RX400h

Here's some info that may be relevant:

According to Consumer Reports, issues related to the 2013 RX 350 and 450h are very rare. In fact, years 2013 through 2017 are rated much better than average for reliability. Sometimes dealer demos are driven very aggressively by test-drivers, before ant break-in period had expired. You are correct in that head gaskets do not typically fail before 200,000 miles. Having two gaskets blow is probably not common, although when one leaks the other should be replaced. Another possibility is that the heads are defective in one way or another. The repair shop wouldn't likely know whether this is true until they remove the heads. Our RX400h has over 134,000 miles on it and the only gaskets that have needed to be replaced were the valve cover gaskets at approximately 120,000 miles. You may want to get an estimate from a trusted independent shop and even a Toyota dealership. I think something is "not right".

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There are some websites that allow you to pose your question and get it answered by an auto technician who specializes in your brand of vehicle. They may charge a fee but I think it may be worth checking out. The average independent shop mechanic is unlikely to solve this quandary.

Anytime!👍

When it comes to spark plugs and gaskets, I would stick to OEM. And before buying other aftermarket replacement parts, check with some of the OEM Lexus parts websites like: https://parts.lexus.com https://www.lexusoeparts.com https://www.lexuspartsnow.com https://www.lexuspartsoutlet.com And www.rockauto.com Also keep in mind that dealership labor rates will almost always be higher than those of an independent shop that has much less overhead. I would skip the fuel injection service if your car is running well. Suspension parts do wear out over time, so if you're planning to keep the car for many years, you do have time to find good prices for the parts. Personally, I would have the suspension work done by a trusted alignment shop. The other work can be done at a trusted independent shop.

One thing I've learned over the years is that like medical specialists, auto mechanics are not equal to each other in their troubleshooting abilities. Perhaps there is a mechanic at a different dealership who has more experience with the symptoms your vehicle has.

Here's an interesting read: FINALLY SOLVED! P0171 and P0174 Codes!!!! - ClubLexus - Lexus Forum Discussion

How old is the 12V battery? Sometimes a failing 12V battery will cause very weird things to happen. One time I saw a code that made me initially think that a big repair was coming up. I checked the 12V battery and one cell was low, so I added distilled water. The message was reset by the dealership and the message never returned. That was 3-4 years ago.

Did this happen immediately after the transmission fluid/filter maintenance? Here's a good read:

This works for our RX400h, also.

There are many tens of thousands of Mazdas, Hondas, BMWs, Toyotas, and Nissans that have destroyed clear coat. Some are less than 10 years old. I know this is different type of problem but historically, if your car is 10+ years old, the dealership cannot cover paint repairs under any type of warranty.

Which armrest, the one on the door or under your right arm?

Hello, Dave. Here is my advice: 1. Find out how much the car is worth if is running perfectly. 2. If the total repair cost is 50% or more of its value, then sell the car as-is. 3. If your car is worth more than $5000, then get it fixed.

Jim, do you think there is no connector in the mirror assembly? I would hope that there is. Otherwise, it may not be a simple replacement job.

Who is going to replace the mirror? I would think that person would want to disconnect the power cords at their connector(s). Can you take apart the old mirror and disconnect the wires? On the other hand, it may be possible to cut and solder the wires to those that are part of the new mirror assembly when you receive it.

You may want to peruse this article: Oil In Coolant Reservoir? (Should I Worry?) (mechanicbase.com)

Hello, J. You may want to be more specific and phrase your statement as a question.

Also, your insurance policy may have your windshield replaced for a deductible amount. I think my policy has a $100 deductible amount.

I would recommend that you NOT assume your entire fuel tank is leaking. But I do recommend that you have it checked out because even if it's something as simple as a leaking gas cap, you should not drive it much in that condition. A good mechanic will first check for codes, then if none are found, methodically check potential causes. You really shouldn't just replace things without knowing for certain if any one is the cause of the smell.

These are the classic possible causes of a p0300 code: Damaged spark plugs Damaged Ignition coil Faulty injectors Vacuum leak Malfunction of the oxygen sensor Burnt exhaust or intake valve Defective catalytic converter A defective throttle position sensor Faulty PCM Leakage of the head gasket As you mentioned, it is a very vague code that should be followed by a very specific sequence of tests. What should never be done is replacing parts without knowing for certain that any have actually failed. Your timing belt and water pump should've been replaced at 90,000 miles and the spark plugs at 120,000 miles if the maintenance schedule is the same as the one for our RX400h. Before you bought the vehicle, did you verify that the required maintenance was completed? Ours has about 134,000 miles on it and the coils and injectors are doing fine. But I think if the intake manifold gasket is leaking, that is the first thing that should've been replaced. A head gasket leak would typically result in white smoke coming out the exhaust or coolant in the oil. You may want to talk to the mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle. I would ask him: 1. What made you determine that the drivability issues were due to bad spark plugs and coils? 2. Did you know that there was a leaking head gasket at that time? What made you think the head gasket was leaking? 3. What exactly is needed to get the vehicle running right? If they replaced anything that did not cure the original driveability issue, then you should not have to pay for that, whether they are overdue to be replaced or not. The focus should've been on the problem at hand, not anything else unless those parts were near failure. You may want to take your RX or have it towed to a Toyota dealership. The $180 diagnosis fee may be well worth it. Mechanics are famous for presenting a "laundry list" of things they would love to do to take in the big money, but you should always make it clear that you want to know which line items are needed to fix the issues at hand. Always know your maintenance schedule, beforehand. In the meantime, find out how much your vehicle is worth if there is nothing wrong with it. Because you have a Lexus and used vehicles are selling for high prices, you may want to invest half of the value.

You're very welcome. This is why I subscribe to Consumer Reports. It provides us with pertinent historical data that is nice to have.

That is a bit low in miles. When we had our timing belt replaced at 90,000 miles, it made sense to have the pump replaced, also. Of course, 90,000 miles on our odometer is probably 70,000 of actual engine use due to its hybrid drivetrain. There are many, many vehicles out there that still have timing belts, so when replacement is done as per the maintenance schedule, most owners agree to have the pump replaced, as they have to remove the old one, anyway.