jaswood

Yes, but if you follow through and look up the maintainance schedule for, in my case an '01 F/awd RX300, you end up at the non-Lexus site.

Failure of the driver's door speaker is VERY common. Due to the VERY tight door/window sealing the cabin PRESSURIZES each time a door is closed, and guess which door is most often opened and closed, or is most OFTEN the LAST door closed.. What I have most often found is that the speaker cone outside support surround has separated from the speaker frame. Replacing the door speakers is a VERY easy DIY task. None of the LS400's that I have had extended experience with, 90, 91, 92, and 95, have had "dash" speakers so I can be of no help there.

Let me get this straight... 14.2 volts across the battery terminal/posts presumptively with the engine running. That would be NORMAL. 0.46 voltage across the battery when you turn on the lights...?? Engine still running..? Not even remotely possible. Light switch on = engine stalled....?? Then DEAD battery or poor electrical connections. 14.2 volts would, generally, indicate a HIGH battery charging rate.....a low battery charge.

Somehow I have completely missed any posts concerning your specific problems nor have I had any personal experience with our '95 LS400 comparable with yours. More detailed discription, or links...?

Marginal alternator slip rings or slip ring brushes. 1990..... lots of miles...??

Have you checked the fusible link integral to the lighter itself..? It melts if the lighter is heated to high or for to long

Ebay or Carson city Toyota. You can check the outer wheel bushings by trying to move the wheel hub back and forth with the car on jackstands.

You have over-filled, substantially so, the transmission.

The rear diff'l has 3 rubber mounts/cushions. My '95, approaching 300K just had these replaced, DIY. Was experiencing the "thud" with quick on or off of the throttle, plus transmission "dithering" back and forth in gears at 40-50 just cruising along.

4 cylinder Subaru "Boxer" DFI Atkinson engine. So I have heard. Wankel Atkinson/Miller cycle DFI engine would have been a much better choice.

Clean and burnish the 12 volt battery posts/connections. If that doesn't help then replace your 12 volt battery. HID headlight ballasts, bulb drivers, or extremely sensitive to battery voltage during initial startup, initial firing of the electrical arc than requires 25-30,000 volts or greater. In a non-HSD car the 12 volt battery would be required to be good enough to turn over the starter. In an HSD it only needs to supply ECU power. So the high current inrush load upon HID bulb startup is likely the heaviest load, short term surge load, the battery must "handle".

How does it act COLD but with the climate control off, totally OFF...??

http://statsie.com/xws.xtime.com Looks like that site is under edit control of a collection of dealers across the US. NOT a Lexus site.

Doesn't look like a Lexus site to me. https://xws.xtime.com/xmmmenu/?variant=LEXUSUSA&username=null&is_advisor=0&locale=en_US&rendering_option=2&print_menu_report=/XTIME1/REPORTS/PrintMenu01/PCN&make=LEXUS&model=RX%20300&year=2001&trim=UNKNOWN&engine_type=6&engine_size=UNKNOWN&drive_type=AWD&transmission_type=Automatic&mileage=90000&units=miles&driving_condition=Normal&estimate=false

The ticking is one of the climate control servo motors, very common problem/issue, and can be ignored. I would start by being sure the battery is being fully charged, the battery posts have been cleaned and burnished, all engine/chasis grounds are fully established, etc. COLD/DEFROST...the blower runs FULL speed. The engine control ECU, if I remember correctly is in the passeneger side kick panel and so a poor electrical connection 12 volts supply or ground, in the local area, BLOWER and ECU, would be well worth looking into.

Drain and fill, 5 qts required inclusive of the diff'l drain plug, is really only appropriate when the ATF appears dirty and/o smells burned. For my '01 "AWD" that was initially at ~40,000 miles and then again at ~90,000 miles, double drain and fill, days apart, both instances

Be aware, the '99 and '00 RX300 models were/are highly subject to premature, 80-100,000 miles, transaxle failures. Design flaw that persists to this day, overcome via DBW, RX330 and later..

Normally the A/C compressor would be disabled with the OAT below ~35F, but with the engine running and the vehicle stationary the OAT sensor, mounted just forward of the condensor/radiator "stack", might well be HEATED radiantly. Running an A/C compressor at these low OAT temperatures might well result in compressor "slugging", liquid refrigerant entering the compressor intake, resulting in the compressor stalling, locking up rotationally. Thus you get the belt SQUEALING sound. Regarding the up and down revs that might be due to the fact that the engine ECU tries to compensate for the extra load of the A/C compressor when the compressor is enabled. As a result if encountering this very same exact problem in my '92 LS400 and relocating the OAT sensor accordingly, within days of purchase my '01 RX300's OAT sensor was relocated to a "grille" opening just below the driver side front headlight. After years of owning my '01 and adapting myself to remember religiously to keep the A/C off throughout the non-cooling use period I discovered that my '01 has 2 C-Best options that could "set" to be more in my operational favor than the factory defaults. With those options now set otherwise I can use the A/C PB to disable my A/C INDEFINITELY and it is FULLY unlinked from automatic operation in defog/demist mode.

