2000 Rx300 Timing Belt Issue

[TommyMambo]

I may be buying a 2000 Lexus RX300 from a lady who inherited the car from her father. The car has 118000 miles on it, and she said she has no record of the timing belt ever being changed.

She said her father had it regularly serviced but not at a Lexus dealer once the car went out of warrantee.

Is there a way to find out if the timing belt has in fact been changed?

Thanks!

[RX in NC]

While the 2000 RX300 models have a number of consistent failure issues, the timing belt is not one of them. Most fully-informed owners don't consider changing the timing belt until at least 120,000 miles and had we kept my wife's previous 2000 RX300 AWD longer than the 130,000 miles when I sold it, I wasn't planning on changing the timing belt until at least 150,000 miles. A number of owners on this site have reported that their timing belts still looked pristine even at more than 120,000 miles and wish they had waited to change them.

Of much greater concern to you are these potential pitfalls in any 1999 or 2000 RX300:

1. Transmission failure, especially if your vehicle is AWD.

2. Rear main oil seal failure.

3. Exhaust manifold cracking.

4. Front strut mount rubber bushing failure.

5. Multiple oxygen sensor failure.

Spend some time on this site searching using the above key phrases. You'll discover that your timing belt is nothing to worry about compared to these potentially wallet-emptying problems....

[TommyMambo]

While the 2000 RX300 models have a number of consistent failure issues, the timing belt is not one of them. Most fully-informed owners don't consider changing the timing belt until at least 120,000 miles and had we kept my wife's previous 2000 RX300 AWD longer than the 130,000 miles when I sold it, I wasn't planning on changing the timing belt until at least 150,000 miles. A number of owners on this site have reported that their timing belts still looked pristine even at more than 120,000 miles and wish they had waited to change them.

Of much greater concern to you are these potential pitfalls in any 1999 or 2000 RX300:

1. Transmission failure, especially if your vehicle is AWD.

2. Rear main oil seal failure.

3. Exhaust manifold cracking.

4. Front strut mount rubber bushing failure.

5. Multiple oxygen sensor failure.

Spend some time on this site searching using the above key phrases. You'll discover that your timing belt is nothing to worry about compared to these potentially wallet-emptying problems....

Thanks a lot - appreciate your help!

[blk_on_blk]

Also, the timing belt cover is on the side of the engine. It a two piece unit, and if you take out the top bolt and gently spread apart the cover, you can see the timing belt. If the belt has clear-n-crisp lettering printed on it, it's probably been replaced. If the lettering is faint or no lettering at all, it's probably original.

Everything RX_in_NC said applies.