MalluDriver

Took my car in for an oil change and the Wheel Works person told me that the tires are worn out, original tires, closing in on 50,000 miles.

He recommended a Bridgestone Tire with uni-t package Potenza G019 P215/60R16. I has asked for a tire that will help keep the road noise down.

Any thoughts around the recommendation or suggestions on what I should be looking for?

I own a 2007 ES350. How do you access the cabin air filter. I know it is behind the glove box. I see a plastic panel on the back wall inside the box. Is the filter behind this panel, and if so how do you remove the panel? It doesn't seem to be removeable.

Yes, that panel is removable. I do not have a 2007 ES350 Owners Manual but the procedure is described on page 332 of the 2008 ES350 Owners manual. You might want to check that area in your manual.

John

I got to the filter this weekend, and boy was it dirty. Old leaves, twigs, dirt, etc. This filter sure needs changes peroidically.

How much did it cost you for changing the air filter?

When I turn on the AC there is usually a musty smell for about 5 minutes. Is that a symptom of a bad filter?

...when every time you start the car you look at the dashboard to see which light is going to cost you bunch of money this time around. This could just be me but that how I go through driving my car.

2004, es330, 45800 miles

Premium gas

tires 34psi

Usually don't put the AC on. Hwy at 55-60mph.

Typical 70/30 local/hwy mix ~21.6 mpg

Took my car to the nearby Wheel Works. Looks like the alternator was only generating 11.4v when the car was running. They changed the alternator which they did under the extended warranty that I had on the car. I got a call saying I should change the battery too as it may have gone through "stress" when it was supplying the additional voltage while the alternator was not. I was not convinced that this was required but I agreed to it.

then you fell for the oldest trick in the car repair business. The battery most likely was all right. Before replacing it, I would have taken it to Autozone and had a free load test done. Then I would have replaced it if it had tested suspect.

I thought I should say no, I agree I could have avoided this.

Waiting for the next light to showup on the dashboard of this car. It may be just this car but I am never buying a Lexus again.

Are you serious? You condem a car brand becasue of one part failure.

Set your anxieties aside and enjoy your ride. Just becasue it is a Lexus does not mean you are exempt from routine car repairs or troubles. I had a Pontiac SSEi and had to replace the alternator almost every other year due to a poor GM design. I had a 2002 Lexus ES300 for 6 years and never had to replace the alternator or battery let alone have any problem with either. I did have to replace two Air/Fuel sensors, one under warranty, one out of warranty. A Lexus it may be, but when you come down to it, it is a compilation of electronic and mechanical parts no different than the next. I will say the altenator was most likely made by Denso, which makes most parts in the Toyota and Lexus line up. Again, they are subject any number of outside influences. For example: maybe a mechanic tightened the accessory belt a little too tight, this will cause premature failure of an altenator, maybe something got splashed on it (ie, washer fluid, motor oil when an oil change was done, coolant when the system was flushed, water splashing up from a deep puddle or rain storm, etc). Other manufacturers are subject to parts problems, too. For instance in 2002-2003 25% of the Acura TLs had transmission failures in the first two years. The list is long.

steviej

It is my frustration with the first two months of owning this car. I have had the o2 sensor changed, the ECM changed, a shorted wiring to the ECM, battery indicator come on. Its my first used car so its could be a vehicle specific but I have not made this many visits to the mechanic ever before and I have owned everything from a Civic, Accord, Geo Prisms, GMC Yukon etc etc. Anyways, let me give it some more time and see if its just a timing thing.

Thank you for your response though its much appreciated, as someone who does not know a whole lot about the internals of a car, it makes it a whole lot better when the mechanic tells you things consistent with what you hear on the board.

Took my car to the nearby Wheel Works. Looks like the alternator was only generating 11.4v when the car was running. They changed the alternator which they did under the extended warranty that I had on the car. I got a call saying I should change the battery too as it may have gone through "stress" when it was supplying the additional voltage while the alternator was not. I was not convinced that this was required but I agreed to it. The battery indicator is now off. Waiting for the next light to showup on the dashboard of this car. It may be just this car but I am never buying a Lexus again.

Thank you for your response. I am taking it in today. I have a Honda Accord and GMC yukon both of which are much older than this car but I have never had an alternator issue with them. Is there like an average life to an alternator?

I started the car today evening and the battery indicator on the dash is on. It started without a hitch on the first attempt. It seems to run fine. I turned it ON and OFF a few times to see if there was a starting issue but it seems to start fine on the first attempt everytime. When I noticed that the engine light was on, I checked to see if I had left any light on in the car. I could not find anything. Any suggestion on what could be the cause for the battery indicator becoming on. Is this something I can keep driving with or is this another visit to the mechanic?

Thought I will post updates on the car.

The dealership said that they hace to change the ECM on the car, after this was done the CEL still came on. At this point they were working with the Lexus National Support and identified that the wiring harness from the sensors to ECM was shorted and had to be changed. After leaving the car at the dealership for 8 days, I finally got the car back and have been using for 1 week now with the CEL off (touch wood). The good news from all this, I was charged $0 :D, the whole thing was replaced under the California emissions warranty, which is supported upto 80,000 miles. This would have cost me $3000 otherwise. So I have my car back and am relieved to have my car back, no additional cost, minus the CEL.

Yes. The CEL went on with the same code. His message said it could be a computer problem. I was looking for some help in undertanding what that means?

OK the dealer left me VM. He said after they replaced the sensor they still got he light come back and think its a computer issue. I will need to call him up. Can someone explain what this means to me?

I did hear back from the Lexus dealership. He said it was a bad sensor, agreed with what I found at Wheelworks and said that they will replace it for no charge. It will be ready Monday. I am holding my breadth on the dealership not coming up with something new and that this will fix the issue.

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OK. Got my local Wheelworks to take a look at the code. It turned out to be -

P0136....O2 Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

This was just replaced by the Putnam Lexus in Redwood City two weekends ago. I took the car back to them, the service person there asked me to leave the car there and he gave me a loner car and said that they stand by their fixes and if its a bad sensor they will replace it for free. Though I am hoping that the he does not come back and say there is something else wrong that lead to it. :-/

Can this code mean anything else other than that they have to replace the senor?

Please advice

Thank you for your prompt response. I also happened to read that the indicator will turn off after I drive it for a couple of days. I am still assuming that this is a gas cap issue. Is that a correct assumption or do I have to have it reset.

Week 2 of having had this car I am driving at 35 miles an hour and I see the CEL is ON.

I searched this site and saw numberous mentions of the the gas cap not being closed till you hear the click. So I go out check the car and I see that the cap came off very easily. So I close the gas cap till I hear 5 clicks. Now I try to open it again and it very smooth when I try to open it. I need help with two questions

1. Does the gas cap come off easily. what I mean here is that do you hear clicks or need to use some force to be able to remove the gas cap.

2. If this was gas cap issue, will the light go off by itself and do I now have to reset it.

I am obviously going crazy with this purchase of my first Lexus. Please advice.

I bought a 2004 Lexus ES 330 from a private party just a week ago. On my drive back home I noticed a 2 inch cut on the steering wheel leather where the air bags are present (yeah I know I should have seen it before). I wanted to know if this will need me to replace the steering wheel or if this can be stiched/glued together.