Jim_Chow

A tad high, but I think it's not unreasonable. I think Toyota charges $300/front rotor as list, then maybe $100 for the pads, $300 for labor. The front bearings probably run $75/ea x 4=$300, plus maybe $100 more labor for the bearings since you have to hammer in the new bearing races into the hub (a little more work than just regreasing the bearing). My guess is that your previous dealer never regreased the bearings since I've done my 4runner bearings several times (same construction/tools as the LX front end, just a little smaller), and they still felt tight at 40k mi, grease still looked new. So far, I have 210K mi on the original bearings, so with proper maintenance, they will last. The GX doesn't have the same construction as the LX. Toyota used the same front end design (inner and outer bearings) for decades until the GX. Now, the GX/4runner use a pressed in sealed bearing whereby you don't have to repack the bearing every 30K mi. Instead, you have to replace the entire bearing and the plate it's pressed into after maybe 90K mi (sealed bearings all loosen and develop play eventually). So Toyota has reduced the short term maintenance costs at the expense of higher long term maintenance costs for those who hold on to their vehicles for many years. Their next generation of vehicles starting w/ the Crown last year integrates many ECU's into only like 4 black boxes, so if one ECU goes bad, one will have to shell out $$$$$ to replace the entire black box!

1) yes 2) every 15K mi 3) multi-purpose (no moly) NGLI 2, IIRC (I use Mobil 1 red, $6/tube) 4) in the U-joints, around 6 pumps each (you'll hear the old grease start to crackle as it seeps out. Stop when you hear this). In the slip yoke, 6 pumps max. Don't keep on pumping or you'll fill the void with grease, and the slip yoke won't be able to compress properly, transferring the force to your transfer case and potentially damaging it. The rear driveshaft compresses when the suspension compresses. Do the same for both front & rear driveshafts. Get a good grease gun like a Lincoln w/ the flexible tube. The rigid tube ones are too difficult to use unless the car is up on a lift. I have both and only use the flexy tube one.

You need to torque the front bearings precisely and in an oddball way (torque inner locknut, then loosen and retorque to a different value, then torque outer locknut. I wouldn't trust a non-dealership. Is there a toyota dealer near you that is willing to service a lexus? By brakes needing to be done, what do you mean by that? Are your rotors worn too thin, or do you just need new pads? The amount of work to replace the front rotors is nearly the same as to repack the front wheel bearings since you have to remove the entire front hub assembly (inner bearing is BEHIND the hub). The only extra work to replace the rotors when doing a front bearing repack is to remove the 6 bolts attaching the rotor to the hub! So if you have to replace front rotors, get it done at one of the 30K service intervals (like 60K or 90K) since the front bearings are supposed to be repacked then.

