RX in NC

Purchasing ANY vehicle with more than 60,000 to 70,000 miles on it is simply assuring yourself that YOU will be responsible for handling expensive and sometimes major repair costs over a continual period of time. That's usually why the previous owner decided to get rid of the vehicle when they did. As long as you are mechanically inclined and can perform most of the inevitable repair work yourself, then a vehicle with more than 60,000 miles on it may very well be worth it to you. But if you have to pay a dealer or even an independent repair shop to handle even the simplest of oil and filter changes, DON'T BUY THE VEHICLE regardless of how well you knew the previous owner or how meticulous the service history appears on the surface. You're just setting yourself up for a continual drain of your checkbook. And purchasing a vehicle with 110,000 miles on it is just ludicrous unless you get it for a song and you can work on it yourself. Because you will be working on it for a LOT more than you think is enjoyable. As I've said before, purchasing clean, well-maintained late-model vehicles (usually off a two or three-year lease return) can save you ten or fifteen thousand dollars over a new vehicle of the same model. but my absolute mileage limit on such a vehicle is always a maximum of 40,000 miles (and 30,000 miles would be much better)....

cmebane, I know of only two Lexus dealerships in North Carolina. I assume you're talking to Johnson Lexus in Raleigh. The other dealership I'm aware of is Flow Lexus in the Kernersville/Winston-Salem area. The longer you can hold out as the end of the 2004 model year approaches, the better deal you'll be able to negotiate. Just keep the dialogue going and let your salesperson know that you're serious and that you WILL be getting your selected model from someone when the deal finally meets your satisfaction. If you're willing to settle for a used but well-maintained vehicle (typically a well-maintained lease return), there are two high-quality vendors in our area who usually have late-model RXs in stock that are perfect or near-perfect. One is Madsen Motors in Cary, and the other is Olde Raleigh Motors in Raleigh. I purchased my wife's RX from Madsen Motors last summer, and I can recommend Wayne and Craig Madsen without hesitation. No sales crap - just cut to the chase, do your best deal, and go. I'm not willing to pay the excessive premium for a brand-new vehicle anymore, so when it's time to refresh the cars in our household I take my time and visit the places that sell late-model, like-new, high-end vehicles. I prefer Madsen Motors because of their professionalism and non-sales approach, but you have to be a serious prospect before you walk in their door or they won't spend the time with you necessary to get to their bottom-dollar price. I recommend that you at least spend 30 minutes with Wayne or Craig before you finalize your decision to buy new. You may save yourself ten grand and drive away in a beautifully-maintained, like-new vehicle. I'll never buy new again.

From strictly a cost standpoint, you're always better off to buy a new vehicle right at the end of its model year. You'll always save thousands of dollars compared to the new model year just being introduced since dealers are anxious to unload their old inventory before bringing in the new models. It is an automatic bargaining chip in your pocket every year, regardless of what kind of vehicle you're interested in. If you're happy with the features and options available on the 2004 model, go ahead with the transaction and you'll sleep well knowing that you made a smart financial decision that your bank account will continue to appreciate for years to come.

Based on my experiences with the 2000 RX300, I'll guess the following: 1. Transmission repairs 2. Various sensor replacements 3. Exhaust manifold replacement 4. Timing belt/water pump/seals & bearings package replacement

