steiner

Thank you for correcting me. You are right on with the description.

Question is, do you have the same problem or it is just me?

Kan-O-Z

I think it's something you have to get used to. I experienced this at first but now I am comfortable with it and actually like it. Here is what I think is happening. The RX350 steering ratio is different from other vehicles, especially cars. On the RX350, the steering wheel requires more turning than other cars for the same wheel turn. Turning the steering wheel from max left to max right may be 5 full turns of the steering wheel on the RX350 whereas it may be 4 or less turns full turns on a car (note I am using random figures here just for example).

What does this mean? It means that while correcting the RX350 on the highway, more wheel action is required on the RX350 than a car. All cars need to be corrected on the highway but if their steering ratio is tight enough you may not even notice you are doing it whereas on the RX350 it is more pronounced.

This can be good or bad. On a luxury vehicle, it's usually better to have a looser steering ratio like the RX350. This reduces that side to side feeling caused by normal correction by the driver. It's more comfortable for the passengers. It can also be more precise. I have found on turns on the highway, I can find the curve much better on the RX350.

On a sports car, you may want quick and direct response so in this case a tighter steering ratio is favorable. A better driver is required in a steering like this because drivers that are overcorrecting all the time will really make a sports car go side to side much more because of the sensitive steering. This will of course most likely start to make people nauseous. In a sports car, the direct and quick response is more important than comfort.

Hope this explanation helps. I have found that in the RX350 on the highway, if I rest my right arm on the hand rest and grab the wheel around 3 o'clock and grab the wheel with my left arm around 7 o'clock, I can do 'relaxed' correcting and I have gotten used to it. It's pretty comfortable but I'm sure it's not as safe as the 'proper' steering wheel grasping position. I probably need to try out some other positions.

Kan-O-Z

1NICESC430

I've had my '07 RX350 (Flint Mica/Black) for a week and also notice a bit of "looseness" in the steering. I can turn the steering wheel alternately to the right and left a short distance without changing the course of the car. I realize it's not a sports car, but wonder if this is customary in a vehicle like this.

Lil4X

Counting turns lock-to-lock was once the Holy Grail of sports car enthusiasts. Anything over 2 1/2 was considered a "family car", and not a sporting vehicle.

One thing this rather arbitrary test overlooked was the deflection of the front wheels produced. The RX 330 and subsequent models have a considerably reduced turning radius when compared to the RX 300, one of the major complaints on the earlier model. The 300 sometimes required a three-point turn just to get into a parking space. Because the front wheels turn so far, it simply requires more turns to get them there.

Now, remember this is an SUV, designed first for passenger and cargo capacity, some light off road capability, and touring comfort. For that reason it is going to sit fairly high, and while it handles well for its mission, it is not going to exhibit the steering characteristics of an all-out sports car, where a sudden sneeze can put you in the next lane. Because its mission requires it to be rather tall and tippy, you probably wouldn't want lightning-quick steering that when twitched could produce some unwanted effects from that tall suspension.

A good portion of that on-center slack could be coming from the "cheap" (a relative term here, this being a Lexus) OEM tires. My RX 300's steering changed pretty radically when I got the OEM GY Integritys swapped for Michelin CTs. The tall soft sidewall that contributes to ride quality also allows the rim to turn well before the tread answers up - producing the feeling that the steering is loose. You might check the movement of the rim when the steering wheel is turned very slightly (engine running, in "park", of course) to see if steering inputs are producing even the tiniest deflection in the rim.

Rather than compare your RX to a sports sedan, it should more properly be compared to other SUV's in its market segment. Many are handling nightmares. In this context, the RX compares extremely well.