RX in NC

I've noticed over the years that many new vehicles from many different manufacturers tend to arrive in showrooms with overfilled automatic transmission fluid pans. Also, many dealer service departments and independent quick-lube places tend to overfill when they perform routine transmission service. I believe this phenomenon results from a widespread "better safe than sorry" approach. When my wife's transmission was replaced under Lexus warranty at the dealership last autumn, I felt that they overfilled the T-IV fluid by about a quart. When I did a drain-and-fill myself last month, my suspicions were confirmed - I drained about 4 quarts out of the pan and differential, but only 3 new quarts were required to get the fluid level back to the appropriate hot and cold indicators on the dipstick. But you should never rely solely on your dipstick readings just after completing the task - be sure to continue to check your fluid level for at least a week afterwards, in all kinds of conditions (hot fluid, cold fluid, etc.). That's the only sure way to know that your new fluid amount is correct and measures exactly where it should.

Running any fuel-injected vehicle's gas tank to "empty" on your gauge is always a bad idea. You run the risk of getting air or fuel tank "grit" into your fuel lines which can create a myriad of problems from ruining your fuel pump to clogging your injectors. Fill your tank and try some fuel injector cleaner additive to see if that makes a difference for you. If it doesn't, the next step may be to have your fuel system professionally cleaned. If that doesn't do it, then you may have to replace your fuel pump. The moral of this story is to never let your gas tank get below a quarter full.

This is a common problem in any sunroofed vehicle that resides in a four-seasons climate with significant leaffall. It's not a warranty issue. The good news is that it's easy to fix. Simply locate the drainholes by opening the sunroof and visually searching for them. Then using compressed air, blow them out thoroughly and test the drainage by pouring a small amount of water into the drainholes. You should then see the water run out underneath your vehicle. Again, this is a common situation and can take years until the drainholes finally have enough debris accumulate in them to clog. I've had to perform this procedure on several vehicles that we've owned over the years.

Bowtie 3, Spend some time researching the RX300 transmission problems that a number of us have posted on various threads contained within this forum over the past year or so. Based on our experiences with my wife's 2000 RX300, I believe that the transmission is the weakest component in this particular vehicle. Some owners believe that the transmission cooling system is poorly designed and insufficient to do the job, at least one moderator on this site has recommended the installation of external transmission coolers in an effort to resolve some of the problems. I haven't made the decision to go that route, but it may be an option that you want to consider if you decide to keep your vehicle for a significant period of time. Our transmission was replaced under Lexus warranty in November 2003 at approximately 48,000 miles after I wrestled with our local dealership for about a month. Since then, I've changed the fluid myself using nothing but Toyota Type T-IV transmission fluid every 30,000 miles, and I'll do that as long as we keep this vehicle. Although our "new" transmission does not freeze up between gears as the original one intermittently did, it still does not shift as smoothly and effortlessly as I expect a transmission to in a vehicle that carried a sticker price of almost $40,000. As you might surmise from our experiences, when it's time for a new vehicle for my wife, we won't be purchasing another RX.

Nope. The song is "Paradise By The Dashboard Light", the album is "Bat Out Of Hell" released in 1977, the artist is Meat Loaf, and Jim Steinman takes the songwriting credits. But I think he got significant creative input from Todd Rundgren and Rundgren's entire studio at Bearsville Sound.

Sorry, no.

Barkat's quote comes from Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen. My quote was sung by Meat Loaf, but he didn't write the lyric. Who did?

He certainly did.... Be very careful out there as you search for "Paradise By The Dashboard Light"....

Any decent auto parts store such as NAPA and probably even Wal-Mart's automotive section carries tubes of white lithium grease. It's been around forever, and it's an inexpensive and effective all-purpose lubricant for exposed metal parts that contact each other while moving. I use it primarily on our vehicle's door, hatch, hood, and tailgate hinges. It's also the best lube I've found for the tracks and rollers of my automatic garage door mechanism. Keep in mind that a little bit of grease goes a long way on any lube job you do with it. I'll bet that I purchased my current tube in the early 1980s and I still have about a quarter of a tube left. How's that for cost-effectiveness?

When I had a similar problem on my beloved Datsun 260Z's antenna back in the late 1970s, greasing the antenna very lightly solved the problem. Do this before you try anything else - it's a no-cost fix if it works for you, and I'll bet it will. Man, how I miss that Z.... It was my first new car, and I kept it for 13 years and almost 300,000 miles before I finally sold it to the kid of a friend of mine who'd been begging me to sell it for about three years. My Z would have turned 30 years old this month....

The FX35 is a superior vehicle, but the FX45 is even better if you want maximum power and torque. I also think it's smoother.

I doubt if your original in-service date is on your vehicle's title. However, Lexus Corporate maintains this information. Call them with your VIN and ask them for it. The original selling dealership would also be able to supply you with your vehicle's in-service date. If it came from a local dealership, it may be easier and faster for you to obtain this information there rather than from the often-unhelpful staff at Lexus Corporate.

There's a very simple way to rectify this supposed dilemma. Whenever a new topic is posted, use the "topic description" line (under the topic title line) to type in either "RX300" or "RX330". Problem solved.

You'll never be able to remove all of the Amsoil fluid from the complete transmission system. And your plan is highly unethical. If you make the decision to switch to Amsoil in your transmission after what you've read on sites like this one, that's fine, but you should also be willing to accept any consequences down the road. If you stick with Toyota Type T-IV fluid, then any future transmission problems in your vehicle truly do belong to Lexus. I'm damn tough and unwavering when it comes to defending my rights, but I'm also fully committed to being fair and truthful with the manufacturer. Ethics should not be compromised.