You can do much of the 90,000 mile service yourself. Having the correct tools is the key. Start with your oil and filter change. The location of the oil filter on the RX300 (just under the exhaust manifold) is cumbersome but you can get to it from above as long as the engine is cool. Get yourself a Lisle spring-loaded import car oil filter wrench, part no. 63600, at your local Pep Boys for about $10, attach it to your standard 3/8-inch socket drive with a short extension, and you're in business. It will be difficult the first time, but you'll get better and faster with each successive oil change. As always, the key is to change your oil first thing in the morning when your vehicle has sat overnight - no burned hands and arms on hot oil or engine and exhaust parts. The air filter is a no-brainer and anyone can do it. Same goes for draining and refilling your coolant system if you choose to do so. The timing belt is a different story. If you don't know your way around an engine, it's best to leave this job to the experts. But that doesn't necessary mean paying your Lexus dealer a fortune to perform this procedure. Shop around - there are many well-respected independent shops who specialize in Japanese vehicles and have the expertise to change your timing belt for you. Expect to pay perhaps $300 to $350 for this job at an independent shop, whereas your Lexus dealer will probably want at least twice that amount just for the timing belt job and then recommend that you replace your water pump, oil seals, and maybe even your bearings at the same time as a precaution even though these components may still be in pretty good shape. If you do all these things at your Lexus dealer, you'll run up a $1,500 to $2,000 tab in a heartbeat. The timing belt dilemma is always one of personal choice that requires much thought and deliberation. I've had a Lexus technician tell me that if the customer has taken good routine care of their vehicle and not abused its limitations, very few of these RX300 timing belts show excessive wear-and-tear at 100,000 miles. This particular timing belt is quite thick, wide, and well-made, and as one would expect it holds up better than a thinner belt would. This same technician also told me that he has never seen an RX300 timing belt fail (break) at less than 150,000 miles. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen - it just means he's never experienced it since the RX series debuted. The best thing about the RX300 timing belt situation is that unlike some Hondas or Acuras, if your timing belt breaks while you're on the road, you are not going to suffer serious engine or valve damage - you'll simply be stranded where you are and you'll have to be towed in for repairs. So take some time, do the research, get some basic tools, and get your hands dirty with the procedures that anyone can learn to do themselves. The RX series does have some weaknesses, especially the transmission and the many sensors that tend to begin failing at between 60,000 and 80,000 miles. Spend a little time educating yourself and be prepared to handle whatever high-mileage failures come your way. Only one thing is certain - you will have some.

The appropriate oxygen sensor can typically be purchased at NAPA or AutoZone for around $210 plus tax. It won't be in stock, but they can order it for you and have it within a few days. There are three different oxygen sensors on the RX300; two under the exhaust manifold. and one just prior to the catalytic converter. The particular sensor you're having trouble with may be one of the sensors under the exhaust manifold. The good news for you is that both of these particular sensors share the same part number and are therefore interchangeable. The bad news is that there are several additional sensors (mass air flow sensor, air/fuel ratio sensor, etc.) that you must be concerned about as well. Good luck and keep us posted on what you learn and how you decide to effect repairs. Knowing what these trouble codes mean and what devices they point towards is important to all of us who prefer to do our own maintenance.

It will be interesting to learn how that vehicle holds up in your harsh Alaskan winters. The RX series is not really known to be a snowmobile. Keep us posted.

Never trust the window decals for mpg claims for ANY new vehicle. They represent laboratory and proving ground tests with professional drivers. None of us ever drive under those optimum conditions. My wife has a 2000 RX300. She's a cautious driver, but does do about 70 to 72 on our 65 mph freeways, usually on cruise control. Her vehicle's mpg display rarely budges from 19.8 to 20. Other than cautious driving habits, the best thing you can do to maximize your mpg is to ensure that your tire pressure is never low. I run her RX300's P225/70/16 tires at about 31.5 to 32 psi year-round, and I check the tire pressure every weekend without fail. Your 2004 RX330 probably has 18-inch wheels with a lower-profile tire, so check your Owners Manual for the recommended tire pressure and bump it up by a couple of psi. Vehicle manufacturers typically recommend slightly lower tire pressures because it results in a softer ride which means they get fewer customer complaints - until the original tires wear out by 25,000 miles....

Just spoke with our Lexus service manager again. The culprit was indeed the Air/Fuel Ratio Sensor (also called the Bank 1 Sensor). Those of you with RX300s should note that trouble codes P01130 and P01135 indicate problems with this particular sensor. It's good to know that AutoZone's code analyzer got it right in our case. My wife will pick up her vehicle this afternoon. Hopefully our sensor problems have been resolved for awhile. I'll document this information in my files, and ask that those of you who are able to crosscheck other trouble codes with the other sensors on the RX300 please post on this forum so we can all build our own trouble code libraries. Diagnosis is the key - once you know what you're dealing with, you can make the decision on how you're going to go about fixing the problem.

I don't know about spoilers, but I do know Pilot Mountain State Park and Hanging Rock State Park. You are fortunate to live in such a beautiful area with great hiking and rock climbing.

