I noticed I'm getting some views... please leave some comments too.

Part 1


Check the back page of your manual for the correct amount of oil. The AWD version needs 6.8 quarts.


Things you'll need, include:
Every Time
7 quarts of 5W30 oil. - around 35 bucks(walmart); I used synthetic, it's cheaper if you use conventional oil.
Oil filter. - $6.55+tax(lexus dealer) Lexus Part #:04152-YZZA5; Wix Filter: 57173
Drain plug gasket. - got it for free, a pack of 3 similar ones was $2.33(local auto parts store)
Paper towels. - It gets messy no matter how hard you try


One time buy
Oil Filter Wrench - $3.26(walmart) Made by Imperial(65/67mm - 14 Flutes)
Latex gloves - Keep your hands clean, not required.
Eye protection. - Highly recommend this. Dirt and Oil can get in your eyes.
A pair of jack stands. - ~$20 for a pair(walmart).
Instead of jack stands you can buy a pair of ramps.
Oil pan(something to collect the old oil). - ~$10(walmart)
And a funnel. ~$1

Things most people have
Size 14 wrench - Lexus roadside kit
Scissor jack - in the trunk
3/4-inch socket wrench - you should have this
Screw drivers, flat head and phillips - phillips is in the Lexus kit
Old cardboard box split in half to lay down on.


You'll need the phillips screw driver for the one screw on the plastic underbody filter cover. And a flat head one for many uses.


This is the official Lexus gasket that I was provided with


You'll need this cup thing(filter wrench) with the help of a socket wrench for the removal of the oil filter casing(metal). A 6" extension for the socket wrench helps a lot.


The filter on the left is the one you'll need. The one on the right is the wrong size and it only works for the RX350. If you do decide to go with WIX, the part number is 57173 - but keep in mind that at my local auto-parts store it came out to be more expensive - ~$9.


I chose to use the 5W30 Synthetic from Castrol. You can choose any other oil as long as it's 5W30.


If you want, you can check your oil level before starting, here's how to do it. Pull out the dip stick(on the right side of the car), wipe it dry and reinsert, then pull it out and look. It seems like the Lexus guys over filled my car. Your oil level should not be higher than the top mark. The distance from the top to the bottom mark indicates about 1 quart. So if your level is at the bottom, add one quart of the same oil from the same company.

Part 2

Put the Parking(Emergency) Brake on before lifting the car up. Also do not sit in the car and try not to move it around while it's up on jacks stands(common sense).

Using the scissor jack, raise the car as high as possible and then set it up on jack stands(do this on both sides). Make sure you're parked on a flat ground and don't ever go under a car that's only supported by a jack. Always use jack stands(in this case)


This is the oil pan. There is a similar pan more to the back of the car - make sure you don't go to it. Since I almost did. The other one is for your transmission. Place your container for catching the oil underneath.


Untighten the drain plug with the size 14 wrench until it gets loose and then finish by hand. Get ready for the oil to come out and let it drain. The old gasket was stuck to the oil pan so I used a flat head screw driver and pulled it off from the inside of the ring.


The filter cover is labeled "IS 4 WD". You will need to remove the one screw at the top and once you'll try to pull it, there is gonna be a clip holding it down. Remove that too by pulling the inside part out with a flathead screw driver.


The clip and the screw that you need to remove from the cover.


You'll realize that the plastic filter cover is actually attached to the whole underbody so you'll just need to open it like a door. Behind it is the oil filter casing(metal). Place the oil pan underneath since it's gonna leak. Using the cup-like filter wrench and a socket wrench(an extension of about 4" helps), untighten the casing and then finish opening it by hand. The manual suggests to open up the little cover and drain the remaining oil before removing the casing(which I forgot about). So it got a bit messy and oil came out of the sides.


After removing the filter casing, wipe off the mess. If there is any...


Remove the old filter from the casing along with all the old rubber seals. My filter wrench got stuck to the casing so I had to use a hammer to get it off.


There is a small cover on the actual casing which you can use to drain the remaining oil, before removing the whole casing. But if you didn't do that and just removed the whole thing, open it up now and remove the small rubber seal and replace it with a new one. It's easier to pick it up with a flat head screw driver. Before screwing the cover back on, apply some fresh oil onto the rubber seal for easier removal in the future.


Insert your new filter into the casing and change the rubber seals with the ones you're provided.

Part 3

Put everything back together (new oil filter, and two new rubber seals). Don't forget to coat the o-rings with some new oil. Clean up any oil that's on the car with paper towels. You should also wipe the casing so that you could tell if there are any leaks later on.


After you put everything back together start to pour the new oil in.


You should end up with this much oil(.2 of a quart) in the last 1-quart container.


Start the engine and let it run for no less than 3 minutes. At this time you can start cleaning up your tools. While the engine is running, check for any leaks on the filter casing.


And around the drain plug.


If everything is okay, turn the engine off and check the oil level with the dip stick(just like in the beginning, it should be at the right level). Close the filter cover and put the screw and the clip back on. Now you're done, just lower your car by raising it up with the scissor jack and removing the jack stands one at a time. Close the hood and finish cleaning up. You can drain your used oil and get rid of the used filter at a local gas station(that has a service building).

Congratulations, you've just completed your own oil change!

Will somebody please leave a comment for me?

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Thanks for the comment, 60+ views last time I checked and no comments lol

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it's not just some man, it's Zidane

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Great job.

