monarch

What about the factory air filter? The reason Toyota / Lexus cars are so reliable and durable is because all the parts, filters and fluids that are used to create a Toyota / Lexus are built to superior standards of performance, design, materials and workmanship. On the other hand, if you did not buy a Lexus for reliability and durability, but for street racing or some other type of brute acceleration purpose, you may want to look at a K&N air filter. Go to an auto parts store and hold a K&N air filter up to a store light. You will be amazed at the thousands of little points of light you can see through the K&N - holes which assure maximum air flow - and holes which allow more dirt into the engine than a factory air filter.

Did you remove and clean the filter in the steering rack solenoid control valve? Did you remove the power steering fluid reservoir and flush it out with a brake cleaner like solvent to clean the filter inside it? These two filters must be kept clean or fluid pressures will build up excessively and your new pump could leak soon again and the steering rack could develop leaks too.

The 90915-YZZD3 filter is the correct one for the V8's. The D1 filter is for the V6's.

I agree with BadBrad that rotors do not have to be turned or replaced unless they have worn thin beyond the factory minimum thickness spec. (which is measured with a micrometer) or if they are warped from improper use of the brakes or overtightening of the wheel lug nuts. I also agree Toyota / Lexus rotors last for 2-3 pad changes IF OEM pads are used at replacement time. Aftermarket pads can wear down the rotor more quickly.

No need to rush the replacement of the front suspension bushings. You could wait for years before replacing them with no consequence other than ride and handling might not be as competent as when the car was new. Your car is too new to need a new EGR valve. Very like the drivability problems are caused by the two items steviej mentioned which are easy and cheap to clean...and that may be why the shop would prefer to sell you an expensive new EGR valve!

If your mechanic is not a Toyota / Lexus specialist, then he likely doesn't know much about Toyptas recommended procedures for servicing Toyota transmissions. The proper servicing procedure on an old, neglected Toyota automatic like yours is to drain and remove the transmission oil pan, clean the pan and magnets in the pan with a brake cleaner type solvent then remove and clean the transmission oil filter with brake cleaner. Reinstall the filter and pan and add fresh Toyota Type T-IV fluid, available in 1 quart bottles form Toyota dealers for about $3.80 a quart. Add as much fresh fluid as was drainsed (about 2.1 quarts). Drive the car for a few days then drain and refill the pan again (but don't remove the pan) Repeat this procedure 4-5 more times over a period of several days or weeks so the old fluid and residue is gently and safely cleaned away and the transmission WILL survive and shift better. New transmission fluid is an excellent metal cleaner and that's why it will gently and safely cleans up your transmission. No additional cleaners like the gimmicky BG products are needed. The BG company loans auto service shops use of their lube flushing machines if the shops agree to use BG branded lubes and cleaners. The shops nearly always agree to theis arrangement because they can make big bucks selling the concept of "flushing" mechanical components to the public. So if you prefer to help your local auto repair shop owner make payments on his vacation home, then buy all the BG flushing servives he offers.

I have heard of Toyota / Lexus timing belts breaking as early as 90K or lasting as long as 160K. Leadfoot city driving wears them out quicker. Gentle city driving and relaxed highway driving prolongs their life. At lexus.com, Lexus says this about the timing belt: Question: When does Lexus recommend replacing the timing belt? Lexus's Answer: " While it is possible that the original timing belt may last the life of the engine, for peace-of-mind, the timing belt should be replaced every 90,000 miles. Also, if major engine work is performed, such as a valve job or engine rebuild, the timing belt should be replaced. It is very important that the belt be changed at the recommended intervals as specified in the Owner's Manual Supplement

Engine rebuilders and monster mileage Toyota / Lexus owners http://www.saber.net/~monarch/449.jpg http://www.saber.net/~monarch/leowarfield.JPG do not lose sleep pondering what oil brand, type and weight to use. Nor do they spend time and money on oil analysis. That's because they know that if you change the oil every 3-5K. it won't really matter what brand, type and weight you use, because engine wear will be extremely low if the oil level is always kept correct, the oil and filters are always changed on time, the cooling system is kept sparkling clean using the factory original replacement coolant and the engine is always kept in optimal tune up condition using factory original replacement parts. In other words, getting over 400,000 miles of life from a Toyota / Lexus is easy if you merely use factory original lubes, fluids, filters and tune up parts at replacement time and are careful to always maintain the correct lube and fluid levels.

