tjmc11

TIGHTEN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BOLTS AS WELL AS THE UNDER CARRIAGE BUSHING BOLTS. I had a noise as well which would not go away despite changing just about every part of my suspension and sterring assembly.......Make sure all bolts are VERY TIGHT on the control arms and cradle bushings.....

I changed my Timing belt at 180 K +/- (I can't quite remember). In respect to the rack, it is actually not that difficult ot replace. Two anchor bolts removed along with a line bracket and the hoses going in and out then pulled it out the side. Did have a lift, but could have done it with jack stands if needed. In respect to the syphoning of the fluid out, you can do that, but it is not always neccessary. Checking the condition of the fluid is the most important factor, and then letting that determine if you should change.

You can fluch the fluid. Mostly, the only reason to flush the system is if you have metal flakes in the fluid or you notice a dirty fluid. Take a light and shine it into the resovoir and look at the condition of the fluid. You can drain the fluid, but to completely drain the fluid, you would need to disconnect the lines which run into the rack along with the lins fromthe resovoir. I did not replace mine until 240K....yes 240K. When I replaced the rack. Just verify for yourself that the fluid is indeed in bad shape, then worry about the flush. Most mechanics have machines to flush the PS, and I do not know about the cost though, but 100 dollars seems a little high.

Eric, I hate to say it but that could be a number of things. I would check your blower fan....see if the smell does not accur if you start it up without the fan blower on (a/c and heater off completely). I would also be cautious of any electrical problems you may be having (could be wiring / electrical problem)??? Keep trouble shooting and I'm sure you will find the problem.

I have never beena fan of Volvos. They engineer things quite a bit different than most companies. They do have a sturdy frame and chassis, but I do not trust much of the engineering they do.....I have worked on many late models in the past, so they may have made improvements since? Wise thing to do is search Volvo forums and look for things like you see in this forum.....

Artbuc, If you have a needle nose vice grip you can squeeze the tensioner if I remember correctly.....In my kit however, it came with a replacement tensioner. I once used a large needle nose vice grip to squeeze and keep tension on the hydrolic tensioner....Hope this idea helps....Merry Christmas....

I am no expert in this particular problem, but most lights do cause a code to come up. Also, just by pulling the EFI fuse, that should still leave a code history in the computer, which will most likely cause the VSC light to come on whenever it senses the problem again. Most codes come up after the problem is sensed a few times, not just once....ie: a missing cylindar / misfire code may not come up if it only misfired one time....it often takes a few times and the computer checks the past history to determine if it is a real problem / code. Keep us posted as to what the problem is, I would appreciate the knowledge.

USS, If you can give me 2 days (your probably done) I can send you a link with pics showing what to remove etc..... Sorry for the delay, Ia m taking mine to my buddies shop to replace my rack and I will have a lift at my disposal which will allow me to easily take pics of what you will need to remove. I have done it before.....not really difficult, if you know what to undo/ unscrew.

Wagsta, I am pretty confident the fron speakers are 5 and 1/4 inch speakers. As far as quality speakers, most high end car audio systems run on 3 OHM speakers not the industry standard of 4 OHMs. 3 Ohm speakers actually require less energy to produce the sound, which allows them to produce higher decibals with the same amperage running through the system. I have not placed these in my Lexus yet, so I would research it to make sure a 3 OHM speaker would be compatible, but I am confident it is. There is also a sub under the pass. seat. Research the difference and I am confident you will want a 3 ohm upgrade (if indeed Lexus used 4ohm speakers). BMW and JAG usually use the 3 OHM systems.....Bentley uses a 2 OHM if I am correct...... It basically allows more sound, and clearer sound for that matter (with less noise), with a smaller amp / energy amount.

Not that I doubt Lernore, dude knows his stuff, but mine had a similiar noise at one time and it turned out to be a small exhaust gasket which connected the pipe just after the cat, to the second half of the exhuast system. Do some exploration and you can easily find where the two pieces fit. Mine made a noise at low idle / speeds, but went unoticed @ travel speeds. Hope this helps..... And Lenore's suggestion is quite possible as well........no doubting you Lenore.......HAHAHA I don't want ya to ban me for doubting the expert....... Hope this helps!

From the time the light comes on (which is actually before the guage goes to "E") you can drive approximately 40 - 55 miles, mainly dependant upon driving style and city / highway driving. I know I have gone upwards of 60 miles before, but I was on the highway and sputtered into a gas station( I was hoping my fuel pump wouldn't burn out). I DO NOT reccomend driving on low gas because it causes the fuel pump to strain and can also cause impurities to both clog the filter and get in to the system. Bottom Line: 40 safely, 60 on a stretch

I can confirm Newton's post. The fourth digit will determine AWD or FWD. Checking for Drive shaft is always the easiest way though..........

