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Hello Everyone, I know IACV has been a huge topic on the forum and I have found various pictures in the RX forum and ES forum on the idle air control valve (IACV) or as others call it the idle speed control valve (ISC). However, I have not found a "step by step" posting to date which definitively shows how to clean this thing so that my car stops giving me idling problems. Symptoms I have had included: - low and rough idling that would cause the car engine to start shaking after starting the car - this eventually got worse to the point that when I start my car, it would not idle unless I gave it gas - idling problems for me tended to occur more often after my engine was warm or had been sitting in the sun I hope these series of postings help you fellow LOC members out there. You've certainly helped me in the past so here's my two cents at this common problem. Additionally, the instructions I give are the way in which I have cleaned it myself. As you go about and attempt this, you may find better ways to do so. Please add and refine my instructions/terminology as needed. I am not a professional. I've only changed my oil, air filters, and conducted minor maintenance previously. The bottom line is that if you have the right tools, you should be able to do this. This discovery/ cleaning took me about 2 hours to do cause I ran into problems and there were major steps left out in previous postings that I’ve encountered read. The next time I do this, I believe I can get this done in about an hour or less. Tools Needed: 1) Tightly fitting Philips Screw Driver 2) Carb cleaner that is O2 sensor safe (I've seen CRC. I used Valvoline Carb Cleaner) 3) Locking Grip Pliers (definitely helped me remove the factory tight screws) 4) Small brush for cleaning 5) Towels for cleaning 6) Pliers (help removed brackets holding the hoses) 7) Latex gloves helps with limit the messiness. * I used the same gasket and did not replace it. No problems found. 1) Remove the hose that comes from the engine/motor that connects to the air intake hoses.( Hose is below in red – we’ll refer to this as Hose A) When you pull back the rubber hose covering, you will see that a metal bracket is holding the hose pretty tightly in place. Use the pliers to clasps the two metal pieces together to loosen the bracket and pull the hose loose. You can also do this by hand if it’s easier for you. 2) Upon removing the hose, you will want to remove the two air intake hoses. Loosen the three screws above in green and remove the hose. Below is a picture of the intake hoses removed. 3)After removing the intake hoses, I opened the lid to the air filter and moved this to the side of the car to create more working room. I believe there are two clips on the right holding the lid in place. Just pop the two clips and move the cover to the side. I also took out the air filter and temporarily moved this to the side. 4)After removing the intake hose, the throttle body/IACV/black electric coil is revealed. At this point, I removed the black electric wire from the black coil. Once the electric wire is removed you can remove the black coil from the IACV by removing the two screws. Note, the screws are factory tight so use a tight fitting screw driver to remove the screws. One of my screws was partially stripped from the dealership’s work, so I had to resort to my locking grip pliers which helped out tremendously. After removing the two screws, the black electric piece pops right off. When the black electrical coil is removed from the IACV, it exposes a small pencil sized metal stud. You will also notice a washer that sits on this stud. Don’t lose this washer. Take it and put it aside so it doesn’t fall off when you continue on in the next steps. 5)Additionally, I removed the hose coming out of the IACV. We’ll call this Hose B. This hose can be removed in the same manner by clamping the bracket and pulling the hose out. You will see that the hose is removed below. Below are pictures of before and after. 6)Here is where the fun begins. I initially attempted to remove the four screws attached to the IACV at this point, but found that after an hour, this would be nearly impossible to remove considering the location of the screws were in an extremely tight spot. The only way I would be able to remove the IACV is to remove right throttle body. Not as tough as it sounds. Three screws need to be removed to accomplish this. Again, be careful when removing the screws. Also you will see I removed another electric plug and I also cut a tie wrap. Once you complete these steps, the throttle body/ IACV comes out pretty easily. Note when you remove the throttle body, there will be one LAST hose connected to the IACV. Be careful when you remove this hose as radiator fluid may spill. Some of my fluid spilled out so I just refilled my coolant after I was done. 7)Below is a picture of the bottom view of the IACV. You now can EASILY remove the four screws connecting the IACV to the throttle body . In the picture below, I have already removed one of the screws. Once the four screws are removed the IACV and throttle body separate. Now you can clean both of them with your carb cleaner, brush, towels, cotton swabs etc…. Picture here is before I the cleaning with all the muck inside Pictures after I cleaned the IACV and throttle body This last picture is the post throttle body cleaning 8) Once you are done cleaning, just put back the throttle body/iacv the same way you took it off, and put everything back in reverse order. Ensure the gasket is in place. Also, ensure you put the washer back on the electric coil. Make sure you place hose A & B back and ensure the electric plugs are back in their original position. Once these things are in place, then it's all about putting the air filter/hoses back and you are good to go. If you have lost any coolant, make sure you refill it to a safe level. After completing this cleaning, my car starts up without any problem and idles as if I just purchased the car brand new. Replacing this at a dealership would have costed me $300-400 easily. Let me know if you have any questions. Cheers (Also, I tried to post these as separate replys, but the software combined all my replies into a single reply and did not keep them separated) *Edited the posting to have the pictures follow step by step in sequential order*