[quote You are the first person I know to have said his/her Lexus is not quiet enough! ← Well although Lexus does a world class job at reducing engine and drivetrain noise, considerable road noise can be heard in the cabin of any Lexus, especially over coarse or concrete road surfaces. For some unknown reason (perhaps weight savings?), the Asian car makers have been reluctant to use alot of sound barrier type insulation in the floors, trunk or doors like the American luxury car makers do. So considerable high frequency road noise penetrates the cabin of the Asian luxury cars and I find it adds to fatigue on long trips.

To get more of the old fluid out and to eliminate the risk of over or under filling with the correct amount of new fluid, an idiotproof procedure is to: 1. Drain the fluid when the engine and transmission are fully warmed up and let it drain overnight. 2. In the morning measure the amount drained using a 99 cent graduated orange juice pitcher from Walmart. 3. Install exactly the same amount of fluid that was drained.

Toyota cars and pickups also have so called "lifetime" fuel filters. BUT, I changed mine anyway every 30-60K miles on my '92 pickup and have never experienced any fuel injector clogging or fuel pump failures in 451,000 miles of driving. But I have heard from lots of Toyota pickup and Land Cruiser owners who DID need a new fuel pump and / or their injectors rebuilt after 200-300,000 miles and these owners never changed their fuel filter. So I figure changing the fuel filter every 60K miles is cheap insurance against potential expensive fuel system problems. And not just the expense of fuel system component replacement, but the huge potential expense of having a fuel system breakdown far from home and far from any Lexus dealer. In addition, if the fuel injectors do start to become clogged, gas mileage goes down and emissions go up which in turn wears out the expensive EGR valve and catalytic converter prematurely. So to maintain long term reliability of the whole vehicle for many hundreds of thousands of miles, it is important to keep reasonably clean filters, fluids and lubes in the car at all times.

For the past 20 years I've driven alot - 30-60,000 miles per year - so ride comfort and quietness is extremely important to me. I've found that Goodyear tires usually soak up the bumps better and ride more quietly than most other brands and Goodyear's all new Comfortred tire is a real standout. Michelins ride a bit too harshly and noisily for me, but they do provide superior cornering capability and overall handling.

The Lexus engineers say this: Automatic Transmission Fluid Question: What type of automatic transmission fluid is used in Lexus vehicles? Answer from Lexus: Please check the inside back cover of your Owner's Manual for the type of transmission fluid your vehicle uses. If you Owner's Manual specifies, T-II, you may only use T-II or T-IV. If your Owner's Manual specifies, T-IV, you may only use T-IV. If your Owner's Manual specifies Dexron II, you may only use Dexron II or Dexron III. If your Owner's Manual specifies Dexron III, you may only use Dexron II or Dexron III. Genuine Toyota Type T-IV transmission fluid is available from Toyota dealers in 1 quart bottles for about $3.75 a quart. Genuine Toyota Dexron II & III transmission fluid is available from Toyota dealers in 1 quart bottles for about $3.30 a quart. Dexron II & III transmission fluid is also the fluid Lexus recommends for use in Lexus power steering systems.

Your owners manual tells you the exact part number of the proper Denso or NGK platinum plug to use. Iridium plugs provide no power or fuel economy benefits but they sound cool which is probably the reason they have become a fad just like platinum plugs were a fad when they first came out.

Susan, in my experience the southern California dealer that has consistently and aggressively offered the lowest prices is Westminster Lexus in Westminster (next to Long Beach). Longo Lexus has the largest inventory / best selection, but is a little higher in price. Other low price oriented dealers are the ones located in the Canoga Park and Valencia areas. Remember that even when a dealer sells at or near invoice price, Toyota still pays the dealer approx. 2-3% "holdback" for selling the vehicle and which I guess is split between the salesperson and the dealership.

