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"engine spins with no fuel...." Nor any oxygen, air, since the throttle is closed.

The service manager at Bellevue Lexus informed me recently that Lexus had come down on them rather hard for selling services that are not needed. To that end he said the new information is to inspect the transaxle fluid at each 15,000 miles interval and only change it out if it appeared necessary. I have owned too many cars with automatic transmissions, mostly Fords, that didn't require ATF service for over 100,000 miles to rethink that Lexus was wrong when there was no maintenance required for the life of the vehicle for my 2001 RX300. Obviously there is no harm, other than to your wallet or the increased opportunity, possibility, that a "gofer" will screw up, in changing the ATF every 15,000 miles but to make it required means something has gone wrong in the base design. Page 564 of the 2005 RX330 owners manual: "* Change automatic transmission fluid only as necessary. Generally, it is necessary to change automatic transmission fluid only if your vehicle is driven under one of the Special Operating Conditions listed in your owners manual..."

I purchased Fords for many years mostly because I knew them inside and out. IMMHO Lexus is the top of the heap and all marques have their problems. Plus I'm a quite throughly addicted shade-tree mechanic.

----- Original Message ----- To: <Customer_Satisfaction_Inquiries@lexus.com> Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 9:05 PM Subject: ATF > Dear Sirs, > > In the process of trying to decide whether or not to upgrade, trade my 2001 > AWD RX300, for/to the 2006 AWD RX330 I have recently purchased the RX330 > repair manuals and the 2005 RX330 owners manual. > > On page 83, right hand column, of the 2005 RX330 owners manual there is an > indication that the ATF in the transaxle of the AWD models of the 2005 RX330 > is subject to overheating. The statement clearly implies that continued > operation with overheated ATF may result in permanent damage to the > transaxle. > > Previously I have brought to your attention to the fact that the ATF in my > 2001 AWD RX330 appeared inordinately dark and smelled burnt at only 38,000 > miles. You advised me to check with the dealer for a solution and I was > advised by Bellevue Lexus to drain and replenish my ATF each 15,000 miles. > > My 2001 AWD RX300 came equipped with the towing package, extra ATF cooling heat exchanger in front of the right front wheel well, but I removed the > hitch the very week I purchased the vehicle, new, from Bellevue Lexus. In so far as scheduled maintenance is concerned until I was advised otherwise by > Bellevue Lexus I understood the ATF did not require any scheduled > maintenance for the life of the vehicle. > > At 45,000 miles the ATF was again dark and smelled burned so I changed it > out once again. About a week or so later I checked the ATF condition (slow > learner) and again found it dirty. I then inadvertently discovered that the > front & center differential case needed to be drained separately, resulting > in the need to refill with 5 qts of ATF instead of the four insisted upon by > Bellevue Lexus. > > Additionally I have noted on the internet that seemingly the RX300 > transaxles are subject to premature failures at 60,000 to 75,000 miles. > > And now I discover that the RX330 series, AWD models ONLY, are subject to > ATF overheating such that a sensor and warning indication is provided to > announce to the owner when and if the vehicle must be parked long enough for > the fluid to cool. > > Since my 2001 RX300 already has a thermistor within the transaxle sump pan > to measure ATF temperature should I consider adding an over-temp sensing > circuit and if so at what temperature, sensor output voltage, should the > warning alarm be set? Any AWD RX330 owners out there encountered this ATF overtemp warning and if so under what conditions?

Just how HOT must the catalist in the catalytic converter be in order to have the RX400h remain in the ultra low emissions class? Does it have to run the ICE fairly often in city use to keep the catalist "lit" off??

I never expect any vehicle to match the EPA numbers, but everything I have read about the Toyota hybrid system indicates that city MPG should be better than highway, yet.....

It appears that most RX400h owners posting information are reporting better highway MPG than city. Example, 28 hwy, 24 average. Many owners are seemingly struggling to find the "proper" way to drive the RX400h in order to get better fuel economy.... Puzzling, VERY! The Prius DEFINITELY has better city fuel economy than highway. I have NEVER heard anyone say that special driving techniques are needed for the Prius. Yet both the Prius and the RX400h use the very same Toyota hybrid design concept. What went wrong?

The manual indicates that using the SST the belt can be changed from the top. I suspect on could use a rachet and socket in place o fthe SST but with a few more busted knuckles. The SST appears to be a long thin flat metal with a socket welded to it. A thin breaker bar, if you will.

I think it means Special Service Tool. Non-standard, custom, unique to the job at hand, tool.

Right on! For the alternator belt it says to loosen the adjusting lock bolt, the adjusting bolt, and then remove the belt. The lock bolt and adjusting bolt are visible just under the alternator, toward the front of the vehicle. Surprisingly the power stearing pump drive belt removal is not all that complex, although it does indicate an SST is required. The bolt head to loosen the drive belt must be accessed via one of the holes, openings, in the power stearing drive pulley itself. The bolt to be loosened is under the power stearing pump drive pulley toward the crankshaft pulley. Good luck.

Shop manuals are at the office, haven't gotten there yet this AM. But most modern day tensioners are spring loaded and rarely need adjusting. More later...

Hmmm... 28MPG hwy... 24MPG....everyday use. You do recognize that to be backward from what Lexus has promised?

While, when, you are driving the car the engine cooling water jacket temperature is regulated "limited" to ~180F (no attempt to be precise here). Once you turn the engine off the ability to regulate the engine water jacket temperature is significantly reduced and oftentimes the temperature will rise temporarily almost to the point of boiling. It is at this time that the hoses, hose clamps are most likely to leak. So, you shut the car down at the end of the day, the water jacket temperature (and PRESSURE!) rises temporarily forcing a bit of coolant out, and now when you restart you must endure a few moments of odor. Ignore that dealer but fix the coolant leak before it gets worse.

