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Lexus RX hidden features

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Old Nov 15, 2020 | 05:50 PM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by DennisMik
The feature to roll down the windows with the key or the remote started with the 2007 model. The 2004 to 2006 RX330 models do not have the open window feature.
My vehicle is RX400h not RX330, and it is declared as a 2006 model on legal documents. However, I notice the mark on the door frame on driver side; it states 07/06 which I read it as "produced in July 2006". Some 2006 models have produced date as early as May 2005. I'm not sure if mine is considered as a 2007 model or not. At the end, though the remote doesn't roll down all windows and sunroof, the key does it perfectly. I have no idea if my vehicle only supports "roll down all" with key.

Further, I find one more interesting thing on my vehicle; when I shift to R, the side mirrors rotate downward so that I can see blind spots, and rotate back to normal when I shift to D. The bad thing is, recently it lost, the side mirror no longer rotate downward and I don't know how to get it back.
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Old Nov 15, 2020 | 07:33 PM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by SteelBird
My vehicle is RX400h not RX330, and it is declared as a 2006 model on legal documents. However, I notice the mark on the door frame on driver side; it states 07/06 which I read it as "produced in July 2006". Some 2006 models have produced date as early as May 2005. I'm not sure if mine is considered as a 2007 model or not. At the end, though the remote doesn't roll down all windows and sunroof, the key does it perfectly. I have no idea if my vehicle only supports "roll down all" with key.

Further, I find one more interesting thing on my vehicle; when I shift to R, the side mirrors rotate downward so that I can see blind spots, and rotate back to normal when I shift to D. The bad thing is, recently it lost, the side mirror no longer rotate downward and I don't know how to get it back.
This option works remotely in RX400h. Probably, the previous owner of your car asked a dealer to turn off it.
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Old Nov 15, 2020 | 09:19 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by DennisMik
The feature to roll down the windows with the key or the remote started with the 2007 model. The 2004 to 2006 RX330 models do not have the open window feature.
​​​​​​
i have 04 RX and can roll down all windows with key and remote. Not sure, I might have turned the feature on with Techstream tho. I don't believe they will go up though
Just down.
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Old Nov 16, 2020 | 12:15 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Savnout
​​​​​​
i have 04 RX and can roll down all windows with key and remote. Not sure, I might have turned the feature on with Techstream tho. I don't believe they will go up though
Just down.
as long as it can go down, that's enough. When you are coming to the car and weather is so hot, you'd want to open all windows and sunroof to release hot air before you step in.

My car can do it with key but cannot do it with remote. as suggested above, it might have been turned off. This might be too little to go for the dealer but if there a chance, I'll ask them to check mine.
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Old Nov 16, 2020 | 06:35 AM
  #20  
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Steelbird - the mirror selector R/L has a middle "neutral" position.
When R or L is selected the mirrors move when in reverse.
When the selector is in the middle you have disabled the feature.
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Old Nov 16, 2020 | 08:28 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by SteelBird
My vehicle is RX400h not RX330, and it is declared as a 2006 model on legal documents. However, I notice the mark on the door frame on driver side; it states 07/06 which I read it as "produced in July 2006". Some 2006 models have produced date as early as May 2005. I'm not sure if mine is considered as a 2007 model or not.
You probably do have a 2006. ALL auto manufacturers start making the next year model approximately in the middle of the calendar year. That way when January 1 rolls around, they have a good supply of cars to sell. So finding a 2006 model manufactured in May of 2005 is quite possible. June 2006 was probably the last month the 2006 model was made. My 2007 RX was manufactured in July 2006. If you want to verify if your car was manufactured as a 2006 model, look at the VIN number. Count over to the 10th character. If the 10th character is a 6, then the car is a 2006 model. If it is a 7, then it is a 2007 model. A 2005 model would be a 5.

Originally Posted by SteelBird
At the end, though the remote doesn't roll down all windows and sunroof, the key does it perfectly. I have no idea if my vehicle only supports "roll down all" with key.
Did you try turning the key to the lock position and holding it for a couple of seconds?

Originally Posted by SteelBird
Further, I find one more interesting thing on my vehicle; when I shift to R, the side mirrors rotate downward so that I can see blind spots, and rotate back to normal when I shift to D. The bad thing is, recently it lost, the side mirror no longer rotate downward and I don't know how to get it back.
See mcomer's answer, that could very well be it.
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Old Nov 16, 2020 | 05:06 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by DennisMik
You probably do have a 2006. ALL auto manufacturers start making the next year model approximately in the middle of the calendar year. That way when January 1 rolls around, they have a good supply of cars to sell. So finding a 2006 model manufactured in May of 2005 is quite possible. June 2006 was probably the last month the 2006 model was made. My 2007 RX was manufactured in July 2006. If you want to verify if your car was manufactured as a 2006 model, look at the VIN number. Count over to the 10th character. If the 10th character is a 6, then the car is a 2006 model. If it is a 7, then it is a 2007 model. A 2005 model would be a 5.
I checked VIN number of my vehicle, yes, it's a 2006. Manufacturing date is as late as July, maybe it is the last car of 2006!

