RX400h

Before you replaced the motor, did you check to see if there was power going to it?

When I need an out-of-warranty alignment, I take the vehicle to an alignment shop. That is their specialty, and they are very experienced.

I will - so far, so good!🤞

Nice review - thanks!

Last Friday, the check engine light illuminated, as did the Check Hybrid System light. Upon checking the code, I found that it was POA1D (Hybrid Powertrain Control Module) I then called two dealerships to question whether our RX400h should be driven to the dealership with this code/warning lights and they both recommended having it towed. We had it towed to the closest dealership and they did see the code listed as a history code but it was not "active", meaning it was most likely a "False-positive" warning. They also found the front brake pads to be 1mm thick. We bought this vehicle in April of 2005 and have never replaced the brake pads. This is amazing since we live on a hill and drive in the city with lots of stop and go traffic (125,000 miles on the odometer). But getting back to the POA1D code..... To be certain that it really was a false-positive, I gave the service technician permission to drive the vehicle to his home and back to work in the morning to verify that the warnings did not return. Thankfully, they have not returned. We had the brake work done and we were merrily on our way with hope that the front brake pads will last another 14 years. I am a bit puzzled why there was no audible warning that the brake pads were so thin. Typically, there'd be a small metal tab that would intermittently touch the rotor while it is rotating without the brake applied. You can hear this contact as a chirping noise, especially when your closest window is down and you are driving by something that is fairly close to the vehicle, allowing the chirping sound to bounce off of the car or other large object. I never heard this with the Lexus -- perhaps because the windows are rarely down + the vehicle is very well insulated.

Thanks for the update. Ours is still working well but I'll keep an eye on that camera.

I have Continental tires as well. They are very good tires for a great price.👌

Are you certain that the voltage is supposed to be about 6?

Has it ever been changed? If not, there's your possible answer.

I would suggest you buy tires, first. Consumer Reports rates tire noise for each tire brand and model they test. I look for tires that have good all-around performance and are quiet. Then try to determine if there is any other noise. At least at this point you'd have isolated one source of noise.

Common reasons for this to happen: Bad Fuse: Like many electronically controlled systems in your car, the cruise control has a corresponding fuse which will blow to protect the system if it senses a short circuit. When the fuse of for the cruise control blows, the cruise control will stop working altogether. Failing Brake Pedal Switch: The brake pedal switch turns on the vehicles brake lights when it senses that the brake pedal has been pressed. Because cruise control systems have been designed to disengage when the brake pedal is pressed, the cruise control is wired to the brake pedal switch. If the brake pedal switch fails, the car may think the brakes are engaged and not allow the cruise control system to turn on. Failing Speed Sensor: A speed sensor has many purposes including indicating the speed of the vehicle, regulating flow of fuel and ignition timing, and operating the cruise control. If the speed sensor fails the cruise control may stop working. You may also notice that the speedometer has stopped working and the engine has more difficulty when idling.

I would call a dealership's parts department to see if anything is different between the two assemblies.

My wife always uses a windshield cover on our RX400h, yet the dash needed replacement, anyway. It was the material that was defective. Nonetheless, I recommend that you use a windshield cover since it both reduces the interior temperature AND protects the dash. I use a car cover on my cars but it can be cumbersome to install on a large vehicle on a daily basis so she uses only the windshield cover. And by the way, Armor All does not accelerate drying/cracking/. It may have, 30 years ago but its modern formula has been proven to protect plastic surfaces from sun exposure. I use non-glossy AA on my interior plastics and the glossy stuff on door/hood seals and hoses in the engine bay.

Sometimes biting the bullet and having the dealership (Lexus or Toyota) mechanics troubleshoot the issue will save you time and money in the long run. It is more likely that they have resolved a similar issue. Based upon what you describe, this is not a simple component swap solution.

A few tips: 1. When looking for a used vehicle, arm yourself with information about it before talking to the owner. Many owner's manual maintenance tables are available online. In this table are maintenance requirements regarding frequency of replacement of air/oil filters, engine oil, coolant, timing belts, etc. 1.1 Conduct a phone interview and ask if the items requiring replacement (based upon the vehicle's mileage) were replaced. Ask the owner if records and/or receipts were retained. Ask about the length of drives to work and back. Short trips of less than 3-5 miles may require more often oil/filter changes. 2. Salvage vehicles can save you quite a bit of money, but precautions should be taken. 2.1 Does the owner have photos of the damage? Rear damage is often preferred. 2.2 Was the damage professionally repaired. Are there receipts? 2.3 Take the vehicle to an auto body shop for inspection/integrity of repair. The underside should also be inspected. 2.4 A good-looking and well-repaired salvage title vehicle should sell for 40-50% less than a clean title vehicle, all other factors being the same (mileage, options, overall condition) 2.5 Keep in mind that ST vehicles can be more difficult to resell but if you plan to keep the vehicle for many years, you can save quite a bit of coin. 3. I bought a salvage title Mazda, 7 years ago and saved $8000 over a non-ST MX5. It has been super-reliable and I have enjoyed it, immensely over the years.

