lenore

Thank you, As RX NC said be polite but firm with customer relations, If they cough up the cost of the tranny and you pay labor that is a good deal. The good deal is Around $3000 or less out of your pocket. And dont forget the loaner car in your expense, that is worth some compared to a rental....Good luck, and hope they do good by you....

NO, There are probably sealed bearing on the rear wheels. No lubrication required. Check with Lexus to be sure...

Look under the RX300 forums, the ES has to be similar, many have given that procedure. Make sure to use correct fluid. In the older RX300 Toyota Type IV fluid is the choice. (can be bought at Toyota dealerships cheaper) The filter inside can be changed and the Lexus has a drain plug for the tranny fluid...

The console will have to be removed. On the older RX300 it is only 4 bolts and two screws. Comes out in less than 10minutes. Suspect the new RX is easy also.... good luck

The water pump would not cause it to overheat unless it is leaking. The radiator was leaking I am assuming and the lost of pressure could cause the coolant to overheat. Replace the radiator or repair and change the thermostat and see what is happening then. Most waterpump failures are worn seals and leaking. They generally dont stop turning....unless the bearing froze up....

Found some on Ebay, just type in lEXUS RX300 grill

Simple ones can be bought at Walmart, and Harbor Freight Tools cheap. They have to be OBII compliant to plug into the RX...

Ah now i understand, yea the darn stuff is outragous. I always ask the Toyota dealership for a discount and they usually throw in 10 to 15 percent. The only other alternative is to switch to Amsoil tranny fluid.....At least they ship....

Have them give you a estimate only, and also include any concessions that they may give you. Though I recommend an independent tranny shop, if you dont have a back up car, the cost of a rental can exceed the savings by an independent. Be real careful on your decision as Lexus is expensive. There cost is generally $4300 to $5000 and an independent will be under $3000.... However if the independent has a poor track record and ties your car up for three weeks, then the cost of a rental will eat the savings. Good luck and dont forget to file a Complaint with the NHTS board online. The Data is important for causing a recall on these trannies that should have gone longer. You will need the vin # of your vehicle to do it online...

Why dont you just go to A toyota Dealership and buy some? Otherwise switch to Amsoil synthetic which is a replacement fluid.

The RX300 are definetly R134, Buy maybe your air mixture valve is hanging up and giving some heated air from the Heater core instead of the condensor. Could just be a matter of cleaning the servo on this valve...Do a search, there is some info on taking the servo apart and cleaning. Just cant remember where....

water down the radiator fins is not an indication of head gasket. See if it drys out and then check coolant level. If it doesnt dry out either the upper hose is not quite tight or something on the radiator is cracked or broken. Sometimes the radiators have a plastic inlet and outlet. overtightening the clamps on the hoses can break them when they are old. If that happens then the radiator has to be replaced. good luck.

Sorry, maybe two years old, but the battery is toast. Also check the connections at the battery to see if they are corroded. But the battery will be the fix....replace it... go to costco and get one there, good price.

All you can do is call the dealership and ask, But since it is a 99 I suspect they would be more than happy to look at it but for heavens sake dont let them replace your transmission. ($4500) If they say the tranny is toast, take it to an independent, trusted tranny shop, you will save at least a $1000 . Good luck, hope it is just a dirty filter or bad solenoid...

Yes that can be done by a good mechanic, I had that done on a Mercedes 190 e years ago. The mechanic replaced the valve stem seals without removing the head.... It is a matter of turning engine to position the valves closed and then pressurizing the cylinder through the spark plug hole.

artist

Singapore, 2 degrees from the equater

Yep, time for a new battery, go to costco and get one cheap.

My first car was a 1962 Austin hEALEY sPRITE, hAD IT for 6 months and I went in the navy, Parents asked if they could sell it and use the money for a down payment on a house, I let them and they gave me the money back years later. The car was a blast to drive when it worked, my first step in a long line of British cars that taught me a lot on survival and how to repair cars. Glad it is gone, my second car was a Triumph TR250 ( basically a TR4 with a six cylinder) What a manly car, loved it dearly, spent my life working on it to keep it running.

Yea, that is why I was so hard headed, Loved racing my Triumph TR250 over in Spain.... those big 15 inch wheels and the top down, oh those were the days. Lets not talk about every weekend under it though. And the Jag was suppurb at 150 mph, never felt or drove anything like it. No............I cant own another. Just remember, Lucas, overheating, Stromburg carbs, brake seals going, clutches, and the list goes on.....

Yes owning a british car is like standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon and kicking your money over the edge, and still never get it to run right. They are money pits.......owned and driven a lot of them, (hard headed) But the Jaguar XKE was the final candle on my cake....never again.

In your case ToxDoc, you're stuck fighting the "inherent design flaw" fight that many others have waged due to failed transmissions. In Redrx's case the fight he should take is that he took it in with an indicator light on and they didn't find the problem (incompetence) and shortly thereafter the part failed. Sort of "automotive malpractice". Sure you can give Lexus a bit more time but I'd file a small claims case for the amount of a replacement transmission, very easy to do and it may perk their ears up to your problem. If not I'd say you've got a good case in small claims court. In the reports of failure past on this forum I dont remember anyone mentioning that the AT Temp light came on at any time before or during the trans failure. I may be wrong and I hope those that have had the experience will tell me if thats so. In any case your failure may be different and you may be able to get it resolved differently due to incompetent service techs. In my case the transmission light never came on. just lost overdrive, and downhill from there.

Try putting some blue mastic tape over different areas of the door on the outside and then drive. Maybe you can isoate the area on the door where the noise is coming from. I suspect some of the rubber door seals are not making contact.

Contact Lexus of America and tell them what you expect, again be firm and calm. Tell them you have been a good customer with all service at the dealership, and you expect them to give a good faith replacement of the transmission.

I would not remove it, the water will drain down the firewall, just unclog it. By the way the parts counter at most dealerships are more receptive to showing you pictures of the part and where they are located in their drawings. Parts people are a whole lot more friendly and they dont charge you for the info. Just a tip I have learned.