If the dealer admits that they (not you), lost your vehicle's other key(s), then they certainly owe you the replacement key at no charge. When a reputable dealer makes a mistake, they will admit it and make it right. Get your mom and dad to put their foot down with this dealer and get the new key that they owe you. All vehicles should be sold with at least two sets of keys. Ensure that mom and dad stand firm on this issue and you will get your key. Good luck to you and always drive intelligently and defensively.

You may be able to eliminate this annoying noise just by changing the position of your front roof rack bar. Move the front bar further back towards the rear bar. Get it away from the sunroof and you will eliminate the "wind tunnel" effect which often causes the sound problem. We experienced this situation with my wife's current RX300 and also with her previous Grand Cherokee. Moving the front bars further back solved the problem in both cases, and the annoying noise never returned. Give it a try.

Thanks, Eric. That's good information to have. I spotted the driver's side oxygen sensor below the exhaust manifold yesterday. It appears to be the easiest one to gain access to. With all the chatter I've seen on this forum previously about various sensors failing, I'm disappointed that more folks haven't participated in this particular discussion. There are many out there who have already been through this, and they can teach us much about what the particular trouble codes point to. All owners should bear in mind that once your vehicle reaches 60,000 to 70,000 miles, you're probably going to be dealing with these various sensor failures and you need to get prepared to do so. The oxygen sensors alone cost around $210 each, and if you decide to pay a Lexus dealer to do the work, you will easily double or triple that amount for what should be a relatively simple fix. Some of the other sensors are less costly - the Mass Air Flow Sensor retails for less than $100. Many of these sensors are made by Bosch and you can order them from NAPA, AutoZone, etc. A crucial element of this entire subject is that a number of these various sensors are part of your vehicle's Emission Control System. Certain components of all Emission Control System, regardless of make and model, are regulated by the federal government and therefore carry longer warranties than the basic 4 years/50,000 miles that Lexus provided for our particular vehicle. Some of these Emission Control System components are warrantied for 70,000 miles while others are warrantied for 80,000 miles. It is crucial that you read and understand your Lexus Warranties Supplement to your owners manual so you will be better prepared to deal with these various sensor failures which will undoubtedly occur if you keep your vehicle long enough. I've had a running phone conversation with our local Lexus service manager since Tuesday. Based upon our trouble codes of P01130 and P01135 (pulled at a local AutoZone, as previously reported in this post), they suspect the Air/Fuel Ratio Sensor (also known as the Bank 1 Sensor). Our vehicle currently has about 69,400 miles, and the service manager finally agreed with me last evening that this sensor should not have failed this early. She verbally agreed to diagnose it and replace the sensor at no charge to us as a "goodwill gesture". My wife will drop the vehicle off at the dealership late this afternoon. Once we obtain a diagnosis and a fix, I'll report that here. In the meantime, those of you with RX300s may want to note that trouble codes of P01130 and P01135 indicate a failing Air/Fuel Ratio (or Bank 1) Sensor.

I learned from a Lexus support manager this afternoon that our trouble codes of P01130 and P01135 both point to the "Air/Fuel Ratio Sensor", also called the "Bank 1 Sensor". Anyone know where this particular sensor is located, what it looks like, and how you get to it? The Lexus support manager could research and crosscheck my trouble codes but she's not familiar with the differences among the various sensors on Lexus vehicles. Thanks for your assistance.

As skperformance suggested a couple of days ago, my wife had AutoZone read the trouble codes again yesterday afternoon after I cleared the codes in the morning by disconnecting the battery terminals for about 15 minutes. One of the original codes from last week has disappeared, but the two remaining codes appear to indicate an oxygen sensor problem. The question now is - which one? This vehicle apparently has four oxygen sensors, and unfortunately they are not all identical part numbers. I've called a couple of local independent service shops who specialize in Lexus and Toyota, and they haven't offered a solution that will allow me to nail down which oxygen sensor is creating the problem. Our Lexus dealership just wants us to bring the vehicle in and drain our checkbook. So what's next, guys? I sure don't want to start guessing and wind up having to purchase all four oxygen sensors at about $200 a pop before I solve our problem. The remaining trouble codes are P01130 and P01135. I've heard that some of these oxygen sensors are located before the catalytic converter while others are located after it. Can anyone offer a clear explanation where all four of these sensors can be found, what they are individually called, and how you can get to them? I'm also wondering whether specific preventive maintenance actions can help preserve the longevity of these seemingly fickle oxygen sensors. With the typical RX300, they seem to start failing between 60,000 and 80,000 miles (we're just over 69,000 miles right now). Do the various fuel injector cleaner additives or other component cleaners on the market add to the lifespan of oxygen sensors? As always, thanks for the assistance from those of you who have been through these battles before and paved the way for the rest of us....