I was also sold this "invisible" ad on! Only to be told by the dealership "after" that it's not adjustable. So basically it's just a dimly lit thin strip! This should be included. Lexus could and should've done better!

Hi. Some friends of mine suggested that I should post this here for more people to see. Hopefully it'll help people for years to come. You will need: About 50 bucks budget for the balljoint rod and the pipe clamp. Height sensor with bracket. 10mm wrench Washers that fit 10mm/M6 bolts. 10mm/M6 nuts Some smaller (8mm wrench) I own a 2001 LS430. The height sensor control arm's slider has rusted and become damaged over the last 19 or so years. The ball joint rod to the height sensor has also seized too. The height adjustment rod there in the red was seized, and the height slider in the blue was badly corroded and broken off. Rather than buy an entire control arm (green) this is an alterative method to repair it The arm is ~26mm in diameter. Buy yourself one of these pipe clamps in 26mm diameter. Or make one. Shouldn't be expensive. The hole needs to fit a M6/10mm bolt. Grind off the remnants of that slider from the control arm, and slide the pipe clamp over, and put your 10mm/M6 bolt and nut through and secure it in place where the slider used to be. Rather than using the control arm as a slider, we can instead use a sliding ball joint rod such as this one; This is a 220 320 00 32 from Mercedes - a height adjustment rod with a 8mm locking and a 10mm/M6 ball joint bolt. You can pick one up off eBay for cheap. Or find some other M6/10mm adjustable ball joint rod. Look at the diagram and try to imagine it in your head. This is what your bracket and rod/clamps should look like. One day I might snap a picture of what my repair looks like, but I hope you can make out what I mean via the diagram. This repair should be very easy. Maybe some sanding/grinding and surface preperation. The clamp will hold on tight and is easy to replace. The adjustable link rod will last longer and allow for easy adjustment, and less risk of corrosion damage. Hope this helps. This is a fairly easy job and took me less than 2 or so hours to do.

Did I mention this?..... I don't like the fact that our governments plan to force us to buy EVs. I wouldn't mind having one, as we already have solar panels and don't pay for electricity, but I think we should be able to choose what we drive (within reason).

