LenT

If only! I remember having to stand in front of the car, sticking a rod in to it and cranking it up - hoping you’d pulled out the choke far enough. What we would have given just to turn a switch! In most cases, anything that makes driving easier is fine by me. That’s why we have autos. And if you can’t reverse into a parking space, there are cars that will do it for you. So I have no problem with the concept of a smart key. Indeed, eliminate the human parasites who steal what others have earned, and there’d be no need for a security system. So it irks me that having acquired - and paid for - the benefit of a Smart Key, I now have to disable it. The whole point of that technological development is so that I don’t have to press more buttons! Which I suspect may be the reason why Lexus doesn’t mention that turning it off makes your Lexus more secure. So for the present I shall persevere with the pouch, which definitely works - and has the added benefits of protecting the key and concealing the fact that it belongs to a Lexus. If that proves too onerous, then I shall have to consider the retrograde step of pushing additional buttons!

It’s captured mine! But it’s only now, thanks to some posts here and elsewhere recently, that I discovered that an alternative to Faraday devices was the OFF switch! Who’d’ve thought! Well not me, for one. I had no idea that the key signal could be switched off at source. Strangely, I don’t recall any of the articles discussing this form of car theft ever mentioning it either - or I might not have gone the Pouch route anyway. But surely it’s in the Manual, I hear you chuckle. Well I may have missed it (Lexus often seems to spread relevant info across different pages and sections) but the mention of switching the key fob off comes under the heading of saving the battery! References to signal blocking only seem to crop up as warnings. There’s no all embracing section on ‘Security’, for example, that might include it. And no-one at the dealership has ever mentioned it as an effective theft prevention procedure. So well done you lot! I shall certainly keep the keys in my new Faraday Box. And my new Pouches certainly work for now. But if - like me - you’ve discovered that can’t be relied on, then it’s been a worthwhile exercise. And maybe I’ll see if I can be disciplined enough to follow the ‘Switch Off’ method.

That’s really infuriating! Going to all the trouble of investing time, effort - and a little money - into this extra level of security, only to discover that you may not have been getting it at all. The new pouches I’ve just acquired are certainly effective, even if the flap isn’t sealed, surprisingly. But your experience demonstrates that it’s well worth checking them out occasionally - even if they look perfect. I too have wondered if it’s all worth it for an older car. But I suppose an older car can be worth a lot if stolen for parts. And it’s probably easier to sell than the very latest models that will attract more attention.

I looked at the Vonetti cases, which seemed to be a well-made option. The problem I had was that my key seems to have attracted several undoubtedly essential items to it. Which are accommodated in a pouch, but don’t fit in a tin. This may not be a problem for more disciplined owners. Still, I’m slightly relieved to find that I’m not alone in discovering the limitations of Faraday pouches. Without this being a topic that had recently popped up, I probably would not have been prompted to retest mine. Of course, whether or not it’s ever successfully repelled an attack I’ll never know - until the one occasion it doesn’t!

It surprised me too, Brent. It leads a pretty sheltered life in a kitchen drawer. It only came out in the early days for the occasional check. So I’d rather taken it for granted. The real worry was that its performance had become erratic and unreliable. But maybe it’s just me!

Good point. My new regime will be to use the box for safe storage at Home. (Of course a tin would have been cheaper!). And use a pouch when out and about. I'll see how that works, while pondering the vital question: Is there a big market in stolen seven year-old Lexus in the first place?

It’s certainly a factor that identical tyres may well wear differently for a variety of reasons. But at least these are factors that can be controlled. In any case, I’ve always followed the tyre makers’ recommendation to replace the tyre when the tread depth reaches 3mm, irrespective of mileage. That is apparently when tyre performance starts to deteriorate rapidly. And while it’s true that manufacturers make changes to their products, normally they would surely just be small, incremental improvements. Having said that, it does look as though the new Michelin CrossClimate 2 is almost a new tyre compared with its predecessor. In which case it probably would be best to renew it as a set!

I would regard it as an unacceptable practice by any Dealer. Did they not notice or simply not care? Unlike mixing tyres on the same axle, I don’t think it’s illegal. And if you only ever practice sedate driving in excellent conditions, then it may never be a problem. But tyres with different tread patterns and compounds will react differently under load and when facing more challenging conditions. And you don’t want to be there when it happens! I would suggest going back to the Dealer and getting them to match the least worn set with new tyres.

