Plug Guy

Cannot understand why Lexus engineers have NOT yet come up with a fix for the 60mph surge problem. Drove it last weekend on the highway, and at 60-70-80 it is noticeable.

Dealer keeps telling me they (Lexus) are working on a fix, but can it really take that long to remap an ECU?

Sheeesh.

silvervett

I haven't noticed any surge, what does it feel like does the car speed up? Did you have the problem right away or did it start up after a few thousand miles. So far I have had only two problems One not serious and the other I consider serious. The drivers air bag light keeps on flashing. I am not worried about it because I always belt up. The other problem was that 2 or 3 times shortly after I got the car the car would go dead. The dash board lights came on but nothing would work. I don't want to pull over someplace for lunch and get stranded for an hour or maybe over night. I called Lexus roadside when it happened and by the time they got there the car computer reset itself. I drove the car a couple hundred miles when I got it then drive it about 1,600 to 1,700 miles to Texas. Then I made one long trip from Conroe (just south of Huntsville) to Dallas and back. The car has been sitting in Texas since Jan 28, I am flying to Texas on the 30 and driving it back to NY. What exactly should I look for with the surge, Is it something to worry about as far as the car speeding up and hitting the car in front of me? Does it happen with cruse on off or both? Our cars were probably made around the same time, it is an 07 I picked mine up in mid October 06

DeaneG

That's a gentle surge as the electric motor cuts in and out , right? So far, all I've read is that all toyota hybrids do that. I'd like a fix too, but wouldn't hold my breath. Doesn't seem like it would be hard to fix though, just give the motor threshold some hysteresis.

joedaddy1

iTrader: (1)

yes.. mine has been doing that since day one.. the car went in to have the 40mph surge fixed.. it didn't fix it.. it's getting on my nerves

silvervett

Maybe people are complaining because the car is a Lexus. Is it possible that this is normal for all hybrids and something that has to be accepted as one of the quirks of owning a hybrid? People expect a Lexus to be absolutely smooth but their expectaions aren't as high with a Toyota. Maybe the same thing happens with the Prius but because it is a Toyota and not a Lexus people are less critical. Maybe my car has the surge also but to me it isn't pronounced enough for me to be concerned with. It is funny because I made a deal over the phone just wanted to sign the papers and pick it up because I was too busy with moving to Texas to spend much time buying a car but the salesman insisted that I test drive the car before he sold it to me. I drove the car a few blocks and was ready to buy it but the salesman wanted me to put a few miles on it. I am thinking back about this and feel that maybe there are a lot of people that are more sensitive to hybrid quirks and the dealer would have rather not sold the car to me if I didn't like the surge. Maybe it is something you just have to put up you as the price of owning a hybrid and my particular dealer felt it would have been better for a customer not to by the hybrid because it can't be fixed. This all just pure speculation on my part. I wasn't aware of any surge before but now that I know about it I am going to see if my car does it. I am more worried about the condition of the battery right now than anything else. I left the car in Texas on Jan 28 with a battery tender on it and will arrive in Texas late on Friday night the 30th but I have no idea if the tender will keep the hybrid batter charged as well as the regular batter

jednav

When I was at the dealer complaining about my RX350 surging, the techie said that surging of the hybrids is even worse due to the fact that there are three motors switching and engaging for optimum gas consumption.

Also, the technology is very new and needs more R & D to fine tune to within acceptable driving habits.

Pls. no flames, I am just passing on what I was told. I am also experiencing low speed surges on my RX 350 as posted at the other forum.

silvervett

That is why I brought it up, maybe it is the price we all have to pay to be the first ones to buy a hybrid with leading edge technology. I mentioned this in another thread, one of the reasons I choose to lease my car was that I felt that when the lease expires in three years all the problems would be resolved and hybrids will be much better than they are now.

joedaddy1

iTrader: (1)

no. it is not acceptable in any car.. it's not like it's a characteristic of a hybrid.. only SOME people are experiencing this "defect".. i understand the lemon is ur favorite fruit.. but i sure don't like it..

silvervett

This topic has certainly made me anxious to drive my car. I drove it for a couple hundred miles in NY before I drove it to TX, I drove it for about 1,700 miles from NY to TX and another few hundred miles from Conroe TX to Dallas TX and back and never noticed a problem. Maybe I wasn't paying attention or maybe my car is one of the ones that doesn't surge. I can't wait till Saturday to drive the car and see what happens.

joedaddy1

iTrader: (1)

ur car probably doesn't do it.. it's not ALL of them that does it~
i think it's mostly the first ones out of the factory..

Rockville1

I wish somebody could describe the "surge" phenomenon better. I'm not really sure what you guys are talking about. Does the vehicle actually increase in speed on its own? Can you hear the engine rev up when the surge happens? Is it something you feel on the accelerator? Would you say it is a subtle feeling or is it really noticeable.

I have an 07 400h and I have been paying close attention at both 40 and 60 mph. The only thing I occasionally notice is a very slight change in the momentum of the vehicle as the hybrid battery kicks in, usually on a slight upgrade on the highway. I wouldn't call this a surge, just a subtle, but noticable change in the feel of the vehicle - almost as though a clutch were being engaged and released.

This is not something that bothers me at all as I just assumed it was a normal response from the hybrid battery assisting with the ICE.

Is the surge you guys are talking about different from what I tried to describe?

silvervett

I got mine in mid to late Oct of 06, I can post my vin if that would help determine when the car was made. But if it is true that only the older ones do it there must be something different between the old and new models. If they are using different electric motors than Lexus needs to replace the motors or whatever needs to be done reguardless of cost

Plug Guy

Ever get in the car with some moron driver who presses the pedal down, lets up a bit, then down, constantly?

It's LIKE that, but not EXACTLY like that.

What I can feel while driving is a very gentle differential, almost as if you actually move forward/back in the seat ever so slightly...but enough that you notice it. It's not an ignore and it will go away sort of thing.

For the money Lexus has us pay for this vehicle (it's worth it, yes), and the R&D behind it, they should have a fix.

Why do I say this? When I asked the dealer the week after I bought it, they hooked me up with their chief tech who had just returned from Lexus Engineering on this VERY matter.



They resolved the same issue that was occurring at 40mph, but have NOT resolved it at higher speeds. The fix for 40mph surge was an ECU remap.

And the fact that is happens on some, not all, is indicative that it IS a problem and should be corrected.

Rockville1

Ahhh, I see. That would definately tick me off if anything close to the moron scenario you described was happening. And yes, Lexus should definately get on the ball with a fix for that ASAP!

Actually I met someone who bought a 400h from the same dealer on the same day that I did. He reported the problem on another discussion forum within days after his purchase. He was (naturally) pretty upset about it, but I never noticed any such problem. Anyway, his problem apparently resolved itself after about 1,000 miles (that's the last I heard anyway). But when he took it to the dealer, they informed him that what he was experiencing was "within specs." This was back in January.

Perhaps not all dealerships/techs were/are aware of the problem. But they certainly should be as much discussion as I've seen on the topic.

silvervett

I guess there isn't much more I can add to he discussion because I put a few miles on the car today. I haven't driven this car since 1/27/07. I just discovered this forum a few weeks ago and learned about the surge, I didn't recall any surge when I drove it but maybe I wasn't paying attention and didn't notice it when it occurred. At this point I can only conclude that I am one of the lucky owners who's car doesn't surge, or that it is so slight that I can't notice. I believe that the people reporting the problem have a problem that would annoy the heck out of me and I wish you all the best in getting it fixed but I am grateful I am one of the lucky ones. I hope the folks out there with a problem get it resolved to your satisfaction.