Steam from exhaust? rX450h

[Metallicaf]

Hi all, i am a new rx450h owner and noticed that white smoke(guessing steam) coming out of the car when I start it or rev it. Is it because the hybrid engine is not heated up during first 30mints of drive? The weather is cold already in UK so guessing it could be bcz of that but is a common thing with hybrid cars?

[Passerby]

Lot of difference between smoke and steam .. you nose should tell you which it is. 30 mins does seem a tad long for steam but it might depend on the route you take

[gdh300]

It is - as far as us we temperate oceanic UK types are concerned - 'winter' now.

On my drive home tonight it was 2°C and I'd driven about 8 miles (about 1/5th my journey home) and was sitting in stationary traffic, and there was a lot of 'steam' visible out the back of my car. I'm sure what you've been seeing is the same as I saw; high humidity, low ambient temperature. still cold exhaust from low speed but with an up-to-temperature engine. Hybrids in similar circumstances can run their motors for less time than my pure petrol, so effects will be more pronounced, I'm sure.

All the same, I'd keep an eye on it, just in case. Excessive moisture in the exhaust can only come from one place, so keep a very close the coolant level.

[olliesgrandad]

My car steams under certain weather conditions. For every gallon of petrol burnt a gallon of water is produced. It has to go somewhere. 

[jumpingjehovahs]

Mine is the same, I always assumed that because the exhaust cools as I zip about on Battery, there’s a natural build up of condensation which when the engine comes back into play and heats the pipes back up has to go somewhere.

If the temperature gauge stays straight and true, I really don’t think you’ve anything to worry about.


Sent from my Iphone using Tapatalk

[ColinBarber]

It is normal, not a hybrid thing but a petrol engine thing - although most Toyota/Lexus vehicles seem more prone than other manufacturers for some reason.

[Metallicaf]

Thanks all, this is very helpful to know your experiences 🙂