Herbie

Just to point out that yes, the Grom is very expensive compared to the other things you mention but it is a full, stand-alone Android computer and does so much more than just play music and give track info like the other things do. You can download any apps from the Google Play Store to the Grom and run them directly from there, without any need for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. This means you have access to all the latest navigation and maps such as Waze, Google Maps, Sygic and more, plus YouTube, Spotify and all the other streaming services as well as Internet Radio and even live TV (not on the move, of course, but great for when you're parked up for longish periods of time).

@EvilRacer329 Good points about the current design of the cars and it reinforces what I said earlier in this topic about the RX feeling like the opposite of Dr. Who's TARDIS - looks big on the outside but really isn't that big on the inside. We often struggle for boot space in the RX and leg-room for rear passengers. You could well be right about the Smart. It was great fun to drive back then when I was younger and fitter but my back injury would prevent me from driving one now. The same back injury is also the main reason why we have the RX; it's the easiest car to get in/out and the seats are so comfortable that it makes driving a pleasure again instead of something to be endured.

Service books can be legitimately stamped by any garage anyway, but there's also the age to take into account. By the time the car is 10 years old a fully-stamped book doesn't mean much. Before my back injury I did all my own servicing to any car I've had. I even wrote "Serviced by me" in the book and kept all receipts for oil, filters, and so on to prove it had been done and I never had a problem selling or part-exing. Looking at it the other way, a lack of service stamps wouldn't put me off buying a car.

Nope, I stick with horrendous. My wife and I were amongst the first people in the UK to have a Smart (1999 reg V863 LFV) and that had plenty of room and was great to drive. In order to keep the manufacturer's warranty with no Smart service centres over here, we drove it from our home in Preston, Lancashire, to Antwerp, Belgium, for its services and it was great. The UX300e that I had wasn't a patch on our old Smarty.

There are too many variables to give any meaningful answer really. The best thing (insomuch as there is a best thing) is an app called Network Cell Info. I don't know if it's available for Apple (spit, cough) because I hate Apple and wouldn't give any of their devices house room, but you can get a Lite version for Android that's free, or the pro version that costs £2.79/year, both from the Google Play Store. The biggest downfall is that, obviously, it can only connect to the network you currently use. If you have a specific bad spot and you want to know which network handles it best, you'll either need a bunch of SIMs from other operators or get a bunch of your mates on different networks to stand in the same spot.

The windows, the memory seats and so on just need to be reset; this always happens after the 12V battery has been disconnected. Unfortunately I can't remember the reset procedure but either Google or your owners manual will have the info you need. As for the other stuff that's happening, I'm really beginning to struggle about what to try next. It's all very odd. All I can suggest now is, if there is still a problem, go for the cheapest fix first. In other words, look at any and all affected connectors and harnesses to check that they're all tight and clean with no corrosion present; check for voltages and/or continuity on the various wires. If none of that helps then I think you'll need someone with greater knowledge to sort it all out, so good luck mate, I hope it's a cheap and easy fix for you.

Clearing the codes is a good idea to see if anything comes back. However, when you say "without hybrid" I think you've got yourself a bit confused because it's impossible for the car to start if it isn't in READY mode (hybrid system running). Hybrids don't have starter motors. The start-up sequence is - foot on brake and press power button. The 12V battery then boots the computers and brings the hybrid system online to light the READY mode indicator. You won't get very far before the hybrid system needs to fire up the petrol engine and it does that by energising MG1, which spins the engine to 1,000rpm before applying fuel and a spark to fire it. If your car runs and drives then the hybrid system is working.

Fair enough my friend. Even if you don't want to DIY I think you may find this interesting, just so that you know what's involved:

Only a guess but because it's shaped and moulded to fit a specific make and model of car, I would assume that it's a dealer only part. Strange question I know, but whenever I see someone with a 2005 RX300 I always wonder if it's my old one - GY05 HVK?

Simply keep the footbrake pressed down until you put it in Park and then let your foot off the brake.

Not sure what you mean by "when it's charging" there Umar. I'm talking about when you're out driving and maybe stood at a red light. Always keep it in D or if you know you won't be moving for a good few minutes you can put it in P, but just don't use N.