Lexus Engineers actually designed this as a warning feature believe it or not. Most engineers usually make things harder on the mechanics, but this time they got a few things correct. It is designed as an electrical system warning.

Ryan, Most likely you are experiencing a knock in the engine. GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF IMMEDIATELY. Depending upon how bad the timing is off (which can be caused by a variety of things), you can cause sever damage to the engine and intake components. Take it back and have them re-do the timing belt, and DO NOT DRIVE IT OFF THERE LOT until you are sure the job is done correctly.

Carguy, You can always replace that washer with one that is of similiar size / shape. The purpose of that washer is to provide an extra friction point for the plug to secure itself. If you place it in without the washer, and your fluid begins to leak from that point, the plug will eventually work itself loose with the fluid acting as a lubricant. With a washer there it does not allow the fluid to touch the top / head of the plug which ensures a secure friction point connection to the pan.

Dkone, Don't feel bad my friend....we all tend to over think our vehicle problems from time to time. Simple fix though.....

thanks for the reply. if anyone has any specifics of where i can check for the fuse, please let me know. thanks. The fuse box is just to the left of the steering wheel. There is a small flip down compartment. The fuses are located behind this compartment. On the back side of the detachable compartment there is a list of the fuses. look for the blower fuse or the heater fuse. Hope this helps.

Mike, It would be a good idea to check your fuses first. I am certain there is a blower motor fuse. Look for it and I would guess that it could be blown. If not, the actual motor may be out. It is not too difficult of a fix if you are somewhat handy and can turn a screw driver and wrench. You can probably search the forum for similiar problems and answers. Hope this helps.

JUST replace the bushings....only the front ones. The rear ones do not have the same issues. DO NOT REPLACE YOUR STRUTS. They will last you quite a while as long as they do not leak oil.

No problems as of yet....the oil pumps on these models are fairly reliable. I would obviously check your levels, then look for an extreme leak. Needless to say, do not drive it until your problem is solved / resolved.

No problems as of yet....the oil pumps on these models are fairly reliable. I would obviously check your levels, then look for an extreme leak. Needless to say, do not drive it until your problem is solved / resolved.

Last Lexus, I am a some what very experienced mechanic with various makes and models of cars. I volunteer fixing cars through an organization and I can say that EVERY make and model has their short comings. I currently have nearly 250 K on my 99 RX300. Although I have had a few issues, most issues are strictly due to the wear and tear on the vehicle. The only "Engineering flaw" that is major is the Tranny....and it is not the actual tranny, but it is the tranny fluid pump which was undersized to begin with. That is a righteous beef to have, but other than that, most problems are standard wear and tear for a vehicle. Your rear seal may not be shot.....if you are showing a leak form the tranny, it can often be mis-diagnosed as a rear seal. Your air intake is a simple problem to fix...very rarely does the air intake actually fail, it just functions less efficiently. Your coolant leak is most likely due to lack of maintenance. I have 250 K on mine and have NEVER had any coolant leaks! NEVER, but each car is different and has its own circumstances. Whoever is telling you about the seal and tranny leak, I would have it double checked to make sure. Most times you will not have a rear seal leak until higher mileage.....my bet is that you do have a leak, but the source has been mis-diagnosed. If you need help on how to solve these problems, please let us know and we will coach you as best we can. Have your tranny fluid flushed every 25 - 30 K by the way and that will help you extend the life of the vehicle. I got 190 K on mine before my tranny failed.....just FYI.

I replaced my antenna shaft cable as well......

NUTS! Hey man! I'm glad to here that you found the source that was causing the problems. Just FYI...Lenore is a great reference....you can access him through the forums if you need to....he is VERY experienced and usually has the good answers. I know your Daughter will be VERY pleased to get her awesome ride running and what not......I'm glad to have lent a hand. Come back and ask more questions as needed. This really is a good source knowledge here. Hope your RX runs for a long time......

Change the fuel filter. Clean the throttle body if it hasn't been done....research in this forum before you just tear it apart...some of the screws holding it strip easily. If it is running lean it could be anything from a vacuum line being loose, a air intake hose being loose, a faulty injector, or the throttle body malfunctioning. You are basically experiencing a problem with the fuel air mixture which can be either fuel pressure realted / injector problems or from the air supply side. It could even be the EGR data causing the computer to over compensate and make the mix lean. Research lean in this forum and I'm certain you will find some extra data that can help.....let me know what it is so I can keep your issue in the vault.....