artbuc

GRRR.. i guess the problem is that we just don't know. :(

At those prices... i'd may as well just keep my transmission the way it is and pray for no failure.

Hopefully if it ever does decide to fail, Lexus will help with the bill, maybe offer something from their "good will" charity based on the fact that the car's been babied and i had the fluid flushed by toyota (kept the paperwork ;) ). although, i highly doubt it based on all of your stories :(

Just be aware that Lexus cost minus Lexus goodwill equals the cost at a reputable transmission shop. And Lexus rebuilds do not have that good of a track record. After going through all this with both Lexus and Toyota I ended up using a local shop.

My experiences with both Toyota and Lexus dealerships have been consistently terrible. I have only used them for warranty work but they screwed up everything they did. Some things I fixed myself, some things I took back and they fixed, some things I had to take back two times and one thing I had to take back three times (leaking rear CV boot covers on the RX). I've posted a couple examples over the years and have several more. Hopefully my experiences have been atypical but they do cover two separate Lexus dealerships and one Toyota dealership, so draw your own conclusions.

Good afternoon everyone, I just want to share some interesting information about the failures with the planetary gears. I stopped by an independent that I knew about 10 years ago and asked what his price was for rebuild and also what exactly fails. Being the very nice man he was he explained and showed an example of the failure. Apparently the original planetary gear had four gears mounted in an aluminum carrier... Who knows, heat, wear whatever the carrier fails and allows the gears to tilt, and then your tranny is toast.. The new replacement planetary gears are mounted in a steel carrier, with 6 gears instead of the original 4....very interesting.... and much stronger....see attached pictures of a failed 4 gear planetary gear....from a 140e tranny... this shows the theory of bad design issue, and what was done to make it stronger...Now the question is was this ever put in production or only on rebuilds...?????

So, will frequent ATF changes do anything to prevent planetary gear failures? Also, did your resource say that there were other types of failure? This is the closest thing to a "smoking gun" I have seen.

All vehicles' window glass channels need to be lubricated periodically in order to keep them functioning properly, particularly on vehicles that live outside year-round. As pointed out above, if you don't do this periodically you'll eventually lose a window motor or a window regulator as a result of your glass binding in its channel and exerting too much pressure on the components responsible for moving it up and down. Neither one is a cheap or quick repair in most vehicles....

You can certainly use a silicone spray like WD-40, but it tends to evaporate rather quickly meaning you'll need to do this job more often. For decades I've preferred to use a silicone-based lubricating compound called Sil-Glyde. It comes in a 1.5-ounce tube and can be squeezed into the channels then distributed using a toothpick or piece of small-gauge wire. Then, rolling your window up and down will distribute the product all along the channels. Unlike WD-40 or any other spray in a can, Sil-Glyde stays where you put it because it isn't a liquid that runs down inside your doors just following the laws of gravity. A little goes a long, long way and it does not evaporate like WD-40 will. I've had my current tube for at least 10 years, maybe more. The product is not just for cars - it is also sold to lubricate the channels in your home's windows. I also put a dab of it in my garage door opener channels once a year or so to keep it functioning smoothly. Normal operation of your garage door distributes the Sil-Glyde exactly where it needs to be....

You can find Sil-Glyde and products similar to it in auto parts stores, big box home improvement stores, hardware stores, etc. I find that as long as I use it very sparingly in our vehicles' window channels every couple of years, all windows in all of our vehicles continue to operate smoothly and with no binding whatsoever. We live in a "moderate" climate here in central North Carolina - those of you way down south or way up north may need to use the product on a more frequent basis than I do....

Ditto on the Sil-Glyde! RX, I assume you have to remove the door panel to lude the window tracks?

smooth 1 wrote:

"I've actually run into this before with some customers that came in who had done some header and exhaust work and went to an 02 sim. Later they went back to stock and just spliced in the 02 sensors and kept throwing cels afterwards. I just replaced the 02's and the wire harnesses and everything was roses. So I'm sure there may be a window of acceptability for the 02, and there is even a good chance that the splice may fall right back into that, but that would just be a guessing game there."

Gotcha...thanks for the info.