Not the natty item of male underwear, but that other safe place to store your car keys. I ask because recent discussions about their use in car theft prevention made me wonder about the one I store my keys in. Bought in March 2019, there was no reason to believe that it wasn’t still up to the job. After all, there are no moving parts to wear out. There were no torn seams and the flap that closed it still closed. So what could go wrong? So to test it, I took the Pouch, with the two keys sealed inside, out to the car and grasped the door handle - which opened. Which it’s not supposed to do! Inside I pressed the start button and up came the ‘key not detected’ message. On the next press, it started! In fact, as the pouch was moved around, the key would sometimes be recognised. And sometimes not. Maybe the Velcro flap no longer sealed properly. Or the metallised lining inside had deteriorated. What ever the cause, the only solution was to replace it - which I have now done. In fact I have uprated it to new pouches which are now also kept in a Faraday box. I suspect that I’m not alone in taking the continuing security of Faraday Pouches for granted. If you’re using one, it might be worth checking it out.

My Manual was equally reassuring about my ‘Hill Start Assist’ feature, Rowley. It claims that: Hill-start assist control may not operate effectively on steep inclines and roads covered with ice. Unlike the parking brake, hill-start assist control is not intended to hold the vehicle stationary for an extended period of time. Do not attempt to use hill- start assist control to hold the vehicle on an incline, as doing so may lead to an accident. So…a useful aid. Just be aware it may not work!

And rightly so, Ed. As you say, what ever the merits of the cause these individuals espouse, the examples you give merely demonstrate that they don’t fully understand it themselves.

Fair enough, Simon. But if I’ve understood you correctly, you were wondering how an auto behaved on a hill when you’ve selected Drive and then release the foot brake. By reversing in to your drive, you will then experience what is in effect a hill start on each occasion when leaving. Although it soon becomes second nature, I too found that having grown up with a clutch, the art of balancing the throttle - and possibly the parking brake - of an auto on a hill and being confident that you weren’t going to lurch forward into the car in front, does need to be learnt. Just to complicate matters further, if stationary for a significant time, the recommendation is to select Park and apply the parking brake. Mind you, most drivers will use the foot brake instead - which is only a problem at night when any driver behind may not appreciate your brake lights! Having said all that, I was one who grew up thinking that autos were mainly for old f**ts. Now that I am one, I can appreciate how well they suit a Lexus. 🙂

Unless regularly greased - and sometimes not even then - metal valve caps have a tendency to corrode on to the metal valve stem. When you try to remove them, the result is that the expensive TPMS valve sheers off - and I speak from experience! This is why Lexus dust caps are now plastic. Of course there are sound reasons why ‘climate activists’ would be foolish to puncture a tyre to further their cause. For one, it’s actual criminal damage and vandalism which might not sit well with supporters. Or the Courts. But mainly the resulting repair or replacement merely contributes to the very problems they’re claiming to protest against. So something of an own goal!

Full marks, Simon, for the care you’re taking over this purchase. As has been mentioned, it’s the recent low mileage years that may be more concerning - indicated perhaps by the exhaust repairs. The problem is that if it’s made up of many short journeys, the system never gets hot enough to remove all the internal condensation- which is what promotes the rusting. Indulge in the occasional long drive just for the sheer pleasure of it! I too came to Lexus as a first time auto owner, although I’d driven them before. So I appreciate your concerns. As suggested, I took to tucking the left foot out of the way of temptation. But it’s surprising how quickly one adapts and the left foot is now strictly reserved for the parking brake. As for forwards entering your downhill drive, you may want to reconsider that. Apart from not reversing out on to roads, you’ll have more control by driving forwards out of your drive. You’ll also discover how the car behaves in D in what is basically a hill start out of your drive. One thing you don’t mention is the age of the battery. That will normally vary around six years, but is greatly affected by usage. Short journeys means it’s never getting properly charged. So it may be worth trying to get a new battery fitted as part of the deal. So all the best and I hope all goes well next week.

Wise words indeed! Left foot braking is something that can be mastered, but mainly only by people who have never driven a manual! I used to have a Citroen DS. It had a button on the floor instead of a brake pedal - and that took a LOT of getting used to.

I’ve had dashcams for years- mainly BlackVue - and installed in four different cars. I’ve never encountered a camera that was car specific. So I’m intrigued as to what it is about your Lexus that is preventing the operation of the camera.