#3 is a standard method of "pre-loading" the torque converter which might indicate a torque converter is the problem. Have you checked the ATF fluid level and condition? techinfo.toyota.com subscription fee will get you FULL documentation access.

Not rubbing but contacting/bumping with suddnd sharp vertical movements of the strut. About 120,000 miles ago.

The FWD ES has always handily been the brand's best selling sedan. Their best selling vehicle is the RX...which is also basically FWD. What might be the ratio of FWD RXes sold vs pretent "AWD" RXes...?? While WE know that the RX "AWD" is primarily/predominantly only FWD, what does the general RX buying public know or think. I myself feel I was "suckered" into this marketing scam. The early RX models seemed to have a reasonably fucntional AWD system, even a rear LSD as an option. With the 2001 model year the more functional AWD syste was tossed in favor of the ML320's use of braking to apportion torque....while simultaneously dethrottling, FULLY dethrottling, the engine. Trac/VSC activation often later resulting in an indication, falsely, of oxygen sensor failure. Even the rear LSD option was dropped as of 2001, relying on differential braking instead. So, I would say over half of their total vehicle sales are FWD vehicles, Maybe, but again, how many of those RXes were purchased with the buyer being of the belief, false belief, that they were getting a reasonably functional AWD system...? I would argue that their market is primarily RWD. Wholeheartily agree. They aren't going to have two vehicles that cater to the same market. Back in the days of only the ES, GS, LS, RX, and LX, I would have agreed. But then today, at least to/for me, the GX and LX are in direct conflict. Put the GS engine in the GX, and maybe even have a GXh, and that conflict, confusiion in the buyers mind, goes away. (note: the 4runner now has ONLY V6...probably to avoid Toyota product conflicts???) These days I've become so confused about the various models below the GS that I no longer "track" them. If the new, larger ES350 tops out at $50k or so fully loaded, they won't also have a similarly sized LS350 in a similar price point. "Marketing" will tell you that this issue of simuilar pricing is oftentimes a non-issue, it's how the buyer "identifies" with the product that matters. ES is both FWD and "compact", compact in the buyers eye even if not in reality. It just doesn't make any sense when the ES and LS already appeal to similar buyers, just in different financial spectrums. "..just in different financial spectrums..." Financial...That is no small matter. And if you separate out the financial spectrum differences you'll still be left with the greater age and educational aspects of buyers leaning toward the LS. Note that the LS600h has been a total flop. Buyers in that price range are too well educated to "buy" into the "green" aspects. The ES is an unusual car that nobody else really has in their lineup...all the entry level type cars are smaller, and sportier when you look at BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Cadillac, etc. The 740i is $13,000 cheaper than the 750I, so if the LS460 starts at $67k now. you're talking about a start of low to mid $50k probably, where its going to compete with the ES and GS, I just don't see that happening. Sorry, for me, rather than buy an ES (I would NEVER...FWD) I would look to the Camry, or maybe even the Camry/h. AND.. While I would NEVER consider the purchase of an LS600h, I would probably pay a premium for a LS450h over the LS470. Maybe that's the market Lexus is missing out on, an LS450h. And I wonder what the cost might be to bring an LX450h to market...don't care for the rear door "thing" of the GX.

On the other hand would there be a market for the GS if there was an LS with the GS engine, or even an LS450h. With all the rumors flying about regarding the end of life for the Avalon I have wondered I that might mean a Toyota "GS". By the way, I suspect that the only reason the ES exists at all is because Lexus wished to begin building a dealer network before actual product arrived and the Toyota was chosen for that role.

I'm a bit leery about the use of the information in the link you provided. Some of it seems to be in conflict with what I see in the 3 owners manuals that I have access to and clearly doesn't distinguish between ROUGH SERVICE and normal as does the owners manual. Another thing that caught my eye is the web site address, it does not identify as a Lexus site.

Back in the days of the 55MPH speed limit I too often found myself the "trailing" driver trying to get around someone trying to enforce the "55" rule on me. These days if I am in the process of passing and someone behind "pushes" me, flashing headlights, etc, "let me around", I am more likely than not to release the gas pedal entirely and then more right as soon as possible.

The very first thing I would do is remove the front drive and see if the vibration persists.