BadBrad

I am able to enter in address a lot faster than a touch-screen.

Enter an address? How quaint. Much faster to just give it the voice commands.

Luv the joystick control. A great feature. Very easy to use while driving.

I'll put a tire mic on my set of nineteens and give you a reading and mileage.

Can't say so. I've been impressed by how quiet the car is versus the previous generation. Hood deflector??? Huh??

There will certainly be noise coming from the roof rack. Can't be avoided. Got one? Noise is more pronounced if the interior sunroof shield is open.

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this problem. Let me first say that all of the CD's that I have loaded into the player have been down loaded on to My I-pod and all of the information was captured. Then why when I load these same CD's in to my CD player and I use the Navagation system to view the song selections they all say "Data not Available" Is their somthing I'm missing?

Thank you

I have the same problem with store-bought music CD's. All say (NO DATA) for CD Title, Track, and Artist. Am I basically SOL, or is there some trick to getting it to display?

That's weird. I play store bought CDs all the time. My car has a full factory entertainment system.

The joystick is killer. Sets a new standard for the industry.

No. I've never had a 2006 Acura.

I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to have this option and I cannot find any RX's with this option! The dealers all tell me that it wasn't made that way and that you can only get it if you custom order the vehicle (which of course means no discount on price and a forever long wait). I don't know if I believe them or not. Why would Lexus advertise this awesome option and then not make any of the RX's with it?! How ridiculous is that?! Let's lure you in with a cool techy option and then not make any cars with it. Can anyone shed some light on this issue? Any info would be appreciated.

I custom ordered with factory entertainment system (I was told the only way to get so equipped) and paid ZERO deposit. When the car arrived I still negotiated the price as if it was just sitting on the lot. I waited about 3 months for the car. At the time I asked all the same questions you raise here.

Hi,

I have looked up some specs and found that Toyota Highlander and Rx350 engines have the same displacement, very similar output (favoring Lexus), and compression ratio. I wonder if they are in fact identical but Lexus has modified the software to squeeze out 5 more hp with premium fuel requirement.

Thoughts?

Given the compression ratio is modest and that the engine is identical to that of Toyota Highlander, I am starting to think that the Rx can accept regular fuel with little compromise with regards to reliability and performance. Ok, I give Lexus that 5hp lol

Comments are welcome.

You've provided some very good information here (i.e., that the Highlander engine is a doppelganger for the RX engine). You'll hear from some that you are doing horrible things to your engine running 87 octane; why would you risk expensive damage just to save 20 cents a gallon?; etc. etc. yada yada yada.

Your logic is correct; virtually the same powerplant tuned to make slightly more power output if you run higher octane fuel. Who wants to spend thousands more for a Lexus and have it reported that it is only as powerful as it's Toyota brethren?

I've run 87 octane in three RXs now for well more than 100k miles (some miles at wide open throttle right up to redline) and never heard a ping, a knock, a bang, etc.; every owners manual recommended 91 octane or better (but how much better? - I can get my hands on 112 - should I run this instead?) And I've always been pretty impressed at the power output - never a sign of compromise from my vantage point. The 2010 engine is very impressive.

My opinion: high octane and 5 horsepower is just marketing BS. The owner's manual does not "prohibit" you from running 87 octane; only recommends high octane to obtain best performance.

Plan on going for an initial test drive with two techs in the car. These guys won't believe you unless you "point" out the rattle for them. Been there, done that!

Tire rotation comes with this service. Make sure they actually do the work. I put a finger mark in the brake dust behind a spoke of one wheel. This way I can confirm they actually move the wheels. Caught the dealer in a lie last time around. Very embarrassing when I showed them my proof.

Thanks for heads up. Believe me or not I wanted to mark the wheels too! :) I for some reason don't trust anyone of those jacka$$ mechanics..maybe they don't pay them well or they are just lazy.

How is your RX holding up? no issues? rattles?

Car is holding up well; rattling rear cover is nearly a non-issue now. Car keeps dropping the wife's 2 yr old cell phone, which is now anoying me. It flat stops finding the phone. I can't tell if its the phone or the car. When I killed the phone and reinitiated the discovery procedure the phone was once again connected. Lasted a couple of days then dropped out again. Pi$$er...

Plan on going for an initial test drive with two techs in the car. These guys won't believe you unless you "point" out the rattle for them. Been there, done that!

Tire rotation comes with this service. Make sure they actually do the work. I put a finger mark in the brake dust behind a spoke of one wheel. This way I can confirm they actually move the wheels. Caught the dealer in a lie last time around. Very embarrassing when I showed them my proof.

Have 2010 RX350 with 18,000 km and experiencing intermittent very foul smell from HVAC system. The dealer says it could be mould on the evaporator or the evaporator drain is clogged or both. Smell doesn't start until RX is at operating temperature. Auto sensing mode that is supposed to detect harmful substances in outside air does switch to re-circulation mode but only reduces odor.

Smell can be so bad that I have to turn off HVAC and open the windows.

Lexus USA has issued a TISB L-SB-0068-09 dated June 2,2009 which does cover the change of evaporator sub-assembly on 2007-2009 RX350. I've been told that 2010 RX350 has same evaporator as 2009 RX350 but haven't been able to confirm it. All RX350's for past 3 or 4 model years have been made in Canada and all major components are same for RX350 sold in both countries. For some reason Lexus Canada doesn't like to acknowledge Lexus USA TSIB even with all RX350's being built in Canada.

It's been 4 weeks and dealer and Lexus haven't decided on remedy. Not what you expect from Lexus.

