cyberflyer

My 2004 Rx330 heater will only blow warm air when outside temp is very cold regardless of temp set in dual hvac unit. What is the problem?

Is it safe to use CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor cleaner on 2004 RX330?

Lexus uses a Fuel/ Air ratio sensor not an o2 sensor. Get the sensor with the plug not splice type. In addition to the convenience only the correct plug will interface avoiding the mistake of puting an O2 sensor in a vehicle that requires Fuel/Air Ratio sensors.

I have a 93 es300. I need to replace the rear valve cover gasket.

Is this easy enough for the not so do it your selfer?

On my '98 Es300 I had a rear valve cover leaking. The leak stopped after I replaced the PCV valve. My guess is that a lot of gasket leaks are caused by improper crankcase ventilation. Replacing the PCV valve is not expensive and could solve a lot of problems.

This is what it says in my '07 ES350 Owners Manual, and also for the '06 GS300's. I don't know what it says for all other Lexus models though.

I have a '98 ES and have used 87 octane since new with no problems. Additives can cause premature sensor problems. The only additive I use is 1 QT of Marvel Mystery Oil with every other oiul change. I have 140K miles and experience no oil usage.

you have 3 sensors 2 on the engine are the same the one after is slightly different.

You may have had one changed before and they may have cut and spliced a new harness on.

yeah I did take out the one after the engine, so how do I know which sensor is bad in the first place?

Most times they are not bad, but slow. You can test (while on car) on fast they can change volts. Don't feel bad in 4 years I have yet to find a rad car (from the dealer) that fits..

If the connector plug is different do not splice wires to install. Cars that meet CA specs do not use O2 sensors they use Air/fuel ratio sensors. They are located in same places and are same size but are very different .... do not interchange. Some after market sensors do not come with connectors and must be spliced .... I would not install sensor without connector.

I have a 1997 ES300 with the stock radio and cd changer. I've read all the other post about this topic, some say you can and some say you can't. Can anyone confirm that you can play burned cd-rw's in this model ES ? If so which software are you using and did you have to change any of the settings prior to writing to the cd-rw ?

Thanks

My '98 Es plays CD-Rs without problem. I use .WAV format from various write programs.

My check engine light came on yesterday and reading the codes revealed the following:

P0440 (EVAP Emission Control System Malfunction)

P0441 (EVAP Emission Control System Purge Flow Fault)

P0446 (EVAP Emission Control System Vent Circuit Malfunction)

Does anyone have any advice/thoughts on what this could be? The car runs fine, not noticeable issues/changes since the light came on. Thanks for any suggestions

Mark

Probably vacuum hose disconnected at air filter or defective charcoal cannister. Some models have warranty on cannister and related part to 10yrs 150K miles. Hope this helps.

How hard is it to replace the front O2 sensor? Which bank is #1?

depends on if it is sensor 1 or sensor 2.

Bank 1 is the bank of cylinders closest to the firewall.

Funny, this is the third time I have answered this question in two days.

Must be a rash of sensors going bad.

steviej

Turned out to be front Air/Fuel ratio sensor. I purchased for $174 at CarQuest and installed in 15 minutes.

Lexus charged me $225 for same sensor for bank1 and $210 for labor.

the traction control is dependent on the pressure modulation valve body and sensors at the wheels, I don't think the power booster is any different than that of the Camry, but I may be totally out in left field on this one.

steviej

The brake booster for Camry will not work as Camry does not offer traction control. There is definitly a difference between traction contrl and non traction control brake boosters. The non TC booster will lock the brakes on a traction control vehicle. The last five digits of TC booster is 33420 and non TC is 33430. I have solved my problem by replacing booster and had to do it twice before getting the right part. I bought the part used for $125 Lexus Stealer wanted $575. I had independent garage install for $120 Lexus wanted $300.

Hello, I got a check engine light on, the code I got was po0171, system too lean (fuel trim), now what does this code mean ? what do I need to get changed ? pls I appreciate any kind of help, I called the lexus dealer and they dont have appointments till two weeks from now. thanks.

Most probably bank 1 or 2 O2 sensor unless label under hood specifies california EPA compliance. If complies with CA standards the sensor is an air/fuel ratio sensor (same location as O2 sensors). I recomment getting parts from CarQuest and instaliing yourself or having independent garage install. You will save tons on part and labor. The CEL must be turned off be erasing code.

Hope this helps!

My '98 ES300 has a failed power brake booster. Is this a common problem? Lexus dealer quoted $575 for the part. Used part sells for $125. Neither sources had part in stock. Is ther a Lexus warranty on the part for high mileage 140k vehicles? I will be interested in any advice or sharing your experiences with this problem.

I have seen master cylinders fail but not power boosters.

