MotoMac

My 04 RX330 doesn't have the mirror problem, but it's always been in hot dry climates. The dash, however, has three cracks on the passenger side, each about 1.5 inches long. I took the car into the dealer today for the 90K service (holy crap that's expensive!!!) and they agreed that my dash would be covered. They took photos and will order the parts.

I'll definitely use OEM parts. Thanks much for the tip on the manufacturer info.

I definitely wasn't going to the Lexus dealer. The Toyota dealer and the independent are very close in price, but the dealer screwed me on a new Tundra I bought last year. Looks like the independent is getting my business.

Man, I want to go to your dealer. I called the Toyota dealer and he quoted $911 for the timing belt change only. I called the Lexu$ dealer who quote "around $1100", which, from previous dealings, means about $1500. I guess we're a captive audience here in Boise because the next closest dealer is in Salt Lake City, Utah.....350 miles away. The Lexu$ dealership here is also a dump....I've been in used car lots that have nicer waiting areas for customers. There's a machine where you can buy coffee (nasty stuff) or snacks (machine takes money, often gives nothing). There probably a reason I see so few Lexus cars around here.

The WeatherTech mats also fit the 2004 RX330 perfectly. We have them in the front only since it's rare to have anyone in the back seat. This is our third season with them and they're still going strong. They can be a little difficult to clean, but I've found that soaking them with 409 or similar household cleaners and then a good washdown with a pressure washer works great. Sometimes it takes two washings, depending on how bad the winter was.

So, the dealer replaced the battery and then said you had to use a trickle charger from then on? That's just plain wrong and you might want to contact the U.S. headquarters for Lexus and see what they have to say. Meanwhile, you should make sure both battery terminals are clean and tight. Clean away any corrosion on the terminals or the connectors. If they are okay, trace the negative cable (the black one) from the battery to where it bolts to the chassis. unbolt it and make sure there is no rust or other corrossion on that connection. Check the area around the hole where the grounding bolt attached, check the washer, and check the bolt. All should be nice and clean, and bolted tightly to the chassis. If that doesn't cure it, you may have something as simple as a light staying on when the car is off. An example is the glove box light and the under-hood light. Bulbs this small draw very little power from the battery, but can drag the battery down if they're on overnight. There are probably several other small lights that could be staying on. Park the car in a very dark place and look for any lights that may be on. The first two I mentioned above are the most common culprits. Do you have anything plugged into the front or rear power outlet (what used to be the cigarette lighter)? An iPod or cellphone or GPS and any other thing might also be using power when the car is off. Have you installed (or had installed) any aftermarket items like a different stereo or something similar. It could have been wired to an "always on" terminal in the fuse box and drawing power all the time. Little problems like this can be frustrating. Good hunting for whatever is draining your battery.

I did see that thread, but it seemed to only cover up through the 03 model, and my understanding is that the 04 model had a different transmission. I have been paying a lot closer attention to my driving and how the transmssion reacts. My last car, a Honda CR-V, had an absolute horrible transmission. It was supposed to automatically adapt to the driver's style, but in reality it only adapted to some vague idea of shifting whenever it felt like it. One of the thing I used to do was to lift off the accelerator slightly to let it shift, which really seemed to help make the ride less jerky. I have found myself doing that to the RX without even thinking about it, and it really seems to confuse the transmission. Since the Lexus has such a sweet and fairly high-revving engine compared to the agricultural lump in the Honda, my lifting off to help it shift is definitely not where it is programmed to shift. I've been trying to practice not lifting slightly for shifts and just let the car do what it wants, and that has improved things quite a bit. Even my wife noticed that it was smoother, so that really means it has helped. I don't think this is a cure for the problem, but really does lessen the hunting and delays I had been experiencing, but every little bit helps. Grouch... I agree with you! After trying all sorts of things, including driving "softer" or "helping" it shift, I finally gave up and started driving it harder....and that does help. I think this car actually likes to be driven slight more aggressively than one would normally. On top of that, it also seems that my mileage is improved a bit when driving a little harder. Strange....but more fun! Cheers, Mac

I couldn't care less if they're pretty...was just tired of constantly being told "your lights are on!" Finally went with the recommendations to leave them on, since obviously they get people's attention! Cheers, Mac

I bought a 2004 330 early last year and brought it with me overseas. The one-and-only dealer here doesn't want to discuss problems....they don't exist. Or, if I'm unhappy with the 330, he'll be happy to sell me a 350. Uh....no thanks. My car had 42,000mi on it when I bought it and has only 48,500 now, but the noise has been present all along. We need the a/c almost year round...especially now that the daily temps are in the mid-120s to low 130s every day. The a/c system doesn't seem to handle heat like that very well at all. It takes about 10-12 miles on the freeway before it finally gets the temperatures down.