The only thing I'd watch out in '04 is the nav changed from the gen3 to gen4. I don't recall hearing any issues w/ the LX, but I know the '04 LC has had issues w/ the nav and rear camera. Other than that, the only other "big" changes are Toyota got rid of the transmission fluid dipstick since they changed to the "WS" type fluid in '04 on all of their vehicles. This is supposedly a 100k mi ATF (I wouldn't push it that far, maybe 60K mi). The engine coolant also changed to the super long life coolant good for 90-100K mi. The previous was the long life, good for 30K mi. One thing I did to reduce my maintenance (since I have 4 vehicles :)) is to run true synthetic gear oil in the differentials and transfer case (I use Mobil 1 Delvac 75w90 [GL-5]; delvac is their commercial grade, consumer grade will just be Mobil 1 75w90 gear oil). You can run it 60K mi instead of the normal 30K for dino. My local dealer wanted $2.4K for the 60K mi service while 100 mi north in Phoenix, it was $1.8K. I had the dealer flush the brake fluid & AHC and change the ATF w/ 12 qts (you have to specify, or they just do 8 qts to keep costs down, according to the SM; capacity of the system is 12 qts, BTW), so maybe $500 for that. They charge $350 for the front wheel bearing repack (RX doesn't need that, just LX). If you're a 3 banana mechanic, you can DIY for about $50 in parts. I bought the AC filters from denso online for $26 for BOTH, but since then, they had wised-up and now charge $52/pr. I think for the brakes and AHC, it was around $300. Then the ATF change was around $350. I did everything else using all Mobil 1 synthetic fluids and OEM parts for around $200. I saved myself $1K on the 60K service alone. BTW, you can buy most parts from American Toyota in Albuquerque. Dan, the manager, is a Landcruiser owner and has both LX470 and LC parts catalog. He can get you the parts that are in common (engine/drivetrain/brakes). BTW, the LX470 and LC parts are the same. Just go to your toyota parts guy and tell him you have a '04 Landcruiser. That's what I did when I needed a rear brake anti-squeal shim kit for my LX. The pads, calipers, air/oil filters, etc. are all the same, just lexus charges 2x what toyota charges. For example, the inner bearing seal for the front wheel bearing repack is $30 at my lexus dealer, $22 retail at Toyota, and $17 from American Toyota. Another tip: I got the lexus visa card. You get 1.5% of every purchase good towards anything at the dealer (service, parts, etc.). After just a couple of years, I have enough points to get the timing belt and water pump done at 90k mi (dealer charges like $1300 for the timing belt job!) Take a look at the ih8mud forum on 100 series landcruisers. There are LC/LX gurus on their who can help you diagnose problems, plus writeups on how to service your vehicle yourself to save $$$. This support is one reason why I bought the LX. Good luck!

When was the last time you had your front wheel bearings repacked? The recommended is every 30K miles (in reality, you can push it to 50K or maybe 60K if you don't submerge your hubs). If you don't repack them in a timely fashion, they will loosen over time (grease wears out, bearings wear, etc.). I would have guessed your bearings are loose. The Koyo bearings are top quality if you maintain them according to the recommended service intervals (if you submerge the hub, repack them ASAP). A toyota tech once told me they should last at least 200k mi. The Koyo bearings on my 4Runner front hubs are still the original at 22 yrs/210K mi. If you feel a shudder only when braking, the front calipers could be loose (I doubt this is your problem). BTW, when I installed my performance rotors last year, I noticed both front calipers did not have the plate washers (2 per caliper), as if a tech (bearings were repacked once by Lexus by PO [CPO] and once by a toyota tech) who repacked the bearings forgot to reinstall them. They are clearly listed in the diagrams in the big factory service manual, and I know my 4runner has them since I've done those bearings numerous times and the front hub construction is identical to that on the LX/LC. Anyways, I had to mailorder them from a toyota dealer in the next state and had them shipped overnight so I could finish my brake job.

Check if the serp belt is loose/slipping or if there's sufficient fluid in the PS resevoir. Also, when the fluid gets old (black, should be red), it may make some noise. Use dextron II or III ATF only, DO NOT USE PS FLUID IN THE PS RESEVOIR unless you like leaks!

If the coolant temp needle didn't go to hot, it's likely to be okay. How far did your wife drive it? There's a thermostat valve that controls the coolant flow from the engine into the radiator (hot coolant enters from the top, cooler coolant exits from the bottom of the radiator and into the engine). The thermostat doesn't even open until you've driven the car at least a few miles. Even if you start up a cold engine, crank the heater, the thermo is still closed even after the air is hot! I noticed this when trying to warm the engine up when flushing the block w/ distilled water. The coolant capacity on the LX is huge, 16 qts of which only about 6 qts is in the radiator, 2 qts in each of the two heater cores, leaving about 4 qts in each of the V-banks. I bet you could drive in normal moderate temps for short distances w/o a radiator at all and not overheat! keep in mind this vehicle is designed to drive offroad in 130F temps in Africa/Middle East w/ the AC on full and in 4wd low plus 7 passengers plus gear! Everytime I take I-10 from LA to Phoenix, there's this climb in the middle of the desert with a sign that warns drivers to turn off their AC for the next 6 miles uphill. In the LX, you can crank the AC, drive 80mph uphill, and the needle will not even budge off the center mark. Some guy recently rode in a LC/LX in the middle east in 120F and the needle never budged above the center. Your engine should be fine. Make sure to replace it w/ a 50-50 mixture of toyota red and distilled water (dealers use tap water...not good) or use the toyota pre-mixed coolant if you can get it. I would only worry if the engine ran out of oil. Now that WILL damage the engine!

