I've had my 2022 NX350h for three months now (base model with some added features - power tilt moonroof, power back door, etc.). I woke up two days ago to a completely dead battery - had to enter the car manually and wait for a jump. Car is in the garage, but did dip to negative temps in PA last week. Lexus says the battery tested fine three separate times and are running additional diagnostics to figure out what happened. So you all know - while the hybrid battery is located in the trunk (not accessible if the battery is dead, to my understanding), the car battery that needs to be jumped is under the hood.

A few questions about functionality...

1. Is there any way to pop the trunk if the battery is dead? If not, I will keep my jumper gear up front
2. Is there a way to disable the driving directions and music information (when changing songs) on the driving gauge?
3. Is there a way for blind spot monitoring and parking assist to emit sound? My 2019 Mazda CX5 grand touring would beep loudly for blind spot monitoring and when parking (pulling forward or backing up)
4. Thoughts on gas octane? Lexus recommends 91, but states 87 is acceptable. My car mechanic brother thinks that I should use 91, as it's recommended (and I bought the car, so want it to last for many years without injuring the engine)

Thanks all!!!

 

I can't help with some of your questions. But I always use the octane the manufacturer recommends. Lexus says 91 Octane so that's what I'd do. They recommend synthetic oil which is more expensive. Would you choose to use conventional instead because it costs less? Lexus isn't making money on the gasoline it recommends. It makes the recommendation based on performance and engine life.

 

Not sure about the other questions, but for #3, the Lexus blind spot monitoring unfortunately doesn't have the option to emit sound. As for the parking sensors, they do emit sound on my NX. #4, if you have a turbo engine, definitely 91. Otherwise it's really up to you. I have been using 87 on my 350h since it's the same engine setup as Rav 4.

 

3. I don't know if the settings are different in your model. I have a 350h Luxury. Parking assist volume is located in Settings==>Driving assist==>Collision mitigation.
4. I've been using 87 octane from day one. According to the manual, this is OK, though "engine performance may be decreased." I read that as slightly lower horsepower and mpg. I've had no issues with 87 octane for 6K miles. I'm getting about 37mpg, with a lot of time spent sitting in restaurant parking lots with the car on to keep cool or warm (I'm in the restaurant business). I did the same thing with my previous car, a 2017 Audi A6 with a supercharged V6. 91 was recommended, but 87 was listed as OK in the manual. I had no engine issues for over 80K miles. There are some engines which genuinely require premium gasoline. If the manual says 87 is OK, it is. Think about the liability, if the manufacturer said it was OK, but it then caused engine issues.

 

The car makes 239 HP while the Rav4 with the same engine is listed at 219 - that extra power is very likely due to the higher octane gas along with some ECM coding changes.

Have 8K on mine with absolutely zero issues running 87; also getting 40 MPG+ - very pleased so far with the mileage.

 

Response to #4. I have used 87 octane in our 2017 RX450h and currently 2023 NX 350h which both premium is required or recommended . Experimenting with the other two levels, I have noticed zero difference in gas mileage or performance. I have used 87 in cars that have required or recommended premium for over a million miles and have not had one problem.

I always revert back to two MIT graduates that are car mechanics who had a syndicated radio show called Car Talk for 35 years.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/premi...egular-0#myth4

From the USA Today:
The only modern engines that should really need premium are those with superchargers, which force-feed fuel into the cylinders. "You're driving along and just tramp the gas and the knock sensor cannot sense the knock fast enough in some cases," because the supercharger boosts pressure so fast, says Bob Furey, chemist and fuels specialist at General Motors.

Burning regular when the owner's manual specifies premium won't void the warranty, nor damage the engine, even the most finicky automakers say. "You're giving up perhaps just a little bit of performance that a customer wouldn't really even notice, it's so slight," says Furey._______________

We all love our Lexus's. I call it the placebo effect. If it makes you feel better putting 91 octane in your vehicle than go for it. There is no wrong decision just a difference in $$$$$. Someone posted a couple years ago a response about octane levels that 91 octane he swore made his transmission shift smoother.

Clip on gasoline octane levels.

You Tube

You Tube

 

I would use the gas octane recommended, but if you feel the cost savings makes you more happy, go for the lower octane if the manual says, "It's OK.". That's what an engineer of these engines will tell you.

 

The NX 350h has a larger electric motor than the rav4 hybrid hence the higher horsepower. Has same electric motor as highlander hybrid and 2022 Lexus RX 350h

i forget exactly what this it is called but I remember the electric component might be 810 or something. So it is not the 91 octane.

I use 87 octane and no problems