2005 LS430, with Nav
Outside temp 54 F
Inside temp 54 F
Start car, set climate control to 75 F
Set climate control to Auto everything
Engine gets warm (temp needle half way)
Bring up Air Conditioner display screen
Fan speed shows levels:
[LO] [ * ][ M ] [ *] [HI] expressed as 1,2,3,4,5
The speed never goes above 2 or 3 and mostly stays at 2
To get more heat, faster, I have to manually select 5 (HI)

Is that part of the design, not to make too much noise?
My own logic says the fan speed to blow at maximum to heat the car as fast as possible (once the car is warm of course)
I'm wondering if something is faulty, perhaps the interior temperature sensor.

 

Increase the inside temp control all the way up to max. Does the fan speed then increase to "5"? If it does, then nothing wrong.

 

The climate control won't blow cold or near cold air at you with full blower. It will start at a lower speed and then increase the blower speed as warmer air is made available as the engine and components heat up. Same way with the A/C in the summer. It wont' blow hot air at full speed when started.

You stated that the fan speed "never" goes above 2, but then you state you want heat as fast as possible. Is your problem for fast heat up or is it a constant problem after heat up?

 

I turned it up all the way to MAX.
At MAX the fan speed went up to "4".
At one click below MAX the fan speed would not go above "3" (M)

My apologies for not articulating competently.
I am describing the symptoms when the car is fully warmed up.
In fact, let me explain it as.
Outside 54 F, inside thermometer 54 F.
Start car, leave climate control OFF.
Once engine heated up, turn climate control ON to 75 F.
Fan speed stays on 2 most of time, sometimes on 3, never higher.

So my question, is this normal? I thought maybe because this was a chauffeured car in Japan that the Japanese didn't like the noise (just like they didn't like the noise from doors slamming)

Or is normal, like every other car I've driven, that is, if the engine is heated up, the fan goes at 5 (HI) until it reaches the temperature, and then backs off?

Basically without asking how others' cars work, I don't know if I have a problem or not!

 

If it's 54* F. outside, it may well be warmer inside your vehicle. There are temp sensors both outside and inside the vehicle, which control fan speed based upon temp inside that you selected.

Another test: Click temp all the way down to "COLD" > does the fan increase to max speed?

 

"Inside thermometer"? I'm not aware of an interior "thermometer." There are temp sensors (i.e. thermostats). What are you referring to?

 

I had a thermometer which I left in the car to measure the inside temperature.

 

This was taken with the engine fully heated up. Temp is in C. So 12C about 54F and 24C about 75F.

 

Did you do the other test?

 

And have you pressed the "AUTO" for climate? (Is the green "AUTO" light lit on the button?)

 

I'll have to do the other test tomorrow. Although I did just try start the car (it's very cold, near MIN), and put it on COLD (minimum cold) and I did notice the fan speed go up to "4". It will be easier to test it with the car warm.

Of course, I have the Auto button set. Yes.

Does your fan speed go above M or not when it's cold inside the vehicle and you set it at a higher temp, with the system on Auto?

 

Suggest you turn the compressor off, as you are trying to heat the interior. The upper left "A/C" button in your photos shows the A/C is on (indicated by the yellow line above it). Just touch that button on the screen to turn the compressor off.

I also notice that you have the rear A/C on. You can turn that off, although it will be turned off if you turn off the compressor.

 

Guys asking me to turn the compressor off isn't really addressing my initial question. That is I really just want to know if your vehicle does the following or not:
1. Get into car on a cold day
2. Warm up car
3. Turn on air con to Auto set at a nice warm temp
4. Does it blow hot air at maximum speed out of the vents where your feet are, or not?

Jayclapp as for your Q, yes, the Air Con is on. Never in another vehicle have I needed to turn this off to get the climate control blowing out maximum air, nor would I expect this in a luxury vehicle. Further more my windscreen would likely fog up without the A/C on.

As for the rear A/C, what's that got to do with my fan speed blowing hot air on high? I just wanna know if my car is sick, or not?

 

Funnily - I tried playing with the same thing when I originally got the car, not knowing how it operated. And as far as I can tell, my car reacts the same way yours does. On a cold day, if outside temperature is 32* F and inside temperature setting is 72* F, the fan only blows in the 2 setting. I have to manually set it to 5 or max to have it blow at max speed. Same for a vice versa cold setting. In Auto setting, I am thinking this is the normal operation of the system.

In another car we own, the Auto setting will increase fan speed to max and like right now, in summer season, will blow ice cold air down all vents directed right at your face. Once internal temps fall, the fan speed goes down automatically and vents in use changes as well. When I compare that operation to the LS, I kind of like the fact that the LS keeps doing it like above at a stable speed because I personally do not like being blasted with hot or cold air right at my face unless I manually choose to do so.

 

Excuse me for trying to help you troubleshoot a possible problem. Since you seem to have made up your mind, I suggest you take the car to a Lexus dealer and ask them if the car is sick or not!