Cracked manifolds are a well-known problem on the landcruisers. I've only heard of them happening on the older ones, typically around 80-100K mi. I guess the metal stress fractures after enough cold-hot cycles. I would guess that if you take many short trips, it will happen sooner than later. To my knowledge, all the Landcruiser 100's and LX470's are suceptible to this. I believe the dealer charges around $1500 EACH to replace. The driver's side one is really tight. There are some tricks that allow an experienced mechanic who has done it before do it in about an hour though they'll likely bill you by the book (probably like 3-4 hrs).

x2. Keep the battery on trickle charge. I use a 3A charger w/ trickle charge since I only drive mine on the weekends, and heat like in AZ causes batteries to discharge faster than normal. Most batteries only last 1.5 yrs here (OEM panasonic lasted 3.5 yrs).

Actually, the GX/4runner thump is exactly the same, with the same procedure to address it. I use the same M1 red grease, but am always cautious of over-doing the slider yolk zerk, for the reasons you mentioned earlier. I wish I could get a clear, definitive answer to how much you should actually put in there? Jim, have you found any info on this? Nope. The first time I did it on my 4runner, I overfilled it. IIRC, I pumped quite a bit in, maybe 12-15 pumps before I saw it start to expand. The remedy is to remove the zerk, then drive over some speed bumps or down the curb a few times so the excess grease can ooze out, replace zerk. I've only used about 4 pumps of M1 grease on the slide yoke and about 4-6 pumps on the U-joints (just until I can see the old grease start to ooze out) every 15K miles. So far, no thumping at 72K mi. BTW, the LX driveshaft was redesigned in '03. I know the diameter was increased (according to Slee's website), don't known if the types of metals were changed or not.

This is the famous, well-documented landcruiser rear driveshaft thump. It's caused by stiction of the outer sleeve of the driveshaft. Just pump a few pumps of multi-purpose grease (I use mobil 1 red) into the slip yoke zerk. Also, you should lube the front and rear U-joint zerks. Be careful NOT to overgrease the slip yoke. Reason is, if you pump too much grease into it (it was expand if you do), the driveshaft won't be able to properly compress (it compresses and extends by design as the rear suspension flexes over bumps), so all the suspension pressure goes to the transfer case (BAD!!). For the U-joints, if you overlube them, the grease will start to squirt out the seals. I usually pump in enough just until it's about to start doing this (~6 pumps). You are supposed to lube the driveshafts (front & rear) every 15K miles. My LX currently has 72K mi (owned it since 50K mi) and the driveshaft doesn't thump. The GX/4runner thump is different. Unlike the problem w/ the GX, the landcruiser one has a well known solution (grease it). GX owners have had their driveshafts changed multiple times without improvement.

Another option is to replace the suspension with an OEM landcruiser non-AHC suspension. You will need to cap off the hydraulic lines to the AHC shocks. You will need the following parts for the same year landcruiser as your LX: 1) Rear coil springs (L and R are different) 2) Rear stabilizer bar 3) rubber bushings for the stabilizer bar (I think there are 2) 4) rear bumpstops (2) 5) Nuts for the stabilizer bar bolts (one-time use) 6) Front torsion bars, L and R 7) Front and rear shock absorbers (can go either OEM, Bilstein, or Old Man Emu; Bilstein reportedly has the best longevity and firmest rebound) If you buy on discount from, say, Grapevine Toyota, you should be able to get everything except the shocks for about $1100. Add about $130 for 4 OEM shocks or $280 for Bilsteins. Installation if DIY is free! :)

Lucky for you. The one or two times I called lexus customer service, they stuck exactly by the terms of the CPO warranty (plastic moulding attached to rear quarter glass and only sold as such cracked on driver's side. Apparently, this has happened on probably > 50% of the LC/LXs out there. Maybe because yours is a safety issue, lexus didn't want to take the chance of getting sued had you gotten into an accident and the belts didn't function as intended (and approved by the DOT). If there's a safety issue (ie., complaints to the NHTSA), toyota could be forced to implement a nationwide recall, which would cost $$$ and lead to bad press. I suppose had lexus customer service denied coverage, you could have threatened to take it to the NHTSA.