At the part store they run a load test on the battery that mimics a big draw. If it holds up to a certain voltage it means the battery itself is not weakened yet. As the battery ages it will weaken as in not be able to supply a given amount of cold cranking amps. When its cold the oil thickens some thereby making the engine have to work harder to rotate. Hence the term "cold" cranking amps. I'd say you should investigate why the check engine lamp is lighting up. It could be a sign of what is taking place to cause your car to struggle to crank over. The part store can often "read the code" and determine why the CEL is lighting. My gut tells me your voltage regulator in the alternator is hit and miss. A long time ago that was a little box on the fire wall or fender. These days they are inside of the alternator. It determines how much electricity goes to the engine to keep it running and to the battery to charge it. It only has to be off by a little to keep the engine running but not have extra to charge the battery. Another issue could be a parasitic drain. An out of the ordinary draw on the battery when the car isn't running. In my 04 GS 300 for example the CD changer kept trying to change discs and the seat memory kept activating. Now I could not hear the disc changer nor was the seat memory moving the seat, but they were drawing on the system leading to a weak or dead battery if I didn't drive the car every day. Yet another issue may be short trips don't allow the battery to charge enough. Example; start the car, drive to a store 10 minutes away, finish there, start car and drive 10 minutes to another store. Never giving the engine a good 30-45 minutes to charge the battery back up to the voltage used to start the car can also lead to the hard to crank or dead battery issue. Hope you find it soon and it's a cheap and easy fix.

I just purchased a NX200T. During the test drive I did not realize the headrest was a little too far forward. It is sharply angled toward the driver at the top. I am on the shorter side at 5' 6 1/2" tall and have good posture. When I sit in the driver seat with good posture my head is pushed forward about 1/2". I have to lean the seat back so I am slouching to avoid neck discomfort. I asked my dealer, service center and the U.S. corporate office for advice. There was nothing they could do. Very disappointing. The worst part is that the headrest is available outside the US with adjustable forward and aft movement at 4 intervals. I asked a few after market car parts dealers for advice. I was told it is a common problem. I was given many solutions (get another brand car's headrest, cushions, heat the metal and bend the rods, padding, etc.). Some ideas were unsafe and of course illegal I thought. For now I put some 2" cushioning in the seat to bring the rest of the seat inline with the headrest. It is better but not quite there and makes my A/C venting fairly useless, & is a little dorky. After just having paid about 50K for the fully loaded car I want a professional solution to improve the headrest. So far I have not solved it. I am curious if anyone else has had this issue and solved it? Any advice is appreciated. I am 95% happy with the car/SUV and am looking for that last 5% of comfort/fit.

No reason to upgrade, Those stock wheels are Classic on the SC 😉

But you love the Covid virus? 🙄

I just installed the rr racing supercharger. It’s the only way to go bud

That one is my son's new puppy. Her brother came home with me Chocolate lab mom, stranger in the night dad Yesterday they played all afternoon.

Purchase has been made!...I could not turn down the deal I got & the actual ES...2020 ES 350 'premium' with only 11k miles in Nebula Grey Pearl (windows are already tinted)....over 2 years of full factory warranty remaining; 1 owner, full service history & Lexus CPO. Our 'premium package' in Canada is equipped quite differently than our friends south of the border....with more features / standard equipment. Originally I wanted the UL package....but in these parts, they are very rare (I reached out to 17 Lexus dealers in a 400 mile radius of me...the UL units that are available are 5 to 6 k more & only about 20% are actually at Lexus dealers...the premium pkg checks 95% of the boxes I was looking for....as the expression goes 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth'. I literally have a 6 minute drive to work... I pick the car up this Saturday.

I like it when I'm trimming a rose bush, grab one to place in a jar and while heading indoors the Mrs arrives from work so I hand her the rose. Or when I come from work and the dog greets me at the door, tail all wagging-like. And the parrot says "welcome home"…… Or when a nice breeze blows just as the grass cut chore is over and the Mrs brings out a tall glass of ice cold spring water. Or when a new baseball cap fits my noggin just right without adjusting it. Or I step on the bathroom scale expecting to have gained weight but the scale shows I actually lost a little. Or when my son and I went to do the first start after an engine swap, expecting a hard to start issue but ole bessy fires right up. Or when the lawnmover starts first pull……again. Or helping out old people. Or thanking a soldier/veteran. Or tipping the person at the toll booth. Yes I stop and pay in cash so I can do that. Or when the voicemail on your phone was not a robo-call and instead was a friend telling you "hello, here's my new phone number" Or when you sneeze and a perfect stranger says "bless you". Life is short. But smiling makes you live longer. Trouble with being dead is it lasts so long.

