RX in NC

Codes P1130 and P1135 refer to the Air/Fuel Ratio Sensor, also called the Bank 1 Sensor. Check some of these RX forum threads from back in August and September, and you'll read much more about what to do and how to do it.

I'd be very skeptical of the dealership blaming the problem on your previous mats and/or carpeting. I still suspect the a/c evaporator and plenum, as wwest pointed out in a very detailed manner in his previous post. Let's hope the problem truly was under the carpet, but unless you left your windows down during a thunderstorm or someone dumped a pitcher of water in your vehicle without you knowing about it, that's a very unlikely fix....

The dealership (any dealership, not just Lexus) is always going to significantly overcharge you for the repair of trim work, and the mechanic who winds up with your job may do a great valve job but not have much experience replacing rubber trim. You can go to a body shop, but my first call would be to an established, well-respected shop that specializes in aftermarket installation of features such as sunroofs, convertible tops, leather interiors, etc. We have one here in Raleigh that I've used for more than 20 years. They have two or three craftsmen who've been there longer than I've been going there, and these guys have done thousands of weatherstripping replacement jobs, their prices are extremely reasonable, and the quality of work is unparalleled because they count on repeat business. When my daughter's Grand Cherokee sunroof motor failed last November, I took it straight to them without even calling the Jeep dealership because of their superior craftsmenship. They removed the sunroof (which required taking down the headliner, never a pleasant job), tested the motor and cables, found a faulty relay, replaced it, and meticulously put everything back together better than new. An annoying occasional rattle in the sunroof that had been there for a year or so was gone along with the motor being repaired. I waited on the vehicle in their office that day, and it was a two-hour job. Total cost was $80. You just can't beat service and quality like that. When you modify and restore old tops, rubber, leather, and interiors for very valuable antique automobiles for a living, you develop the "art" of working with trim. Look in your Yellow Pages under automotive service and focus on the folks who do interior work, tops, leather, and trim. That's your best bet. The best shops will have albums of photos of before-and-after restorations they've done. They will also have letters of appreciation from many customers over the years. Spend some time looking at these photos and letters before you turn over your vehicle for repairs. Weatherstripping replacement involves skill, technique, the right tools and materials, and the craftsmanship to put the new piece in place even better than the factory did with the original one. That's extremely important because any leak will lead to rust, mold, rot, and greater problems down the road. Good luck.

The first thing to do is to check to make sure your oil cap is securely in place. Same for your oil drain plug. Check both of these conditions before you start your vehicle again. The second thing to do is to go back to the shop that changed your oil and address your problem with them. I assume that all gauges and indicator lights were normal before your oil change. If so, you must find out what the shop did to your vehicle while changing the oil. They could have stripped a thread, damaged a sensor, etc. etc. etc. Be professional when confronting them, but be insistent and firm as well. You didn't have these problems before they serviced your vehicle. Now you do. Don't let them off the hook until they agree to find and fix your problem. Still another reason for learning to do the routine maintenance yourself. No one else will take care of your vehicles the way you do yourself.

I'm referring to the actual rubber weatherstripping, not plastic pieces. If it's the plastic pieces that are troubling you, you may get better results by trying various plastic cleaners then following up with a clearcoat of some type. But old, worn-out rubber pieces can't be restored - they must be replaced. All vehicle manufacturers sell replacement weatherstripping pieces, but they may have to be ordered for you. And I guarantee you that Lexus prices these pieces at sky-high levels. Perhaps there are some other sourcing options on the net that you can research. Try typing "automotive weatherstripping" into your search engine of choice and see what you come up with.

Once rubber weatherstripping begins to degrade and break down, you can try every product on the market to bring it back but the only acceptable solution is to replace the weatherstripping itself. After five or six years in most temperate climates, the typical automotive weatherstripping begins to lose its flex capacity and ability to reform and grip, and must therefore be replaced. Keeping your vehicle garaged and out of the elements will help preserve your rubber's lifespan. The biggest enemy of your weatherstripping (as well as your paint, your leather, your interior, etc.) is the sun. The less direct sun exposure your vehicle has, the longer these individual components will last.

