3rd Gen RX Speed Governor?
#3
Instructor
My friend tells me that he tried to go above 105 mph but he couldn't. It's like there was a wall of wind blocking the car. Not sure if it was the limiter or lack of power at that speed.
#4
Lead Lap
Speed limiter essentially limits the engine RPMs. High gear at max. revs = top speed.
Only way to fool it on a modern car is with a stick shift.
We bought a new V6 4 dr, Accord back in '05 after seriously looking at the 2 dr. 6 speed coupe. That car was a virtual street legal rocket-ship.
Good friend of mine was the Service Manager at the local Honda dealer. He called about 2 months later, the 2 dr. sold just after our 4 dr. purchase & was towed in.
Owner's son took it out for some tuner racing. Had it up to a very high speed & needed to slow down in a hurry.
Missed a gear or two on the way back down & pushed the engine way past the safe limits.
Owner brings it back demanding a new car as the product had evidently failed for no reason !
ECM showed the dirty little details just before the owner had a heart to heart talk with her son.OUCH.
In 2005 dollars I think the top-end was about $ 4K + 15 % tax.
Only way to fool it on a modern car is with a stick shift.
We bought a new V6 4 dr, Accord back in '05 after seriously looking at the 2 dr. 6 speed coupe. That car was a virtual street legal rocket-ship.
Good friend of mine was the Service Manager at the local Honda dealer. He called about 2 months later, the 2 dr. sold just after our 4 dr. purchase & was towed in.
Owner's son took it out for some tuner racing. Had it up to a very high speed & needed to slow down in a hurry.
Missed a gear or two on the way back down & pushed the engine way past the safe limits.
Owner brings it back demanding a new car as the product had evidently failed for no reason !
ECM showed the dirty little details just before the owner had a heart to heart talk with her son.OUCH.
In 2005 dollars I think the top-end was about $ 4K + 15 % tax.
Last edited by SteveCraig; 12-05-16 at 03:31 PM.
#7
I've been to an indicated 105 in our '13 RX. Car was rock solid...don't know why anyone would fear going "above 90" in these cars, unless they would fear doing so in other cars, which I can understand. High speed is not for everyone.
At 105, there seemed to be more left, and no rev-limiter activity. It was fast enough for me, considering a citation at that speed would be around $800.
At 105, there seemed to be more left, and no rev-limiter activity. It was fast enough for me, considering a citation at that speed would be around $800.
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#9
This guy claims it is limited to 112:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ahn-sucks.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ahn-sucks.html
#12
I do not blame the car makers at all for this. They have to protect themselves from our court/legal system, which is guilty of removing personal responsibility from humans.
And that is why there are speed limiters on non-high-performance vehicles.
#13
Lexus Champion
Vlad, I believe he is likely correct. Most passenger, SUV, and truck vehicles have a governor. This is more to protect the manufacturer from liability suits than for any other reason. Producing a "normal" vehicle that is capable of exceeding 120 MPH without limiting it to a lower speed could be claimed to be an unsafe practice. Most high-performance cars (Corvette, Porsche, Mustang Cobra, etc) do not have speed-limiters because it is a given that anyone buying such a car knows it is capable of high speeds, and assumes a certain amount of responsibility for the operation of the vehicle. That does not prevent lawsuits, but has been an effective defense and deterrent.
That's why many German high-performance cars are/were limited to 155MPH (250KPH):
http://www.autoblog.com/2005/07/14/m...55-mph-limits/
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/200...hall-be-known/
Similar agreement was in Japan to keep HP for domestic vehicles below 276HP to avoid a horsepower war between manufacturers:
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/jap...-pact-car-news
That all lasted until marketing stepped-in. Germans started to bundle higher speed governors with their "sport" packages.
Lexus, on the other hand, never advertised their speed governor settings. However, they have been generous.
For example, while 3-series BMW was limited to 130MPH, my IS300 topped out at 147MPH.
Last edited by vlad_a; 12-07-16 at 08:03 AM.
#15
Because Michelin is able to charge a lot more for the same tire if there is a V on the side instead of an H. That's the real reason. For many people, a higher speed rating equals a better tire, so Lexus and Michelin are just playing to the incorrect notions of the average consumer.
Also, the 3rd gen RX is indeed limited to 112 mph. It is based on the electronic speedometer, not engine rpm. There is no way to trick it by changing gears, because the car still knows what gear it's in and how fast it's going. The fuel injectors cut out until the car drops below 112 again.
Also, the 3rd gen RX is indeed limited to 112 mph. It is based on the electronic speedometer, not engine rpm. There is no way to trick it by changing gears, because the car still knows what gear it's in and how fast it's going. The fuel injectors cut out until the car drops below 112 again.