Front wheel bearing repack is a reasonably big job, about 4 hrs labor (virtually all labor). The only parts you need are two inner bearing oil seals (about $22/ea), two aluminum lock washers ($3 ea), two paper drive flange gaskets ($2 ea). You can buy the parts from the toyota dealer for less (specify a 2005 landcruiser). There is an inner and outer bearing. The inner bearing is on the inside of the hub. The rotor is also bolted to the hub. So to get to the bearing, one must remove the brake caliper, then remove the drive flange, axle nuts/lock washer, inner bearing (a needle bearing), and pull the rotor/hub unit off (comes off in 1 piece). The inner bearing is on the back side of this. You just pull out the old seal, remove bearing, regrease, reinstall bearing, drive in a new seal (they are made of brass & rubber, I think), reinstall and torque to spec. It's not a difficult job, but messy and time consuming. My dealer charges $350. If you buy the parts from your dealer and DIY, it's less than $60. My old 4runner uses the exact same design, even the same 54mm SST is used. Toyota has kept this design from at least 1980 or earlier through 2007 for the landcruiser. The bearings last a long time. The original Koyo bearings on my '86 are currently at 209K mi. Since you only have 30K mi, I wouldn't repack it unless you've submerged the axles in water. The 30K recommendation in the manual is really for those who offroad all the time, like in Australia, Middle East, Africa. You should be able to go 50-60K mi before a repack driving on paved roads AS LONG AS YOU DON'T SUBMERGE THE AXLES! The only item on your list that they performed that's unnecessary is the fuel conditioner if you use name-brand gas (chevron/shell). If you use cheapo gas, you might need it. One thing you should have done is to change the front/rear diff and transfer case fluids. The mineral-based gear oils typically last 30K mi. Switch to Mobil 1 synthetic 75w90 gear oil and you can go 60K miles. I use the commercial grade Mobil 1 delvac 75w90 in both the diffs and transfer case (I buy it in bulk and use a pump, as I have two toyota 4WD vehicles). The driveshaft should be lubed like every 15K mi.

very timely! my detailer just broke my key...I thought I was out 300 bucks! : ) The "key" to prevent the key breaking when you twist it (no pun intended) is to put a drop of locktite on the little screw that holds the key together (use the non-permanent locktite).

The motors are notorious for failing from constantly retracting and extending everytime you drive the car. Some of us including myself have had the dealer disable the auto retract feature, which saves the motor. The wheel will still retract/extend automatically with the memory settings. My guess is you'd have to replace the motor if you want it to work like new.

Once you're over 60K mi, the cost goes way up. I don't know if it's worth it for $3K if you're only 30K mi from 100K, the limit. The most common problems are (1) starter contacts wear out, typically around 85-100K mi, cost around $700 for dealer to install a new starter. The other is the exhaust manifolds may crack around 100K mi or so, $1.5K to replace one. Other than that, the warranty is really saving you if something major happens. Now if you had a 2000 LX, I'd say definitely buy one, as the 2000 and some 2001's have had tranny failures, most at under 100K mi due to a defective part. FWIW, I have the platinum CPO warranty, 5 yr/100K for my '03. The CPO and extended warranties do NOT cover stuff like weather seals, mouldings, hinges, any glass or pieces that come connected to glass (like plastic tracks & mouldings that crack that are only sold w/ the window), any interior squeaks, rattles, etc. The only part that has "failed" is a moulding on the leading edge of the driver's side rear quarter window. That part is primarily cosmetic, but prone to crack and only sold as part of the window. Dealer wouldn't replace it under warranty, saying it's part of the window, and the warranty doesn't replace glass. I do recommend you get the lexus credit card. I got one when I bought my vehicle in Jan '06. You get 1.5% of any purchase to go towards any purchase at your dealer (or 5% if purchased at a lexus dealer), including service, parts, etc. So far, I have over $1K worth that I can spend on service, so it looks like my timing belt and water pump change at 90K a couple years down the road will be free.

