would even get over the fill hole is beyond me unless it was filled from the drain hole with a pressurized line (like at the fast lube places where they don't add oil from a bottle, but just dial up the required quantity and it's pumped through a hose directly into the engine - shuts off automatically when the quantity dialled up has passed through). Maybe the last time this was changed (I'm the second owner I don't know) some technician just dialled 4.2 litres into the machine and pumped it into the tranny via the drain hole (hey less work only removing one plug right?) and then screwed the drain plug in while ATF was spilling out. Anyway, I'm quite comfortable that my tranny is filled to the bottom of the fill hole as PER the service manual. If my CVT self destructs, I'll gladly repost here and admit the error of my ways to save someone else the pain.

Well I changed the ATF in the CVT yesterday. According to the service manual, it's supposed to take 4.2 litres when it's changed (if the vehicle has the tranny cooler, which mine does). Anyhow, before removing the drain bolt, I removed the fill bolt (to make sure it would come out and I would be able to refill). When the fill bolt came out, tranny fluid shot out (almost over to the passenger tire, completely missing the drain pain, doh) and a fair amount of fluid drained out of the fill hole. Per the service manual, the fluid level is supposed to be between 0 and 0.5 mm of the bottom of the fill hole. Would it be safe to assume the tranny was slightly overfilled based on what came out of the fill hole? After draining the tranny, I measured the amount that came out and filled 4 one litre bottles. When I refilled the tranny, it only took about 3 and 3/4 litres before it was at the bottom of the fill hole. Drove the car with no problems and no change in the level. Thinking the fluid might expand when hot, I left the car overnight and checked the level cold this morning and it was still just at the bottom of the fill hole. My next thought was that maybe the tranny cooler was empty and that would take the extra 1/4 litre. Thinking the tranny cooler might have some sort of thermostatic control, I drove the car for quite a while (highway and city) and checked the level when I got home. It was still at the bottom of the fill hole. Anyway, everything is working fine, I just have an extra 1/4 litre of fluid laying around. Has anyone else changed the fluid in the CVT and had something like this happen?

As someone already mentioned, did you check the dashboard brightness dial. It's down beside the steering wheel, below the instruments on the left hand side. There is the button to move through your Trip A and Trip B screen and a big button dial that you turn to adjust the brightness. This may or may not be the problem, but sometimes the easiest solution is right in front of you.

I was just perusing the preliminary 2010 fuel economy guide http://www.fueleconomy.gov/!Removed!/FEG2010.pdf (lots of good info at http://www.fueleconomy.gov ) and don't see a lot of cars aside from the Prius that get 50mpg. The 2009 guide is actually more detailed (the 2010 guide is preliminary) http://www.fueleconomy.gov/!Removed!/FEG2009.pdf and it appears that the Honda Civic Hybrid at 45mpg is in the ballpark in highway mileage, but not so much in city mileage.

Yes I did its not the parking brake. I discovered today that it spins freely when the wheel is off. It is not until the wheel is put on and tight that it doesnt move. Any ideas? So, without the wheel on, the rotor spins freely by hand? With the wheel on, but the lugnuts loose, it spins freely also by hand? Only when the lugnuts are tightened is when it binds? Have you tried spinning the wheel by hand when it's on and tightened? I'm only suggesting by hand because if it does spin freely, but then binds when you drive, it might be a drivetrain problem, not a brake problem.

Did you check the adjustment of the parking brake?

Yes. It's too bad you didn't see this website first - http://www.lexusoverride.com/ I agree my 4 year old Garmin does a better job and is easier to use than the GPS system in my 2006 400h. I don't know why Lexus didn't just pony up the cash and get Garmin to design a system for all Lexus vehicles. The Mark Levinson system in the 400h suffers from a distinct lack of bass, but I 'think' a subwoofer of some sort has been added in the newer model. I don't know what the NAV voice recognition is like in your 450, but in my car, saying "HOME" either turns on the radio, turns it off, selects AM, selects CD, or turns the climate control off. It has never recognized "HOME" but one time in my garage with the vehicle parked. I've completely given up on using any of the voice commands, NAV or climate. Lexus needs to find out how ACURA can get their voice recognition system bang on, and also find out who does their NAV system and use them. I test drove a 2008 RDX recently and it was like the vehicle was reading my mind. That being said, I grin like a fool whenever I'm driving my 400h and see 0 litres per 100km on the display.

Yes, they need batteries. You may also want to flip through the owner's manual (if you have one), which is full of information.

Ooops. My mistake and my apologies. I really think there should be a separate forum for the 300. The 330 and up to 2009 350 have more in common. The 2010 onwards 350 should be separate. Just a thought.

Just press your 'disc' button twice. The first push will activate the 6 disc changer, the second push will output the sound from the rear entertainment system.

Front bolts are 25 ft/lb, rear are 32 ft/lb. These are the bolts that go through the caliper holding it to the caliper mounting bracket. The 87 you're talking about must be for the bracket that the caliper bolts to, although my diagram shows 77. Have a look at these - front_brake_component.pdf rear_brake_component.pdf If you're replacing the rotors, you'll have to remove the caliper mounting brackets (called Front Disc Brake Cylinder Mounting in the diagrams) as well as the caliper. Don't confuse the torque settings for the different bolts. I did this once, and snapped the head off of the caliper bolt. Good Luck.

I think these are the OE tires that Lexus is putting on the 2010 RX350s http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...inSpeedRating=H

If you're looking for a tire that is good in the winter months as well (and you don't want dedicated winter tires), the Good Year Fortera TripleTred is an all season tire that also has the 'mountain/snowflake' symbol, indicating it's meets the industry severe service standard - http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=125 I haven't used them myself, but they seem to get good ratings at http://www.tirerack.com and http://www.1010tires.com.

Do a google or check here - www.autopia.org As much else in the world, everyone has an opinion and they vary. I'm not suggesting to use Dawn everytime you wash your car. Rather, use it once to remove old wax, oils, etc. etc. then use a high quality wax and maintain the finish and you'll not need Dawn again. I've used it on several cars before applying Zaino and the results have been phenomenal. Who knows, maybe it's just the Zaino? Speaking of detailing, if you're not going to use Dawn, I would very highly recommend that you at least use a clay bar on your paint before applying wax.

I got it here. It's not the full service manual, but one book of a 3 (or 4) part series of books that make up the service manual. Regardless, it was cheap and it's full of lots of interesting information on our model specifically. http://cgi.ebay.ca/2006-Lexus-RX-400h-Hybr...93%3A1|294%3A50

www.nhtsa.dot.gov You can search TSBs and recalls here. It won't give you the full TSB - just an outline of the problem that the TSB addresses.