Further research and a chat with the dealer Tech Rep seems to indicate that smog sensing capability and the Type A Recirc/Auto/Outside air switch are Luxury Pkg only. The manuals don't state this clearly but the dealer said they have not received any Luxury RX vehicles (350 or 450h) in their allotment and they have only seen the Type B switch (Recirc/Outside). It's only circumstantial evidence but it seems to fit with Lexus.com and other data.

 

Back to my originsl post, once I made the recommended changes in the setup menu (turn off auto-AC & enhanced clmate control or whatever its called) it now works the way I wanted.

Thanks to whomever pointed it out.

 

I have a 2013 RX450h with the Luxury Pkg and I do have the three-position air switch.

 

Mine is before those options were available, 2003, and honestly it is the thing I hate most about the car. You are sitting there for a minute driving and start sweating, and I realize the stupid recirculate is on. For Lexus to think that recirculate is the fastest way to cool a car especially on very hot days is their engineering department missing the mark so bad. Not to mention, sitting on recirculate contributes to a mold smell. So frustrating.

 

I have the type A switch in my '10 350 but from what I read here, I do not seem to have the 'full' luxury package....(ex: I do not have the auto gold mirrors):

Luxury Package - $4,900
Leather upholstery; Electric glass sunroof; Driver and passenger and passenger door mirrors; Electric foldable mirrors; Wood & leather-trimmed, steering wheel; Luxury trim: wood & leather on shifter; Overtaking sensor; Alloy wheels: 19"x 7.5"; Front and rear mud & snow 235 / 55 V-rated tires; Power liftgate; Illuminated Scuff Plate; High pressure headlight cleaners; Excludes: [PM] Premium Package And [WU] Wood and Leather-trimmed Steering Wheel and shift **** And [FT] 19" Aluminum Alloy Wheels w/Mud & Snow Tires And [SP] Sports Package And [FA12] Light Gray Fabric And [LB00] Parchment Smooth Perforation Leather And [LB10] Light Gray Smooth Perforation Leather And [LB20] Black Smooth Perforation Leather And [LC00] Parchment Smooth Plain Leather And [LC12] Light Gray Smooth Plain Leather And [LC20] Black Smooth Plain Leather


Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2010/lexus/rx350/packages_options/#ixzz3PzZtY4O5

 

I do not have any auto settings on (AC is off) and I think I've noticed that it switches itself (I keep it on recirculate) when I switch through various settings re: feet, windshield, feet and vents, etc. (sorry, can't think what that would be called). It bugs the crap out of me too when I start smelling fumes and I think "how can that be, it's on recirculate" then I look down and it isn't. My car needs to stop trying to outthink me and let ME be in charge.

 

I have a 2015 RX 350 all wheel drive with both the luxury & technology package and it has the 3 position air switch. From what I can understand it works this way...if we choose the auto position on the air switch it will cycle between re-circulate and outside air depending on temperature set point and how warm or cold it is inside the vehicle. However, for example, your sitting in traffic and the vehicle ahead of you has stinky exhaust you can manually choose re-circulate to shut off outside air from coming in through the hvac system. Also, in winter or cold conditions it should never or very rarely be in re-circulate as it would quickly fog up the windows in the car.

As far as moldy smell, that is from the hvac sytem being in re-circulate too much in ac mode. It should only be in re-circulate very sparingly when the car has been sitting in the sun for extended periods. It's not a bad idea to manually choose outside air for about 30 seconds before you shut vehicle off as well as turn up temperature so warm to hot air circulates through heater core to dry it out. That helps to keep the moldy smell in check.

novaman

 

[QUOTE=novaman;8887560]I have a 2015 RX 350 all wheel drive with both the luxury & technology package and it has the 3 position air switch. From what I can understand it works this way...if we choose the auto position on the air switch it will cycle between re-circulate and outside air depending on temperature set point and how warm or cold it is inside the vehicle. However, for example, your sitting in traffic and the vehicle ahead of you has stinky exhaust you can manually choose re-circulate to shut off outside air from coming in through the hvac system. Also, in winter or cold conditions it should never or very rarely be in re-circulate as it would quickly fog up the windows in the car.

As far as moldy smell, that is from the hvac sytem being in re-circulate too much in ac mode. It should only be in re-circulate very sparingly when the car has been sitting in the sun for extended periods. It's not a bad idea to manually choose outside air for about 30 seconds before you shut vehicle off as well as turn up temperature so warm to hot air circulates through heater core to dry it out. That helps to keep the moldy smell in check.

novaman[/QUOTE

I've noticed that the windows can fog up fast in this vehicle (which tells me I probably don't have my stuff set as Lexus intended).