tds

The A/C light will blink when it senses that the compressor has locked up. In your case when you turn it off and then on it may temporarily run again...but the bad news is that you will need another compressor :cries: . Don't delay in getting this done because a compressor that is locking will generate debris and spread it through your system.

I just fixed this on my 91LS400. It is called a Vacuum Modulator Valve and is part # 25870-50010 (part is around $150.00 CDN)

KevinK, when this resonant vibration occurred, I was able to gently punch (not too hard!!!) the headliner just above my head. The punch would disrupt the vibration cadence (i.e. pattern) and this is how I confirmed that the noise was coming from the headliner.

Well I had this idle vibration noise problem for 4 years and I finally got it fixed. It would happen when the RX was in gear with the brake on around 750 to 755 rpm. I got so I could actually cause this vibration to happen by putting the parking brake on, put the RX into Drive, one foot on the brake and with the other foot on the gas and very gently adjust the rpm. The problem turned out to be a loose wire or connector in the headliner right above the drivers head. At a certain frequency this would resonate and would sound like a drum. After I was able to demonstrate this resonant vibration to the dealer he removed the headliner and attached/glued the offending wire/connector back in place. The noise is now gone. :D

I had a noise like that with my 2001 RX300 and it turned out to be the bushing at the bottom of the steering column needing lubrication....may yours has the same problem. I also had a ticking noise coming from the dash. After removing the dash and replacing the dash clips (didn't fix it) they finally removed the cowling at the bottom of the windshield (on the outside) and added an insulation kit. This fixed the problem. It's taken about 4 years now, but think I finally have all the squeaks and rattles and groans out of my RX300 ;)

I had exactly the same problem with my 2001 Rx300. I would arrive home from work, lock the RX, put the keys in my pocket and go into the house. After dinner I would sit down on the couch, with the keys in my pocket. As I sat down, the unlock button would somehow get pressed and held while inside my pocket. When the unlock button is pressed and held, in additon to unlocking the doors it will roll down the windows and open the sunroof. Now this can become a problem if your RX is parked outside and it starts to rain, to say nothing car theft or vandalism (with the windows all the way down). I complained to Lexus :chairshot: and ended up having this funtion disabled on the computer. Lexus needs to add on on/off slide switch to the electronic key so that you can disable all of this if you want to.

Check that your EGR valve is not coming on when the engine is cold.

Try oven cleaner

The bushing at the bottom of the steering wheel needs to be lubricated. I had this lubed on my 2001 Rx300 and the noise has not come back.

I suggest you do the following: 1. Try a second shop...the first one may have messed up the test or been fishing for business. 2. Make sure you take your car for a drive (60 mph for 10 minutes) before you drop it off for the emissions test...You've got to have your engine warmed up properly. 3. Use Sunoco 94 Octane (a full tank) before and during the test. It is also possible that you have a bad oxygen sensor, or something else, but I would try 1, 2 and 3 first.

My RX300 had tire squeal so I checked the tire pressure. Both front tires were 24psi and both backs were 30 psi (I have no idea how this happened). Once I pumped up the front tires to 30 psi, all the tire squeal is gone.

SW03ES: Sorry it took so long to reply to your post, but it has been quite a while since they kept my RX300 overnight (actually 3 days while they remove the resonant vibration in the headliner, fix the dashboard squeak (twice now) and remove the 'chirp' noise from the rear seats). <_< Anyway, Lexus gave me a loaner 2004 ES300 (I have it in my garage at the moment). Now I have been testing this car for torque steer for the last 2 days. I don't know why yours does not have any torque steer, but on this one, at full power and full acceleration (from a stop), I frequently have to wrestle with the steering wheel to keep it going in a straight line. Lexus may have done an excellent job with minimizing any torque steer inherent in the drive train, but they cannot factor in pavement and road variations. Under full power if one wheel gets less traction (say a bit of gravel on one side of the road, a touch of oil on the other side, or a rut in the road) then one side of the front wheel drive will pull more than the other and you have...torque steer. The only way to remove this is to separate the drive wheels from the steering wheels (i.e. rear wheel drive). Under low and moderate acceleration I can detect no torque steer, but under full acceleration it is definitely there. Incidently, I am very impressed with the power and acceleration of this ES300.

There are many possible problems that can cause the ABS light to come on. For example the TPS (Throttle positioning sensor) or ABS computer can also be defective. You should read the codes yourself or get Lexus to read them for you and tell you where the problem is.

One more thing...I had a car years ago that had this backfire and it turned out to be the iginition cables.

Other things you can check are your timing (and engine computer) and the igintion coil. It sounds like all of the gas is not burning in the engine.