Originally Posted by DennisMik
Did you try turning the key to the lock position and holding it for a couple of seconds?
The key does roll down all windows, so no problem here. The problem is the remote doesn't do that feature. As suggested by above post, it might be turned off by previous owner. I will have a tech checked for me if there's a chance.

Originally Posted by DennisMik
See mcomer's answer, that could very well be it.
Well noted!
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Old Nov 16, 2020 | 09:01 PM
  #23  
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Old Nov 17, 2020 | 07:05 AM
  #24  
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I already knew about the last post and how u can open the sunroof and windows with the remote and open and close them with the key in the door lock cylinder; but still a good post nonetheless!
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Old Nov 17, 2020 | 07:38 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by matts6887
I already knew about the last post and how u can open the sunroof and windows with the remote and open and close them with the key in the door lock cylinder; but still a good post nonetheless!
Does anyone here know if the dealer can switch the programming of this feature? Rather than the long-press opening the car, it would be far more practical to have the long-press CLOSE the car. That way, you could sit inside with your plate of BBQ, and when the rain started you could just close your car and avoid the mad scramble as everyone at the party rushed outside.
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Old Nov 17, 2020 | 06:20 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by UncleWalt
Does anyone here know if the dealer can switch the programming of this feature? Rather than the long-press opening the car, it would be far more practical to have the long-press CLOSE the car. That way, you could sit inside with your plate of BBQ, and when the rain started you could just close your car and avoid the mad scramble as everyone at the party rushed outside.
Simple solution, don't park your car with windows opened!
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Old Nov 20, 2020 | 11:17 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by ThomasD94
Hey everyone, I hope you are all well?
I made a video on the hidden features of my 2005 Lexus RX. I hope some of you find this useful for your own RX (hybrid or not)
Enjoy, Thomas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o08XGF9WwZ4
Cool - now I've met a Youtube celebrity on these forums!
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Old Nov 21, 2020 | 12:54 PM
  #28  
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Not sure if this was mentioned before but here it goes:

1. If you remove the headrest from the front driver's and passenger seats and then move the front seats as far forward as possible. You can fully recline the front seats at an 180 degree angle so that they become 2 beds.
2. The ABS brakes has a "panic mode" where if you stomp on it while going above 25 mph, it fully applies 100% the power brakes to come to a panic stop. I only found out about this during an emergency highway stop
3. This isn't a hidden feature but I just thought it was cool - the cupholders in the front sliding cubby tray has accent/ambient mood lighting that are powered by blue and yellow LEDs. These ambient mood lighting are common nowadays in newer Mercedes and BMWs, but this is the first car that I am aware of that uses LEDs for these ambient lighting effects (keep in mind the Lexus RX330 debuted in 2003, so this was at least a decade before ambient LEDs became common in use for mood and accent lighting)
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Old Nov 23, 2020 | 01:16 PM
  #29  
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I am constantly looking for features and tricks that are useful.

· the flip up compartments that are hidden in the rear have a lock in place feature one you hit the buttons and there opened 45 degrees you can push them up farther and you'll feel latch mechanism lock it in completely vertically this way you can hang groceries on the hooks like bread. You can put heavy items on the other side and it will act like a wall to SEPERATE items from sliding and smashing the items you want hung. Also you can flip the rug and it's rubber if your carrying something dirty so you don't station your carpets and later wipe them down.

My favorite with my rx 350 is removing the head rest on the front seats sliding them all the way forward and reclining them as they meet the back seat perfect and form a small bed.
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Old Dec 3, 2020 | 10:16 PM
  #30  
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Here's some hidden features I never knew I had.

My car had no tow hitch when I bought it so I installed one. When installing it the car appeared virgin since the holes where the bolts go in had plastic caps and no signs of a hitch ever being installed.
Then, 1-2 years later I discovered the car came with tow package and didn't know it.

Tucked up under the battery in a place I never looked I saw a stock transmission fluid cooler.
Under the cargo trays in the trunk I found the towing package wiring plug splice- wish I'd know that before I spliced the hitch wiring in.
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