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Hi: The check engine light was on yesterday on my 2000 Lexus RX300. It turned out being P0770: shift solenoid E malfunction. I could not find any post in this forum. Did any body have experienced such a problem? Thanks

I had the same problem happened to my 2000 RX300. It could not get into reverse gear but forward OK. I changed transmission fluid and filter. Then, the car could not get into over drive: when it reached 50 miles, the engine speed reached 4500 to 5000. A code P0325-knock sensor 1 was produced also. At last, I changed two knock sensors and the problem is gone. The car runs fine now.

I have the same code P0171 about one year ago on my 2000 RX300. I cleared the Mass Air Flow Meter several times and put bottles of injector cleaner into the gas tank but the code still comes out. I checked the vacuum for leak but found no. The car runs good just the mileage is down. I decided to replace the meter and order the meter from Park Place Lexus Plano at Texas. After change the meter with the battery cable off, the code is gone and has not come back for 3 weeks and hundred miles. I think it fix the problem. So, you can clear the meter first with Choke & Throttle body cleaner. If it's not work, replace the meter. The part # for this meter is 22204-07010 for about $120.00 and the replacement is very easy.

2000 Lexus RX300, about 110,000 miles. Like other member’s car, had a code P0171: bank 1 too lean- several months ago. Cleaning the mass air flow meter but no use. Then came the code P0325-knock sensor 1 Circuit malfunction (Bank 1). Did nothing about it because the car runs well. One day, suddenly, the car could not get into reverse and then could not go to over drive: when speed reaches 60miles, RPM is 4000-4500. Two local auto shops said it’s the transmission failure and it would cost about $3,000.00 to $4,000.00 to replace it. Reading the posts from other members (really appreciate them and that inspired me to do the same): it looks like it’s a common problem for the Lexus (shame on Toyota to have so many troubles for Lexus) and it relates to the knock sensor. So I decided to try to replace the knock sensors first to see it works or not. And it really works. Thanks for the information from other posts, I bought the parts from Conicelli Toyota dealer in Conshohocken Pennsylvania from their website partznet.com at much lower price with no sales tax, no shipping charge (over $250.00 order). Knock sensor #89615-12090 $123.83 each Plenum gasket #17176-62030 $10.33 (for upper intake manifold) from local Toyota dealer Throttle body gasket 22271-0A020 $6.48 from local Toyota dealer Lower intake manifold gasket –left #17177-20020 $22.73 Lower intake manifold gasket –right #17178-20020 $21.83 Knock sensor wire part #82219-07010 $22.14 By-pass hose #16261-20010 $9.11 Buy a Haynes manual “Toyota Highlander Lexus RX 300-330” from Kregan or Pepboy At least having 10, 12, and 14 MM ratcheting ratchets, a hose clamp pliers and buy a socket cap tool #9 43303 from Sears. It’s about $10.00 and it makes to take off bolts on the back of the intake manifold possible and much easier. It’s not an easy job so prepare at least for a 2 days at weekend to have a plenty of time and be very patient to do it. Feeling the torque: I have a torque wrench but I had a bad experience to use it. So, when you loose the bolts or nuts, feeling how much strength you have to use. Then, try to use the same strength to install them. First step: Take off parts on the outside of intake manifold 1. Remove wiper arm 2. Remove the plastic cowl cover and vent tray 3. Remove windshield wiper motor with electrical connector It’s necessary to remove these parts to get access to remove intake manifold and they are easy to take off. Just remember to put these parts on the order with all the bolts and nuts. Second step: Remove vacuum control switch 1. Remove engine cover 2. Label each vacuum and coolant hose with tape and disconnect them 3. Remove the nuts and take off the vacuum control switch At first, it looks like very complicated because so many hoses there but each one have a fixed length and only suit one place, so, if you label them carefully, it’s not hard to put them back later. 3rd step: Take off upper intake manifold: 1. Drain the coolant 2. Disconnect ground strap from the left side of the manifold 3. Disconnect PVC hose from PVC 4. Loose 3 mounting bolts that connect intake manifold with throttle body 5. Take off 4 bolts on the back of the engine. 3 bolts are connected to the back of the manifold: one (14mm) is on the engine brace, one (10mm) is for ground and another (10mm) is for Power steering hose. The forth one (12mm) is to connect throttle body to the right engine hanger. When removing the forth bolt, you need to take off the heater hose first. The most difficulty one is on the engine brace with intake manifold (14 mm). Because the brace has curve on sides and the space is so limited between firewall and the manifolds and is in the back, you have to put a cap (the tool bought from Sears) into a socket, and then use a ratcheting wretch to turn the cap to loose the bolt on the brace. You could not take the bolt out even after you totally loose it; you have to use a screw driver to pry the brace to get a sufficient space to take the bolt out. Other two bolts are easer than that one to take out. 6. Loose 2 nuts and 2 bolts on the upper intake manifold. When loose the bolts, try to feel the torque. The two bolts are very tights. I have to use a ½ inch size socket to loose them. Then, move the upper intake manifold. 4th step: Take off lower intake manifold For the purpose of replace knock sensor, you don’t need to remove injectors and fuel rails from the lower intake manifold. That’s a big relief. 1. Disconnect electrical connectors from fuel injectors and move heater hoses from lower intake manifold. 2. Remove 9 bolts and 2 nuts following a cross pattern sequence and take the lower intake manifold off and put it on the side. You need to remove air intake duct to make space for the lower intake manifold. 3. Remove a water transfer hose. You can see the 2 knock sensors now. 4. Disconnect the electrical connector for the knock sensors. It’s not very hard to push it off from the connector but it took me a long time to get it off from support connector that attached to the vehicle body. I had to break it off then use a plastic cable tie to tighten the new cord to the support connector. I thought this kind of connector is not for reusable. 5. Took off 2 bolts and 2 nuts, and then remove the water outlet which secures the left side of the gasket. 6. Use a 1 1/16 wrench or a flexible wrench to loose the knock sensors and replace them with new ones. 7. Replace the both gaskets and install the water outlet and lower intake manifold. 5th step: Install intake manifold The hard part is to put the 4 bolts back into the back of the up intake manifold. From my experience, put the power steering hose bolt first because the hose connector has to put into the curve of the manifold. And don’t tighten any bolts until you put all bolts into the thread. With right tools and patient and care, Most of us can do it. After replaced the knock sensors, the car can go to over drive now. The code P0325 is gone. Based on repair manual from Lexus, the relationship between knock sensor and over drive is: when no knock sensor 1 signal to ECM with engine speed between 2,000 rpm and 5,600 rpm, and the ECM set the corrective !Removed! angle value to the maximum value. I think the knock sensors may be not bad at all but just the electric harness. Change both the knock sensors are just for the safe purposes because as DIY mechanics we don’t have the device and the experience to test it, and we don’t want to take the risk to take off the intake manifold again if changed the harness did not resolve the problem. This is just my experience and I just want to share them with my club members. Take cautious when you work on your cars. The code P0171 is still there, it may be something wrong with injector or the Max airflow meter or O2 sensor. Hope someone find a better way to fix this Lexus problem and post it here.

