New Car

[am100]

I am new to Lexus and wanted a car that was up there but not a BWM or AUDI - sick of seeing them on the road!!! so I went for the IS 220d SE

I’ve had my new car now for a month---overall I am very pleased with it however I am experiencing problems like most other people.

1st to 2nd - this is very sluggish and tends to stick - I have to ram it in!!!!

MPG - I do mainly motorway driving and am averaging 38 MPG which is not bad compared to most people, but still way short of the published figures.

Handbrake - this needs tightening, I leave it in 1st when parked so it doesn’t roll away!

another point which really does my head in - the aluminous lights on the air vents are brighter on the passenger side.

also does the ASL actually work - I cannot tell the difference

[Barry P]

ASL?

What is that? An acronym I have missed?

[am100]

ASL?

What is that? An acronym I have missed?

"Accelerator sound leveller" - I think!!! - It’s on the stereo

[scott]

ASL?

What is that? An acronym I have missed?

"Accelerator sound leveller" - I think!!! - It’s on the stereo

I'm not convinced it works either!! Does it work when you go faster or does it somehow detect an increase in cabin/road noise?

[JFB2]

[ASL?

What is that? An acronym I have missed?

"Accelerator sound leveller" - I think!!! - It’s on the stereo

I'm not convinced it works either!! Does it work when you go faster or does it somehow detect an increase in cabin/road noise?

I am having very similar experiences to you with my 220d re: fuel consn, handbrake, etc.

The ASL on my previous Merc was excellent, and while on the Lexus it has a little 'graph' showing that it is putting the sound up at speed, it seems to make little difference.

I wondered if there was a way of making it more responsive, but haven't had a chance to look in the manual.

There are other things I miss from my Merc, including the "show me home" feature which kept the headlights on so you could see the path to the front door. The Lexus is missing this. Also, the SE has no self-dipping rear view mirror, which drives me mad!

Otherwise happy (Us Lexus customers are very demanding, aren't we?)

[rap03]

Hi am100. I have the petrol 250, so don't know if they have the same gearbox as the Diesel 220, but I am experencing problems with first and second. Have asked the dealership (Aust) to look at it, and they keep telling me that it is the nature of the close ration gearbox. Not convinced!

They are supposed to be talking to Lexus Aust about it and see if anybody else is complaining.

As for the handbrake, yes, had the same issue that you had to have it almost touchingt he armrest, well, a long way up/back to get it to hold. Asked the dealership to adjust. Encounted another problem on drive after picking it up and the car actually started to vibrate around 80 kpm (50 mph), so was quickly back to the dealership and they confirmed that this could happen if adjusted too much. It is also know that if this persists, could even lead to a total lockup of rear brakes, and hence, an accident.

On the ASL, the manual says in comes in around 80 kph (50 mph), but I haev noticed a difference around 60 kph. I believe it is all based on car speed and not any noise factors.

[is250newbie]

I think that it is more sophisticated than just volume control (at least on the MM system). It sounds like it alters the tone as well as the the volume. For instance, it increases the base when there is a lot of road noise. The effect is subtle and not always that noticable (as it should be), but the sound stays constant.

[Brendan]

Using Crusie control and driving like a prist I got the MPG on 220D up to 49, averaging out at 45 in general. I'm not generally on a motorway though, roads in Ireland are not as fast as UK. Handbrake is a pain in the ***** and I never even knew bout ASL

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

I think that it is more sophisticated than just volume control (at least on the MM system). It sounds like it alters the tone as well as the the volume. For instance, it increases the base when there is a lot of road noise. The effect is subtle and not always that noticable (as it should be), but the sound stays constant.

Might be me but it defo gives more "depth" when you stick the ASL on...

Also, fuel economy is strange...I drove harder yesterday as the cars' now approaching 700 miles, and got 43.8mpg over 240 miles, but 46.6 for yesterday alone (which was 230 miles of motorways), but then it started to rattle . I think I might have upset her... but I think some cars are better then others at MPG...

The gear change was good on mine, but it's getting a bit baulky...it grinds into and out of first like it has never done. I still maintain Lex made a major mistake having no auto option.

The gearing into/out of 1st is short; very short. So you don't make much forward progress.

The car doesn't like to be raced...when you're cruising it's in it's element. Even with 177bhp it feels slow off the mark and I'm sure the 138bhp Audi is quicker off the mark. But then you notice the speedo... :duh: and I'm having to use Cruise control much more than I ever anticipated (love my clean licence).

AND yes the handbrake is weedy...

[JFB2]

I think the main problem with the 220d is actually the engine. I'm coming to the conclusion that it isn't really worthy of a Lexus because of NVH and lack of low down torque.

Driving diesels and petrol versions back to back last week, I realised that the 250 keeps the revs between 1,000 and 2,000 rpm almost all the time, which will keep fuel consumption down. At these revs the engine is sweet and powerful. With the diesel, there is almost no torque between these revs so it's dangerous in busy traffic to keep it in a high gear as you have no power. The engine is sweetest and most powerful between 2 and 3,000 rpm, which means a low gear and higher consumption.

Also, between 1 and 2,000 rpm the diesel is full of vibration through the gearlever, the steering, the pedals, and the rear view mirror which vibrates so much it's hard to use. But using 6th at 70mph keeps the engine at 1,700 rpm, the roughest and noisiest point in the whole rev range.

This annoys me, but I've got this car now, and I love everything else about it!!

[scott]

Also, between 1 and 2,000 rpm the diesel is full of vibration through the gearlever, the steering, the pedals, and the rear view mirror which vibrates so much it's hard to use. But using 6th at 70mph keeps the engine at 1,700 rpm, the roughest and noisiest point in the whole rev range.

I get no vibration at all unless I go past 3500 rpm. The sweet spot seems to be 40 - 80 mph in 4th/5th gears.

Sixth gear is useless unless you are above 80 mph and the car cruises best at around 90 in sixth , very quiet, refined and relaxed.

[Ro1]

Interestingly, the rear view mirror vibrates in the 250 aswell. It's not extremely bad, but I have seen better on lesser cars. My old IS200 mirror didn't vibrate like this.

[saracen]

I find the mirror vibrates too, but only when I am playing music with very heavy bass, which is usually most of the time! B)