Would you guys characterize the noise as a screech? My wife's 01 RX300 makes a very intermittent screech (when she tries to vocally copy the noise its more of a screech or loud squeal) it does it intermittenly when she starts it up after work out in the parking lot. It does it so rarely that I've never heard it. Does it seem like she has the same problem? A high-pitched squeal, intermittent or sustained, is normally a slipping belt. If she only hears it occasionally and only at start-up, then I would just about guarantee it is a slipping belt. It could be that the belt is loose, or one of the components driven by the belt may be hard to turn over initially, thus causing the noise. Dampness seems to bring on the squealing also. The a/c noise everyone is hearing is more of a low moan, not very loud, and happens at low engine revs.

Grumpa- If you can put that stick back in and wait 5 seconds before you pull it out and read it, my hats off to you, your a better man than I am. I normally have to stab it about 3 or 4 times and look at both sides of the stick to feel that I have an accurate reading. It normally takes that many times because of all the splatter in the pan. Many times when you pull it out all you get is splatter running down the stick. I try to stab and pull as quickly as possibly to limit the splatter as much as possible. How about the rest of you guys that check your own trans. fluid? I'm willing to learn. I find that I have to read it on the first couple of stabs. After that, the dipstick drags enough ATF up onto the tube walls to make good reads impossible. As far as being 1/2 inch over full, I wouldn't worry about it. Both my RXs came from the factory that way. Even when I did my first drain and fill at 60K, I put back in exactly what I took out, so it stayed over full. Even had a flush done at one point at a Toyota dealer and they had it a little over full. Never had any problems. Finally on the last drain and fill I put a little less in to get it to the proper level. I have always heard that the transmission should be at full operating temperatures, driven so that it uses all gears, including reverse, engine idling, and then left in NEUTRAL, not Park. The reason for that is that Park aligns all the spool valves to allow the fluid to drain back into the pan. Leaving it in Neutral keeps all the lines charged. If you check the level with the trans in Neutral and then again when it is in Park (but wait a few minutes after it has been placed in Park), you should see a noticable difference. Are there any Toyota/Lexus technicians here who can give the official party line on checking trans fluid? Cheers,

I have a 2004 330 AWD with 49K miles and it's the 2nd best car I've ever owned....the first being a BMW 325i convertible that we had before the RX. I got the RX used, and it had a few problems that didn't show up right away. Now that those are fixed, about the only complaint I have is the air conditioning system seems to be unable to keep up with the heat here. I do suffer the transmission shifting problems that everyone else has, but can live with it....although I do wish it was at least consistent rather than coming and going like it does. Overall, it is quiet, roomy, smooth riding, powerful enough, and does everything it is supposed to do quite well.

I have 2004 RX-330 that I bought in the States and then took overseas when I was transferred to Kuwait. None of the Arabian-specification cars have Daylight Running Lights. Unfortunately, mine does and I am constantly having people yell at me or tap on the window at street corners to tell me my lights are on. The manual says that the dealer can turn them off. Had I known about the hassles, I would have had it done before I left the U.S. The dealer here does not know how to turn them off...probably because their cars don't use them. Does anyone know how the "turn-off" is done? Is it something the DIY can accomplish or do I just resign myself to all the yelling/tapping? Cheers, Mac

I did see that thread, but it seemed to only cover up through the 03 model, and my understanding is that the 04 model had a different transmission. I have been paying a lot closer attention to my driving and how the transmssion reacts. My last car, a Honda CR-V, had an absolute horrible transmission. It was supposed to automatically adapt to the driver's style, but in reality it only adapted to some vague idea of shifting whenever it felt like it. One of the thing I used to do was to lift off the accelerator slightly to let it shift, which really seemed to help make the ride less jerky. I have found myself doing that to the RX without even thinking about it, and it really seems to confuse the transmission. Since the Lexus has such a sweet and fairly high-revving engine compared to the agricultural lump in the Honda, my lifting off to help it shift is definitely not where it is programmed to shift. I've been trying to practice not lifting slightly for shifts and just let the car do what it wants, and that has improved things quite a bit. Even my wife noticed that it was smoother, so that really means it has helped. I don't think this is a cure for the problem, but really does lessen the hunting and delays I had been experiencing, but every little bit helps.

There is one Lexus dealer here, but I hear really bad things about them. That said, there are probably more Lexus' on the road than any other brand...other than perhap Toyota. I'll go talk to the service manager at the dealership, but am nervous about the fact that the cars sold here are not U.S. spec. I'm reluctant to get the CPU re-flashed because there might be some things that are different in the programming for U.S.-spec and other-spec cars. I know about the enrichment devices, but it does it even when the temps are over 90. When I bought it in WashDC last year, it didn't do it at all, even when the temp went down into the 50's overnight. Guess I've got to bite the bullet and go see the dealer. There's no way I can go 2 years without any service other than what I do myself.