Hot summer day..... During the summer months I remove the servo cable from the aforementioned hot water metering valve and tie it closed with a tie-wrap. Improves A/C efficiency immensely.

Will there be an LS350 eventually? My 92 LS only has 248HP each of which I am very happy about but a V6 powered LS in the same HP range would be my next choice.

Why not buy a laptop PC and add a gps/nav pcmcia module?

Given that you only have the smell for a few minutes after initial startup I rather doubt that it's the heater core. Look under the hood at the top center of the firewall and be sure the hot water valve isn't leaking slightly at one of the hose connections. That's a common failure point. When the car is just sitting there is no real pressure within the coolant system whereas when running and especially at high engine RPM the coolant is under pressure. So my guess is that when the car is sitting a slight leak allows the coolant to "pool" somewhere and once that pool has evaporated you don't have the smell.

I don't think freon has an odor, or at least not a noticeable one. If it is anti-freeze you can watch the reservoir level over a few day to see if it declines. The most likely cause is mold and mildew "dirty gym socks" odor. In that case search google for: Denso demist odor Or read: http://www.airsept.com/eed.html

Okay, which side is "right" and which side is "left"??

The RX300 owners manual does not require any ATF mainainance for the life of the vehicle. Lexus Corporate and Bellevue Lexus agrees but with the exception that one should check the ATF condition every 15,000 miles and react accordingly. I changed out my 2001 AWD RX300's ATF three times due to it appearing contaminated, dark appearing, and smelled burnt. First one was at 38k miles. Second time was at 45k miles. Third time was about a week later when I checked and discovered the ATF was again dirty and smelly. Turned out I had to drain the ATF from the diff'l, ~1qt, via a separate drain plug. The RX300 series has some sort of transaxle wear problem.

Picked up the RX330 shop/repair manuals today. $580.00 later... Four THICK volumes. The torque converter can or may be locked up in 3rd, 4th, or 5th gears, provided the throttle opening is only about 5%. I take this 5% to mean the vehicle is not accelerating. It will upshift from 4th to 5th if you transistion to closed throttle at speed. The only tests, verification, for engine compression braking is in 1st or 2nd. The lock up clutch is ALWAYS released with brake application. This last says if the brake switch is "on" (brake applied) along with the gas pedal being depressed the ECU will activate the MIL, Malfunction Indicator Light. Buried within each section of the documents is a note regarding how c-best options work and will affect the technicians testing. More to come.

Booyah: I never had any problem driving around in "feets" of snow in Alaska or Montana even with RWD only. It's the packed snow and/or ice that always caused me to install the tire chains. Now tell us how it did when the roads in Alaska are perfectly smooth, say in the early spring when the ice thaws during the day, fills all the potholes and then freezes overnight resulting in a perfectly smooth, but extremely slippery roadbed. Studs or chains? Personally I NEVER want to experience any FWD, or front torque biased AWD, in adverse roadbed conditions, way to hazardous for me and mine. Absent off-road, which I don't do, I'd op for RWD and a good set of snowchains anytime over any AWD, or 4X4 without them. Remember that DRIVING all four wheels gets you up and moving from a stop, and provides better overall traction for acceleration, but what have you done to help you stop or turn. If the traction surface is so marginal that you really need AWD or 4X4, remember that doesn't change the fact that you rely, really, on only the front wheels for turning and stopping. Adding engine drive traction, or even engine compression braking, to the front wheels will always reduce the level of traction available to maintain directional control of the vehicle.

I can only guess how it's done but my AWD RX300 registered 95/5 initially on a 4 wheel dyno. After we forced the rear wheels to lag the front via braking the rear dyno only it did go to 75/25. The change was obviously due to the viscous clutch in my 2001. The 2004 and later RX330s don't have a viscous clutch just a simple open diff'l in the center. The RX330 uses the braking to apportion engine torque should a driven wheel begin to slip. My guess is that Lexus and Toyota (HL) use the different final drive ratio in the front versus the rear to attain a higher level of engine torque in the front versus the rear. Additionally the RX, HL, and Sienna cannot have snowchains on the rear due to close suspension/tire sidewall clearance. While clearly acknowledging the hazardous nature of higher roadbed traction on the front vs the rear in their own owners manuals they then recommend snowchains be used ONLY on the front. My 2001 AWD Rx300 has 1.5" wheel spacers all around, 17X8 wheels and 235/65-17 Bridgestone Turanza EL30 summer tires. I choose the tires mostly for quiet running. My answer to winter conditions is to always keep snowchains (two sets) on board during the winter months and do not hesitate to use them.

No modern day vehicle has any learning ability regarding driver habits beyond the past three minutes or so. To do otherwise would subect the "next" driver to the "whems" of the first. According to the varous engineering "white papers" I have found published on the internet on this subject the various ECUs do lots of "learning" regarding controlling the various parameters involved in proper engine operation (how to keep the oxygen sensor "happy", etc.) gearbox ratios, etc. With regards to driving style the ECU determines your style "roughly" with about one minute of putting the vehicle in motion. Then within the next two minutes it refines the rough estimate of your driving style in into some more precise parameters. Thereafter it keeps a three minute running record of how you operate and interact with the vehicle and continually updates the adaptive parameters. Learn as you go, if you will. You change your drivering style (encountered a snowstorm??) and it follows along, adaptively. All driver learning parameters are discarded when the ignition is switched off.

No... Check the climate control airflow dash outlet to the left of the stearing wheel. If find that if it partially, almost closed there is a definite sound of airflow.