You need to be in READY mode so that the petrol engine can come on/go off when it needs to, to keep the batteries charged. They don't charge in ACC mode. You also need to stop putting the car in Neutral because again, the batteries don't charge and the hybrid system doesn't work when in Neutral.

OK, so your 12V battery wasn't good and needed replacing anyway, so at least you know that that's alright now. You've got all those fault codes but as I said (and illustrated) further up the thread, one of the codes you have is P0A0F, which covers five different areas of concern. You really need to use Techstream to narrow it down with the sub-codes that TS shows. I'm afraid that it's not looking like a five-minute fix and you're going to have to do some methodical and logical diagnostic fault-finding to get to the bottom of it, unless anyone else has any great ideas to share.

Thanks for the mention Paul. Apoc - here is the topic Paul refers to, and yes, it's very easy to install yourself but I do appreciate not everyone feels comfortable doing that. If you install it in the glove box then you could have it done within an hour. Anyway, here's my installation:

Sadly, my favourites, Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen2 (or 3) or Michelin Cross Climates aren't available in 20" size, so I'll be keeping my eyes on this topic myself.

Given that my car is only just over 3 years old yes, it's still going to the dealers at the moment under service plans and extended warranty, but once it reaches about 6 or 7 years old then it'll be going to my local trusted garage for everything unless it's for something to do with the hybrid system (my guy doesn't have the gear to do hybrid work).

It just annoys me that people think only Lexus techs can work on Lexus cars. There are many hundreds, if not thousands, of fully qualified mechanics around the country providing excellent service for reasonable prices. A mate of mine (who, sadly, lives about 300 miles away these days) served a four-year apprenticeship with Vauxhall. He then got about 5 more years experience under his belt and then went self-employed. He is a damn fine mechanic and works on any and all brands of cars. He's now been self-employed for about 30 years and gets all his work by word of mouth recommendations. By your reasoning he would either be unemployed or stuck in the main dealers where he served his apprenticeship. You don't need a dealer. You don't need an independent Lexus specialist - you just need a known good mechanic with a good reputation and a proven history of happy customers. It may be a Lexus but it's still 'a car'.

I'll almost guarantee that it's the 12V battery. Go and get it load tested and I'll bet there's a bad cell.

You need to get yourself one of these jump start battery packs. I've had one similar to this (mine's a Tacklife T8) for a couple of years and never needed it for my own car as it gets plenty of use. However, I've used it six times now for other people and it works brilliantly well. And I've only charged it once; didn't even really need it but I was just erring on the side of caution.

My own personal choice is Yuasa but Bosch are good too.

Sorry Umar, I missed that For some reason or other the pictures aren't loading for me but if it's been load tested and the result was a fail, you just need a new battery and you should be sorted then.

That's alright Umar, that shows that the charging system is working as it should. Have you had the 12V battery load tested yet?

I don't think wipers are included in the OBD2 error codes but you could read/have them read and see if anything shows up. Below is a screenshot from the RX450h workshop manual so it's not ideal but I think the systems may be similar enough to help. The second column gives the possible causes with the most likely candidate at the top. I would suggest that unless you have a warranty on the car, or you have the required electrical test gear, it may be best to go to an auto-electrician to have it sorted.

I'm sorry Linas, I'm just not having that. Ask family, friends and work mates where they take their cars, and get personal recommendations by word of mouth. There must be someone, somewhere, who does good work at a good price and has a good reputation. I live in a town with a population of about 145k-150k people and know at least 4 garages that meet that criteria. There are likely to be more but I don't know all areas of the town or all garages in the town.

Just to play 'Devil's Advocate'....... First, let me say that I fully agree with everyone else; it was not faulty when it went in there but it was when it came out. That is irrefutable. What they have done is a bodge, not a fix, and again, they will have to carry out a proper fix on the car. The bit that I'm having trouble with is people saying that it's a "safety issue". The wearing of seatbelts became compulsory in January 1983, which is almost 40 years ago. Absolutely no one should need to rely on a buzzer to tell them to put a seatbelt on - it should be deeply ingrained in us by now and as involuntary as breathing that, as we sit down, we reach for the seatbelt. I literally just could not drive away without the seatbelt in place, I would feel completely naked without it.