The cost of dental work, especially deep cleaning by laser and periodontal surgery, but also including implants.

That's the view when I pull into the driveway after work. Unseen in the photo is the dog wagging his tail "it's that guy, he's back, yay!!"

Update: I think I have got it after all the work, time, and money spent. I started checking again I found an unbelievable vacuum leak around lower intake manifold. replace gasket today runs great thanks for all of the support. something that simple fix. when the engine was swap the starter was replaced. The gasket moved or something apparently cause a vacuum leak. I had no idea a vacuum leak could cause random misfires. I was sure it was an ignition problem.

Hi all, I believe I have posted here before a long time ago with my old LS430 LEX, I now have a 2007 LS460L with 110K on it now. I have owned it for a few years now, since 65K miles, and recently I started having acceleration/hesitation problems. I did alot of research, and didn't find very many good answers. I did have the transmission and engine ECU update flashed, with some improvement, but after that didn't solve the problem, I was convinced it was the cylinder head replacement deal, which was way out of my budget with 5 kids....and I thought it was ridiculous that a flagship sedan would need that kind of serious motor work with just 100K on it. Anyway, my mechanic suggested BG 44K fuel system cleaner, NOT available at places like autozone. He sells it for $28 per can, but I found on Ebay for $16.75 and up with free ship. First and foremost, I ALWAYS used quality, premium gas (Shell V-Power or QT), and Techron additive from time to time, so I was super unconvinced about his recommendation. I had even listed my LS for sale, again, convinced that the motor had cylinder issues after reading blogs about LS460 acceleration issues. Also, for the record, I have NO affiliation with BG or anything like that. THIS STUFF WORKS! It truly fixed my hesitation problems, completely. I am no longer selling the car, and am happy again, as it accelerates like it is supposed to. Feel free to read many other peoples reviews on this stuff, its amazing and really seems to work. After i drove it to wrok (25 miles one way) I thought i felt a difference, by the drive home, I KNEW I felt the difference, after the full tank, i was truly smiling. I have ordered 4 more cans for my other vehicles and boat, and suggested it to my friend with a ISF, my brother with an SC430, and my buddy with a Vette. I guess these LS460 cars are just picky after a while and maybe the injectors get gummed up? I don't pretend to be a mechanic, again this was suggested by my Lexus mechanic, After alot of depressing research with no real answer, just wanted to share my experience with any other LS460 owners, as it is a beautiful car, and I was disappointed in what I was thinking the problems I had. It was the best $17 I have recently spent, and if you are having similar weak/lack of acceleration or hesitation issues, i would say TRY IT for less than $20. I believe you can go to BG's site and find a local dealer, again, not autozone or O'Reilly or anything like that, says professional use only lol. Also, need a funnel, comes in a coke can basically. Just my 2 cents, hoping to help out any other LS460 owners out there depressed about their car, it seems most people just said they'd trade it in and buy a new one, but I'm not that rich :)

My Daily 😀

The Lexus brand cell phone that was a dealer installed option lowered the HVAC fan speed and muted the audio system while a call was in progress. I even connected an aftermarket Nokia CARK-91 phone system I installed in my second (2000) LS400 to mute the audio system but I didn't bother to connect it to lower the HVAC fan speed. Even when a Lexus phone system was never installed, corrosion of the factory installed cell phone harness in the trunk can cause HVAC and audio system issues.

20 years ago I swapped a domain name for a Lexus. The love affair started and I am now on my 10th Lexus

And Because We All Love Pictures 🙂

My Lexus is my weekend car. My daily is my 2009 Mazda 3i.