I disconnected the o2 sensor on the manifold behind the radiator...was that the right one? It seems like itmay run a litle better but not a lot. CEL still flashing,rough idle and shakes under load around 2200 rpm in OD

Mike, if you're refering to P1130 bank 1 sensor 1 is the sensor in the rear manifold, at the firewall. The front 1 that you disconnected is refereed to as bank 2 sensor 1.

HMM...I was wondering that. It's funny because while it isn't running perfect it DOES run a little better. I'm getting an extra 1 MPG I think.

I'll try disconnecting the other one too and see what happens. Is that one really hard to get to?

Is it possible BOTH sensors failed near the same time?

Mike, that is always a possibility. There is a way to test the A/F ratio sensors. Unfortunately the rear sensor plug is difficult to get released because of where it is. I actually think it's worse to disconnect it than it is to remove it. It's up behind the engine and you pretty much have to do it from underneath. The problem is it takes 2 hands to hold the plug and release it and it's virtually impossible to get 2 hands up there. Now if you had the intake manifold off, that would definitely be the time to change the plugs, A/F sensor and a few other things that are BURIED back there.

If/when my O2 sensor fails, I plan on cutting/splicing the wires instead of removing the seat to get to the connector.

I would really advise against doing it this way. The wires and the sensor are matched to carry the correct ohms and impedence. Cutting and splicing can change the impedence of the wire. You may start throwing cels later just because of the splice.

Good point. Does make me wonder about the two A/F sensors. Bank 1 and Bank 2 originally had different wiring harness lengths and, up until the last 6 months or so, there were two different replacement A/F sensors to match factory installed. Now, there is only one replacement A/F sensor with a common wiring harness length. Sort of suggests resistance of the wire itself is not important.

I disconnected the o2 sensor on the manifold behind the radiator...was that the right one? It seems like itmay run a litle better but not a lot. CEL still flashing,rough idle and shakes under load around 2200 rpm in OD

Mike, if you're refering to P1130 bank 1 sensor 1 is the sensor in the rear manifold, at the firewall. The front 1 that you disconnected is refereed to as bank 2 sensor 1.

HMM...I was wondering that. It's funny because while it isn't running perfect it DOES run a little better. I'm getting an extra 1 MPG I think.

I'll try disconnecting the other one too and see what happens. Is that one really hard to get to?

Is it possible BOTH sensors failed near the same time?

Mike, that is always a possibility. There is a way to test the A/F ratio sensors. Unfortunately the rear sensor plug is difficult to get released because of where it is. I actually think it's worse to disconnect it than it is to remove it. It's up behind the engine and you pretty much have to do it from underneath. The problem is it takes 2 hands to hold the plug and release it and it's virtually impossible to get 2 hands up there. Now if you had the intake manifold off, that would definitely be the time to change the plugs, A/F sensor and a few other things that are BURIED back there.

If/when my O2 sensor fails, I plan on cutting/splicing the wires instead of removing the seat to get to the connector.

Does it really lead to leakage?( 2004, 67000miles) What the real difference between dino oil and synthetic? Is that changing with dino oil every 3000 miles equal to with synthetic every 5000 miles?

Basically, the real difference is that synthetic is a more durable and slippery lubricant. Dino oil is not=to synthetic at any mileage interval, they are different products that are used to perform the same function.

Your question should be, Will Dino be as effective in lubricating your engine and if so, when do you need to change it? Yes it will be effective, and any SAE oil changed at 3000 miles (or even 6,000 miles) will be effective.

Consumer reports did a study on motor oil and they found that any SAE oil will not break down before 3,000 miles. Consumer Reports ran oil in similar cars and changed the oil in one group at 3k and 6k in the other group. Both sets of engines were torn down and no appreciable difference in wear was noted at all!

Actually you are probably even safe at 7,500 mile intervals. The oil companies are the ones that pushed 3,000 miles to the point that everyone seems to be snowballed into believing the propaganda. If you look at old automobile manuals, you will find that almost all manufacturers used to recommend 7,500 miles as the change interval.

Link to the report

http://www.moneybluebook.com/articles/cons...s.oilchange.php

And as all research, there are those that say the testing was invalid / flawed etc, etc.

The bottom line, change your oil regularly and consistently, and your engine will die from something else.

