mikey00

Owners manual says 87 and that is all I ever used in both my RXs, except for a short test to see if there was any performance or mileage advantage for a higher octane and there wasn't.

That doesn't say much for your dealer service dept. I wonder if after they changed the sensors and charged you $800. they would have reconnected the hose for free. Mike

I was expecting to get better gas mileage when I tried 89 octane because my wallet was so much lighter, but it stayed the same.

...suposedly the SilverSport fetured a "sport suspension", as indicated in vehicle literature, in addition to the cosmetic differences. ← I traded in my 00 for an 01 SilverSport after a test drive. It is kind of hard to explain but it handled better, or maybe even firmer but did not lose any ride comfort.

You need a new bulb. It's a pain to change. Here is a link to the procedure. Mike http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread...eferrerid=12681

Here is more info then you will ever want to know. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...=16728&hl=clock

I finally found time to do the brakes. The original pads do have wear indicators on all 4 wheels. Lexus replacement pads (from Lexus dealer) only have them on the rear. None on the front.

Did you check the vacuum hose behind the air filter box? It's a black rubber hose connected to the top back of the air filter box and it connects to a metal tube about 12" down by the firewall. It is common for this hose to come of the metal tube while checking the air filter. It does cause a check engine light. I am not sure what the code is.

There is something very wrong with the RX trans, whether you noticed it or not. A modern trans should not need the fluid flushed every 15k as you suggest. Read the owners manual, the Lexus engineers didn't think so. If you do a search on the trans problem you will find a lot of discussion on its shortcomings.

All info I am giving you is based on my 01. I am sure it is the same for your 00, but maybe someone who has done the brakes on a 00 can confirm. The back of each pad should have have 2 thin shims on it. One is black and the other is silver (looks like stainless). If you wern't looking for them you may have discarded them with the old pads. The back of the pad gets coated with brake grease when new. Over time it collects dirt and the shims kind of blend in with the pad. I don't think the shims are that unusual. Most disc brake jobs I have done used shims. As far as where to get them. You could try irontoad.com or newlexusparts.com. Neither site lists them but you could send an e-mail and request a quote (or call). I don't think it is a very common part because most people just reuse them. You could also go to the parts dept of your dealer. Make sure you stop at the ATM first. After all, it is a Lexus dealer.

I don't agree with your logic on the loaner car cost. I only pay about $35 for an oil change with with Quaker State semi-synthetic and Quaker state filter. All fluid levels are checked and replenished if needed. Many other checks are done such as brake pads, etc. Tire rotation is free. All this only takes 30 minutes so a loaner is not necessary. Your dealer keeps the car all day and only spends 30 minutes on it anyway

Also don't forget that the loaner that many perceive as free is in reality the most expensive rental you will ever have.

I second the motion about not getting a Panasonic battery. They seem to stand out as one of the weak spots of the RX. All of the other above suggestions such as Costco, Die Hard, Pep Boys, AutoZone should be fine. Personally I would go with Costco. Their Kirkland batteries are inexpensive and made by Johnston Controls who also make Optima Red Top batteries (one of the finest but pricey). Lexus should change the name of the clock from 'clock" to "clock-battery early failure detection system". It always manages to warn you when your battery is starting to go bad before the car fails to start.

When you removed your original pads were there 2 shims on the back of each pad and did you replace them both when using the premium pads. I now have 72k on my 01 and have never had the rattle. I just changed the pads a couple of weeks ago and used oem pads and re-used the shims. The shims get cleaned and coated with brake grease. You should not need anti-squeel adhesive. It is only temporary anyway. I looked at aftermarket pads but figured the oem pads are quiet and you couldn't ask for a better wearing pad.

They are not available aftermarket. You can get oem ones online for about $128 each. Here is a link: http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/ind...000&catalogid=2

Just curious, being that they spent time on the car and did clean and number of items, did they charge you because it was a customer caused problem.

It's the idle air control valve (iacv), a common problem on the RX. It usually gets replaced but I have read posts from others who have had success just cleaning the carbon off it.

