lymond

We started leasing a new 400h in February 2007. So far we've driven about 4000 miles. Oddly we are getting much much better gas milege on the highway (up to 28mpg) than in the city (about 21mpg and often much less). I noticed the battery is usually about 1/2 charged and often dips below to 2 or 3 bars. In slow traffic the battery charge indicator can sink to the scary purple bars.

Anyone know what is the expected battery charge level? Does anyone have an RX400h that has ever had a fully charged battery (with all the blue bars illuminated on the energy indicator)? Could an easily discharged or faulty battery result in the inverse fuel consumption we are experiencing?? Anyone have any ideas? Please comment.

silvervett

I guess it all depends on how you drive and how much you coast, I discovered that with the A/C on the car charge level is lower, but I have gotten it up to almost a full charge. When you are close to full the color of the bars changes to Green. Without out sitting next to you while you drive it would be hard to figure out if the was something that you could change with or driving habits to get the bars to full charge. /But on the grand scheme of things the amount of bars is irrelevant the important thing is MPGs

herbvdh

LYMOND: You mention city driving how short or long is your city driving as extreme short trips will do this. Also take it easy away from a light or stopping at one. I get 27+ highway in the city I have seen excellent MPG 30 to 35 I read in one of the manuals that you will rarely see full charge or the GREEN battery unless you do a long down hill run. I had the same question about the battery. My Prius was in the GREEN a lot. (I noticed the battery is usually about 1/2 charged and often dips below to 2 or 3 bars. In slow traffic the battery charge indicator can sink to the scary purple bars.) Your battery is perfectly normal.

silvervett

I have made a few trips between NY, SC, TX and back. I have wound up going down some every long hills and never paid much attention to the battery charge level because as long as I get great gas mileage the batter charge level is irrelevant. But on my last ride back to NY a little over a week ago I remembered this question and took nthe time to do a little experiment, I found a very long hill without any cars behind me, I had the A/C off and the DRL were off and although I got the bars to turn green I still wasn't to get the last bar to light up. Maybe something is wrong with my car but I really don't care about it enough to spend the time to got to the dealer because if I am getting 30 MPG who cares how many bars are lit up? that's just my opinion but I just don't think it is worth obsessing about how many bars are lite if who are getting great mileage why should it matter?

The Jeep GC that I just sold got 12 to 14 MPG around town and up to 20 MPG at staedy highway speeds the this car has just about cut my gas costs in 1/2, it is equivelent of going from $3.50 a gallon to $1.75 a gallon

riwyle

Driving down from Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley, I noticed that the regenerative braking was not working, according to the power flow meter on the dash. I switched the display to show battery charge, and every bar was lit. First time I had seen that. Since the battery was fully charged, there was no place to put the regenerated energy and hence no regenerative braking.

Lil4X

Very interesting point! I'd wondered about that - although out here on the tropical prairie I'd probably never have enough "downhill" to worry about. Can you feel a difference in brake performance with the regenerative braking off, and I suppose it never deserts you while the brakes are applied, but I'd not thought about it much. With much of my current use of my 330 being urban and freeway driving - and the cost of fuel, I'm considering a hybrid for my next RX.