Great link. I do have a couple comments. First, I have read (somewhere way back) that mostly all engine wear occurs during the first few seconds after an engine is started so I wonder how valid the NYC taxi test is. Also, my brother-in-law is a master mechanic who owns his own shop. He has been tearing down and rebuilding engines for over 40 years. He says you don't start seeing the benefits of good oil change maintenance for at least 150k miles. IOW, engines with 60k miles will look pretty much the same whether they have had 3k changes with deluxe oil or 6k changes with cheap oil. So, he isn't surprised by the NYC taxi results and doesn't think they necessarily mean anything.

Yes you can definitely switch (and should). Mobil 1 is a fine oil and will serve you well, much better than dino. If you can find the German Castrol, its a great oil as well. For accuracy sake the 0-30 Mobil is also a PAO (polyalfaolefine) group IV just like the Castrol however the 5-30 has been changed to group III, which means it does have some mineral oil as a base but doesnt put it in the same class as common Dino oil. If you're really interested in the oil issue get onto the BITOG (bob is the oil guy) site , the issue is beaten to death there. Mobil 1 , Amsoil, Castrol Syntec, Pennzoil Platinum. All are great synthetic oils. Change em every 4-5k miles and you'll be fine.

My wife's RX now has 92k miles and has had oil/oil filter change every 3k (or 3 months) with Castrol dino 5-30W oil. Removed valve cover and engine is clean as a whistle. Why should I change to synthetic at this point? I'm not arguing against synthethic, just don't see any reason to make the change.

I have a 1999 RX300 with 166K miles (second owner). My CE light came on and I just took it to my local mechanic to read the codes. It came out with P0125, P1153 and P1155. I have been reading an excellent previous thread on this site and decided to post. Some of the feedback on the P0125 code implied that the problem could be related to the thermostat sticking. P1153 and P1155 seem to relate to air/fuel (A/F) sensors - although 2 diferent sensors. The car is running fine. I recently had one of the A/F sensors replaced (the one on the manifold by the Trans Fluid dipstick). I also recently had the MAF sensor replaced and I removed the MAF sensor and it was not dirty. My gut feeling is that it is likely the other A/F sensor on the back side of the engine by the firewall. But the fact that the P1153 and P1155 codes relate to different sensors has me worried.

Thanks for any help....Joel

Pretty common to get 0125 along with the A/F codes. I know it happened to me.

My '99 RX300 has been a wonderful car, drives well, handles well, had been dependable. Somehow turning 10 a couple weeks ago has been a curse. As I've sunk about $2000 into it in December I wonder if this is the end of the line. Changed brakes, struts, front marker light, had belts and fluids replaced--then the cabin leaked water! Had the leak fixed, but the frozen water is affecting the radio. It is now occupying one of my garages and my 2008 IS is parked on the driveway. Now the check engine light came on. The car has about 91,000 miles. Opinions? Lexus replaced the transmission already.

This is mostly routine maintenance. Doesn't say anything (at least not to me) about the longevity of the car.

I just bought toyo versado lx after 42000 miles on oem michelins. they seem just as quite, ride as smooth, and handle snow just as well. granted I'm comparing new to my memory of what the oem's were like, but so far they are just as good as the energy mxv4 s8's and a heck of a lot cheeper ($125.00/tire + install in a chicago suburb) If you realy want the alenza's check out "firestonecarecare.com" same stores as retail but much cheeper??? if you buy over the internet.

Actually, my Alenza's were much cheaper at the Firestone dealer. Call around. Bridgestone dictates what the tires will cost, but individual dealers can offer free mounting, balancing, stems and disposal. I called 4 Firestone dealers and found one who had the free installation package. Then I got a Firestone credit card which gave me another 10% off plus interest free for 90 days. Getting the card dings your credit score a little but not enought to worry about.

Usually I buy from Tirerack and have a local garage install. Buying from the Firestone store saved me around $100.

We have some pretty harsh winters here in Utah between Skiing in Park City or Ice fishing in high Uintah Mountains the Goodyear forenza triple tred's are some pretty good tires. I used them for about 50k miles with no worries. I recently switch over to the Firestone Winterforce tires not a big fan of any of the stone brands but got a really great deal on them 50 bucks a tires including mounting and balancing. So far so good got caught in a storm over parleys canyon no trouble no slipping around the turns and no fish tailing lane when changing in the deep snow.

