Surfbum

Hello Phil,

I updated my map software last year on the Toyota link,I am now using map version 02-18-51 (2018-06-11)..Map update ID 1103-1610-1208-2259.I guess I have the premium version as I use the remote menu button on the center console to acces the Nav screen.

Yeh Geoff,

This is the link..https://toyotamaps.online/map-updates >>current price is $79..(Current exchange rates mean its a bit more than the £55 that I paid) ..its all legit.Map updates are done twice a year so the new updates for 2019 were issued in October.Its all explained on the site what you need to do..

Yeh Geoff,

This is the link..https://toyotamaps.online/map-updates >>current price is $79..(Current exchange rates mean its a bit more than the £55 that I paid) ..its all legit.Map updates are done twice a year so the new updates for 2019 were issued in October.Its all explained on the site what you need to do..

Hi Geoff,

What does that firmware update relate to?.When I did my map update last year it included a firmware update as well but maybe that was just for the map section.I was not aware there was a firmware update for anything other than the nav system.Perhaps that update is only on the NX models and not the RX 450H.My rx has been serviced every year since new and I have never been quoted if I wanted the firmware updated.I did ask about the map update and Lexus Plymouth wanted about £280,so I did it myself from the Toyota site for £55.

check out www.toyotamaps.online for latest firmware updates on Toyota/Lexus vehicles

Hi Dan;

Time to move on from the 400H...got an excellent trade in price plus protection pack thrown in from Lexus.Got to say I have really enjoyed owning the 400H apart from the Battery issue; although for the last 4 yrs the solar charger has done its job and have not had any dead Battery problems.

Even when the Battery is dead one can still open the doors using the key and not remote blipper..initially I was using a booster pack to fire up the engine when the Battery was dead so carried that around under the drivers seat.Then started using the solar charger and never had to use the booster power pack again.

Hi Ja,

You obviously haven't read all the other posts regarding the dead Battery issues on the RX400H.Its a common fault due to the small Battery and the drain down caused by the electronics security when the car security alarms are activated and the car not run for a week or two.Lexus are aware of it but do not have a fix other than to keep one happy by changing the batteries every time they get a call out.They cured the problem by installing a bigger Battery on the RX450H.

I have finally decided to change my '57 plate 400H in for a new 450H Advance this Saturday...no more solar charger sitting on the dashboard.....YES!!!

I had the same dead Battery prob on my 2007 400H,I got lexus to permanently power up the socket on the floor and bought a £28 solar charger and leave it plugged into the socket when my car is parked up for vacations and have never had any more dead batteries.

Try Hastings Direct....I got fully comp,NCD protected,Legal cover etc,,,,£173..

Check www.cheaptoyotaparts.co.uk for the price on latest sat nav disks for RX400H

Phil,

I have a 2007 400H and had the same Battery dying problem right from brand new.Each time it happened I called Lexus and they changed the Battery.Its a manufacturing fault and Lexus knew about it but had no 'fix' for it.I work away and my car was left for many days with-out being used and I would always find the Battery dead on return to the uk.

I finally got round the problem by getting my Plymouth lexus dealer to permantley live wire the power socket on the floor and plugging a solar power charger(Solar cells layed on top of dash) into it when the car was not being used.It continually trickle charges the Battery.

I have not had a dead Battery since doing this.

Its a poor excuse for a car with all the extras I ordered that cost over 50K at the time to keep the Battery running but it works.

I understand that on the new 450H they put a larger Battery in thus getting round this problem.

I hope they do the same with the new baby RX due out next year,,,lessons learned I hope.

Derek

Its a SUNSEI SOLAR CHAGER 135..it has a built in diode to prevent reverse current.The Lexus electrician who installed mine to the floor socket by permanent wiring it,its safe as long as an inline fuse is installed also.You can purchase from www.sunseisolar.com..not expensive.

