Help With The Meaning Of Nx300H "chimes"

lee789 · April 21, 2015

I've been trying to figure this out for a while. When I'm driving along, I will get a single chime every so often. Is this the EV system switching on and off? Also, having turned off the ignition, I sometimes get a single chime after opening the door and getting out of the car. This is in daylight and the key is outside the car, so it's not a key present or lights on warning. Also, whilst I'm in dim mode, any idea how you get the car to drive purely in electric mode without the engine starting? In EV/ECO mode I can get up to about 10mph, but the slightest pressure on the accelerator after that just starts the engine. Totally different from the way the RX hybrid system worked where it was easy to get up to around 30mph, and use moderate pressure on the pedal. Any ideas anybody??

rayaans · April 21, 2015

Single chime when driving - Im sure this is the speed camera warning that cant be turned off

Chime after opening door - I sometimes get it in the RX. Seems to be if a window is slightly open or if you open the door just before you press the ignition off button.

Last time I drove the NX300h it was really hard to get the engine not to come on. I think theres just too much weight to carry for the electric motors alone and its not got the power to pull it forcing the engine to come in.

DJP · April 22, 2015

If it's the same as the IS300 the speed camera is a double chime. There's definitely a chime if you open the door before hitting the stop/start button, can't remember if it's only one though.

Sent from my Iphone using Lexus OC

lee789 · April 22, 2015

All these chimes are rather confusing, and not even the full handbook adequately covers what they mean. I wonder how much effort it would take to replace these sounds with voice warnings which make it perfectly clear what is happening. Not much I suspect. Anybody remember the 70s comedy Kentucky Fried Movie, where the guy gets into his car and is confronted with numerous bings, bongs and chimes? After eliminating them one by one he is left with one chime that will not stop. Turns out the car is warning him that the zip on his trousers is open. Life immitating art..

ColinBarber · April 22, 2015

The EV only mode is almost useless on the IS/GS300h/NX, as you say even the slightest touch of the accelerator will bring it out of the mode, especially when cold. The only use I find is for moving the car off the driveway.

You can also use it once you are already up to 25 to 30 mph but just lifting the throttle and letting go automatically into EV mode is easier and better for the hybrid system.

lee789 · April 23, 2015

Glad it's not just me. EV certainly doesn't seem to make a lot of difference to fuel consumption either, even in ECO mode. My daughter's boyfriend has a 200T on loan from the Lexus dealer at the weekend, and I will be interested to see how that performs in comparison. Re the constant chimes, my Lexus dealer hasn't a clue either. The service manager agrees that some of them are unfathomable, confusing and pointless.

te0xdsm · April 23, 2015

My experience is that starting from cold - no matter what you do, it will start the petrol engine to warm it up.

Once engine is warm, then I can get easily in eco/normal/sport mode from 0 up to 30 mph (or a bi higher) without firing up the petrol enginer.... it only takes patience, foot management and a loooooong time.

I found it is pretty useless to try to get from 0 to 30 on electric mode only - you waste a lot of Battery - far better for the fuel consumption a short burst of petrol enginer to 30 and then keep 30 on electric.... and it will go on and on and on - I have done 3 miles on electric only at 30 mph.

ColinBarber · April 23, 2015

Once engine is warm, then I can get easily in eco/normal/sport mode from 0 up to 30 mph (or a bi higher) without firing up the petrol enginer.... it only takes patience, foot management and a loooooong time.

I was explicitly meaning the forced EV mode - using the EV button. Compared to other older Toyota hybrids the amount of acceleration possible without it beeping and coming out of EV mode due to 'excessive acceleration' is quite pathetic.

Actually operating in a normal driving mode but keeping the engine from starting up isn't a problem.