Before getting the code read, check the obvious. Sometimes the code can lead you astray by pointing to one of the sensors when it's really just a vacuum hose. First check your gas cap. Is it on tight and does the seal look ok. Next check the black hose behind the air filter box. This is a common cause. Usually after a quick lube checks your air filter during an oil change. The black hose connects to a metal tube down behind the box and is often separated when the top of the air filter box is opened to check the filter. If these things all look good, I would then reset the light by disconnecting the battery or by pulling the efi fuse. Then drive the car. If the light stays out, you’re good. If it comes back on, get the code read. Mike

A common cause of the check engine and vsc lights coming on is the small black hose behind the air filter box coming off. Usually after a quick lube place checks the air filter. You didn't by chance check the air filter when you were changing the battery or access that area for any reason? If thats not it I would reset the computer by disconnecting the battery or pulling the efi fuse and see if the lights come on again. If so, I would get autozone, dealer, or other source to read the code causing the problem. May be a bad sensor. As far as the "D" light burning out, this is a common problem on the RX. It's a pain to change. Here is a link to the procedure. http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rx300how2/

Both my 2000 and 2001 RXs read about 1/16 over the second notch and have not changed since they were new.

Does anyone who has done their own brakes know if the 01 RX has wear indicators on the original pads? I have a new set of Lexus pads from Irontoad and only see the indicators on the rear pads. They are set so you should hear them when you get down to 2/32 of pad. I now have 71k and was waiting to hear the indicators before changing the pads. Today I pulled a front and rear wheel to check pad wear and found I have 3/32 of pad left but I don't see any wear indicators on the front or rear pad. If I do the math I have 15K left before metal on metal. Can't complain about that. Lexus sure does have great wearing pads. Anyway I guess I will be changing them next week.

I agree with your line 100%: "I'm sure if you drove another thousand or more miles with the regular fuel the computer would of thrown the same trouble code." The sequence of events which did happen to certain number of RXs: 1. Engine starts to ping on regular. Owner switches to premium which stops the pinging but is really only masking the problem of the bad sensor because the bad sensor is still there but not evident because the pinging has stopped. 2. A few thousand miles later the check engine light comes on (P0171) which is usually the oxygen sensor in the case of the RX. Might even come on sooner if pinging continued with regular. I don't think anyone really knows the answer to that part. Once the sensor is replaced you can go back to regular without pinging.

I was refering to the oxygen sensor ( diag code P0171). And the carbon buildup example I used was a GM engine designed to run on 87. And yes my RX is designed to run on regular.

OK. I will try this on more time. It looks like most, not all, RX owners are using 87 octane. I don't know this for a fact but am basing it on the small surveys on the various RX sites. A small number of these owners have posted that after years of no problems a slight pinging has developed. If you move up to a higher octane the pinging is gone. But why does a car that only requires 87 and runs for years ok suddenly develop a ping. The dealer’s usual quick answer is to use the higher octane. In most of these cases, a few thousand miles later the check engine light comes on indicating which sensor has failed. Once the sensor is changed and light reset, you can use 87 again and everything is fine. The reason the engine began to ping on 87 was due to a sensor failing. If you move up to a higher octane you can get the pinging to stop but you are not fixing the failed sensor, only masking the problem by getting the problem to stop. The check engine light will eventually come on. After owning RXs and being on the various sites for a few years now, I can see that this scenario is not that uncommon. Let me use another masking example. An older GM engine designed for regular runs many years on regular ok. Over the last few years it begins to develop a ping due to carbon buildup. Running a higher octane gas stops the pinging but is only masking the real problem of carbon buildup. Once the engine is dissembled and carbon removed you no longer require a higher octane and the engine once again runs on the fuel it was designed for.

Yes octane does mask a problem. It happend to more than a few owners that the engine begins to ping on regular which they have been using all along without problem. Moving up to higher octane stops the ping (masks the problem). Eventually the check engine light will come on revealing which sensor has failed. After the sensor is replaced everything is fine with regular again.