Surfbum

I had a lot of trouble with my 400H battery going dead when the car was not used...I fixed the problem by getting Lexus to wire up the bottom power socket permanently to the battery with an inline fuse also.I plug a solar charger into it when its laid up while I'm away on work trips overseas and it has started everytime since,even after 3 to 4 weeks of not being used.

Surfbum

Which kind of portable solar panel did you use? any brands or examples, or any specific Volts/Currents required for the RX400H?

Surfbum

Bump :)

Nobody with some good links or other great ideas on how and where to get hold of some roof rails for my RX400h ?

Have you tried a Lexus dealer?

Great feature on the indicators sounds a good idea, the updated disc's i managed to get on ebay for a bargin £56.00 genuine Lexus disc's, there has been several posts on here regarding the disc's where you can buy brand new ones, but they are around the £150.00 mark i believe. I just kept looking on ebay and eventually a set come up at a used car dealer. Just type in "lexus sat nav disc's" you can check the disc numbers to see if they are the latest by going to the web site listed on here somewhere (sorry but cant remember what its called, if i find it will post on here later for ya) Found it, looked through this forum and found on page 7, see below.

Right, if you go to page 7 topic listed "satnav Dvd update help? " there's a link on one of the reply's to the web page for the update disc's and info.

Phil.

You can get the latest disc from www.cheaptoyotaparts.co.uk..its around £137

I've seen a dog guard on 'the bay of E' but it's for an RX350. Would this fit my RX400h???

Halfords do a good mesh guard that clamps via the head rest legs

Looks like I'm the latest to suffer from this fault. I have a 2 year old RX400H. Did a thousand miles or so over the summer. It was parked up for a week last week while I was away on work. On my return the battery was almost completely dead - just enough to open the doors thank goodness but otherwise nothing. AA man (Lexus Roadside assistance) jump started it and said the battery looked faulty. I've had it replaced under warranty.

When I was younger and poorer I had old bangers that needed to be jump started from time to time. I don't expect a £40,000 plus two-year old car to need jump starting in 2010. I've been a loyal Lexus customer for ages now but I am starting to wonder about reliability. (The power steering on my previous RX400H had to be replaced after two years. It's no joke trying to manoeuvre one without power steering as you can imagine.) I have seen lots of helpful ideas on here about how to prevent a battery discharge occurring again but I return to the £40,000 point. I don't think it should be up to me to devise clever tricks involving the cigarette lighter. Have they acknowledged that this is a problem or are they keeping their heads down?

My local Lexus agency(Plymouth) changed my Battery 3 times before eventually installing permanent power to the front power socket at floor level..its connected to the Battery with an inline fuse.My '57 400H is left unused for upto 4 weeks at a time due to overseas work and since using the solar charger plugged into the floor socket and laying on the dashboard I have had no problems with starting the car after being away.

I've had mine for 6 months now ,it's an 08 SE with the wood pack and am very pleased with it. I had an IS300 before it. The fuel consumption does vary with the weather i.e. during the winter months I was getting around 28 mpg but now its up to 31 mpg with not much difference in the type of driving that I do. Another bonus is that its quicker than the IS300 although racing around country lanes it would probably lag behind. Regarding the starting problem, it will be parked up at an airport car park for two weeks over next Xmas and New Year so any advice on how to ensure start up when I get back will be appreciated.

I had a lot of trouble with my 400H Battery going dead when the car was not used...I fixed the problem by getting Lexus to wire up the bottom power socket permanently to the Battery with an inline fuse also.I plug a solar charger into it when its laid up while I'm away on work trips overseas and it has started everytime since,even after 3 to 4 weeks of not being used.

Surfbum

Hi All;

My '07 RX400H has only done 10,800 miles but is due its 3 year service.According to the service book a 3 yr service is for a vehicle thats done 30,000 miles.Since mine has only done a 1/3rd of that in 3 years which service should I have?.I have the service plan in with Lexus but I cannot see the point of the big service and accompaning cost when the car has the low mileage.