Here are a couple of tips I have picked up regarding maximizing fuel efficiency 1. Replace the spark plugs if you have not already, I prefer NGK Iridium plugs 2. Look for Cooper CS5 Grand Touring/Ultimate Touring tires, they are excellent for these cars 3. Use OVERDRIVE on the highway or at speeds in excess of 60 MPH (most say 40-50 MPH, but in my car I have observed minimal difference at those speeds). Note that you can use Overdrive at all speeds and it will keep the RPM's down but from what I have learned at slower speeds this translates to negligible fuel economy gains. 4. Set your ECT mode to NORMAL and not PWR 5. Keep the RPM's as low as possible aka don't floor it 6. Make sure your wheels are balanced and aligned properly and that your tires are also correctly inflated. 7. Mythbusters proved this, KEEP YOUR CAR CLEAN, it does SLIGHTLY affect gas mileage for the positive. 8. Turn off your A/C system if you want, it does affect gas mileage slightly, but its also a comfort, not really necessary unless you want to maximize fuel economy. 9. In reference to replacing the spark plugs, you may also want to consider replacing the ignition coil, distributor cap & rotor, and plug wires if they have not been replaced in quite some time as they can lose spark and cause poor performance, this would be within a general tune-up. 10. Replace the fuel filter, this is commonly missed on every car, and they get NASTY, unclean fuel = bad performance. Also consider getting a professional fuel service done on your car, this can help too, especially if it has not been done in some time.

Folks, and Forum Admin, Please make a separate section on the Forum for 2016 RX models. THese have had major changes since 2015. The engine has been tweaked, there are scores of safety improvements and the look is way different. I am sure the issues will be different as well. So please rename the 2010-Present section to say 2010-2015 and keep it separate from 2016 onwards. Thanks.

I can answer that. Those zany Brits particularly like "mark" designations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_(designation Maybe it is a longing for Jaguar sedan series names. In the UK, the model year ranges of the LS400 are referenced thusly: Series 1, Mark 1 = 1990-1992 Series 1, Mark 2 = 1993-1994 Series 2, Mark 3 = 1995-1997 Series 2, Mark 4 = 1998-2000

Replaced the Y pipe. Almost one month and no more problems.

okay guys, I am going to give you a very constructive advice on how to fix this problem.first remove the cluster and if you do not know how go to lexls.com and follow the instructions.then remove the face cover .first grap the tach needle gently and pull untill you hear a pop,again be gentle and do not ge scared.once you hear the pop move the needle clockwise untill it pops again then gently release it.now move the needle slowly counterclock till you sit it over the zero an on the dot and make sure that it sits right on the zero.to check your work move it gently say to the mark 3 then let go it should snap right back to zero,once you have accomplished this ,you are rock & roll baby.the same thing goes for speedometer.back light is not working change cap 212,after making sure your cathodes are okay meaning the bulbs.if not you can get them at a very good price from plano lexus,they are awsome as far as price goes.gas guage slow change cap 142.while you are at it change any bad or weak bulbs ,be the warning ones or the indicator ones such as shifter position.by the way guys the cluster lexus has on the first gen is the 1992,because the psb are so robust,where the 1993 and 1994 are made a little bit on the cheapy side.this job should take about an hour if you how to handle things.good luck and let me know. please make a donation to lexls.com,this guy is great.may god bless his soul.

I hate the common cold...

