Linehill

If you are in the West Midlands area I buy from Jefferies Tyres in Bromsgrove. Bridgestone Potenza @ £160 incl vat and balancing.Simon

How many years are you getting from the aux: battery? Mine is now 7 years old and seems OK. But I know when the battery fails you are stuck! It won't start the system. If anyone has recently bought a new battery, could you give the make, code number and amperage please? and price paid. Regards I can now answer my own question. Lexus Cheltenham told me the auxillary battery is specially made by a Lexus subsidary company, and is the only one to fit the small tray. NOT TRUE. I have fitted a Bosch S4-158 with a 4year guarantee. Identical in size. Price £44.82 v Lexus £78.00! Thanks to Google search!

Final update. I have now fitted the Road Angel Vantage model to the windscreen. It works fine and checks both your actual speed and warns of fixed and mobile speed cameras, blackspots, schools, average speed limits and more. Regards Linehill

Quite a story! I do think you have either been very unlucky or badly treated. I have nothing but praise for my Lexus dealer in Cheltenham where I purchased my RX400 and have had it serviced since. Nothing but polite and competent service at all times. Including collection and return of the car. I did originally buy a second hand RX300h and after 6 weeks exchanged it for a RX400h because I found the ride in the 300 too soft and wallowed and it made me feel slightly car sick. There was thing wrong with the suspension (standard struts, I just did not like the ride. The added weight of the batteries seem to give the 400 a firmer ride. I have test driven the 450 with air suspension but can't justify the cost! Also a trade in offer of £9k for a 55 plate 400 with only 33K miles in perfect condition seemed a bit mean!

Hi, Neil. Thanks for your information. Very useful. I spoke to Road Angel and they now tell me that the Professional Connected and the Professional have been discontinued. Denied there was a problem, but said a new and better camera detection model will be launched in a couple of months time. The Vantage model is now the only one available, and they might replace mine with a Vantage. Here's hoping! Regards Simon

Good news. Did you have to fit an external aerial and have you got the unit windscreen or dash mounted? I have tried both positions and with and without the aerial in various places on the windscreen. Sometime the unit worked, but kept loosing the bottom left bars indicating GSM strength/GPRS connectivity. After a miles the unit display freezes and cease to work.Road Angel have changed the professional connected unit and have now got the second one back for testing. Why did you go to the Vantage? Kind regards Simon at Linehill

Is there a member with an RX400h or 450h using the new Road Angel Professional Connected, or Professional or Vantage GPS speed and camera warning units? I used an early model "plus Classic" for years with no problems. This type had to be upgraded regularly via USB/PC connection. Now not compatible with Microsoft Windows 7 or Vista programmes. Road angel have changed it, with discounted price, for the latest Professional. These models are updated every 3 minutes by an inbuilt telephone connection. No computer needed, very clever. BUT 2 units supplied are not able to keep connected to the satellites. This could be interference from the hybrid system. Road Angel do not know. Has anyone in the club had the same problem? Kind regards. Linehill. (RX400h 55 plate)

I was also quoted approx: £500 to renew front discs and pads by Lexus Cheltenham. My very trusted mechanic in Worcester who looks after my other cars did the job for £230 incl: VAT and using genuine Lexus parts. Shop around and save some money. Bear in mind the main dealers have posh showrooms and service centres which we, the Lexus owners, pay for! Labour charges are bound to be much more.

I bought a 55 plate 400H with 18,000 on the clock for just under £20K. My first large SUV/4x4/ and hybrid. The car is virtually faultless, very well finished and luxurious. A joy to drive over long distances. The CCV transmission is seamless, no feeling of gear changes. Steering well balanced and good feel. Seats very supportive. Fuel consumption good for a vehicle of this weight and size. (Learn quickly not to ride the accelerator pedal when going downhill or slowing down). Traction in this snow and ice remarkable. I have taken out a 6 year service contract with my Lexus dealer in Cheltenham @ £30 per month. This covers all service costs and parts excluding brakes and tyres. It does also cover the plug and cam belt services which are very expensive! The only quirk with the 400h is the small auxillary battery which primes the hybrid system to start the car. It is not powerful enough and can run flat very quickly if ancillary equipment like radio/CD/DVD and lights are on without the engine running. Sturdy the forum entries on this subject. Lexus have gained a well deserved reputation for reliability and quality. I can't argue with it! Happy motoring. Regards Linehill

Is it possible to remove the roof rails on the RX400h? regards Linehill

Yes. I had one fitted to my IS250, and I transferred it to the IS-F. The unit plugs into an auxiliary port in the CD multichanger and shows up as an additional CD drive, so you can still use the CD/Tape??/radio. I will add that both my cars have the ML system, but it should not make a difference. I fitted the Dension 300 gateway for my ipod on my 55 plate 400. It plays any selection including playlists/all music with or without shuffle. The controls on the steering wheel control the ipod. I do not have sat nav, but the screen shows CD1. This is in addition to the 6 disc changer. The tape deck is not affected. Cost about £250 including labour. If you want to do it yourself the unit costs about £175. Regards Linehill

