RX450h Gen4 hybrid system clarification

matinzk · January 31, 2023

Hi everyone,

I just picked up our 2016 F Sport Sonic Titanium RX450h with 60k miles on it. Having had a CT200h for the past 5 years I can already see that there are alot of differences.

A quick question in regards with the actual hybrid system and the way it should behave. On our CT200h we used to be able pull off junctions and roundabouts from standstill just with the electric motor then eventually if we wanted to speed up the ICE would kick in. On the RX however it's a different story. As soon as the gas pedal is pressed, even very very gently the ICE kicks in. Is this normal for the RX or something could be wrong with the car? The car is in the ECO MODE by the way.

Also do you guy get any mist/water evaporation in the rear lights, the ones on the actual boot lid?

Zotto · January 31, 2023

In ECO mode and normal conditions, ICE keeps off till the mid of eco range on power meter, but in this cold weather it goes on easily to have a warm temp in cooling system and AC, so nothing to be worried; cold weather affects mpg negatively too.

About mist in rear lights, better give a look, no mist in my RX.

Passing from a CT to a v6 RX is a big jump, enjoy your new car but do not expect same fuel spare 😄

After some time you could find yourself more at ease using normal mode, anyway power is more than sufficient in any mode, compliment again, from photos it looks like new.

matinzk · January 31, 2023

2 hours ago, Zotto said:

In ECO mode and normal conditions, ICE keeps off till the mid of eco range on power meter, but in this cold weather it goes on easily to have a warm temp in cooling system and AC, so nothing to be worried; cold weather affects mpg negatively too.

About mist in rear lights, better give a look, no mist in my RX.

Passing from a CT to a v6 RX is a big jump, enjoy your new car but do not expect same fuel spare 😄

After some time you could find yourself more at ease using normal mode, anyway power is more than sufficient in any mode, compliment again, from photos it looks like new.

Thank you for your kind reply. I'll try to get used to it 😊 Not too worried about the fuel consumption as we needed the space. At least better fuel economy in comparison with equivalent cars of different brands.

I'll send some photos of the lights soon.

Yeah looks brand new indeed, better yet I paid low twenty thousands for it too.

Spock66 · January 31, 2023

5 hours ago, matinzk said:

On the RX however it's a different story. As soon as the gas pedal is pressed, even very very gently the ICE kicks in. Is this normal for the RX or something could be wrong with the car? The car is in the ECO MODE by the way.

I think this is normal, mine is the same, even if you put in EV mode anything more than the slightest dab on the throttle and the engine will start. But overall I think the fuel consumption is quite impressive for a 3.5 Litre > 2-tonne vehicle.

5 hours ago, matinzk said:

Also do you guy get any mist/water evaporation in the rear lights, the ones on the actual boot lid?

Yes I have seen slight condensation in all four rear light clusters depending on the weather conditions but usually clears quickly.

matinzk · February 1, 2023

Here is the rear light on the drivers side. What do you reckon?

Spock66 · February 1, 2023

Looks excessive, but you stated you have just acquired the vehicle where it could easily have been outside in winter conditions for a couple of months with little use and hence condensation has accumulated over a period of time.

matinzk · February 1, 2023

39 minutes ago, Spock66 said:

Looks excessive, but you stated you have just acquired the vehicle where it could easily have been outside in winter conditions for a couple of months with little use and hence condensation has accumulated over a period of time.

Most likely. It is currently garaged in our house. Let's see if it will disappear soonish.

matinzk · February 25, 2023

Hi everyone, a little bit of an update. All the condensation/must from the rear lights seems to have disappeared now. We've covered about 250 miles with the car so far and all good.

Yesterday the car went in for its annual service at the Lexus Exeter, part of the Snows group. The attached is the Hybrid Battery health check report, which I found in the pack today. Having always had good experience with Lexus dealers I didn't check anything in the pack that was given to me and they never bothered telling me about it. I got in touch with them today but couldn't get through, so emailed my point of contact.

Have to guys seen anything like this before? Is it something to worry about?

Any help is appreciated.

Las Palmas · February 25, 2023

cannot see anything attached

Now it popped up.

PDM has just answered, which I think is correct.

PDM · February 25, 2023

7 minutes ago, matinzk said:

Hi everyone, a little bit of an update. All the condensation/must from the rear lights seems to have disappeared now. We've covered about 250 miles with the car so far and all good.

Yesterday the car went in for its annual service at the Lexus Exeter, part of the Snows group. The attached is the Hybrid battery health check report, which I found in the pack today. Having always had good experience with Lexus dealers I didn't check anything in the pack that was given to me and they never bothered telling me about it. I got in touch with them today but couldn't get through, so emailed my point of contact.

Have to guys seen anything like this before? Is it something to worry about?

Any help is appreciated.

Was the 12V Battery recently changed? I believe that the system needs to generate sufficient data about the performance of the hybrid Battery for a hybrid health check to be run. If the 12V Battery was recently disconnected it will have lost that data and you need to do more miles to generate data for the hybrid health check. I would say that it's more like the hybrid health check could not be run rather than it actually failed.

