ColinBarber

If you deviate the profile away from standard type-approved sizes for the UX then you will need to inform your insurance company of a modification and understand you will create an error in your speedo.

I doubt they would introduce such a major change outside of a new model or possible a facelift year. AWD itself has been available for some time on the ES in the US but not with a hybrid drivetrain.

Lexus does, you just need the correct cable. https://www.lexus-tech.eu/DiagnosticTools/Setup

Front fog lights are supplied via the 15A FR FOG fuse and a relay. You should check the voltage is getting to the relay and is being switched through when you hear the click - it could still be a faulty relay. The rear fogs (assuming this is a European car with built-in rear fog lights and not a Japanese import) don't go through a relay - they get power via the 20A ECU-B1 and 7.5A ECU-B2 fuses. If they don't work with those fuses intact then there is a wiring issue or fault with the switch itself.

Look for leaking shock and check the brake discs/pads for wear as they are expensive to replace. Otherwise just check normal things - accident damage, even tyre wear, drives and brakes straight, gearbox shifts correctly through all gears etc. If it has a Lexus dealer service within the last 12 months you have Relax warranty coverage which will cover the major mechanical components.

That is a far from ideal response but I can understand the logic. The battery will be discharged through lack of use, which would affect its capacity and ability to maintain a charge - 12v lead acid batteries do not like being deep discharged. In the eye of the battery manufacturer, this isn't a warranty issue because it isn't a manufacturing defect, it has inadvertently been user damaged. I'd argue that a vehicle isn't fit for purpose if you cannot go on holiday for two weeks, so you will have some recourse if you wanted to threaten or take up legal action. However, just replacing the battery with a new one doesn't solve the issue, and I doubt there is room to fit one with a larger capacity.

I just looked back at my Fuelly stats when I had a 400h and it would achieve 32-33 mpg on longer runs - I'd expect similar with an RX350, but once you get over 70-75 mph then you economy will start to drop off quite considerably due to the size and aerodynamic shape of the RX. It's certainly the case that the hybrid benefits are mainly below 50 mph, especially for older Toyota generation 2 hybrid system that the RX400h had - there isn't much assistance that can be provided at higher speed, and very little regeneration braking going on. Many of the differences between hybrid and normally aspirated balance themselves out - e.g. 400h is heavier but the 350 has higher drivetrain losses. Aircon, whether it is electrically driven or mechanically via a clutch use about the same amount of energy. Therefore high speed economy is roughly the same. This is how Lexus US positioned the two: Q: How should I choose between an RX 350 and an RX 400h hybrid? A: If most of your driving is highway cruising or you leave your vehicle parked for several weeks at a time, the RX 350 may best meet your needs. If most of your driving is stop-and-go city and you want improved acceleration and fuel economy, the RX 400h may best meet your needs.

Either way, it’s not as if Lexus owners don’t suffer battery issues if the car isn’t used much. We have hundreds of examples on these forums.

Those codes are engine faults - nothing to do with headlights (turbo boost control, MAF, EGR valve). Either you have disconnected something to gain access, damaged a cable or blown fuses.

Wouldn’t be the first time such things happened.

Admiral now has all the grades available to select. Direct Line still has nothing!

It can be time consuming to find the source of the issue, certainly to the point where it isn't worth getting a main dealer at £200 per hour to diagnose the issue. An auto electrician should be able to help. You can DIY - you need to left a door open, but fool the car into thinking it is shut, then lock it and wait an hour for all the systems to sleep. Then you measure the voltage drop across the fuses to see which circuit is consuming too much power - then you can hopefully narrow down the problem. Typically it is stereos/amps, alarms or third party trackers/dash cams that cause the issue. Here's the procedure to measure the voltage drop across the fuses. You shouldn't remove fuses - it can cause systems to wake which makes finding the issue harder.

The RAV4 and NX share the same platform and drivetrain - the RX is different, although the current RX350h and RX450h+ share the same drivetrain as the NX/RAV4.

You are better to search for the term clock spring. You can get third party ones from around £50 on eBay. If you want a genuine part then I'd recommend importing from Amayama for around £250.

I would suspect there are electronics not in the vehicle if it doesn't have that option. Is the windscreen camera even in the housing?

Yep, for the ones made in Japan - although duration/cost will be less.

Probably a large labour charge to diagnose the issue and charge to fit the new one given the manufacturer is paying.

Understood but I'm referring to the £1,000 cost to Toyota per vehicle to put it on a RORO ship and take it from Japan to Bristol in addition to all the other charges.

There is a 10% import tax into Europe/UK from Japan. The ES for the US market is manufactured there so no import tax. Shipping charges will also be more expensive to the UK. European/UK consumer laws also make it more expensive to do business that in the US. Ultimately the price isn't based on cost of manufacture, it is based on what the market will bare.

You shouldn't use heated seats or steering wheel or any in fact even the radio when it isn't in Ready mode. Once it is in Ready Mode then it makes no difference what you switch on as the power is coming from the hybrid system, not the 12v battery. It charges at around 5 to 8 amps. It makes no difference if the vehicle is just sat in Ready mode or being driven. This isn't an issue. The vehicle is able to generate 100+ amps @ 12v from the hybrid system. With less that 10 amps going to charging the 12v battery, you have more than enough to use all the features of the vehicle. If you are using your vehicle daily then it doesn't really matter on the journey length, you just need around 1 to 2 hours of the vehicle being in Ready mode per week. As you potentially use it less than that then you may experience the same issues and your Yaris. Make sure your key isn't left near the vehicle (e.g. by the front door with the vehicle on the driveway) as if the two can communicate with each other it can cause the battery to discharge faster. You could also consider disabling smart entry completely from the vehicle's menu which would help and also prevent the possibility of a relay attack theft.

Not that we are aware of.

Best to sell the winter wheels/tyres separately although it isn’t the best time of year to be doing so.

Welcome James 🙂

Your GS is a series III, not II. Are you suffering any vibration? The rubber can split slightly and then not deteriorate further so you don't have to replace it straightaway. Unfortunately the coupler is bonded to the prop and not available on its own, hence why the price is expensive. However, I'd get a breakdown of the costs as a replacement prop shaft from Lexus is probably very expensive, whereas it is likely to be cheaper if you import one from somewhere such as Amayama. The other option is to remove the old one from the prop and use one that wasn't designed to be bonded - e.g. from a Supra or GS series I or II. But you would need to confirm the size and bolt patterns match. Not sure why your mechanic feels it's only a job for Lexus - that shouldn't be the case.

LV don’t seem to want to distinguish between Lexus models that are vulnerable to theft and those that aren’t. Best not to worry about it and just go to another insurer.