Just purchased a 2013 450h with 100k miles

[PatG]

I just purchased a 2013 450h with 100k miles - we love it.  I previously (and still do) owned a 2006 RX350 -185k miles and running strong, it's been a great car!  I wanted to get something newer and a hybrid if possible and found this one - it's in excellent shape and love the color (dark red)!  

 

1. I have worked on my own cars for years - but am a total newbie when it comes to the hybrid part.  I've been reading the manual and online posts on hybrid/ev related items.  So when we got the car home and put it in the garage, I heard this noise - like a whirring sound - goes on and off, coming from the front when I take it out of Park and put in Reverse/backup - I think it only makes this noise after the motor has shut off when it is still in Park and I back it up.  I was told this is a normal sound when going in reverse but why don't I always hear it whenever I am backing up, instead of only some of the times? 

2.  There is a button to enable "EV" .  Whenever I try it, I get a message "EV unavailable"  .  Is this normal and what is the purpose of the button?

These are probably simple things, but being an EV newbie, I appreciate any thoughts/comments!

Pat

[Spottedlaurel]

Well done!

My 2014 model is now approaching 80k, and looking at the negligible deterioration over the last 20,000 miles I'm sure it will be just as good at 100k.

What model did you get? Just wondering whether you got air suspension or not.

In response to your questions:

1. Is the AC on or not? If you're in "Ready" that makes noises even if the petrol engine is not running.

2. Ignore the EV button, let it do its own thing. If you try and use it when it's cold it won't let you, and you'll soon pick up when it kicks in. A bit of a lift or coasting is all it takes much of the time.

[Notamech]

Congratulations! 

1) Hard to say without hearing the sound but i think it could be the brake actuator. The brakes on a hybrid are very different to normal cars and is completely computer controlled. When you apply the brakes the computer decides whether to use hydraulics or re-gen braking depending on the situation. There is a pump that pressurises the hydraulics and keeps it ready for the next time you press the pedal. You normally hear this pump when you open the drivers door before setting off and also when you park. It does pump during driving as well but less audible due to other noises.

2) This only works when conditions are right i.e your engine needs to be warm, your Battery must have sufficient charge your climate control must not demand heat etc. Even then you can only use for speeds up to 30 mph or something and the range it offers is just around a mile or so on these older hybrids so pretty useless. 

There is this YouTube channel called car care nut. He does a series where he explains all different aspects of a Toyota hybrid might be worth watching the videos on there to get an understanding of the peculiarities of a hybrid 

[PatG]

The READY light is on when I hear this noise - I'll attach a short video file where you can hear it (hopefully it will open).  

[PatG]

The car I purchased is a 2013 Lexus RX450H, don't think it has air suspension.

[Notamech]

1 hour ago, PatG said:

The READY light is on when I hear this noise - I'll attach a short video file where you can hear it (hopefully it will open).  

IMG_8773.mov

I could be wrong but this sounds like the pedestrian warning system. Since hybrids and electric cars are so silent they are designed to make these humming sounds when reversing to alert pedestrians. 

[Brian26]

Hi, this sounds to me like an after market reversing warning, possibly tied in to the reversing lights?

[PatG]

That's what I thought - a reverse warning.  

[PCM]

EV...

When I drive my wife's car, and get stuck in slow or stationery traffic, I hit the EV button.

Or when moving her car on the driveway.

It comes on until: the Battery is too low or my speed is too high. Which is fine.

I would expect the EV to come on for a while.

[PatG]

I did get a low Battery message one of the times I pushed the EV button - the other times it said - Not Available.  I'll test it some more. 

[Spottedlaurel]

7 hours ago, PatG said:

I did get a low battery message one of the times I pushed the EV button - the other times it said - Not Available.  I'll test it some more. 

I really wouldn't bother with it - if the conditions are right it will run in EV mode anyway.

[Nick W858]

Good purchase Pat, our 450h is now 13 years old, has over 150k on the clock and is still going strong, my wife used to swap her cars every couple of years but has had this for ten years and has no plans to change it any time soon!