Just put on Alenza's a few weeks ago. Like them very much. Before I had the Dueler H/L's which I believe were pretty close to the Alenza'a. Actually, I think the Alenza's replaced the H/L's. Got 50k on the H/L's...very nice tires.

Welcome!

You'll find all the info you seek by doing a few searches in this forum but I'll be happy to summarize my opinions on the subjects you mention. The spark plugs don't need changing very often, but if they're original in the 00 you're working on then they might.

As you've probably assessed yourself, the front three are fairly easy while the back three are best accessed by hiring a contortionist. Seriously though, they can be done but it takes patience and several socket extensions and universal joints (for the extensions).

As for oil, there are a number of choices but whatever you do definitely go full synthetic. The 00 has a sludge prone engine and the best way to avoid it is to use full-syn and do regular changes. I change mine every 4k miles and use Mobil 1 with a Mobil 1 filter. Amsoil is probably the best oil but its hard (for me) to find other than online and is more expensive. Some folks Like Pennzoil platinum as well as or the european made Castrol Syntec (also hard to find). I find mine takes about 4.25-4.5 qts.

Mine takes 5 1/2 quarts to bring level to the top line on the dipstick. 5 quarts brings it to mid-range between the two marks. This with a new filter, of course.

PK 3 wrote:

"BTW: Tire shops and oil change outfits are notorious for selling a bill of goods. Out here a couple of big chains are practically in receivership do to class action."

Excellent point PK. I just went to a Firestone dealer to get my new Bridgestone H/L Alenza's (much better deal than Tirerack). First they tried to sell me a wheel alignment. Later they came out and said my car needed a "fuel sysytem" service because it had more than 90k miles. Finally, without my knowledge, they inspected the air filter and came out and told me I had a dirty air filter which should be changed because it was hurting my mileage. I stayed polite on this one, but I told them I did not appreciate them doing anything to my car without my permission and I asked them what else they had "inspected". They assured me they had not done anything other then inspect the fluid levels. I won't go back there again.

PS They told me they used a torgue wrench on the lug nuts. Actually I think they used 3 torque wrenches - one set at 65 lbs, one set at 90 lbs and one set at 120 lbs.

for all those who are deeply confused i have figured out our problem

well my problem and maybe yours is, we get the door off and then we think, what do we do now?

well the solution is we dont know what to do because a plasic cover is over the old actuator

so what u need to do, is remove a bunch of screws to remove the old actuator far enough to get a look

anyone know what screws to remove?

I know that their are 3 torx screws on the side of the door that hold the lock mechnism in place.

and a plastic thing that u need to pop in and push out, what else?

Yep, I have the same problem, I was able to remove three torx screws and one screw inside, still doesn't have enough slack to take a good look and connect the rod, now I must warn everyone, after messing with all this (without any luck) I guess I messed up the setup now sometime my door doesn't close right and inside manual lock is little hard to lock/unlock. Still looking forward to do it, If I get clear instruction..

Please look at post #7 on the thread I started on 8/21/08 entitled Drivers Door Actuator Replacement. I had the same problem you are having and that post describes in detail what has to be removed in order to manipulate the existing actuator.

Well unless I am not looking at the right thread, post #7 , doesn't have the information you mention, can you be kind and post it again, so we can see.

PS. I love the global nature of the Lexus forums. Isn't it amazing that 3 people (doc2b07, abo and saikaiting) located in Houston, IL and Germany are posting the exact same questions using the exact same pics? Hopefully this post will help all 3 of you at the exact same time.

Thanks 58. Yes, you have to remove 3 torx screws holding the latch in the jamb, another torx screw on the inside panel, a bolt holding the actuator, a bolt holding the window track and a plastic barb. I also removed the exterior door handle so I could disconnect the two connecting rods (one for door key cylinder and the other for the door). Also I removed the bolt holding the inside door latch to create slack on the two wire cables. Finally I disconnected the two wiring harness connectors. This was the only way I could move the actuator around enough to see what I was doing.

artbuc,

You are describing RX300 fix. Running Ox has a RX330 with the common "drive by wire" hesitation problem.

