Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Lexus RX 400h New Lexus RX 400h Owners - Give Us Your Report
97 messages, Last post on Oct 06, 2009 at 9:04 AM
You are in the Lexus RX 400h Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
|
Replying to: lexus400h (Jun 27, 2005 1:45 pm) Of the two dealers we visited none had any 400h available for immediate delivery but felt depending on color choice we could have a car sometime in the next one to six weeks. None would discuss discounting, but one suggested as soon as they had more than a 30 day supply in stock, which could happen soon, we could expect limited discounting. Again I would appreciate names of which dealers you visited. If you have name of salesperson who has stock and is discounting that would be even better.
|
|
|
Replying to: rocky7 (Jun 27, 2005 9:26 pm) |
|
|
Replying to: rocky7 (Jun 27, 2005 9:26 pm)
|
|
|
Replying to: lexus400h (Jun 28, 2005 4:54 am) |
|
|
After driving about 600 miles in my new 400h (27.5 mpg), I've decided there actually is a bit of a steering issue with the 400h. At first, I thought my alignment was off due to extreme pulling to the left on my main commute road. The road is crowned heavily, with drainage to the left. I have to hold the wheel fairly firmly to keep it going straight. Now, switching to the other lane, which drains right, I get a fairly strong pull to the right. I've driven this road for years, and have never noticed this problem with my 540i, Audi Allroad, or Explorer. The Explorer drives like a heavy truck, but doesn't pull like the 400h on the same road. I then went out and drove on a number of flat local roads, and I'm convinced the alignment is OK. In a parking lot,for example, I can release the wheel and the car will go dead straight without any noticeable pull. My conclusion is that the 400h steering system is "different". It feels like the electric boost or "centering power" is unsufficient at highway speed, or stated another way, that the front end is overly-sensitive to camber in the road. I noticed that letting go of the wheel on a slightly pitched road, even at very low speed, results in a fairly rapid turn -- more so than any of my other cars. The effect does feel like misalignment to me, but it occurs in both directions depending on road camber. In the end, I've decided it's a bit annoying, but certainly not a driveability or safety issue. I just feel like I notice small differences in road camber much more. When driving on windy roads, I notice nothing at all. On cambered straight roads, I feel the effect almost constantly...
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: shelt (Jun 28, 2005 4:25 am) With the steering being electronic and all the electronic stability stuff, I wonder if there is a firmware adjustment for the "centering power".
|
|
|
Replying to: rx400_owner (Jun 28, 2005 8:41 am) "The optimisation of the caster angle and the adoption of ‘Nachlauf’ geometry, which offsets the kingpin axis ahead of the axle centre, result in increased caster trail which enhances both straight-line stability and steering feel. The location of the kingpin axle outside the wheel, allied to the addition of a small, well-shaped sub-frame, results in excellent tight-turn performance and a compact turning circle of just 5.7 metres. Lower arm and tie rod geometry has been further refined to suppress changes in toe angle under suspension bounce/ rebound, thus ensuring excellent straight line performance. And the angled location of the lower arm member with the rear side higher than the front creates an anti-dive suspension geometry effectively to suppress nose-diving under braking. In addition, the front suspension also adopts a small level of negative camber, effectively leaning the top of each front wheel inwards when the vehicle is running in a straight line. Under cornering load, the change in vehicle posture naturally reduces the ground contact camber angle of the outside front wheel, optimising contact between tyre tread pattern and road surface for enhanced, high performance cornering."
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: hybrat (Jun 28, 2005 9:54 pm) I checked this morning on our fairly crowned residential (25 mph) street. My Rx400H runs straight on it (for the limited distances I can check since there are some curves on my street). It does at least as well as my Camry on this. Even if I started with the wheel turned slightly, it wanted to self-center and go straight. On a short very steeply tilted road section (a place where they use to have another street joining from a lower level) it did want to follow the slope down, but this was way beyond any normal crown and I think pretty much any car wouldn't track straight there. |
|
|
I have owned the 400h for a month now and just a few observations..... of course the quality is the usual Lexus "high" and the car came delivered literally with no problems whatsoever. I am of course now more observant of my MPG's. Its natural with all the emphasis on why the car was purchased in the first place. A SUV vehicle with a smaller car MPG rating. I am getting in the low 20's right now in combined MPG's. Most of my driving has been local (still under 1000 miles) and here where there has been a bit of disappointment so far. I notice that upon acceleration no matter how slight it might be the engine will "kick in" and not rely on electric power for that up to 30 mph start. I have babied the gas pedal to the point I could probably run faster off the starting line than the car. I do get electric only usage if I get up to a speed of 30 mph steady and put it on cruise control. As soon as I touch the gas again the engine will turn on. I was expecting something a bit different like normal acceleration with stop and go driving in that 20- 30 mph range and then use the engine for that boost to highway speed. Essentially, use the electric around town (live in a somewhat congested area) for speeds under 30 and only use the engine in that speed range when the batteries needed to be charged or that quick acceleration was needed. I was wondering if others have experienced the same. Also is anyone aware of a computer setting that could be made by LEXUS that would tune the vehicle on when the engine would kick in. I will be reporting this information to the dealership when I see then in a few weeks.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: joed2 (Jun 29, 2005 3:53 am) For instance message 1570 contains a nice analysis of the battery capacity that Dylan Hixon did. The batteries store about the equivalent of about a tenth of a gallon of gas or a couple of miles worth (and of course most of the time you don't start with a full battery and you don't want to run the battery down to zero). These aren't meant to be a main power source for running around town. The batteries are meant for supplying power when you need less than the engine can produce efficiently and for supplementing the power from the engine when you need more than the engine can produce efficiently. This allows the engine to be tuned for more efficiency in the range that it is normally used and then to stay in that range most of the time it runs. There are always losses in moving energy around so when the engine can efficiently produce what you need, it is most efficient to take the energy directly from it. I find I get good mileage with this car by: Accelrate normally - not jack rabbit but not trying to keep the ICE off Once up to cruising, drive smoothly Keep an eye on the lights and traffic ahead so that brakes are applied early enough for maximum regeneration or drop speed a little to arrive at the light when it is green. Short trips with a cold engine get reduced mileage so combining errands helps too. My first tank was a bit below 25 mpg. Since then I've been running between 25 and 27.5 mpg (depending mainly on amount of AC needed and how much I have short trips). |
|
You are here:
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Lexus RX 400h New Lexus RX 400h Owners - Give Us Your Report
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2008 Lexus RX 400h
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