I Have two comments for you:

1 Thanks, really it is one thing to do it and comment but pictures and all !!!!

2 You definitly need a new flat head screwdriver. I say we all pool some $$$$ and send you one, you earned it

lol yeah, it's a bit more round than flat

I'm trying to change my oil on an RX350, which has a lot of the same pieces as the IS250awd. I got all the way to getting to the oil filter case, and I can't get it off. In your description, you say "so you'll just need to open it like a door" however I have no idea what that means. No amount of twisting, turning, tapping or anything will losen it or get it open.

I have a socket wrench with a square head which I fits into the square hole. I realize that there are actually two pieces there, both of which I need to unscrew, but I was hoping to at least get one of them open. I'm not the strongest guy around, but even with the correct head in there, I turned it with enough to force to break the socket wrench, and the case still didn't come off.

Unfortunately, I had already dreained all the oil out of the car, and since I can't replace the filter, I had to replace all of the oil. So now when I do get the fitler replaced, they (or hopefully I, if I get a response here ) will just have to drain the oil again.

Please let me know if you have any tips for opening the oil filter case for the rx 350.

Dan

Just to clarify, I'm trying to get from the first picture below, to the second:
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/m...filter_case.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/m.../open_case3.jpg

Good question. What I meant by the "opening a door" is the plastic undercover that comes with the car - the black part with IS4WD written on it, not the filter housing. My first oil change was on my dad's RX350 so I know exactly what you mean. I had no clue on how to open it so we just kind of used a hammer to to turn it a bit so we could spin it off. But what you really need to do is use the socket wrench and that black filter housing cup thing, from this picture.
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/m...ter_wrench2.jpg

They come in different sizes. When I bought it, I needed it for another car's "spin-on" oil filter and I expected it to work only on that car. But fortunately, it was the same size as both the IS and the RX. And the way I decided on the size was by secretly opening a new Mobil 1 filter, that fit on that car, and trying it on. I could measure it and give you the exact size of the thing if you want. Oh and it costs about 10 bucks at Walmart - where I got it.

Also, one more thing I would suggest is the extension arm for the socket wrench, like a 3-4" one. Because when you put the cup thing on with the socket wrench, it gets really hard to turn it.

My son just bought a 07 IS250 AWD and I told him I would change his oil as I do with my LS400 and RX330. He is reluctant because of warranty issues, but the dealer says as long as we keep track and use Toyota filters it shouldn't be a problem.If it wasn't for your description and pictures, I would be completely screwed. I wouldn't even know where to find the filter! At $150. for a synthetic change at the lexus dealer, my son is ready for me to take a crack at it. Without your help I wouldn't be able to do it.
My many thanks!

From "myIS" Web site, this is the recommended oil filter cannister wrench (AST TOY640). I am looking to buy one soon to do the first oil and filter change on my '08 IS 250 AWD. I also understand that the torque on reinstallation is 25nm or 18.5 foot pounds. This is the same as my BMW 325xi and Mercedes E320 oil cannisters which can be accessed from the top of the engine. Too bad Toyota did not put the filter in the same spot.

http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt1/page_..._asttoy640.html

http://www.toolsource.com/toyota-lexus-fil...m-p-100298.html

Great step by step article!

Thanks, yeah that filter will work, I just used the one I found and it worked. I was actually thinking of getting one of those filter wrenches from the dealer but then I realized that I didn't need one.

Good to hear, always nice to know that it was worth the effort.

So,this oil changes is also the same for a reg. RWD IS250

Can someone explain to me how this thread gets so many views? Does it come up on google or is it linked to other websites?

p.s.: I'm happy that it wasn't a waste of time

cool

Thanks a lot for the great post and pictures IS250_rookie!

May I ask why the Wix 57047 filter wouldn't work? According to other posts, the RX350 (07+) and the 2IS are interchangeable as far as filters go, plus the Wix website lists the 57047 for both vehicles. Was the Toyota a different size from the Wix, as far as you can tell?

Thanks for any input you may have on this subject, as I'm looking to do a bulk order and wanted to explore my options.

I bought it from an auto-parts store, they looked it up through their computer and sold it to me...I later realized that they just go on the WIX website and see what it says. I did that and noticed that WIX offers two filters for the IS, one for IS250 and one for the AWD version. It makes little sense to me since the engine is exactly the same. Before I did the oil change, I wanted to make sure I had the right filter so that I wouldn't be screwed to find out that it's the wrong one. So I bought one from Lexus, and realized that they're completely different in size. I don't know if you can interchange them but I didn't, I just used the OEM filter and saved the WIX one for the RX350 that we have.

Also, when I'm gonna need another filter, I'll try to find out if the other one WIX offer is the same as the OEM one. If you look on their site it's #57173. From the picture, it looks the same as OEM, in terms of size.

great DIY!!!

Hey IS250_Rookie, thanks for your great information.
I just did the oil change for my 2009 RX350. rx350 has very similar oil pan and oil filter as IS250. I couldn't get the small bolt off the oil filter housing. When I opened the small bolt, the whole metal casing came out, not the small bolt. Do you have any tips to open the small bolt?

It could be just on there too tight. My only suggestion is to use some elbow greese. I personally have a problem with it too. I torqued it to spec last time I did my oil change and later on I couldn't open it again(stupid me)....should've just hand tightened it like usual. The only downside to not being able to open the drain bolt on the filter housing is that you can't drain the filter before opening it up, so it's just a bit messy.