OEM is neither metallic or ceramic as Lexus explains below in its owner FAQ at lexus.com Brake Pad Materials Question: What materials are used in the Lexus brake pad? Answer: The brake pad material of Lexus vehicles is chosen for normal driving and is composed of many different materials, including non-asbestos friction materials, filler materials, and high temperature resins. Some of our pads also include very, very small amounts of finely powdered metal. This amount of metal is so small that we do not refer to these pads as metallic. The different materials for the "recipe" for a particular year and model are mixed together, compressed, and formed into the desired shape.

Is the correct oil filter installed on the car? Should be either this one: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/oilfil20211.jpg or the 90915-YZZD1 filter

"CPO" is a sales gimmick that all car dealers use as a way to justify an inflated asking price and as a way to fool buyers into thinking the car will be reliable. Any Toyota or Lexus will have little mechanical wear and tear if: 1. It has been driven gently 2. It has received all required scheduled maintenance on time. Therefore, when shopping for a used Lexus, buy from private party owners (not dealers) who are middle or senior aged (aren't boy racer type drivers anymore) professional people living a upscale neighborhoods who have kept their service records and kept the car garaged most of the time and have a good reason for selling like "we just bought another luxury car and need to sell this one" or "were moving" "owner is now too old to drive" etc. Visit cars.com to view private party newspaper ads for Lexus's across the whole country or just the ads in your local area.

For the LS400, here's the correct Toyota oil filter to use and the perfect fit metal cap wrench to use with it: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/oilfilD3.JPG

In the past 2 months I've rented three 2004 4 cylinder Camry's while on business trips and noticed no hesitations whatsoever. I was highly impressed with the responsiveness and power of the 4 cyl Camry. Last spring I also test drove a 2004 ES330 (before I had ever heard of the hesistation issue) and DID notice the momentary hesistation when accelerating from a crawling speed like 5 MPH. The hesistation did not really bother me because I am not a hurried and rushed kind of driver, but it does appear that even though all electronic throttles may have a trace of hesitation, it is a bit more pronounced on the ES330 & RX330 V6 that's sold in America. And enough of a hesitation to irk a small percentage of ES and RX owners with hard charging driving styles, though certainly not all of them. For example, my best friend owns a California emission 2003 RX300 and drives rather hurriedly, but has never mentioned noticing any hesitation.

Toyota & Lexus factory repair manuals recommend just draining and refilling the tranny oil pan which is a risk free way of maintaining the transmission.

The power steering system of the '90-'94 models has some quirks that repair shops can use as a reason to empty your bank account if you're not careful. The power steering pump and steering rack really don't wear out, but they can develope leaks due to the buildup of excessive pressures in the system. Excessive pressures develope because the steering rack solenoid filter screen gradually becomes clogged over time and needs to be periodically removed and cleaned. Same thing for the filter screen inside the power steering fluid reservoir. Another leaking point is the power steering fluid flow control valve located next to the fluid reservoir. This flow control valve should be replaced (valve costs about $80) and the new design that Lexus uses is more durable and leak free. Finally, the rubber 0-rings inside the power steering pump harden and deteriorate over time, causing leaks and loss of steering assist. Lexus dealers carry a pump re-seal kit and a Toyota dealer can dissassemble and install the new seals for a couple hundred dollars. This is considered better than buying a rebuilt pump at Autozone because the quality of the factory original pump is likely superior. Anyway, once you get these items taken care of the fluid pressures will be lower and the loss of steering assist you are currently experiencing may dissappear and therefore you wouldn't need a new $2,000 steering rack. Use only Dexron II or III automatic transmission fluid in the power steering system.

In the 70's and 80's the jugs of Prestone antifreeze recommend dumping the used coolant down the toilet. So that's what I still do today.

All kinds of seals, gaskets, tools and skills. It's not kids stuff that can be attempted without studying books like the factory repair manual. It's a major understaking.