Hi all, been the better part of a year since I had reason to pop onto the forums. This post isn't looking for help, but instead offering some friendly advice on doing this job in a different way than the service manual describes (especially for those with back issues like me, because this way, the alternator comes out the top). I recently had my alternator drop out on my '98 LS400 (1UZFE VVT motor), and although I have the service manual, I decided to follow a different path with removing my alternator, because the service manual calls for complete removal of the power steering pump, which I found unnecessary. Instead, I followed the following steps (photos to come at a later date to make it easier to follow along) Tools you'll need- One each 10, 12, and 14mm wrench and socket. (One stubby ratchet or short 12mm wrench will come in handy, but isn't absolutely necessary) also a few extensions. Optional but recommended- One fan clutch removal tool. I have found that this style works best. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/product/22983568 If you don't use a specialty tool like this, you will need a second 12mm wrench. Also recommended is a flex-head ratchet 1. Disconnect negative cable from battery and set away from the terminal to prevent accidentally shorting your electrical system later. 2. Remove all intake ducting, up to the throttle body. There are several vacuum lines attached, as well as a PCC hose. There are also a few 10mm bolts securing the intake. 3. Remove the cooling fan and fan clutch. There are four 12mm nuts holding the fan clutch on the pulley, and this is where you will use the removal tool (if you have it) to make your life easier. You can get away without a specialty tool with loosening each nut by tightening another, and on the last nut, using the box end of a wrench to gain some leverage on a stud where the nut has already been removed. You can pull the fan clutch out the top without removing anything else, just be careful not to hit into the radiator and damage any fins. 4. Remove the serpentine/drive belt. A 14mm wrench on the tensioner, and to loosen the tensioner, you rotate it in the counterclockwise direction. Slip the belt off the idler pulley, and after releasing the tensioner, you can remove the belt. 5. Loosen your power steering pump and reservoir- three 10mm bolts secure the reservoir, and three 14mm nuts and bolts secure the pump. Two fasteners are hidden on the bottom side of the passenger side cylinder head, right towards the front. A flex head ratchet works wonders here, otherwise you'll need extensions to get them from underneath the vehicle. You'll be able to use a ratchet on all these bolts, but not the 14mm nut securing the pump from the front, because it's blocked by the power steering pulley. You will NOT need to remove any hoses, but you will need to flex the reservoir around a bit to shift the whole assembly forward a few inches. 6. Now that the power steering pump is out of the way (it doesn't need to go far, not even off the stud it's mounted on) this is where you'll break out your stubby ratchet/12mm wrench. It's a bit of a tight squeeze, but you should be able to reach down from the top and pull off the rubber boot covering the alternator lug and loosen the 12mm nut securing the charging cable. 7. Once the charging cable is off, remove the bolt and nut securing the alternator to the block (both are 14mm). Now you can shift the alternator forward and access the wiring plug in the back. It's a standard pinch-and-pull removal, but mine, with 25 years of age and gunk, was stuck on pretty well. The last thing to remove is a wiring loom bracket for the oxygen sensor plug. This can come off with some persuasion, but it's ultimately easier to cut the electrical tape securing the wire to the bracket and removing the bracket once the alternator has been removed. 8. Remove the alternator! With the power steering pump shifted forward, you will be able to pull the alternator forward and off the stud, then straight up and out the top, without spilling a drop of fluids. Re-installation steps and torque values will be added to this post at the same time photos are.

From what I've read the resale value of a Mercedes is really bad after year 3. Not so much for the Lexus. The Mercedes might only command 45% of its sticker price in year 4 where the Lexus over 70%.

...looks familiar.

Exactly, Dave! The technology and geo-politics are changing so fast that you really want to slow down and ask the what-ifs. And with all the extra weight in the various plug-ins, tires will wear faster and generate more heat. Can't forget the Ford Exploder that kept blowing out tires because Ford and Firestone could not settle on a reasonable weight limit for the specified tire (depending on which side you talk to, of course). Engineers are only human...

I think that cap is actually a left over tap for some funky hot water defroster.

The upcoming Lotus Emira, McLaren 570S Spider, Mazda MX5, sparkling red wine, lobster ravioli, hot air balloon rides, helping kids to learn math and english......I could go on and on. Trevor, based upon the part of the world you live in, it doesn't surprise me that you like beer. (although probably not Guiness Stout, eh?) 😃 I do enjoy an occasional draft from one of many breweries in this area.