I have learnt a lot from other members on this forum about how to take care of our Lexus by ourselves. I want to share my experience of changing driving belts with all the members because I have not found a detailed article about it. I hope it will help others to prevent some mistakes I made. My car is a 2000 year RX300 with about 120,000 miles. Part: Toyota #99366-21040-83 for alternator/air conditioner belt #90080-91088-83 for steering pump belt Both bought from a Lexus dealer for about $25.00. If you can buy them from a Toyota dealer, it may be cheaper. Tools: 14mm socket 12mm ratcheting wrench (one is long handle and one is short or stubby) A pry bar or a big screw driver A bottle of white wite out Shop manual from Haynes or Lexus First, disconnect the negative cable from the battery for the safety, because you need to work in a very close range to the fan or even touch the fen blades to loose or install the adjustment bolt, then take off the two electrical cables from the alternator because you need more space to work with the bolts. Before take off the bolts, using your figure to push the belt down and have a feeling on how tight of the belt is. It will help you to determine the tightness when install the new belt. 3 bolts need to be loosed to take the alternator belt off: 1. Pivot bolt on the left side of the alternator (when you face to passenger side). Using the 14mm socket to loose it. It is a long shaft bolt but is easy to loose. Totally loose it but do not take it out. 2. Adjusting bolt on the right side and near the bottom part of the alternator. Using the 12mm stubby or short ratcheting wrench to loose it. Mark the position on the bolt stem first: it gives you an approximate position when you install the new belt. 3. Lock bolt on the right side of the alternator but face you and a little above adjusting bolt. Using the 12mm slim, long handle ratcheting wrench to loose it. This bolt has a long shaft. Totally loose it but don’t take it out. I took it out and it took me a long time to put it back because you can’t see the hole and your figure can’t tough the hole at first. I even have to took off the cover board on the bottom of the engine to find out where the hole is, and then using one hand to push the bolt into the hole and another hand to lift the alternator to let the bolt to screw in. Then you can push down the alternator to take off the belt. For steering belt: Raise the front of the vehicle and take the driver side wheel off. Remove the inner fender apron by taking the two screws off. You can see a slotted, half-moon shaped bracket with two bolts on it. Mark the position of the bottom bolt (adjustment bolt) on the bracket and loose the adjustment bolt with the socket drive (14mm or 12mm). Then, loose another bolt that is above the bracket. I’m not sure what function of this bolt (lock bolt or others), but I could not loose the belt after I loose the adjustment bolt. So I loose this bolt, pivot the pump several times towards different directions, and then was able to take the belt off the pulley. You need to push or pull the steering pump to loose the belt and take it off. Put the new belt onto the wheel; make sure it fits in the ribbed grooves in the pulleys. Use the pry bar or a big crew drive, press the steering pump down to the point where you can position the adjusting bolt to the mark you made before you take off the belt, tight the bolt, then use your hand to push the belt down to try the tightness. If it’s OK, finally tight the both bolts. Then, put the new belt onto the alternator pulley, lift the alternator with one hand and tight the adjustment bolt using another hand until the bolt reach the marked point or reach the desired tension by push the belt with your thumb to test it. Then, tight the lock and the pivot bolts. Notice: Tight the adjustment bolt first. If you tight the lock and pivot bolts first, the adjustment bolt will not work, and you may damage the adjustment bolt if you try to tight it too hard. And of course, you can not tight the belt to the proper tension. Put the alternator electrical cord and battery cable back. Install the inner fender apron and the wheel. Start the car. If the car runs smoothly and no abnormal noisy (High pitched), the belts are installed correctly. Congratulations!

I just bought a set of repair manual for 2000 RX300 from Toyota material distribution center. Call this number: 1-800-622-2033. It costs me $181.03 including shipping. It has 2 volume.