Lexus Gs300 Awd Bought Few Months Ago. Please Help!

Haris A · December 29, 2009

Hello Gents,

I live in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. I found this community just last night. Very excited to be here and make some new friends. :)

This is my first Lexus buy driven (110,00 km) and I had a choice between Bmw 5 series, Infiniti, jaguar and few others. But me and my wife feel in love with Lexus as soon as we sat in it. I've been driving Cadillac before.

Now i'm having weird issues with it. please help.

1: Heater stop blowing hot air when the car stops. As soon as it starts moving over 20km/hr... Hot air comes back.

a: I further checked this issue by selecting MAX HEAT. tried different heater/ac settings. One thing I noticed. sometimes A/C light turns on under climate controls.

2: Heater issue is unrelated to this new one. Yesterday, we went for boxing day shopping. I stayed in the car while wife shopped. (parking lot was full). After about 30-40 minutes of running idle. Steam starting coming out of the right top area of the hood. closer to the right wiper edge. I knew this couldn't be good.

a: No warnings on the panel.

b: Coolant temperature right in the middle of Cold/hot.

c: I left the car running and opened the hood. located the area of steam to be coming from under or around the battery area. Tried to smell it - something like rubber or plastic burning.

3: Oil change gives me 8000km to drive. I've driven - 3000km and my oil gauge is near the bottom dot. No blue smoke - or visible oil leaks. Last time, around 7000km warning came on "low engine oil" and I filled it with 2 litres right away. Told my Lexus dealership about it - they said it's "strange" - that's about it.

4: On my last oil change. I was told my Lexus is due for

a: Trasmission Fluid change

b: Brake fluid flush

c: Rear differential fluid.

My question. Transmission fluid change is necessary ? Because according to my previous car (cadillac) I was told to NEVER change transmission fluid. Plus I've heard that you never get the same QUALITY of fluid that factory used in Japan. Even though it's genuine. This is what my cadillac guys told me about my caddy.

what do you guys think?

Ali -