The general rule is that if a repair or repairs within a short period of time are equal to or greater than 50% of the value of the car, then it may be time to buy a replacement vehicle.

I've been using 5W-30 for 14 years and 120,000+ miles now. At this mileage, I would not use 0W-20 oil but perhaps 5W-20 would be okay. I do add a container of Chevron Techron to the gas tank at every oil change (every 5000 miles).

Thanks for reporting this. It may help others, should the same symptoms occur. When I read your post I was certain that the codes were somehow related to the starter battery. Dave

Blasting the heat removes heat from the coolant. A head gasket leak injects super-heated air directly into the coolant. A bad radiator cap can also cause an overheating condition if the cap cannot maintain sufficient cooling system pressure.

I would take the vehicle to a good alignment shop. I had my Mazda 3 suspension upgraded a few years ago. Last year the driver's side front corner would occasionally thunk when rebounding. I took the car back to the alignment shop (same one that installed the springs and shocks) and they found a loose shock mount, tightened the nut and charged me nothing.

You don't have to, but I had ours replaced since it is removed, anyway.

Hello, everyone. After 13.5 years and 120,000 miles, the hydraulic piston hood support in our RX400h finally decided to give up. Here's what I found: 1. The OEM replacement at the local dealership is $125. 2. Aftermarket ones are $13 - $18, depending upon quantity purchased. 3. Unfortunately, the OEM support is pretty much permanently attached at the lower end bracket and the bracket itself is not readily available. I did find one at a Lexus parts website but the Lexus part number listed was for a rear hatch bracket, and its photo did not look like the one I have. Thus, the aftermarket replacement appears to be a bust. I tried removing the OEM mount from the bracket but it seems the only way to free the ball socket from the bracket's ball is to use a cutoff saw/Dremel disc. Even then, you may damage the bracket pivot ball. I do not advise doing this unless you are well-experienced. 4. The OEM replacement comes with the bracket, The online price is about $75 + shipping. This is what I had to buy after returning the aftermarket supports. (I had bought a 2-pack for $25.) 5. While the OEM support is not assembled to the bracket, its lower pivot ball snaps in fairly easily. Here're the steps required to do the job, assuming you bought the OEM "kit": a) Remove the two engine bay plastic covers - one over the battery and one closer to the firewall. This will allow you access to the support bracket screw. b) Have someone hold up the hood while you use a small flat blade screwdriver to pop out the support's upper pivot socket retainer clip. You don't need to completely remove it - just pull it towards you a bit. If you get carried away and cause the clip to fly off in a dark corner of your driveway or garage, you can always use the old one. c} Swing the support down and remove the lower end bracket's screw with a 10mm socket and ratchet wrench or box end wrench. Be careful not to let the screw drop down into nevernever land. Place the old support assembly away from the engine bay. d) Pop the new support's lower pivot socket (the one that has no retaining clip) onto the new bracket's pivot ball. Install the bracket and its screw, and then back out the support's top pivot socket clip as you did to the OEM's clip. e) Pop onto the upper pivot ball, the support's pivot socket, reinstall the plastic covers, and lower/raise the hood a few times to verify proper operation.

Steve, have you already perused Autotrader.com and craigslist? I'm not sure why you are excluding the 2006 model but I can tell you that they, too are very reliable vehicles.

You are correct in that the Audi is not very reliable after its warranty has expired. Do you really want the safety features available in the newer Lexus vehicles? There are quite a few that are very useful - laser cruise, backup proximity sensor warning, and blind spot warning are my favorites. If these are not must-haves, you could get quite a few miles out of your current vehicle. A sales guy at our dealership told me he has seen many RX400s with well over 200,000 miles on them.

Have you first unlocked all the doors by pressing the key fob's unlock button twice. You will hear beep-beep, then beep-beep again. If you hear the double beep one time, the rear doors are not unlocked. All doors must be unlocked before the power tailgate lift will function.