Look in your Owners Manual Supplement booklet.

I despise speeding tickets and speed traps as much as anyone else, but there is no excuse whatsoever for doing 72 mph in a 35 mph zone. None. You made a stupid decision and you got blasted for it. Now learn from it and don't repeat the lunacy - make certain that if you die behind the wheel, you don't take anyone else with you....

Speaking as someone who's been through transmission failure and replacement under warranty with my wife's RX, I'll never use anything other than Toyota Type T-IV fluid in our transmission case. And even though our owners manual indicates that the factory fluid is good for the life of the vehicle, I'll change the fluid myself every 30,000 miles for as long as we own it. This transmission is the weakest link I've experienced in a drivetrain in more than 35 years of driving. You're probably safe to experiment with your motor oils and filters, but I would not vary with your transmission fluid. The potential pitfalls down the road make the risks completely unacceptable.

Different owners have reported somewhat different variations of initial signs of impending transmission failure. One constant is that the AWD version is more affected than the FWD version. Why take a chance by doing nothing? Call your Lexus dealership and formally report it. Do your research, be professional, and don't allow yourself to be backed down. You probably already know how expensive a transmission replacement will be if you have to pay for it out of your own pocket. That alone should provide you with all the incentive you'll need to follow through. Good luck.

The General Manager of Johnson Lexus is Mark Striebel (I believe that's the correct spelling of his last name, but I may be a letter or two off). I suggest that you speak with him. You may also want to speak with Candice Rassette, the Service Manager. Both Mark and Candice were 100% willing to cover full costs of the two different problems my wife's RX experienced over the past four months (a bank one sensor failure in August and a rear mail seal failure in October). You must be professional, fully informed, and firm. But remember, your vehicle's past service history (or lack thereof) may affect the final outcome. Previous routine maintenance doesn't need to have been performed by Lexus, but it does have to be identifiable and evident.

It's an industry fact that current sales of the larger SUVs are suffering. No manufacturer will deny that these days, and that's a rarity in the vehicle sales business. For further proof, look at the incentives that currently exist on these models. Some of the incentive packages are improving almost weekly in an effort to move the unsold inventory. Perceived high fuel prices, employment concerns, economic instability, and worries about rising interest rates are all taking their toll. If you play in the options market and you know what you're doing, it's a great time to buy puts on the Big Three stocks. I've made a small fortune doing so since mid-October. But again - you must know exactly what you're doing. Buying this month's or sometimes even next month's options usually won't provide you with enough cushion to weather the time decay involved. You've got to be willing and able to approach this from a four-to-six month strategic timeframe. Otherwise you could just be rolling the dice, and gambling with options always leads to the market makers taking your head off and handing it back to you on a platter....

I do my own routine maintenance because I trust no one else to ensure that the correct components are utilized and the work is done carefully and thoroughly. That's probably a big part of the reason why most of our vehicles provide us with at least 125,000 miles before I make the decision to fire them. With a basic set of tools and a willingness to do the necessary research, this becomes a habit that just about anyone can adopt. When I purchased our daughter's first vehicle back in 1991, part of the agreement was that she had to assist me with its oil changes, tire rotations, and tune-ups. I was able to teach her a great deal of respect for what a vehicle requires of its owner on an ongoing basis, and those lessons have paid off down the road as far as being a responsible motorist is concerned.

Regardless of manufacturer, black is the worst color to choose for your vehicle if you plan to keep it for many years. Dark paint is more susceptible to sun damage, shows fade tendencies fastest, and is the toughest to maintain. On the contrary, white is the best color to opt for if you want to spend a minimum of time maintaining your exterior. Light paint reflects more sunlight, hides fade tendencies longest, and is the easiest to maintain. And regardless of color, non-metallic paint is easier to match and care for than metallic paint. I'll agree that nothing looks better than a beautiful lustrous black exterior, but I owned a black vehicle for six years and I'll never have another one. That finish required more work than our other four vehicles combined at that time (one red, one white/grey, and two solid white). No thanks - life's too short to spend that kind of time caring for and protecting a black finish....

My wife's 2000 AWD RX300 runs just fine on 89 octane. The only concession I make to the fuel system is to add a bottle of generic fuel injector cleaner to the tank at every oil and filter change. That's been a habit of mine for decades across many different vehicles, and I've never had one knock or ping. Keep in mind that different areas of the country require different fuel formulas at different times of the year. You might have to do some experimenting before you find a solution that works for you. You may also want to pull a couple of your more easily-accessible spark plugs (the three front ones) and ensure that you indeed have the iridium spark plugs from either NGK or Nippondenso as called for in your owner's manual. They truly are a requirement for this engine to operate at peak efficiency, and they are rated to go 120,000 miles in this vehicle. At about $10 apiece from NAPA or a similar auto parts store, they're expensive but mandatory.

I know that the two components share common T-IV fluid on our AWD version. I assume that the same is true for the FWD version as well.

After you pull the transmission pan drain plug and drain the pan, be sure to pull the differential drain plug and drain it as well. The differential drain plug is located just behind the transmission drain plug, and you also pull it with a 10 mm Allen wrench. Notice the "gunk" all over the inside of the differential drain plug when you have it in your hand. That's because it contains a magnet that attracts the tiny metallic particles as they wear out and become suspended in your fluid. Be sure to wipe this plug brilliantly clean before you replace it along with your pan plug and refill your pan with fresh T-IV fluid. This job is about as easy as they come. Just be sure to add that fourth quart of fluid slowly and check your dipstick level frequently as you add that fourth quart so that you neither underfill nor overfill your transmission. Then check your dipstick regularly over the next few days as you drive the vehicle to ensure that you got it right. Good luck.