Anybody ever take their RX on the Beach?
06-27-12, 12:44 PM
#4
I don't remember about voiding the warranty, I'll have to look it up. I believe it did say it was a utility vehicle, but not intended for off-road use. It gave instructions for proper car after driving in tall grass, mud, rocks or sand.
I did a quick word search for "beach", but didn't find anything. Will look again.
I did a quick word search for "beach", but didn't find anything. Will look again.
06-27-12, 03:49 PM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
the good thing about being in SoCal is there's a lot of beaches to choose from.
does the tires touch sand? of course, since there are parking spaces that are not concrete/asphalt.
Now, what exactly do you mean by " take it to the beach"?
i haven't drove it near the splashes and pretend i'm part of the "baywatch" cast...but there's going to be a time for that!
06-27-12, 04:24 PM
#6
It clearly states in the manual Do Not Drive off Paved Roads. However it's your car and if you damage it operating it in conditions the manual say's not to do, then it's still 'YOUR' car. And maybe so will be the repair bill. You have choices.
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06-27-12, 06:07 PM
#8
Racer
Well said. My opinion exactly. I for one would never take my Lexus into the non-paved area by surf, but frequent the beach all the time here in SoCal, including driving and parking in the sand that has drifted onto the legit parking lots and streets near the shore.
06-27-12, 08:20 PM
#9
Driver
I drove mine up and down the beach at Daytona and New Smyrna Beach for a month this winter with no ill effects. Didn't ever come close to getting stuck even though the incoming tide did come within a few feet of the wheels on several occasions. I don't know how Lexus can enforce a "do not drive off paved roads" rule in Canada. Many of our rural sideroads are not paved and farmers certainly have enough cash and good taste to buy Lexus RXs, so I doubt if Lexus would want to face a small claims case from someone who lived off a paved highway.
06-27-12, 08:36 PM
#10
I'll have to grab the manuals tomorrow, I haven't found the Do Not Drive Off Paved Roads section yet in the online documents for a 2012 RX450h. Jim is it in the warranty book or owner's manual?
It seems a bit ambiguous as the maintenance sections refer to additional considerations when:
It seems a bit ambiguous as the maintenance sections refer to additional considerations when:
Driving off-road, on dirt roads or on dusty roads:
J Inspect axle shaft boots
J Inspect ball joints and dust covers
J Inspect engine air filter
J Inspect steering linkage and boots J Tighten axle shaft bolts (AWD)
J Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis
J Inspect axle shaft boots
J Inspect ball joints and dust covers
J Inspect engine air filter
J Inspect steering linkage and boots J Tighten axle shaft bolts (AWD)
J Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis
06-28-12, 04:50 AM
#11
I think it's specific to the Hybrid
I'll have to grab the manuals tomorrow, I haven't found the Do Not Drive Off Paved Roads section yet in the online documents for a 2012 RX450h. Jim is it in the warranty book or owner's manual?
It seems a bit ambiguous as the maintenance sections refer to additional considerations when:
It seems a bit ambiguous as the maintenance sections refer to additional considerations when:
06-28-12, 05:18 AM
#12
Racer
I'll have to grab the manuals tomorrow, I haven't found the Do Not Drive Off Paved Roads section yet in the online documents for a 2012 RX450h. Jim is it in the warranty book or owner's manual?
It seems a bit ambiguous as the maintenance sections refer to additional considerations when:
It seems a bit ambiguous as the maintenance sections refer to additional considerations when:
Being somewhat of a research hound, I picked up on this difference with the RX hybrid several years ago. The technical reason for it was not something I pursued, as I would have purchased a Jeep or some other vehicle advertised and truly designed for off-roading across rivers, dales and other wild open spaces, if that had been my need. As has been said, the warning to those of us with a hybrid is there by Lexus, and they took the time to specify this difference between the hybrid and non-hybrid for some reason. I doubt the Lexus engineers or lawyers went to the work of specifying this difference just to take up ink on the page. It's up to each of us to decide what advice we do and don't want to heed, along with assuming responsibility for any consequences there may be in the decisions we make.
06-28-12, 06:23 AM
#13
Thanks for the rapid replies, I'll grab the manuals later today when I hide out from the 100+ degree heat indexes anticipated today.
A couple of quick comments. I live in the Mississippi River valley area. Sand roads are common, not as common as when I was a teenager, and gravel roads are still a way of life. Driving on a beach can't be too much different then driving on these unpaved roads.
