Chuckl

Thanks for all the advice. Yes I did get a carfax at purchase and the condition of the vehicle did not indicate more that 16k. Who knows? but its hard to tamper with the reading. The car fax gave only original purchase and annual registrations. The sludge is caused by failure to drive far enough to warm the car up and burn off the condensation water that collects in the engine as at cools. This is a further indication that the milage may be correct. Lexus is prevented by law giving the former owner's ID here in Fla. Most used cars do not carry service records, perhaps 5% do. I'm proceeding to court with the engine was defective in design or manufacture, supported by the 3 million cars (Toyota and Lexus) repaired in the class action settlement sludge lawsuit on the 300 engine earlier RX model. My second arguement is that the Lexus experts, who know the car best made no request for service records when the car came off lease. They never considered sludge damage could occur at 16k, It should have never happened except the engine has a design weakness.

Is anyone else having engine sludge (gel) problems with the 330 engine? I found a cream-puff used 05 RX with less than 16k on the dial. It had 9 months of the original 4 year warrantee to go. With in a short time of a oil change it started to use oil and cold started in a cloud of blue smoke. The bottom line was ruined valve seals which were not covered because there were no service records to prove the car had been maintained. The sludge work was to replace the valve seals and clean out the engine for $6,000. I was lucky in that the bottom end of the engine had not been oil starved. I went to Lexus mediation and was ruled against because I bought a used car without service records. Even though the car came off lease when I bought it and Lexus didn't ask for service records either inspite of the car had no record of any service in the Lexus national data bank. If there's others out there with similar problems I would like to hear them. I am aware of the class action on the 300 engine but it doesn't cover my 05.

I had the opposite result--a 05 330 RX with only 16k on the dial was not covered. See my seperate line on engine sludge in the 330.

I just bought a 05 RX and am really enjoying it. Its a very low milage truck showing only 17k. I first noticed a good cloud of blue smoke upon cold start. The used dealership had the RX serviced at pick-up and at the first fillup 350 miles, it needed a Qt of oil. I'm watching it carefully. Runs fine, no missing, smooth as silk. It looks like failure in the valve guide seals with oil leaking into the cylinders when it sets. Also could this be an effect of a very short trip routine by the former owner? I read the sludge threads on the 300 engine but seems unlikely at 17k? I have 9 months of base waranty left. Hopefully no questions about proof of 5k services. Is this a common malfunction? I haven't found any common complaints in the threads. Thanks for your help.