Paul

matinzk · February 25, 2023

56 minutes ago, PDM said:

Was the 12V battery recently changed? I believe that the system needs to generate sufficient data about the performance of the hybrid battery for a hybrid health check to be run. If the 12V battery was recently disconnected it will have lost that data and you need to do more miles to generate data for the hybrid health check. I would say that it's more like the hybrid health check could not be run rather than it actually failed.

Paul

Thank you. The part as to why they couldn't do it is clear now with your help. The other part as to why they kept it "hush hush" is not clear to me. Is it under warranty? Is it not? Do I take it back after a few hundred miles and demand for it to be checked to have another 12 months warranty on it?

Thank you.

Spock66 · February 25, 2023

31 minutes ago, matinzk said:

The part as to why they couldn't do it is clear now with your help. The other part as to why they kept it "hush hush" is not clear to me. Is it under warranty? Is it not? Do I take it back after a few hundred miles and demand for it to be checked to have another 12 months warranty on it?

I think that is appalling service, I can't comment on whether it's covered or not, but surely whatever the outcome they should have clearly communicated that with you.

Illogan · February 25, 2023

Quote

As Andrew's stated - I think it's shameful service from a Lexus Dealership. I suggest you call them, ask what mileage is necessary to garner a result from their hybrid battery test, and request that once you've done sufficiently more miles, that they test it for you again, free of charge of course.

royoftherovers · February 26, 2023

9 hours ago, Illogan said:

I agree with Dave,but ensure that they put their response in writing.

wharfhouse · February 26, 2023

12 hours ago, matinzk said:

Thank you. The part as to why they couldn't do it is clear now with your help. The other part as to why they kept it "hush hush" is not clear to me. Is it under warranty? Is it not? Do I take it back after a few hundred miles and demand for it to be checked to have another 12 months warranty on it?

Thank you.

Can't believe they didn't explain the results to you face to face when you collected the car. At my dealer they always open the pack and walk through all the docs explaining anything untoward and implications and giving me a chance to discuss with them as needed.

matinzk · February 26, 2023

1 hour ago, wharfhouse said:

Can't believe they didn't explain the results to you face to face when you collected the car. At my dealer they always open the pack and walk through all the docs explaining anything untoward and implications and giving me a chance to discuss with them as needed.

Exactly my experience from Lexus Hedge End (Southampton), but no good experiences from Lexus Exeter, although they're from the same group.

Illogan · February 26, 2023

1 hour ago, matinzk said:

Exactly my experience from Lexus Hedge End (Southampton), but no good experiences from Lexus Exeter, although they're from the same group.

Unfortunately, as with all companies/brands, - whatever their declared business ethos and practices, it all boils down to the final delivery by a person - - and if that person is uncooperative, or, let's say 'out of sorts' at the time, then there's a failure in the quality of delivery - - and that's where the rot starts.

royoftherovers · February 26, 2023

3 hours ago, wharfhouse said:

Can't believe they didn't explain the results to you face to face when you collected the car. At my dealer they always open the pack and walk through all the docs explaining anything untoward and implications and giving me a chance to discuss with them as needed.

mine too.

matinzk · February 26, 2023

39 minutes ago, Illogan said:

Unfortunately, as with all companies/brands, - whatever their declared business ethos and practices, it all boils down to the final delivery by a person - - and if that person is uncooperative, or, let's say 'out of sorts' at the time, then there's a failure in the quality of delivery - - and that's where the rot starts.

Nicely put.

08ISF · February 26, 2023

A quick trawl around the internet suggests you need 500 miles after DTC clearance to get a hybrid test carried out. If the car has been sitting around in the winter for a while then the 12v Battery may have discharged and then had to be charged or replaced which could explain their comments. If they couldn't carry out the test when it was serviced, and it is supposed to be free when carried out with service, I would insist on them carrying it out for free when it comes in. They must confirm the mileage interval first though.

I would be keeping an eye on the 12v Battery. If it has discharged enough in cold weather it may not be able to hold a charge properly. They should test it as part of the HHC.

matinzk · February 26, 2023

4 minutes ago, 08ISF said:

A quick trawl around the internet suggests you need 500 miles after DTC clearance to get a hybrid test carried out. If the car has been sitting around in the winter for a while then the 12v battery may have discharged and then had to be charged or replaced which could explain their comments. If they couldn't carry out the test when it was serviced, and it is supposed to be free when carried out with service, I would insist on them carrying it out for free when it comes in. They must confirm the mileage interval first though.

I would be keeping an eye on the 12v battery. If it has discharged enough in cold weather it may not be able to hold a charge properly. They should test it as part of the HHC.

That's what I found out too. But it's the dealer skin to point out such things to us.

I got the car about a month ago, late January. I'm guessing with the cold we had the car Battery may have discharged on the minus temperatures. They may have jump started it before I went for a test drive. This may have caused this. Having said that since car was purchased I've driven about 300 miles, this may not have been enough though.