I think your general point that viewing online media - by which I take it you mean video - is now preferable to reading print, is surely unarguable. I have a collection of DIY books on wallpapering, plumbing and so on. But if I was starting over these days, I’d be watching it being done on the internet. There’s probably nothing in the way of car maintenance and operation that someone, somewhere hasn’t covered with a video. In fact, Lexus has made its own contribution in that area, too. https://m.youtube.com/c/lexusuk/videos And of course there are now innumerable self-appointed Lexus car reviewers who will demonstrate how things are done. But what I rather took from your initial post is the kind of query which is perhaps best illustrated by a recent enquiry about the method and merits of connecting a battery charger. Now while this is within my technical range, and I’m happy to pass it on, I can’t help thinking it’ll be in the car’s Manual too. As it happens, my answer is also only going to be in the printed form, so - unless the Manual is missing - little has been gained by posting the query as opposed to using the Manual. Which was your original question.

When I first acquired my Lexus I was slightly surprised to see that it came with two manuals, totalling about 1100 pages. There’s no doubt that within those pages you’ll find most of the answers to questions you might ask - together with answers to questions you have yet to think of. Sometimes - as I’ve discovered - the only answer given appears to be to take the car to a Dealer. It’s in such cases that the highly knowledgeable members of the LOC can really come into their own. I also suspect that merely participating in Forums such as this tends to suggest a more than average interest in matters automotive. So sometimes the questions that come across to most of us as rather simplistic may, perhaps, need more generous and sympathetic consideration. Equally important are the points already made about the very sociable nature of this Forum. And we have to accept - and possibly even welcome - that it’s just more enjoyable to ask a question than wade through a Manual. The times I find this irritating is when I - and others - have made the effort to post a response… and we never hear from the OP again! Usually those who act this way rarely seem to even return to comment. How difficult is it to simply add an emoticon in recognition- even if you think the response is rubbish! Sadly, it’s an attitude that’s probably prevalent on the Internet that wouldn’t be acceptable in a real world encounter.

I have to admit I was being a bit average there, John. ☹️ Fortunately for Malcolm, the Moon’s orbit is elliptical so it does get as close as 221,500 miles. Mind you, anyone contemplating the journey shouldn’t leave it too long. If I remember it correctly, the Moon is receding from the Earth at the rate of about 4cms a year. And who can blame it!

That’s very impressive, Malcolm. On a good day that would get you to the Moon!.

Well if it’s the original battery, then its had very little use in the last eight years - which tends to promote internal deterioration. Apart from which, an eight year-old battery would be due for renewal anyway. Perhaps negotiate a replacement if you decide to buy the car?

Sounds like a result, Edward. Clearly KF has tried to redeem itself by taking responsibility for the damage and resolving the problem. Well, it has its critics but a good test of any company is how it sorts out the occasional problem. Hopefully, this will restore your confidence in them.

A very sound choice, Herbs, with whom - as you say - to get the ball rolling. However, I don’t think it ever harms your cause to let these providers know they are not alone in seeking your hard earned. I say this because I see that an outfit just called ‘Just ‘ is also a Member. Many years ago they beat the Pru as one of my Pension providers. At the time they stood out as being very flexible and - apparently- keen to find ways to improve their offer. Which they did at the substantial expense of the Man from the P. I note that they have a specialist Equity operation. As far as a recommendation goes, I can only say that in the intervening years I have never had cause to regret choosing this particular pension provider.

Typical! 😠 Not a single mention of the fact that it’s all covered in the car’s Manual anyway…if only someone had bothered to look! 😊

Exactly so! I take it, Mike, that by ‘yellow spare’ you refer to the SpaceSaver wheel. Well, normally it would be illegal to fit different sized tyres on the same axle. But an exception is made for a SpaceSaver precisely because it IS speed limited and provided you can demonstrate that your journey with it is for the purpose of travelling to a tyre repair/replacement facility and not merely to go about your business. I too require different sizes front and rear. I’ve only had to use the SS once, when a well-meaning lad snapped the tyre valve clean off! In such circumstances the gloop kit would have been useless, so I was grateful to have the SpaceSaver to get me to a tyre retailer. I don’t think the speed restriction is really too onerous considering the rather more significant problem that it solves.