Running Ox,

There is a lot of discussion of this problem on the forum. Use the search function to search on "hesitation" for some explanation. Here is one such discussion:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...p;hl=hesitation

Oops, sorry about that.

Is there anyone suffer from the very soft throttle pedal? when stepping on it takes about a 1/4 of a second before the engine responds. It becomes very annoying in traffic. Anyway to fix the problem? (2004 RX330. mileage 65000)

The RX is known for this lag and most say it is due to the transmission which may be true. However, I eliminated the problem on my car by removing the slack in the throttle cable which connects the gas pedal to the throttle body. It is a very simple thing to do. I was concerned about taking out the slack because I assumed Toyota put it there for a reason. However, I did the adjustment a couple years ago and haven't had any problems. It made a huge difference!

Did you do that by yourself or a repair shop? I am still not very clear for the "slack" you are talking about. If you could up some pics that would be awesome.

If you look at the throttle body you will see where the steel throttle cable is connected to the throttle. You can put your hand on it and manually open/close the throttle. On my car, you could open the throttle a little before it started pulling the cable. There are adjusting nuts on the cable which allow you to remove this slack. When you do that, the throttle cable begins to move as soon as you start to open the throttle. That translates to the throttle starting to open as soon as you push down on the gas pedal. Anyone can do this if they have just a little auto DIY experience.

Is there anyone suffer from the very soft throttle pedal? when stepping on it takes about a 1/4 of a second before the engine responds. It becomes very annoying in traffic. Anyway to fix the problem? (2004 RX330. mileage 65000)

The RX is known for this lag and most say it is due to the transmission which may be true. However, I eliminated the problem on my car by removing the slack in the throttle cable which connects the gas pedal to the throttle body. It is a very simple thing to do. I was concerned about taking out the slack because I assumed Toyota put it there for a reason. However, I did the adjustment a couple years ago and haven't had any problems. It made a huge difference!

i took the pic from the other forum, its exactly the same problem im having, i just need to know how to take that plastic cover off,

or how to remove that actuator. so ican get a better look

The plastic cover does not come off. It is part of the actuator. You have to remove everything I mentioned in my #7 post (referenced above). Then you can pull the actuator out enough to see and work on it. Now, it you are going to replace the motor instead of connecting a new actuator, then you will have to split the plastic casing apart. Code 58 has already covered this here and on the ClubLexus forum. I was just as perplexed as you when I did this job until I realized you must remove everything which holds the actuator in postion so you can manipulate it.

for all those who are deeply confused i have figured out our problem

well my problem and maybe yours is, we get the door off and then we think, what do we do now?

well the solution is we dont know what to do because a plasic cover is over the old actuator

so what u need to do, is remove a bunch of screws to remove the old actuator far enough to get a look

anyone know what screws to remove?

I know that their are 3 torx screws on the side of the door that hold the lock mechnism in place.

and a plastic thing that u need to pop in and push out, what else?

Yep, I have the same problem, I was able to remove three torx screws and one screw inside, still doesn't have enough slack to take a good look and connect the rod, now I must warn everyone, after messing with all this (without any luck) I guess I messed up the setup now sometime my door doesn't close right and inside manual lock is little hard to lock/unlock. Still looking forward to do it, If I get clear instruction..

Please look at post #7 on the thread I started on 8/21/08 entitled Drivers Door Actuator Replacement. I had the same problem you are having and that post describes in detail what has to be removed in order to manipulate the existing actuator.

PS. I love the global nature of the Lexus forums. Isn't it amazing that 3 people (doc2b07, abo and saikaiting) located in Houston, IL and Germany are posting the exact same questions using the exact same pics? Hopefully this post will help all 3 of you at the exact same time.

Engine light came on over a month ago, car ran fine & I FINALLY got it into Autozone to hook up the car to the computer thing and it reads "engine lean" or something to that effect. AutoZone suggests replacing the O2 sensor. I have not done so yet. My husband cleaned off my battery which was extremely corrosive and in the process reset the check engine light so it was turned off.