I think you have a bad set on contacts on your starter, you can pick them up for less than 30.00 at you friendly toyota dealer (same as land cruiser) taking the starter out is about a 3-4 hr job complete and i would suggest any competent mechanic can do, it if not yourself. There are plenty of instructions with pictures on the internet. 1k is absolutely ridiculous. You can get a brand new OEM starter from toyota-parts.com for around $200. Since the starter is under the intake manifold, you want to make sure it works before you button up the engine since it's a fair amount of work to remove all the hoses, manifold, and the hard-to-access starter mounting bolts. If it were me, I'd buy a new starter plus replacement starter contacts & plunger, swap in the new starter, then replace the contacts/plunger on the old starter at my leisure and bench test it. This way, if the contacts go again, I have a fresh starter to swap in.

I suspect the battery. First check and see if the terminals are clean and tight. Can you start it up with a jump? If it fails to jump off a good battery, it could be starter contacts (if the starter just clicks and nothing else happens, but dash lights turn on).

There is no substitute for the Toyota brand AHC suspension fluid. Anything else will destroy the accumulator globes ($2500+ replacement). Tell toyota you have a 2006 Landcruiser w/ the AHC suspension and need the fluid. They should be able to look up the P/N.

The a/c really just turns off? Maybe the compressor is just resting? Does the light stay on even though you claim that the a/c system turns off? By the AC shutting off, do you mean the air turns warm and stays like that? The AC compressor shoudn't just turn off and stay off. My LX's AC has no issues, and it was 113F in Phoenix last weekend. The compressor will go on & off in effort to control the interior temp if in recirc mode, depending on the temp you set. In fresh mode, it pretty much stays on all the time if the outside air is hot. Don't expect the AC to blow icy cold when it's 100F outside. The cooling abilty is related to the air temp. When it's hot outside (over 100F), it might cool to only 80F, but when it's 80F, it might cool to 60F, etc. The old R12 ozone-depleting refrigerant on my '86 Toyota cools better in 100+F temps than the newer R134a (no surprise). On my '86 4Runner, I once had an issue of a defective AC amplifier. The AC would intermittently work, sometimes on (usually when you don't need it), sometimes off. I had the amp replaced (on a little circuit board), which fixed the problem.

My '03 has the holes in the bumper for the bolt-on hitch mount, but came w/ a full towbar bolted to the bottom side of the crossmember. I've since replaced that with a fully integrated steel tow bumper. If you are interested in the towbar, PM me. It's just taking up space in my garage. It's made by Drawtite (same towbar for the '98-05 landcruiser/LX470).

I suspect worn starter contacts.

No warning sticker on my '03. You just have to know what it is and what fluid to use. You use a screwdriver to remove the cap (stick it in one of the vertical slots). Thanks for the response. I have been in the middle of a nightmare with my dealer. Since a 60 k service I have been having nothing but trouble with the height system (accumulators). They have informed me that the system is contaminated and deny any wrongdoing. Last trip in they returned the car with no cap and the strainer to that tank missing. it is criminal what they have put me through. I had to buy a new cap and found that the replacement cap has a warning on it advising you to see the owners manual. I would presume that the tank has been mistaken for soe other fluid. I contacted Lexus alsomost 30 days ago, they have taken samples and are awaiting the results. Unfortunatly for me, I trusted the dealer, they tap danced untill some credit monies I had were used and I was out of Warrenty. It woudl be greatly appreciated, If anyone else can also look at their truck and let me know if their is a warning sticker on this cap. I stand corrected. I was just replacing the fluid in the PS resevoir and noticed a red and white circular sticker in the center of the AHC resevoir cap, says 'use suspension fluid only' and 'see the owners manual'. It doesn't say to use "Toyota" brand suspension fluid or what will happend if you don't.

No warning sticker on my '03. You just have to know what it is and what fluid to use. You use a screwdriver to remove the cap (stick it in one of the vertical slots).