Ect Snow Button

[paolo137]

Have just tested my mark 1 on snow for the very first time.

Baby performed remarkably well, in spite of a rather worn out set of Pirelli Scorpions (had heard dreadful tales of people sliding like Holiday on Ice with their X3's and X5's :winky: ).

I've tried the ECT snow button too. My manual only says that, when pressed, it will set gear into 2.

Does this mean that the gear is locked in second, or you still have the "low" option?

What else does the ect function do?

Thanks to everyone for your posts!

[jamesinchamonix]

Have just tested my mark 1 on snow for the very first time.

Baby performed remarkably well, in spite of a rather worn out set of Pirelli Scorpions (had heard dreadful tales of people sliding like Holiday on Ice with their X3's and X5's :winky: ).

I've tried the ECT snow button too. My manual only says that, when pressed, it will set gear into 2.

Does this mean that the gear is locked in second, or you still have the "low" option?

What else does the ect function do?

Thanks to everyone for your posts!

Hi no it doesn't lock it in second..you just pull away in second instead of first.Nice tyres!Live in chamonix and haven't touched the snow button yet..seems to behave just fine without it.the ect doesn't so anything else..stand to be corrected.

[fergy]

I heard it works on the drive-by-wire throttle... basically damps the throttle inputs to make them smoother...more suiting snowy conditions..

Still not going to be that much use without changing the tyre to proper winter ones...that would be much better in snow.

[paolo137]

Still not going to be that much use without changing the tyre to proper winter ones...that would be much better in snow.

Thanks, Fergy and James.

Actually my main concern is not going "up", but "down".

I live on the top of a hill, and daily trip to work is 4 kms, all down the hill.

When I start the car, particularly in winter, the engine idles at a high pace, of course because it is cold. But that, coupled with the lack of "engine braking" typical of the automatic transmission, forces me to set the gear at least to 2 even with clean roads.

With snow, avoiding using the brakes too much becomes a priority. This morning I set the gear to L AND used ECT. Now I wonder: If the ECT makes the car pull away in second, what happens then? I start in second and then it gears down automatically to L?

Anyway, I'm fully satisfied with the car's performance on snow and don't really think I'll ever need winter tyres (hopefully!).

Besides, my situation makes me a perfect client for the 400H: I would use the engine only to get back home!

Can't wait to find a used one!

P.S.: James, are you the guy who bought the RX at a sort of auction? How is the car doing?

[jamesinchamonix]

P.S.: James, are you the guy who bought the RX at a sort of auction? How is the car doing?

Hi yes I am.It was from Lexus Finance.The car is performing great thanks.I have a set of pirelli scorpion snow and ice tyres on ,which have only been used in anger once and seemed fine.I too am more worried about going down hill than up ,it is a heavy car and you are correct..you dont want to be going down on the brakes so I manually select a low gear to go down the mountain.But the tyres make all the difference..they are superb at stopping the car .First automatic I have owned so I still find my Subaru Forester Turbo easier to drive around in the snow, but even that has a few dents in it now!!

Only complaints the alloys are corroded..72000 miles so out of warrenty but only 2 years old,the seat belt buzzer is annoying,and Lexus Guildford stuck cheap windscreen washer in so it is frozen solid..-17C the other week,car started perfectly.

ps that is the other reason you should get winter tyres..they stay soft below freezing.

ps I see it is snowing in Turin today..just in time for the winter Olympics,which are less prepared than Athens was last summer!!

Do you know where I can get a cheap european sat nav dvd..my uk version is a bit basic on the back roads of geneva.

[paolo137]

Do you know where I can get a cheap european sat nav dvd..my uk version is a bit basic on the back roads of geneva.

According to what I've read around (in this forum and else), there's just one version ov the European DVD, but I may be wrong. Guess someone else can confirm that.

As for the cost, I'm afraid that "cheap" and "satnav dvd" can't get along in the same sentence...

Have seen a couple on eBay, they were from people that had bought them (on ebay) only to discover that they had the wrong version, whici seems to be a common issue.

Before starting your search, you'd better be sure a "new" dvd would be a better one.

Good Luck!

P.S: Who needs natural snow? We have cannons!