I went to Brakes Plus today thinking I'll just have the damn O2 sensor replaced and see if that takes care of my "lack of mpg" problem. My mpg has gone from about 18 mpg in town to about 15 mpg in town. Well, Brakes Plus hooks up the computer thingee and it says "lean" but they say it's not the O2 sensor that needs to be replaced that it is time for the timing belt and water pump to be replaced, and that COULD be one of the issues, or the spark plugs or the manitake infold ??

Well...so what the hell is it? They suggest starting with the spark plugs first, however, they say it's a 3-4 hour job to change them out and I'm looking at at least 300$! To change my spark plugs? I'm going to see if my husband can do it since he has the tools.

Anyways, here are the major points of issues I'm having:

My gas mileage has gone down

Going up hills my car is pulling to get up and some belt or something is making a noise (not a squeaky noise) but I can really hear something "turning" in the engine.

Battery was extremely corrosive.

Has anybody else had issues like this? What is it? What are your suggestions on where to start? I still plan on bringing it into the dealer (Toyota) and to a reputible local business who works on foreign cars to get their input. Prices and suggestions vary so widely it's hard to know who to believe.

I've had this car for 3 years and it is unknown what the previous owner had done as he did not put any records in the car. I have 130K on the mileage. Great running car, no problems up until now.

Kim

Disconnect the battery for 15 minutes to reset your computer. Drive until your CEL comes on. Go to Autozone and have them read the code(s) but make sure you get the actual numerical code(s). Come back and tell us what they are and we will tell you what they mean.

Don't let people start guessing and replacing parts...it will cost you a fortune and likely not solve your problem.

what does linkage mean? what do u mean head? is the head the part that is springy and u can pull up and down that has that white thing with the hole in it?

thanks in advance i appreciate u taking ur time to help.

Linkage is the "silver rod" which came with the new actuator. It will link the new actuator to the old actuator. I assume it is about 300 mm long with a right angle (90 degree) bend. After the bend it is about 25mm long. At the end of the 25mm length it terminates with an enlarged head. This head is too big to push through the hole in the old actuator lever hole so it must be ground or filed down. You could enlarge the hole in the old actuator lever but it is plastic and enlarging the hole would make it too weak.

This is the explantion of linkage I sent you on Nov 6th. I don't know how to explain it more than this.

Ok, I tried this weekend with the help of my neighbour (he is pretty goo din mechnical work) but no luck, first of all we didn't find any existing hole in the manual lever where I can fit the new linkage, secondly the existing rod is thin and round, there is no way one can drill a whole in it, at least the size we need to pass through the new actuator rod, I guess my setup is different, so I end up putting the door panel back, any ideas....

Are you working on the front door of a 99 RX300? If yes, look at the pics in the 4th post of this thread. One of the 3 pics shows where the rod (or linkage) goes thru the hole in the manual lever. You can enlarge the pic and see it quite well.

The 1st post of this thread talks about the rear door which doesn't have the hole. In this case you have to do something different which Indiana describes. I have not done a rear door so I can't help you.

im asking for a few minutes just to explain everything in everyday people lingo like instead of linkage use words like silver rod, is it that hard.

please man!!

please re read this artbuc u douchebag i am not asking for linkage explanation u *BLEEP*tard

You are welcome. I also appreciate the vulgar PM you sent me.

If you read my posts you will see I have made a fairly significant effort to help you. You say you are a 24 yr old law student with an above average IQ. Maybe someday you will have above average manners and maturity.

what does linkage mean? what do u mean head? is the head the part that is springy and u can pull up and down that has that white thing with the hole in it?

thanks in advance i appreciate u taking ur time to help.

Linkage is the "silver rod" which came with the new actuator. It will link the new actuator to the old actuator. I assume it is about 300 mm long with a right angle (90 degree) bend. After the bend it is about 25mm long. At the end of the 25mm length it terminates with an enlarged head. This head is too big to push through the hole in the old actuator lever hole so it must be ground or filed down. You could enlarge the hole in the old actuator lever but it is plastic and enlarging the hole would make it too weak.

This is the explantion of linkage I sent you on Nov 6th. I don't know how to explain it more than this.

someone help me

Please don't take this the wrong way because I am only wishing you the best. If you need more help than has already been given I think you should take your car to a Lexus dealer or recommended indie shop and pay someone to fix your actuator.