Same with my RX400h, 55 plate. I think we will have to remember to manually lock the doors! My dealer thinks that when this system of auto locking doors started some years ago with Mercedes,BMW etc, the emergency services stated that this could prove fatal in bad accidents as they would not be able to open the doors externally. Mercedes and BMW, and I beleive the new Lexus models will unlock the doors automatically if the air bags go off. This may explain why our early RX400 do not have the auto locking option. If that is the case how would they open our internally locked doors in an accident? Anyone got any more ideas on this subject? Linehill

I have studied the forum on this subject but can't really find the answer! I have a 55 plate RX400h SE. Has anyone with this year model actually managed to set the doors to automatically lock after the car reaches 5 - 10 mph? If yes, how did you do it? My dealer thinks this option was not introduced until about 2008. Regards Linehill

My liner came from GB Haley. Go on Ebay.co.uk look in vehicles accessories and key in rubber boot liners. There are plenty for all makes. Mine is a good solid flexible mat, not the rigid shaped mats from Lexus. It is £29 plus postage and does the trick. regards Linehill

I bought a rubber liner mat from ebay at about this price. Fits well and was delivered in 2 days.

Has anyone in the forum group upgraded from an RX400 to an RX450? Is there sufficient improvement/benefit/performance to make it worth considering?My dealer says the 450 can achieve 45 mpg! This is not supported by the forum comments. Apart from cosmetic styling changes to the dashboard, and I believe a socking big auxillary battery under the boot floor,(so Lexus have listened to the RX400 complaints!) is there much difference in the two models? Is the air suspension system really that good? I do find the standard suspension on my RX400 quite uncomfortable in fast cornering. Too much body roll, but then it is a high up SUV and not a sports car!

Yes, I have been through the forum search. Most discuss the service plan which I do not know anything about. As I bought my 400 second hand from Lexus in Cheltenham, maybe it does not qualify. I will ask the service manager. As I intend to keep the car until it or I fall to bits, it might be a good long term prospect!

I am due to have an annual service and MOT on my 55 plate RX400h by the local Lexus dealer who supplied the car. It has 26,000 miles on the clock and goes like a dream. I am interested to hear what service charges other 400h owners are finding around the country? Did you try to negotiate any price reductions? What hidden problems did the dealer try to tell you about your car? Do all dealers work to pre-set service price arrangement, or charge as much as they can?

I agree with Fred. The 400h is a remarkable car. Fuel consumption really does depend on your right foot! I average 34-38 mpg overall on mixed road driving. One tip I can give you is when you do not need any power, take your foot completely off the accelerator pedal and basically let the car freewheel. If you set the information button to actual mpg you will see 99.9 when the car is not using any fuel or is running on the electric motors. If you drive with a very heavy right foot you see a pretty poor mpg!

Hi Fred, i have had 3 lexus's now and think they are outstanding, i bought my 2006 RX400H SE-L back in march, it was up for £25,995 with 27k on clock 1 owner, the price wasn't negotiable, but they always have a margin, i managed to get it for £22,500 full tank fuel, bumper protector, boot liner,touch up paint, free delivery to lowestoft suffolk as i bought it from lexus Hatfield, oh and free baseball cap for my boy so if you dont ask you dont get, always plenty more out there. I generally get 33/34 mpg out of mine and have seen 38 on a run so not bad for 3.3 petrol. Not sure on the differences between the two models you listed sorry, but hopefully some help to you. All best Phil Thanks Phil - this is very helpful. Fred

Interesting. What exactly do you mean when the auxiliary is switched on? I carry a Blackspur battery starter/tyre air pump/torch unit which is connected to the 12 volt contact in the boot to keep it fully charged in case of an emergency. The charging light on the unit does not light up even when the car is running. Do you know if this connection is fused? I do not think it is recharging the blackspur and once a month I boost it on the mains adapter, which does show the charging light!

I have a 55 plate 400. My local car audio specialist in Worcester fitted a Dension Ipod attachment to the Lexus ICE system. Cost about £250. All the Lexus controls function the Ipod, but the display does not show track information. This is due to the Lexus kit, not the Dension. Your 07 car may have rectified this. Let me know if you want further technical/product information. Regards Linehill

Have a look at my forum entry headed "Do not leave your lights on" from January 2010. Extensive ideas and suggestions were made by many RX400h owners. We all know the auxillary battery which primes the hybrid system is inadequate, Lexus know as well, but the battery tray is too small to fit a larger capacity battery in its place. No one has suggested that it might be worth actually disconnecting a battery terminal if the car is going to be left for a few weeks unused. I don't know if it would stop a flat battery, but downside is the alarm system would not function. But this is probably the cause of the battery drain. Would the central locking work? This is a frustrating problem on what is otherwise an excellent car.

[ i have never had any brake problems on my 400 in 6000 miles of varied motoring conditions. Certainly never experienced your problem. On the snow and ice I could feel the ABS system working when any skids began. Maybe you should take your car back to your dealer and have the ABS and other systems checked. I have always thought the braking on the Lexus was most reassuring and positive.