For the past twenty years or so I've been adding a 12-ounce bottle of fuel injector cleaner to our various vehicles' gas tanks as part of every oil change. I've found that this very inexpensive action tends to keep my fuel injectors quite clean throughout the life of the vehicle and I've only had to have one of my vehicle's fuel injectors professionally cleaned during that timespan. The range of vehicles I've done this for include a Datsun Z, three Jeep Cherokees, a Chevy S-10 Blazer, a Chevy S-10 pick-up, an Acura Legend, a Honda CRX, three Jeep Grand Cherokees, an Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio Spyder, a Dodge Durango, a Dodge Ram, and a Lexus RX300. I've found that the brand of fuel injector cleaner does not seem to matter. STP is probably the best-known, but the house brands at Wal-Mart are less expensive, contain the same ingredients, and are often made by the same companies as the better-known and more expensive brands.

Transmission drain-and-fills are NOT useless. Done frequently enough, they will help to preserve the life of most automatic transmissions. Granted, a complete flush-and-refill is superior, but it must be precisely performed by a shop with the expertise and the tools (particularly for these lousy RX transmissions that demand nothing but Toyota Type T-IV fluid enter the transmission casing). If you screw up a complete flush-and-refill by contaminating the transmission, your RX is going to wind up far worse off than if you'd just done a simple drain-and-fill. Folks who perform a typical drain-and-fill every 15,000 to 30,000 miles will get a longer lifespan from their RX transmission than folks who decide to follow the owners manual and never change the fluid. It is inexpensive, it is easy to do, and knowing what we know about the poor track record of the RX transmission, it is time well spent.

Along with the engine sludge potential problem, be aware of the RX transmission issues, exhaust manifold cracking, and oxygen sensor failures as well. Use these potential issues in your negotiating tactics with the sales guy, along with the fact that even with the low mileage for a 2000 model, the vehicle is now five years old and will soon face problems with rubber weatherstripping, seals, belts, internal rust, etc. I believe that the asking price is several thousand dollars too high, particularly when you can't document the service history. Stay cool, unemotional, and drive a tough bargain keeping in mind that there is always a better deal on a better vehicle out there somewhere. Good luck.

Unfortunately you're experiencing a problem that plagues many RX owners and has been actively discussed on this forum as well as other Lexus forums out there. It's well worth your time to check out the threads on this forum pertaining to the RX transmission and learn as much as you can. I did so a year ago and wound up forcing Lexus to replace my wife's transmission under warranty, and that did make a significant difference although the vehicle still shifts harshly and we won't purchase another one based upon the inherent RX transmission flaws. It's worth changing the fluid yourself to see if that can make a difference for you. Use ONLY Toyota Type T-IV automatic transmission fluid - nothing else, and no additives either. Pull your transmission drain plug with a 10 mm Allen wrench, allow it to drain as much as possible, and then replace the plug and add three quarts of T-IV using a small funnel through the dipstick tube. Check your dipstick as you slowly add most of the fourth and last quart, and you should find that when you've gotten the fluid level correct, you will have used almost four quarts of fluid. Be sure to continue to check your fluid level as you drive over the next few days to ensure that you have it right. Purchase the four quarts of T-IV at a Toyota dealership, not from Lexus. It will be significantly less expensive for you. Good luck and keep us posted on whether this first step makes any difference for you.

It's hard to say how many RX owners have experienced transmission problems, but the complaints about it are widespread and well-known across the U.S. and Canada. Lexus dealerships are well aware of the complaints and have been trained to deflect them with comments such as "the transmission is performing as designed". Our own experiences with my wife's 2000 RX have caused us to decide that we'll never buy another one. Her transmission was replaced under warranty last November at about 48,000 miles and while she no longer feels unsafe in her vehicle, it still shifts more like a $12,000 vehicle than a $35,000 one.

