Hello To All Members!

[mr.gee]

Hello to all,

I finally found RX400h in a great shape with a nice milage for reasonable price. Although the car is great by itself, I want to do several mods and hope to find here some hints and know how. I planning to do:

1) side mirrors with turn lights

2) aluminium pedals

3) front grille - Thundercloud!

4) 20" wheels

5) darkening rear lapms, possibly replacing orange turn lights bulbs for LEDs

6) replacing interior light bulbs for LEDs

7) installing LED front daylights

8) changing AMBER lightning of sills and pedal area into BLUE

9) installing some hooks into tha cargo area, becasue free movement of shopping bags makes my wife unhappy :-)

I am very thankful for any tips & tricks!

As I got the car with an owner´s manual written in French (my car was originaly bought in Monaco), I am little bit lost sometimes. Basic question - I miss (honestly, my wife miss it) some kind of onboard computer data - I can see the energy management, current and average consumption - but I can´t find something like available range based on average consumption and amount of gasoline in the tank. Is it hidden somewhere?

Many thanx to all!

Petr.

[CJHYBRID]

I am new here myself after a week or so.Welcome aboard I am loving the 400H so far.Your mods look interesting and look forward to hearing more and seeing pics on progress.

No range I am afraid the car is clever but not that clever. I t does not know when the Hybrid Electrical power will kick in and how it will effect your remaining range. I.E you may be coming up to a 30 to 40 mph zone and run for a couple of miles on electrical power.Conversly you may be about to climb several miles up an incline at very poor Mpg.

Sure some of the experts on here may give you a more technical reply but in laymans terms thats why the display has no range capability.

Ps interesting pic of yr left,hand drive cabin you seem to have an extra cubby underneath the vent which is not on mine .

Ps are you in Prague if so lovely City

Chris

[Radoslav Asparuhov]

Hi Petr,

Welcome and enjoy the ride!

I did some mods myself - LED DRL, headrest DVDs, LED interior lights, HDD/USB/Iphone integration kit (Vaistech MML), DVD in motion hack - so i'll try to help you - here are some links to the US forum (sorry - couldn't find the info here):

1. http://www.clublexus.com/forums/hybrid-technology/692423-dlr-led-for-2008-rx400h.html'>LED DRL

2. Aluminum Sport Pedals

3. http://www.clublexus.com/forums/hybrid-technology/679205-done-install-toyota-harrier-folding-mirror-on-my-rx400h-2007-a.html'>Mirrors with turn signals and puddle light

4. http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEXUS-RX300-RX330-RX350-RX400H-RX450H-TRUNK-ENVELOPE-CARGO-NET-BRAND-NEW-BLACK-/300925128806?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4610891066&vxp=mtr'>Cargo Net

[teejaybee]

Welcome to the forum. The forum exists to offer opinions, ask questions and of course hopefully get the answers. I have to say what you are planning to do with your Lexus is not my cup of tea, personally I don't think the Rx400h is right for the sort of things you are planning but and it's a big but this is just my opinion. As I said earlier that's what this forum is all about!

So while I don't share your ideas I wish you good luck!

[ColinBarber]

Welcome.

Unfortunately there is no range data. No real reason for not having it except Toyota forgot to add it. I seem to recall they admitted it was just an oversight rather than for any specific technical reason.

Not sure how smooth the ride would be on 20" wheels, you would need some very low profile tyres on them to retain the correct circumference.

[Radoslav Asparuhov]

Unfortunately there is no range data. No real reason for not having it except Toyota forgot to add it. I seem to recall they admitted it was just an oversight rather than for any specific technical reason.

If that was the reason - simple firmware update (similar to the one that comes with the maps update) would solve it. However there are Lexus hybrids with range data, as inaccurate as it is.

[fulmar]

Congrats Petr, and she looks really good. My RX 450h is just a month old. I solved the 'sliding shopping bags' problem by installing a Lexus mat in the boot. It has a rubbery surface that is high in friction so the contents of the boot stay put (at least under normal driving!)

Here are a few shots.

[steve2006]

You may find some useful information from the link below.

https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/info/my-lexus/resources/owners-manual-search.do

[DanD]

Petr, welcome.

If you get stuck with the french manual, send me a private message and I'll translate for you.

As per CJHYBRID's comments, what is this extra cubby that you have under the air vent? - Also, where is the switch for the electric tailgate?

Good luck with the mods, keep us posted.

[Radoslav Asparuhov]

Petr, welcome.

As per CJHYBRID's comments, what is this extra cubby that you have under the air vent? - Also, where is the switch for the electric tailgate?

The thing under the vent is a retractable cupholder.

The switch for the tailgate is under the glovebox door.

[Duncan Roberts]

Petr, welcome.

As per CJHYBRID's comments, what is this extra cubby that you have under the air vent? - Also, where is the switch for the electric tailgate?

The thing under the vent is a retractable cupholder.

The switch for the tailgate is under the glovebox door.

It is the switches to adjust the mirrors that are missing on this variant.

[Radoslav Asparuhov]

It is the switches to adjust the mirrors that are missing on this variant.

Nope - the mirror adjustment buttons are bellow the beige cover. The black one under the vent is the cupholder.

[Duncan Roberts]

It is the switches to adjust the mirrors that are missing on this variant.

Nope - the mirror adjustment buttons are bellow the beige cover. The black one under the vent is the cupholder.

Then those are different to the UK version.

[ColinBarber]

Unfortunately there is no range data. No real reason for not having it except Toyota forgot to add it. I seem to recall they admitted it was just an oversight rather than for any specific technical reason.

If that was the reason - simple firmware update (similar to the one that comes with the maps update) would solve it. However there are Lexus hybrids with range data, as inaccurate as it is.

That is the reason. It has nothing to do with the vehicle being a hybrid.

It wouldn't just be a Nav update though, it would have to integrate into the dashboard display as well and Toyota hardly ever add features to vehicles outside of a new model or facelift.

[DanD]

Rad...

What is the cream coloured "door"/flap under the black, retractable cup holder?

On right hand drive cars, the switch for the tailgate is in the blank slot next to what looks like the petrol cap release on the photo.

[Radoslav Asparuhov]

Rad...

What is the cream coloured "door"/flap under the black, retractable cup holder?

On right hand drive cars, the switch for the tailgate is in the blank slot next to what looks like the petrol cap release on the photo.

Sorry Dan - I wasn't clear -

here you can see the position of the above mentioned items in a lefthand drive vehicles:

What is hidden under the flip cover:

The cupholder:

Under the glovebox cover is the Main power door switch:

[Duncan Roberts]

So CJHYBRID's suggestion that there is an "extra cubby underneath the vent" is wrong and for whatever reason the LHD car (at least some) has a a cover not fitted to RHD vehicles?

[DanD]

Yes it would appear so.

RHD cars do not have a "power outlet main switch" - what ever that is - and in its place is the tailgate switch.

Also, RHD cars do not have a tailgate switch on the passenger side, within the glovebox door either.

Interesting to see how car specs vary from market to market. I wonder what drives these differences.

Thanks Rad, for the clarification and for taking the time to post the pics.

[Radoslav Asparuhov]

Unfortunately not all LHD are the same either. The pics above are from the US specs. EU's LHD also don't have high voltage power outlet, nor the main switch for it. However everything else is identical.

[ISJason]

hi, on my RX400h if you lift up the mat in the boot, there are two buttons on the floor that when you press them lift the lid

of a storage compartment and you can use it to hang your bags on.

[DanD]

yep... you'll find that the tonneau cover fits neatly in there too...

[jonthebarber]

Never knew that titbit

Jon