Since this appears to be more of a hybrid concern. Maybe the recommendation not to "off-road" is related more how the batteries may harm the environment in an accident and not how "off-roading" may harm the car.
Thanks again.
A couple of quick comments. I live in the Mississippi River valley area. Sand roads are common, not as common as when I was a teenager, and gravel roads are still a way of life. Driving on a beach can't be too much different then driving on these unpaved roads.
Since this appears to be more of a hybrid concern. Maybe the recommendation not to "off-road" is related more how the batteries may harm the environment in an accident and not how "off-roading" may harm the car.
Thanks again.
Last edited by DunWkg; 06-28-12 at 06:24 AM. Reason: clarification
06-28-12, 07:42 AM
#14
Racer
^^^ ...while off-road environmental impact may be part of the answer, I'd also speculate that some of the hybrid components were simply not built or tested for true off-roading. We could debate for hours I suppose about the batteries, if there could be something with the regenerative brakes, or how a FWD or AWD hybrid and it's electric motors does or does not work in extreme situations like going up and down sand dunes that some "off-road" people may want to do. None of us here will likely ever know the real answer.
Having been in a "conservative, big corporation" the last 30 years of my career and built/negotiated/delivered US & International T&C for consulting/service contracts with all sorts and sizes of clients, I bet this caveat has more to do with Lexus' conservative ways since they didn't really design or test the hybrid version off-road and they don't know what could happen. For me, their words are a sort of safety net for Lexus, that I would have built in too if my speculation is right, so I could deal with a customer that mistreated their vehicle in extreme situations I had not intended, claimed foul, and wanted to make an unreasonable warranty claim, threaten legal action, or take the situation to the press.
Having been in a "conservative, big corporation" the last 30 years of my career and built/negotiated/delivered US & International T&C for consulting/service contracts with all sorts and sizes of clients, I bet this caveat has more to do with Lexus' conservative ways since they didn't really design or test the hybrid version off-road and they don't know what could happen. For me, their words are a sort of safety net for Lexus, that I would have built in too if my speculation is right, so I could deal with a customer that mistreated their vehicle in extreme situations I had not intended, claimed foul, and wanted to make an unreasonable warranty claim, threaten legal action, or take the situation to the press.
06-28-12, 07:57 PM
#15
In the 2012 450h owner's manual:
I'm not sure it (driving on the beach) voids the warranty any more than when I take my h out in two foot deep snow. I believe any damage I do while plowing through the snow is on me and not necessarily a warranty issue.
Off-road driving
Your vehicle is not designed to be driven off-road. However, in the event that off-road driving cannot be avoided, please observe the following precautions to help avoid the areas prohibited to vehicles.
● Drive your vehicle only in areas where off-road vehicles are permitted to travel.
● Respect private property. Get owner’s permission before entering pri- vate property.
● Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that restrict travel.
● Stay on established roads. When conditions are wet, driving tech- niques should be changed or travel delayed to prevent damage to roads.
● Avoid driving on very steep, slippery roads and other surfaces, such as sand, where the tires are liable to lose traction. Your vehicle may not perform as well as conventional AWD on-road vehicles on these sur- faces.
Your vehicle is not designed to be driven off-road. However, in the event that off-road driving cannot be avoided, please observe the following precautions to help avoid the areas prohibited to vehicles.
● Drive your vehicle only in areas where off-road vehicles are permitted to travel.
● Respect private property. Get owner’s permission before entering pri- vate property.
● Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that restrict travel.
● Stay on established roads. When conditions are wet, driving tech- niques should be changed or travel delayed to prevent damage to roads.
● Avoid driving on very steep, slippery roads and other surfaces, such as sand, where the tires are liable to lose traction. Your vehicle may not perform as well as conventional AWD on-road vehicles on these sur- faces.
CAUTION
■ Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of death or serious
injury or damage to your vehicle:
● Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving in dangerous places.
● Do not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and especially your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
● Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand, mud, water or snow.
● After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, water, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped to the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a breakdown or fire could occur.
● When driving off-road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at excessive speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss of control or vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also risking expensive damage to your vehicle’s suspension and chassis.
■ Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of death or serious
injury or damage to your vehicle:
● Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving in dangerous places.
● Do not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and especially your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
● Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand, mud, water or snow.
● After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, water, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped to the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a breakdown or fire could occur.
● When driving off-road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at excessive speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss of control or vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also risking expensive damage to your vehicle’s suspension and chassis.