Herbie

Just to expand on what Dan said (because you may be back on here panicking if you don't know about this), if you slam your foot to the floor, the engine will scream its head off. This is natural and normal but some people don't like it and/or they think something's wrong. It's actually just this very clever eCVT doing its thing to keep all parameters (such as torque, power, efficiency and so on) at their best values for the given conditions. If you don't want the engine to scream, simply press the pedal firmly down in a controlled manner and don't just stamp on it.

I don't know the answer but you may get more responses if you post in either the GS forum or the Audio/Video/Security forum., rather than the engine & transmission forum

This video may help to get your head around the way these eCVTs work. This is about the Toyota RAV4 but our cars are the same:

You're a brave man Ben. I certainly wouldn't use anything that doesn't explicitly say on the can that it's safe to use it in hybrids. It's certainly not worth risking a £2000 or £3000 bill to put things right if it all goes wrong. Anyway, as long as you're happy that it's safe to use, that's all that matters. Right, you said that you don't understand the pages from the workshop manual so, if you look at the first one, it shows the code B1475 in the left column. The next column along is the condition that flagged up the code, which in this case is that the cooling water in the inverter is too high a temperature, or there's an open or short circuit in the sensor circuit. The final column shows the items that could be causing this problem and the most likely culprit is at the top of the list, working downwards in order of likelyhood. The rest of the pages are like a flowchart of how to diagnose what the problem actually is.

Unfortunately, unless I'm missing it, there's nothing on that can to say exactly which kind of oil it contains. It should specifically say either "Suitable for hybrids" or be labelled "ND11" or "PAG". The refrigerant gas doesn't matter as that's the same, but the oil needs to be the correct one. This is very important. Our hybrid aircon compressors are driven by a 500V 3-phase AC variable frequency motor and the motor windings sit in the oil for cooling purposes. ND11 oil does not conduct electricity so it's safe to use, but PAG oil does conduct electricity and it will damage the motor windings. It's been shown that as little as 1% contamination by PAG will attack the insulation on the motor windings and cause either short circuits between the windings themselves, or between a winding and the metal case of the compressor. If that is the wrong oil then the whole aircon system needs to be drained out and flushed, and may even need a new compressor and dryer. However, if it is the correct oil then we can concentrate on the code B1475, but you really need to make sure about the oil first.

The quantity doesn't matter. We just need to know that you used ND11 or equivalent oil and not the more common PAG oil used in conventional cars. If you mistakenly used PAG then you have a bigger problem.

Fair enough, we'll deal with that in a minute, but what about the oil?

I haven't got a workshop manual for the IS300h but this is what the manual for the RX450h 2009-2015 says about code B1475:

Which oil did you use? Was it ND11 and/or did it say that it definitely was suitable for hybrids?

Well, I've never heard anything like that before but it does sound sort of like an electrical buzz. Read the OBD codes and see if anything has been flagged and let us know if it has.

Indeed it is, and it will be an equally very simple fix - you've just got to find where the fault is. Assuming that it is just an air problem and that the mechs/techs who've looked at it so far have ruled out, beyond any doubt, any electronic and/or sensor problem, it can only be one (or more) of four things: The source of the air, ie, the compressor - which you've ruled out Pressure not high enough from the compressor - which you've ruled out A leak or a blockage on the way from the compressor to the struts Air is reaching the struts at the correct pressure but the struts are faulty and can't use the air to do their job I used to be a telephone engineer on BT and all of our old copper trunk and junction cables (and also the modern fibre optic cables) that go from exchange to exchange, or from exchange to the green street cabinets, are all pressurised to 9psi. The reason for this is twofold - if there's a fault then air coming out prevents water from getting in; and secondly, once the cables are pressurised there should be no flow. If air starts to flow (in what should be a sealed system) then pressure alarms ring and we can measure the approximate location of the fault. I know that chasing an air leak on the Lancaster - Manchester No.6, or the Preston - Blackpool No.2 is different to chasing a problem around a car, but the basic principles apply.

Haha, just seen that the OP replied while I was typing that out. Ignore that then

Just to add to that - it is possible that the compressor is actually working but is 'weak' and can't pressurise the pipework. I have no idea what pressure these things are meant to run at.

The laws of physics can't be defeated - it's only air from a source, travelling through a pipe to a destination. If the air is being pumped out by the source and going into the pipe, but crucially not reaching its destination, it can only be either escaping before it gets there, or its being blocked from getting there. First, get a jam jar and put some water in with a few drops of washing up liquid and then, using a brush, brush all along every pipe and every joint. Leaks will form bubbles. If there are no leaks, take each section of pipe off in turn and either try to squirt water through it or blow compressed air down it. That will show up any blockages.

You must be rich I don't know of one instance where Lexus insurance isn't hundreds of squids more than more mainstream companies. My own experience is that Lexus wanted more than double the £515 that Ageas are charging me. I've worked hard for my money and I hate just giving away more than I need to. I took out GAP insurance with MotorEasy, which gave me three years cover for half the price that the dealer was quoting. Thankfully, I've not needed to claim (and I am touching wood as I type this so as to not tempt fate). As with all insurance companies, you never know if they are good or bad until you make a claim, but reading lots of good reviews about them makes me comfortable with my choice.

Your photos are not showing Peter. I must admit, having had a black interior once, I wouldn't go back to it. Makes it far too dark and dismal, which is why I like the Ivory/Beige colours.

When going downhill there's a chance that the traction battery could reach maximum charge, so if this happens the hybrid system cuts off fuel supply to the engine and begins to rotate it using the motor MG1. This uses the excess electricity being generated and I seem to remember that it can also take some from the battery as well if needed, but I may be wrong on that. This is engine braking, so no need to use the paddles at all. The hybrid system really is engineered to perfection.

I think red interior looks garish and tacky, irrespective of outer colour. We have a Mesa Red RX with Ivory and Noble Brown interior and that combo looks really classy IMHO, of course.

What sort of a sound - screechy, clicky, rumbly? Can you take a recording of it and post it up in here so that we can hear what's going on?

It's only the 12V battery that has a problem with being left. I remember reading that the high voltage traction battery should (but I do emphasize should) be alright for up to about 6 months. I'll post the article if I can find it again. Could you not leave a trickle charger connected to the 12V battery while you're away?

No, not at all. The hybrids have electric motors to supplement the petrol engine. When you're climbing a hill for instance, the engine may return, say, 10mpg normally. However, because it's getting electric assistance from the motors it doesn't have to work as hard so it may return the equivalent of, say, 16mpg (completely made up figures). Also, there are times when the petrol engine will be shut off completely, such as being stood at traffic lights or when the car is on battery power only, so you're saving mpg there too.

If you're living there then the answer depends on what the French MOT is like. Back here in good old Blighty, hybrids are not emissions tested so you could just weld in a straight pipe and forget about it. The cat you linked to should work but the question is - do you need it?

It is and it isn't. The V6 is just as thirsty as any other V6, it's being a hybrid that gives the extra mpg.

Quite a few people take this as an opportunity to get rid of the air and change to standard coils. A whole set of four coils/struts can be had for not much more than the cost of just one air strut and you'll never have the problem again.

It's an instant MOT fail if the light source (bulb) does not match the light housing unit. In other words, if the fitting is designed for a halogen bulb then it must have a halogen bulb in it. If it's designed for HID then it must have a HID bulb in it and so on.