A new 235/70/16 tire is approximately seven-tenths of an inch larger in diameter than a new 225/70/16 tire. Engineers will tell you that if you run one slightly smaller (or larger) tire as compared to the other three, you definitely run a greater risk of transmission/differential damage over a period of time. The length of that period of time remains in question and probably depends upon your driving habits and general road conditions in your area. Like you, when I upsize tires I typically don't upsize the spare, thinking that if I ever have a flat and have to put the spare on, it won't be on for long (I've never had to do that, knock on wood). On my 1999 Dodge Ram I'm now running 275/70/16's whereas my spare is the original never-used 245/75/16, and the diameter difference between those tires when new is a whopping 2 inches. But knowing what I've been through with regards to the inherent weakness of the RX transmission, this is one vehicle that in your case I would probably upsize the spare tire on. If you decide not to, I'd recommend that you never drive the original spare for longer than it takes to go directly to a tire shop and get your 235/70/16 damaged tire repaired or replaced. On the plus side, as you drive on your mounted tires the difference in diameter between them and your spare will gradually decrease as your mounted tires' tread wears out. I'll be replacing the OEM tires on my wife's RX late this year, and I've decided to stay with the 225/70/16 size as I move from Bridgestone to Yokohama. I just don't trust the RX transmission enough to upsize the tires from the original specs.

First things first - check your serpentine belt. Look for small cracks developing on the top (smooth) side as well as the bottom (grooved) side. A 2000 model vehicle is now between 4 and 5 years old. Most decent belts will last four years before breaking down, and that's when squealing begins to occur. So if you're still driving on the original belt, even with only 30,000 miles, it's time for a new one. If that fixes your squealing problem, that's a cheap (and smart) fix....

First things first - check the spare tire wheel well to see if there could be any loose objects rattling around in there. You could find loose jack parts, spare lug nuts, or who knows what. Be sure to remove the spare tire and conduct a thorough inspection. And when you place the spare tire back into position, be sure to crank it down tightly. It could also be your spare tire rattling if it's not secured tightly.

You should also try your large local long-established junkyards. You'll be surprised what you'll be able to find there for very reasonable prices, and hatch struts such as these are a perfect part to get from a good quality junkyard. I think that's your best resource for a "non-essential" part like this one. Make some phone calls using your local Yellow Pages under "auto salvage". Good luck to you.

Sorry to hear that, but it doesn't surprise me nor do I believe you're surprised. It's a shame that Lexus' approach on the RX series transmission problem is to pretend that it isn't a problem. As a result, our first Lexus will be our last one as well. No surprises there, either....

You need to get your trouble code read and identified first before any troubleshooting can be effective for you.

Today's batteries have much better reserve power than the batteries of yesteryear. As a result, they typically end their service lives with a slow fade rather than abruptly failing and refusing to work at all (unless you live in a cold weather region unlike Miami, which will kill a weak battery in a heartbeat). This slow fade causes problems similar to what you're experiencing - clocks resetting themselves, electric motors doing strange things, relays clicking, etc. etc. etc. To remove any doubt in your mind, go have your battery tested. Many battery outlets and chain service centers will do this for free, so call around and find one. Chances are that your battery will test in the "low" category, and it will be time to replace it.

Agreed - the battery is failing. Most OEM batteries last about 4 years, so any life beyond that should be considered as gravy. Don't make the mistake of purchasing a ridiculously-overpriced battery from the dealer. Shop around - many places sell far better batteries with far better warranties for far less money than any dealer will. Interstate makes a very well-respected line of automotive batteries these days. But even the discount parts supply houses sell good batteries for about half the price of what you would pay a dealer for an OEM battery.

Lexus/Toyota timing belts have a solid reputation in the automotive industry. They are thicker and wider than many other Japanese automakers.. My RX owners manual calls for a timing belt change at 90,000 miles, but I've had two different and unaffiliated Lexus service managers tell me that they rarely see timing belt failures before 120,000 miles. To be safe, I think 120,000 miles is the furthest extent you should push for. Change it soon and sleep better because of doing so. riwyle is correct - no engine damage will occur if your timing belt fails while you're on the road. So if you're willing to roll the dice, keep on driving with your original belt. If we still own our RX at 120,000 miles, I plan to change it then.

Driving it is fine. But I wouldn't go too long without getting the problem resolved.