You should try this for a month: Terra Kai USDA Organic Juce Super Fruit & Veggie Powder, 12.2 Ounces | Costco

I can go back even earlier than that Mike where the heater in the car was an optional extra and all the interior was metal so it was absolutely freezing in winter 😞

I agree gamalot. I have family who get their bamboo toilet paper delivered cross country via fossil fuel powered truck. As I type this it is highly likely that every room in their house has a light turned on. They come to my house and comment how hot it is in summer or cold it is in winter. They arrive in three compact hybrids instead of one sedan. They live by the ocean and complain the sea is rising. They fertilize their landscaped lawns then complain about plastic straws polluting streams. They moved away from areas run by high tax and spend politicians then vote for high tax and spend politicians in their community. I grew up when air conditioned cars were for the neighbor who had loot. Back then they had little wings you could dial in to circulate air throught the car so the vinyl seats weren't so uncomfy.

So it works! Swapped the old tranny back in. Turns out the ECU capacitors were the entire problem! Thank you all for your help and i hope this helps anyone else that has capacitors issues!

You're welcome. The speedometer needle in my '98 sticks (rarely) depending on the ambient temperature. I have read elsewhere that the problem is the instrument lube that's used in the gauge heads get sticky with age. The only real fix is to remove the cluster and have an instrument repair shop deal with it. There is a chance that he gauge cluster might have a bad connection at the circuit board ribbon cables, etc.

Several Toyota models (e.g. Highlander, Sienna) used the same brake system that the 2010-2015 Lexus RX used - rotors, pads, everything. I don't remember about the RX but I do remember there being a service campaign that addressed brake disc warping and vibration on the generation 3 Sienna. I have a 2014 Sienna but mine never developed the problems. I did modify components under the vehicle that directed brake cooling airflow per the service bulletin "just in case". I've wondered why I've never had the problems reported by many others especially since my Sienna Limited is heavier than any Highlander or RX and likely stresses the brakes more. One reason might be because I've paid extremely close attention to lug nut torque. Uneven and/or over torquing lug nuts is a known common cause of brake rotor warping. The correct lug nut torque on the RX, Highlander, Sienna and most other vehicles manufactured by Toyota is only 76 ft. lbs. An air wrench should never be used to tighten these lug nuts and they should always be tightened with a manual torque wrench. I've had both Lexus and Toyota dealers tighten lug nuts to over 200 ft. lbs. on too many occasions. One service manager swore that his mechanics never used air wrenches on lug nuts but I then watched as one of his mechanics had to use an air wrench to remove the lug nuts that one of his mechanics had just over-tightened. I've learned to always check lug nut torque with my own torque wrench after someone else messes with my wheels. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have been able to change a flat tire on one trip. So ... my 2014 Sienna that has the same brake system as the 2012 RX and is on the original brake rotors and pads front and back at 94,xxx miles. Based on the wear rate, I'll have the original front and rear pads replaced at the same time and the original rotors turned at a little over 110,000 miles when the pads will by then be worn down to the 1 mm minimum specification. Yes, only 1 millimeter of pad thickness is the minimum specification for most Lexus and Toyota vehicles. 1 mm looks scary to the uninformed which is why so many people get scammed into premature brake work. On Lexus vehicles that have electronic brake pad were sensors, the low pad warning in the instrument cluster starts when a brake pad is worn down to about 1.5 mm. My recommendation is to buy a torque wrench if you don't already have one and check and re-torque lug nuts after each time someone removes and re-installs your wheels.

Three of us spent a good two hours getting the spare tire off the truck the other day, trying to get access to some other parts of the truck. We followed the 04 lx 470 instruction book to the letter. Finally, I called up the dealer (quite frustrated and upset...afterall, doing this in 20 degree weather for over two hours and getting nowhere was not all that fun!). Guess why we could not get the tire to lower?? The instructions in the book are WRONG! It tells you to insert the "hook" end into the little cup, through the rear bumper access plate. Come to find out, that is the outdated instruction. You dont use the hook end at all...you use the silver metal end with the hex-like key to do it. The dealer confirmed that the book in indeed wrong... So, I hope this post helps someone else in the future. p.s., once we used the right adapter end getting the tire lowered down, it took us less than 30 seconds to do it! p.s.s. my dealer was very very helpful over the phone. Afterall, at first, they must have thought me some sort of babbling idiot....untill they realized the instruction book is wrong. They treated my very nicely through the whole process.......another reason I am glad I have a Lexus!! They even offered to have someone drive to my house to help!!!