I agree - that looks like the electrical connection for the Mass Air Flow Sensor.

skperformance, Good idea, but I still question the accuracy of AutoZone's generic code-reading device across all makes and models. Do you trust it to be accurate?

The Mass Air Flow Sensor is located on the outside of the rear of the air cleaner plastic housing. Look for a small tube-like assembly with hoses and an electrical connection. I obtained a can of Gumout throttle body cleaner spray and a can of compressed air over the weekend and will be cleaning our RX300's Mass Air Flow Sensor by mid-week if all goes as planned. I noticed that the directions for using the Gumout throttle body cleaner spray state in capital letters, "DO NOT SPRAY THROUGH AIR FILTER OR ACROSS MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR". What's the risk, folks? Saturating a paper filter? Causing electrical sensor problems? Surely someone out there can explain the risk as well as the proper way to carefully perform this procedure....

After reading through some of the previous RX forum posts dealing with the subject of "Check Engine" lights coming on, I've decided to clean the Mass Air Flow Sensor with Gumout Throttle Body Cleaner and a can of compressed air. This could be an easy and inexpensive solution to our particular problem. I'll report back later to let you folks know whether this made any difference. With Hurricane Charley bearing down on the East Coast now, it may be a few days before I get to this task. If anyone else has further suggestions concerning my situation, please post here. Thanks.

Be careful when perusing these first-generation hybrids, including next years RX400h. Auto analysts tend to agree that the segment does NOT typically deliver anything close to the mileage ratings promised in the various corporate sales pitches, and experienced engineers will tell you that it's always a smart choice to bypass the first offering of any major new automotive technology in order to allow the kinks and qwirks to get fixed by the manufacturers over a couple of model years. Hybrids will get better as successive improvements are made, but I would be very cautious in deciding to lay my hard-earned money out just to be first on the block....

I seriously doubt that we have three very different, unrelated problems that all showed up as codes at the exact same time when the "Check Engine" light came on. I really question the accuracy of AutoZone's diagnostic tool. This may still turn out to be a gas cap issue, but the codes continue to concern me. Can anyone else out there make sense of this information? Thanks for your assistance.

Thanks for the advice. My wife took the vehicle to a local AutoZone yesterday afternoon, and their diagnostic device spat out the following three codes and descriptions: P0125 - "The PCM has determined that the amount of time it took for the coolant temperature sensor to reach an input value consistent with closed loop operation was excessive." P1130 - "Lack of HO2S Switch - Adaptive Fuel At Limit." P1135 - "Pedal Position Sensor A Circuit Intermittent." The AutoZone tech then used his diagnostic device to turn off the "Check Engine" light. Within a mile of my wife driving away from AutoZone, the light came on again. I'm not convinced that AutoZone's diagnostic gear is always accurately calibrated for every make and model. These three codes and descriptions don't seem to be related to any specific condition - one mentions coolant temperature, one mentions fuel, and one mentions pedal position. Can anyone out there make any sense of this information? Reading the owners manual last evening, it states that if you do not sufficiently tighten the gas cap after purchasing fuel, the "Check Engine" light will turn on and it may require several driving cycles before the light turns off again. My wife bought gas the previous evening but I've always told her to close the gas cap until she hears at least three clicks and she claims that she always does this. I removed and re-set the gas cap, generating at least six clicks before I stopped turning. She's back in the vehicle today and we're going to watch it for a couple of days to see if the "Check Engine" light turns off again. I would appreciate any explanations of the seemingly unrelated codes that spat out of AutoZone's diagnostic device. The tech believed that the problem probably occured from a loose gas cap. But I'm not so sure about that yet.