Looks like it's your Air/Fuel Ratio sensor (also called the Bank 1 sensor). Your Lexus dealer will replace it for about $400. You can order one from oxygensensors.com and do it yourself for about half that.

I think wwest nailed it for you. If cleaning your terminals doesn't fix the problem, have your battery tested before you spend money on anything else. It could be at the end of its lifespan.

Don't rule out mechanical transmission problems yet because sometimes when transmissions are preparing to fail, they deviate back and forth between normal and problematic. But yes, your problem could also be electronic in nature as well. You've done all the right things in caring for your transmission given the notorious RX transmission history, and there don't appear to be any significant metal particles (which usually indicates impending gear failure) in your fluid. The best news for you right now is that the vehicle continues to operate normally, but the "clunk" that you describe when shifting could certainly be an ominous sign that you can't afford to ignore. Before you do anything else, are you certain that your fluid level is correct? I've seen situations in the past where too much or too little fluid caused "clunking" noises and rough shifting in other (non-Lexus) vehicles. Adjusting the fluid level up or down as necessary corrected the problems in these cases. As a next step, I think I'd look for a well-respected independent Japanese-oriented transmission repair shop in your area and pay a few bucks for their diagnosis. I hear you loud and clear when you say that you only want to return to your dealer as a last resort, but I think you've done about all you can do yourself. You've taken good care of your transmission and you deserve a simple and inexpensive fix. I hope you find one. Keep us posted here at RX Transmission Central....

SW03ES, Since you asked for my advice on what to say to others about their transmission problems, here it is: 1. The best and safest solution is to get rid of the vehicle. But this is not usually within the financial realm of possibility for most folks who are constricted by a lease term or a bank note. That's one reason why I never lease or finance our vehicles - I drive my best Ebeneezer Scrooge deal and then expect even more off the top when I announce that I'm going to pay cash. Car salespeople learn to loathe me, but I actually enjoy the process that most people dread. By paying cash, I'm not tied to the vehicle by an outside financial party, only by my willingness or unwillingness to take the depreciation hit if I decide that this vehicle must be banished from our household earlier than planned. I realize that most folks cannot utilize this tactic, but it has proven itself to be the best way to go for me over the past twenty years. 2. The second-best (and only other acceptible) solution is to dig in and do battle with Lexus to get yourself a new transmission, which may or may not solve your overall transmission problem. In our case, the issue was not with the e-throttle deficiency, it was with the frighteningly unpredictable tendency of the transmission to simply disengage whenever the hell it wanted to. For weeks I was not able to experience the conditions that my wife would come home and describe to me while still shaking from fear. I would take the vehicle out and drive the hell out of it, and while the rough-shifting Toyota transmission tendencies were always there (which is another subject within itself that is not acceptible for a Lexus transmission in my opinion), I could not for the life of me duplicate the "transmission freeze" that my wife kept describing to me. But I had to believe her because for every mile I would put on her RX, she put 100 miles on it. She sometimes drives her vehicle nearly 1,000 miles in a week, whereas I may drive it only to go fill up the tank and put air in the tires. And then one day early last November it finally happened to me - I was cruising down a rural highway at about 55 to 60 mph and the transmission just "quit". It disengaged for several seconds, and the vehicle would not respond to any input on the gas pedal. My first thought was to check my rear view mirror looking for a semi, because if one had been bearing down on me there would have been absolutely nothing I could have done. To make a long story a bit shorter, within two weeks we had our new transmission. And this "freeze" has never occured since. Yes, the transmission is still sluggish during cold starts and shifts more like a $12,000 vehicle than a $35,000 one, but my wife no longer feels as if she's going to get killled in this car. So if you chose not to unload the vehicle, you should at least stay at Lexus' throat for a new transmission. It may or may not resolve your problem, and if it does, it may only be temporary. We have just under 24,000 miles on her new (rebuilt) transmission currently, and I'm certainly conditioned to expect another failure once this one approaches 50,000 miles. Only time will tell. But one thing you can be sure of - if her current transmission fails, I'll expect Lexus to put still another one in on their dime. And at that point, with another new (rebuilt) transmission in place, it will be time for us to unload the RX and to bid goodbye to Lexus.