Unless you have an extended warranty that covers 140k miles, then no Lexus warrantly is going to.

Have you tried new aftermarket parts (NAPA, Autozone, etc). I would assume it would be the same booster for a 98 Camry.

steviej

The Lexus has Traction Control which make a difference for brake booster. Camry does not offer Traction Control.

My '98 ES300 has a failed power brake booster. Is this a common problem? Lexus dealer quoted $575 for the part. Used part sells for $125. Neither sources had part in stock. Is ther a Lexus warranty on the part for high mileage 140k vehicles? I will be interested in any advice or sharing your experiences with this problem.

How hard is it to replace the front O2 sensor? Which bank is #1?

How do I check the vacuum assist for the brakes?

Start by bleeding the brakes with some new fluid.

In general, Napa (Carquest) Parts are higher quality than any other parts store. The ceveat is that most things are near OEM prices. (I.E. noticeably higher than other store chains).

Personally, I would check the vacuum assist & master cylinder if you swear there is no leak & no air in the system.

I don't know you, or how long you've driven that car (and Toyota's in general) but make sure it's not in your head also.

Non Toyota sports car brakes have built in exponential in their travel so "morons" can properly stop a car without giving people whiplash. If you apply the pedal quickly, it will be as stiff as any sport car. Don't like it, buy a car with brakes that are hard to use in day-to-day driving, and should be found on a Nissan.

To review. If the pedal is moving quickly, you will get stiff brakes. That does not mean slam the brakes, or shove the pedal through the firewall.

Just a side note I like to throw in when talking about low break pedals. 99% of the time, it's just someone that has 0 experiance in driving a proper brake setup for a road car!!!

My '98 ES300 brakes work but will bottom out when stopping if pedal is held. The brake fluid is slightly over full and there is no leak. I am considering replacing the master cylinder. I have prices from $67-150 for the master cylinder for car with traction control(Advance Auto & NAPA). Any suggestions or comments on quality from these two sources? Have I diagnosed the problem correctly?

I will appreciate any advice or suggestions.

The CEL on my '98 ES300 came on with a code PO171 ( System Too Lean Bank 1). The outside temp was in the 90's. I read the post about cleaning the MAF sensor with Q-tip and alcohol. Before I could do this the CEL light want off and has remained off. Is this unusual or did the hot intake air cause the problem. Do OBD codes reset themselves?

Any ideas?

Clean your IAC valve.

I have maintained my '8 ES300 as recommended and now have 140,000 miles on the vehicle.

Since reaching 110,000 miles the car has had numerous sensors fail, heater blower resistor fail, rotors replaced and now the brake system is not working properly ( pedal goes to bottom and looses braking effectiveness intermittantly). What do you guys think, am I getting behind the cost curveby keeping this car longer? What else should I expect to fail between now and 200,000 miles and at what cost?

I will appreciate honest ideas on this subject. I had planned to keep care 2 more years but am not sure.

'98 ES300. I have an A/C blower fan that does notwork when connected to power plug. The powere plug measures 10-13 volts and when removed the fan runs when connected to + - terminals on the battery. The console does not show any DTC trouble codes. When turned on the fan indicator shows fan speed is advancing to max. The system is an automatic system.

The nearest Lexus dealer is 100 miles away and they say problem is either Controller or head? Cost to repair was estimated at $250 to $850 for parts and ?250 labor. HELP :o

'98 ES300. I have an A/C blower fan that does notwork when connected to power plug. The powere plug measures 10-13 volts and when removed the fan runs when connected to + - terminals on the battery. The console does not show any DTC trouble codes. When turned on the fan indicator shows fan speed is advancing to max. The system is an automatic system.

The nearest Lexus dealer is 100 miles away and they say problem is either Controller or head? Cost to repair was estimated at $250 to $850 for parts and ?250 labor. HELP :o

Problem was resistor. Diagnosed and repaired by dealer for $325. The part is available for around $50. Dealer charged $114.98 and $191.16 labor plus 6.90 for shop supplies.

'98 ES300. I have an A/C blower fan that does notwork when connected to power plug. The powere plug measures 10-13 volts and when removed the fan runs when connected to + - terminals on the battery. The console does not show any DTC trouble codes. When turned on the fan indicator shows fan speed is advancing to max. The system is an automatic system.

The nearest Lexus dealer is 100 miles away and they say problem is either Controller or head? Cost to repair was estimated at $250 to $850 for parts and ?250 labor. HELP :o

Your internal temp sender may not be working.

Have you run the HVAC diagnostics in the general maintance section

yOU CAN REFER TO YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS TO PLACE THE UNIT IN AUTO MODE.

Be careful there is a big difference between an 02 sensor and a fuel/air ratio sensor ..... they are not interchangeable.