The general rule is that if a repair or repairs within a short period of time are equal to or greater than 50% of the value of the car, then it may be time to buy a replacement vehicle.

Have your rotors machined or replace sounds like they are out of round also check your brake pads. good luck

Old thread... I know... but is this (attached) the C-Best list you refer to? CBES.pdf

That's very interesting. I yesterday had a test drive with the NX300h and I told the exact same comment to the salesman. He was quick to refute my suggestion and I almost convinced myself that I was just having an uncomfortable day. An inconvenient headrest would be a dealbreaker for me, so please let us know how it goes and if you find a solution.

Here you go... AS-LH-ML.pdf

You can get invaluable info at this link. http://www.lexls.com/ The above link is by far the most complete tutorial for the jobs that it does list. He deserves any donations he get. There is also a non-US guy that will sell you a download of the complete manual for about 7 bux. I found it on ebay I think. Anyway it came thru complete but lacks some indexing so you have to do a bit of searching for what you need. That guy's address is. fahad.victoria@gmail.com I think this may still be a valid addy. Drop me a line in mid Nov. if you have no luck, will be at my winter home then and have more info for you. Dikwag at gmail dot com R. Clikdik

hi all i just bought a 2002 sc430 lexus & have the run flat tires, im not to happy with these tires & wondering what tires i should get & if there is a place on this car where i can store a spare donut tire, thanks in advance

James, not complaining about the prices, not expecting the manufacturer to assume liability forever, but this is not my first rodeo, I have owned toyotas since 1983 when I purchased my dream car a 1979 Celica a 474 brown hatchback, from there I went to the 1984 Supra,1984 Camry, 1990 Camry, 1987 Truck, 1991 Tercel, 1991 Corolla, 2002 Camry, 2006 Camry, 1993 4Runner, 1996 Camry, 1996 4runner, 2001 Rav4, 2002 Tacoma, 2001 Avalon, 2007Tundra you name it I had my share of Toyotas, but I never had something like this go bad in any car I have owned and you dont go out and pay over $90,000.00 for a car to go and start replacing parts like this 4 years later especialy driving in the city with nicely paved roads.( I understand if I was driving in unpaved roads full of pot holes) James the 1992 Camry went from my to my oldest son to the youngest and it finally died due to lack of maintenance and him neglecting to replace a leacky front crank seal, instead he chhose to add oil all the time, the car had over 330k miles, so I know my Toyotas. Listen on my LS460 first the radio while playing CD if you go over a bump it shoot the radio off, this happen while the car was under warranty, brake actuator making some noise, replaced under warranty, engine valves, done under a recall, wind noise due to some deffective mouldings, a clunk in the transmission as you slow down ( intermitent) I can wait to see how much this will turn out to be? and the latest my lower control arm bushing issue, the leather wering our worst than on my older Lexus. not feeling it. I religiously take the car to be service either at a Lexus dealer or a Toyota dealer ( who told me about the arm issue) religiously, they sell me some service and I just get it done because I drive a lot and know that in order for the car to do what it is supposed to do I have to do my part. like I say before not what I expected from this car, considering the S550 and the E350 to replace my 2 nicer cars seriously. furthermore do you know I have over 120k miles on my 2006 IS250 and the only actual repair was a bad air fuel ratio sensor, under $ 400, that is what I am talking about, the rest maintenace on the clock, no complains on this baby and this is why I purchased the nicer Lexus I expected better. that is all.

I know, it may be too late for, but have a look at this vid - maybe it will help you to defeat this navigation system's behavior: