RX in NC

The majority of reported premature transmission failures on the RX series involve the all-wheel-drive version of the vehicle. You're probably much better off from a transmission durability standpoint with your two-wheel-drive model. I'd still change my Toyota Type T-IV transmission fluid every 30,000 miles if I were you. It's easy to do yourself, inexpensive, and may be enough to keep your transmission trouble-free for a lot of years. Good luck.

With the return of 15-degree weather to our area this week, there's no doubt that the new rubber bushings in the front strut mounts of my wife's 2000 RX300 have made a tremendous difference in getting the vehicle quiet again. Having this procedure performed is well worth the effort of dealing with your local service manager to get Lexus to apply the existing TSB at no charge to you.

Your local Toyota parts department should be selling Toyota Type T-IV automatic transmission fluid in one-quart plastic bottles for about $3.75 to $4.00 per quart. If they don't, contact the general manager of the dealership and ask why. Then point out to him/her that there is a demand for this product by owners who feel more comfortable changing their own fluids and ask him/her to have their parts department to begin stocking the one-quart bottles within the next 30 days. Then check back every couple of weeks until they do. Persistence will pay off for you.

Selling real estate can be an extremely profitable livelihood but as you've learned, it doesn't happen overnight and without a tremendous amount of work and effort. Opportunity and profitability vary from area to area for a number of reasons that are tied to employment levels, local economic conditions, interest rates, etc. etc. etc. A drawback for someone who prefers their evenings and weekends to themselves is having to always be on call when you're starting out in order to maximize your chances for success. But hard work never hurt anyone. Just never forget that selling in the housing market can be and usually is a cutthroat business these days. Commercial real estate may be a bit more palatable for you. Good luck either way.

What you're describing is typically caused by a worn-out belt. If you still have your original Alternator/AC belt on your vehicle, you can almost bet that it's the culprit behind your start-up noises.

Your gas mileage sounds about right. My wife's a careful, cautious driver, and her 2000 RX300 AWD vehicle averages around 19 to 20 mpg with equal parts highway driving and city driving.

Yep, that's an unusual and noble gesture, no doubt about it. Particularly since you were provided with a loaner for the duration. The LOC members who lease their vehicles should sit up and take notice of your situation in the event they find themselves in similar circumstances down the road. Leasing doesn't work for us. My wife puts far too many miles per year on her primary vehicle to consider leasing it (the mileage penalty would be astronomical at turn-in time), and I prefer to keep my primary vehicle for 8 to 10 years since I average only about 6,000 miles per year on it.

Sounds as if you've got a very difficult condition to locate. Have you spoken to any Lexus service managers or technicians about it? I know they'll say that you need to bring it in for diagnostics, but if you can get a knowledgeable individual on the phone for a few minutes, they may give you some ideas on where to look next. I think your best do-it-yourself step right now is to check the fittings and connections on as many of your vacuum lines as you can get to. I wouldn't be surprised if the problem turns out to be a loose connection at a joint rather than a pinhole leak in the middle of a hose somewhere. It may be as simple as replacing a hard-to-find hose somewhere in your configuration. Vacuum leaks can be quite difficult for the average shade-tree mechanic to find, but the next thing I'd do would be to unplug, clean, and reseat every vacuum hose I could get to. How is your vehicle running? If performance has remained normal throughout your ordeal, you may want to simply monitor the situation until it becomes easier to detect. But I hear you loud and clear - I prefer to find and fix "check engine" light problems just as soon as they come up. Like you, I despise having to stare at that light on the dash. Keep us posted on what you determine and good luck.

wwest, At 51 years of age I have driven a number of vehicles over 90,000 miles before changing the transmission fluid. All of these vehicles were domestic, and most of them were either Jeep Cherokees or Grand Cherokees. For whatever reason, domestic vehicles seem to have far more bulletproof automatic transmissions than Japanese vehicles do. My 1999 Dodge Ram 5.9-litre V-8 pick-up still has squeaky-clean fluid at about 38,500 miles, and I don't envision having to change it before 80,000 miles if even then. But it's a heavy-duty, well-built assembly with plenty of properly-designed cooling features, and that seems to make a world of difference. Alas, I can't say the same for the 2000 RX300 AWD transmission. Its poor engineering and potentially inferior components force us owners to constantly play defense with it. In our case, I check the fluid weekly and I'll change the fluid using only Toyota Type T-IV every 30,000 miles for as long as we own it. I expect that at about 120,000 to 140,000 miles, we'll dump it and return to the Grand Cherokee line-up which has served us so well over the years. Due to the multiple problems we've experienced with her RX, my wife has been cured of any remnants of "Lexus fever". I couldn't be happier about that.

You can certainly pursue a lease payment refund for the time you lost with your vehicle in the shop but if the dealership provided you with a loaner car for the full length of time that your vehicle was not available to you, you're probably not going to succeed in that particular effort. If you're dissatisfied with your vehicle and prefer to seek a more permanent solution, your best bet may be to familiarize yourself with the "lemon laws" in your state. If you have a persistent problem that your dealer has been unable to repair during multiple visits, you may qualify for a "lemon law" solution. They vary from state to state, but four unsuccessful attempts to fix the same problem or your vehicle being in the repair shop for more than 21 consecutive days often get you over the hump as far as the "lemon law" requirements are concerned. Check your owner's manual package for the "lemon law" brochure pertaining to your state, and contact the Attorney General's Consumer Affairs Department in your state capital for more details. Good luck with your issues.

Your RX300 owner's manual recommends that you NEVER change the transmission fluid in your vehicle unless you operate it under what are identified as "severe" conditions such as pulling a trailer, driving primarily on dusty roads, etc. Yet a number of RX300 AWD owners experience transmission failures as early as 35,000 miles. Lexus is grossly misleading its customers by advising them to run the factory fluid fill for the life of the vehicle. Those who follow the owner's manual's recommendations will have to deal with this problem if they keep their vehicle long enough, and they certainly have a case against Lexus because they were simply following what their Lexus owner's manual told them to do. So yes, there is a real problem, and it does not reside with the owners.

Turned out to be a simple five-minute job. Open the tailgate, pop off the two round plastic caps with a miniature screwdriver or knife blade tip , remove the two Phillips screws that secure the taillight assembly to the body, remove the assembly, locate the bulb holders in the rear, and twist off the appropriate one to access the burned-out bulb. The four taillights (two on each side) all use the same bulb style - it's a 21/5 Type D 5-watt bulb that pushes (not screws) into place. A very easy task compared to attempting to access a burned-out headlight bulb.

My wife just called to say that the "check taillights" indicator on her dashboard came on earlier this morning. She had a colleague check behind the vehicle and it appears that the drivers side taillight bulb behind the round red lens furthest to the left is burned out. I won't have an opportunity to check out the problem until late today when she gets home. I did a search for this topic on the RX forum but it came back empty. However, I seem to remember from a couple of posts several months ago that the RX300 taillight assembly is accessed by opening the tailgate, popping off several round plastic screw covers, and removing the exposed screws or bolts (I assume they're either Phillips head or Hex head). The entire taillight assembly can then be removed and all of the interior bulbs can be accessed. Can anyone who has previously replaced a bulb confirm that this is the correct (or incorrect) procedure? And if you happen to have this particular bulb number (all bulbs are shown in a chart in your owners manual), I would appreciate it so I can have the new bulb in hand before I pull the assembly this evening. Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

As I mentioned yesterday, the replacement of right and left front rubber bushings on the strut mounts apparently did the job for us. Our struts, mounts, and all other components in the suspension were fine. According to my dealership receipt, the rubber bushings carry the following part numbers: 48603-33021 - front support sub-assembly. 48609-33121 - front support sub-assembly. The receipt does not specify which was left and which was right. After the rubber bushings were replaced, both front wheels required toe-in alignment adjustment. This is also part of the "package" required when replacing the rubber bushings, so don't pay extra for it. Total labor time allowed on the receipt was 2 hours, but the vehicle was in the shop all day so I don't know how long the work actually required. Good luck to you - stay firm and insistent when dealing with your service manager. I believe that all of you with 1999 or 2000 RX300s will find that new rubber bushings will make quite a difference towards eliminating annoying front-end noises in your vehicle. And the new rubber has also made for a somewhat better ride as well.

The redesigned (and supposedly improved) front strut mount rubber bushings were installed on both sides of my wife's 2000 RX300 yesterday per the TSB previously mentioned in this thread, and her vehicle is noticeably quieter now. The true test will come when winter returns to our area and the rubber has to respond to 15 or 20-degree temperatures (it's been in the 60s and 70s for most of the past week). For those of you whose vehicles pop and creak while driving on rough roads or over speed bumps (particularly during cold weather), having this procedure performed is your best initial remedy. Just ensure that you employ the TSB to get it done at no cost by your Lexus service department.

No one will maintain your vehicle as carefully and comprehensively as you will yourself. Routine maintenance such as oil and filter changes, tire rotations, transmission fluid changes, etc., are so very easy to do once you have about $50 worth of tools in your possession. A good socket wrench set, a good hex wrench set, a good oil filter wrench, a few screwdrivers, and you're ready to get your fingernails dirty. It's not rocket science, it's not mystical magic, it doesn't require a mechanical engineering degree - it just takes a can-do attitude and a willingness to learn. Hook yourself up with a buddy who likes to work on cars and learn from him. Check out your local community college or technical school for their "Car Care 101" course over four or five nights once a week. You'll quickly understand why routine vehicle maintenance is such a profitable business - much of the work requires minimal effort and inexpensive parts and supplies, and dealers can and will charge you ten times more money than you can do it yourself for in just an hour or two. And their employees will be nowhere near as careful about doing it right as you will on your own vehicle. So make a New Year's resolution to learn to take care of your vehicle yourself during 2005. And that includes keeping good records of what you did, when you did it, and where you obtained the parts. You'll be surprised how quickly you learn and the level of satisfaction you feel. Still need some incentive? My daughter is bringing her Grand Cherokee over this Sunday so we can perform the 60,000 mile service on it. While I change the oil and filters and rotate the tires, SHE will be changing the serpentine belt (under my supervision)! Any of you guys feeling a bit inadequate out there right now??!!

Agreed - a 10,000-to-15,000 mile change interval for transmission fluid of any kind is ridiculous and inexcusable in today's world of better automotive designs and products. A 50,000-to-60,000 mile change interval should be the standard, and typically has been with most domestic manufacturers for the past fifteen to twenty years. Properly-engineered automatic transmissions are usually quite bulletproof, and I've owned a number of them over the past couple of decades. Our 2000 RX300 AWD does not fall into this category, unfortunately. I'm willing to change my wife's vehicle's fluid every 30,000 miles, so that's what I'll do as long as we own it. If the transmission fails again, I'll require Lexus to replace it again at no charge to us. If a transmission and its associated fluid can't last 30,000 miles between fluid changes, there are serious design and engineering problems inherent to the vehicle and it shouldn't be sold on the general market. For those of you with RX AWD's who plan to remain with Lexus, I hope that the company will eventually come to the same conclusion. I'm doing my part to require Lexus to pay for my wife's RX's transmission failures, and if more of you will do the same for your own failing RX transmissions, Lexus Corporate may begin doing a better job of listening to its customer base and resolving their chronic transmission problems....

Re-engineering and repair rollout is very expensive, and most manufacturers prefer to handle issues such as this on a case-by-case basis until either 1) enough owners document similar problems and demand a solution which eventually forces a TSB or recall or 2) the government steps in and mandates that the manufacturer address the problem to the consumers via a recall. With the mounting RX AWD transmission problem reports across the U.S. and Canada, we owners may well be on the way to 1) above. Only time will tell.