I'm looking for diagnostic advice from those of you out there that have had experience with your "Check Engine" light coming on in the past. My wife has a 2000 RX300 with about 68,800 miles on it. She called me this morning to say that the "Check Engine" light had turned on during her drive to work. My experiences with other vehicles tells me that a "Check Engine" light usually means that the oxygen sensor has failed or is about to fail. But I believe that this particular vehicle has multiple oxygen sensors, perhaps as many as three or four. What's the best way to diagnose this problem without going to the Lexus dealership and paying a huge price for what should be a relatively inexpensive part (if it does indeed turn out to be an oxygen sensor)? Last October (while the vehicle was still under warranty), the "Check Engine" light came on and it turned out to be the Mass Air Flow Meter, which Lexus replaced at no cost to us. But we're no longer under warranty and can't afford to get hammered with a big repair bill right now. I would greatly appreciate your experienced advice.

I battled with Lexus in October/November last year over the unsatisfactory shifting and stalling characteristics of my wife's 2000 RX300 transmission at about 48,000 miles. I wound up getting a new (rebuilt) transmission installed by the Lexus dealer under warranty in mid-November. She's put about 19,000 miles on the vehicle since then, and she's reasonably happy with the vehicle now. I still feel that the transmission is poorly engineered and will never perform to my expectations of what a Lexus ride should be all about from a comfortable, smooth-shifting transmission standpoint. But I did copious amounts of research on Lexus/Toyota transmissions in various locations (including this site) and I've developed a set of transmission guidelines that I'll strictly adhere to as long as we own this vehicle: 1. Ensure that nothing but Toyota Type T-IV transmission fluid goes into your pan. Don't let anyone else put any other type of fluid in there regardless of how strongly they're attempting to hype their new "wonder product" to you. If you choose to use a Jiffy Lube or similar outfit to handle your fluid changes, bring your own bottles of T-IV fluid with you and watch the tech to ensure he uses it. And keep in mind that a Toyota dealership will change your transmission fluid for much less than your Lexus dealership will charge you. 2. Change your transmission fluid every 30,000 miles. Your RX owners manual tells you to NEVER change the fluid unless you drive under "severe conditions". Don't believe a word of this - transmission fluid breaks down over time and use, and with Toyota's known transmission performance weaknesses in these Lexus RX models, you MUST change your fluid on a 30K interval in order to give your transmission the best opportunity for long life. 3. Don't push your acceleration limits after initially starting the vehicle for the first time that day. Your engine, transmission, and fluids need to warm up to normal operating temperature in order to provide proper performance characteristics. It varies from vehicle to vehicle, but allow at least two to four miles of driving before you initiate any hard acceleration. 4. And finally, document and discuss any and all transmission performance quirks with your Lexus dealer on a regular basis. Be professional, be specific, be accurate, but be firm. If you can demonstrate significant shifting or performance problems with your transmission that you believe are out of the ordinary from what would be expected of a supposedly luxury SUV vehicle, your dealer may very well decide that their best course of action to satisfy your concerns is to put a new transmission in your vehicle. That's exactly what we got last November. But you have to do your part in proving your case.

I've found that the aftermarket leather interiors by a Commerce, California company called Katzkin Leather Interiors, Inc. really look first-class and hold up beautifully over the years. I put their appropriate leather interior kit into my 1999 Dodge Ram more than three-and-a-half years ago and it still looks and feels brand new today. But proper leather care is crucial - keep the vehicle out of the sun and use a quality leather-care product such as Lexol or Hyde Food at least twice a year (summer and winter work best for our climate here in central North Carolina). And be sure to choose a quality upholstery shop. Visit their location, watch them work, talk to their leathercrafters, ask plenty of questions, and look at multiple samples of their work in other vehicles - not just photos of previous vehicle interiors they've done. Look for seam uniformity and tightness, firm fit, and both the "look and feel" that the interior actually seems as if it came from the factory. Your new leather interior is only going to be as good as the installation process that puts it there. After that, the care and feeding is up to you. Sun is your interior's biggest enemy, and you have to keep the leather conditioned so it is able to "breathe" properly throughout its lifespan (which can be 15 to 20 years if you consistently take care of it properly).