The reason the car is low mileage is because I work out of the country 6 months of the year.

Any suggestions anybody!!!!

Thanks,

Surfbum

I have been advised by my Lexus service centre to go here to look at updating my satnav DVD.

My current version in my RX400h is 2006/2007 - Ver2 apparantly.

I went here - Lexus Map Updates and put in my part number on the disk.

My question is, has anyone else ordered a new DVD? Apparantly it also unlocks the menus that previously greyed out when you were driving, so you can select things whilst on the move.

Just ordered an update disk from cheap Toyota Parts for my 2007 RX400H,disk is 2009 europe up-date.139 pounds delivered from e'mail..info@cheaptoyotaparts.co.uk.

My local lexus agency was quoting 147 pounds..I hate being ripped off even if only a few quid.

Surfbum

I am a new member to the LOC so I thought I would share my info on the dead Battery issue.

I work away a lot so my '57 400h is left standing for weeks on end and as other members have noted the Battery is dead after a few days of not being driven.Lexus are aware of this but there is no 'fix' unless you get the new 450h.

However,I have got the 'fix' sorted.

I got my local lexus agency to put permanent power to the lower power socket at floor level,purchased a solar power panel and leave that on the dash when I leave the car;the Battery gets a trickle charge while I'm away,the panel also has a diode fitted which stops reverse drain from the Battery.

I have not had any trouble with Battery drain since having this done.

Surfbum

In light of this problem I am taking 2 (with a possible third later) route towards a solution.

1. A larger battery must exist somewhere, if not in physical dimensions, surely in terms of a better amp/hr rating.

Now before everyone jumps up & down with joy there may be downsides to this. a) Warranty, always a b***er when you resort to non standard kit! For my part I'd argue this through to the High Court if penalised, the voltage remains the same & the extra capacity stays in the battery & doesn't feed extra current into the system.

However it might weel extend airport park ups & similar by a measurable amount, because the voltage won't go critical so quickly.

2. If you only do short(ish) trips most of the time you won't achieve anything with the above in the long run because the battery will take long to charge as you drive ...... eventually you could kill the battery through lack of charge.

So ................... Solar charging to keep the power up no matter what. I;ve used these things with my motorhome to amazing affect, a 90amp/hr battery dropped to 50% overnight through use can be restored to health through a 90watt panel. Now thats extreme, so a 5watt (ish) panel should do the job one most days. Bear in mind even a street light can give a small amount of power through a solar panel. The principal isn't a constant charge, more a varying charge dependant on light .... so a shaded parking spot might need a bigger panel to gather enough light to be effective.

These can be bought for about £30, less than a replacement battery.

However it will require a seperate in car socket with a feed to the battery, to modify one of the Lexus dash fitted ones would be unwise (& a warranty issue for those so affected) ..... unless the one on the boot is constantly powered............

IMPORTANT!!!!!! If you decide to follow this route independently make sure you fit or have inclded in the solar panel a blocking diode or a supply controller. If you don't you can lose power back to the panel .... not a good idea.

If anyone's interested I'll post my findings as & when I have them.

Of course the real answer might be both at the same time .............. as J. Clarkson would put it ......POWEEEEERRRRRRRRRRR!

Hi Everyone,

I am a new member to the LOC so I thought I would share my info on the dead Battery issue.

I work away a lot so my '57 400h is left standing for weeks on end and as other members have noted the Battery is dead after a few days of not being driven.Lexus are aware of this but there is no 'fix' unless you get the new 450h.

However,I have got the 'fix' sorted.

I got my local lexus agency to put permanent power to the lower power socket at floor level,purchased a solar power panel and leave that on the dash when I leave the car;the Battery gets a trickle charge while I'm away,the panel also has a diode fitted which stops reverse drain from the Battery.

I have not had any trouble with Battery drain since having this done.

Surfbum