No one will flog you since any owner is free to drive his or her vehicle anywhere they choose as long as it's legal. But as you surely know, the RX series is not designed as an off-road machine. It's just too weak from a horsepower and torque standpoint and the ground clearance is minimal at best. With the numerous RX transmission problems that many of us have experienced and reported here and elsewhere, understand that you're increasing your chances of transmission failure by taking your vehicle off-road frequently. As long as you're aware of that and prepared to deal with the consequences, have at it and best of luck to you. But if you're committed to off-roading for the long haul, I'd recommend that you acquire a vehicle designed and built to handle it.

Based on the number of RX owners who've reported strut mount problems on this site over the past four or five months, I've been waiting for my wife's 2000 model to begin popping and creaking while being driven slowly on rough road surfaces or over speed bumps. When the cold weather arrived in earnest here in central North Carolina a couple of weeks ago, she began hearing the same sounds that many of you have reported experiencing. I contacted our local Lexus service manager with the appropriate Lexus Technical Service Bulletin in hand, discussed it with her, kindly asked for the repair at no charge due to the TSB, and she once again agreed to handle our problem under the Lexus goodwill warranty. So when my wife returns from Florida next week, both of her vehicle's inferior front rubber bushings will be replaced with the redesigned ones at our convenience. By the time her vehicle goes into the shop, it will have approximately 79,000 miles on the odometer. For those of you with 1999 and 2000 model RX300s, note that the Technical Service Bulletin which addresses this problem is SU002-99. It essentially states that the original rubber bushings at the top of your strut mounts were not shaped properly and therefore are prone to breaking down and wearing out, causing your front suspension to groan and creak on rough roads or at slow speeds. The redesigned rubber bushings will rectify this problem as well as start you off with new rubber in your strut mounts again. I suggest that you do your homework on the TSB, contact your local service manager, and state both professionally and courteously that you expect the TSB to be applied to your vehicle at no charge to you. Once again, this approach has worked for me. Good luck to all.

Thanks for the details. I'm definitely going to replace the AC/Alternator belt, and while I'm in there I'll study the limited access to the Power Steering belt which you described above. If I can figure out a way to change this belt, I'll post the details here. Since the vehicle's currently in Florida for the remainder of the holidays, it will probably be a couple of weeks before I have the opportunity to perform this procedure.

jbarhorst2, Can you describe exactly where the three bolts are that must be released to change the AC/Alternator belt? I can easily see the one on the alternator that's probably closest to the radiator, but I don't see the other two. And did all three bolts require the same metric socket size? Thanks for any input you can provide.

Yep, when my wife returned home on Christmas Eve afternoon I spotted the power steering belt about five seconds after raising the hood. And I agree with you, this belt would probably be easier to change from underneath the vehicle. Both belts are original at about 78,000 miles now, so it's time to think about replacing them. She's in Florida with the vehicle now, so this task will have to wait until January (and a stretch of warmer weather as well). I'll probably wind up replacing them when I do the 80,000 mile oil-and-filter change.

Since the so-called "serpentine belt" in my wife's 2000 RX300 is clearly visible by looking down into the engine compartment on the passenger side, I assumed that this was the only external belt to change. But calling NAPA this morning to check belt availability and price, I was told that there are actually two belts (and neither of them truly serpentine) in this vehicle: 1. the AC/Alternator belt, and 2. the Power Steering belt. I've only noticed the AC/Alternator belt previously, and my wife's out doing some last-minute shopping right now so I can't walk to the garage and open the hood and look for it. Have any of you who've changed the AC/Alternator belt yourself also changed the Power Steering belt at the same time? I haven't come across any reference to this belt here on the RX forum. Where is it? I swear I've never seen a second belt on her vehicle. But then again, I didn't know it had one. The vast majority of vehicles these days only have the one serpentine belt.... Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide. I'd like to change these belts over the holiday weekend before my wife takes off in her RX to visit her family in Florida early next week.

I typically check the transmission fluid level while the vehicle is running after moving the shift lever through all the gear ranges as described above. Prior to performing my drain-and-fill last month, it was overfilled as suspected. Since doing the drain-and-fill myself, it is now correct. Check your transmission fluid levels carefully, particularly if you pay someone else to change your fluid for you. Many shops continue to overfill the pans on a regular basis.