I have everyone around here trained to turn off the A/C for that last two minutes of driving and blow non-A/C air through the evaporator. Seems to work on the Ford truck and all the RXs weve owned. I suspect that once your car is poluted with mold my prophylactic won't work.

I though the RX requires 91 octane.

Only "required" to squeeze out that last three horsepower. Runs perfectly fine on 87.

Does it say that on the manual? No it doesnt. If it is ok to use 87 permenently, Lexus would have told you so.

I am sure you can put in cheap Kmart engine oil in yout Lexus and it will run too, but why would you want to treat your car like that?

G-Man, lets really read from the manual, shall we? Let's see.... hmmm.... here it is... page 606..."Premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 or higher required for optimum engine performance (emphasis added). If 91 octane cannot be obtained you may (emphasis added) use unleaded gasoline with a rating as low as 87. Use of gasoline with an octane rating lower than 91 may (emphasis added) result in engine knocking. Persistant knocking can lead to engine damage and should be corrected by refueling with higher octane unleaded gasoline."

I take away from this that you can use 87 so long as you don't experience engine knocking. Now I know engine knocking; my 1970 iron headed 10.5:1 compression ratio Buick knocks like it is full of monkeys with hammers on a 100 degree day running 91 octane. I detune it on a hot day from the driver's seat with an MSD Timing Controller http://www.msdignition.com/Products/RPM/Ti...ng_Control.aspx. I'm not nearly as fast or as accurate as the knock sensor on the Lexus but the pistons and connecting rod bearings in the Buick engine (seen for the first time in 14 years last year during a freshining) were beautiful even after getting hammered for 14 summers. I've been in many, many engines over the years and Toyota engines are over-engineered compared to the 40 and 50 year old stuff from the musclecar era.

I've never heard knocking or even light pinging from any of the three RXs I've owned, always running 87 and always with the same cautionary language in the owners manual.

There is no "prohibition" against using 87. I own stock in several big oil companies so I'm perfectly happy if you guys burn money needlesly to fund my retirement. I'll keep using 87 in the Lexus all year long and wish I could afford $6+ 104 Rocket Brand or Sunoco for the Buick in the summer.

Kmart oil (if they sell SM rated 0w-20) is perfectly acceptable and produced by one of the big oil companies - not Kmart. I always use Toyota oil and filters; they are competitvely priced and easily obtained.

I though the RX requires 91 octane.

Only "required" to squeeze out that last three horsepower. Runs perfectly fine on 87.

Any opinions on this? In my last car (99 v6 mustang - ran great for 11 years), I used 89 octane, and used Exxon 99.9% of the entire time I drove it. The one time I decided try to gas from one of the big box warehouse stores, it knocked and pinged until I get Exxon back in it. I figure my RX 350 engine should be in a different class from a Ford Mustang, but wanted to see what opinions are out there. I know the manual recommends 93.

Thanks!

87 all the time here - and I live in a HOT summer climate.

thank you, regarding brads comment i have had friends suggest the same thing and i do have a local mechanic that services all my out of warranty ford econolines who is very good, i was only considering the dealer because of the regenerative system on the brakes however it looks like that is a totally separate system they dont touch during brake work anyway.

Correct on the separate systems; I opened mine up not that long ago to fix a snapped off wheelstud (total fix time 15 minutes, BTW). There is no connection between the systems. Your local guy (or a good friend) will save you mucho dinero.

have 3mm left on the front at 55K prob have them replaced at 60K service. should i use the dealer for $330 front only and they want $480 for the 60K service here in the pacific northwest. Did most of you have lexus do it, the toyota dealership? or your own mechanic.

With only a modicum of mechanical aptitude you could throw on a new set of pads, taking about 20 minutes per side and be good to go another 50k miles. These cars' brake pads are incredibly easy to change. The only time I'll swap out front rotors is if there is any modulation in the steering wheel. The rotors basically fall off the car when changing pads (as long as corrosion between rotor and hub is minimal). For the half hour or so it will take the dealer to swap pads AND rotors $330 is a total rip-off.

Ditto - again G Man. Having owned every gen of RX I'll say this is the best handling of the lot. And yet, it only wallows around corners just a little better than previously. Still darn soft. If you want something softer, inrice, I suggest a Lincoln Town Car or perhaps a '77 Buick LeSabre with that car's standard front sofa.

ditto....it's in the book

I did have a rattling cargo cover (you know - over the "trunk" area). After I verbally molested my service advisor for not paying attention to me the first time, they generally fixed the problem. It's not 100 percent better but I'd say about 95 percent. They used some relatively thick rubberized tape in a few strategic locations to quiet most of the rattling.

If this noise source is ruining your otherwise stone silent driving experience give a holler here and I'll help you out.

Does anyone know if the RX 350 has the software to shut off fuel if the accelerator is stuck or some other technology to prevent what appears to be happening in many toyota and some ES models? Thank you

Your owner's manual probably states top speed is governed to 112. Check the book.

I'm sitting in the dealer's waiting room for my free 5K oil change and tire rotation. After seeing this thread I decided to ask about future service and was told the following:

10K, 20K, 25K, 35K, 40K, 50K and 55K are all $170

15K and 45K are $312

30K and 60K are $680

That's over $3,100 for standard service! Ouch!

Always make sure (to the best of your ability) they actually do the work. Was just in for my "free" 5000 mile service. This includes oil & filter, various systems inspections, and tire rotation. Wisely I trust none of the service folks at the dealership. Before leaving the vehicle in the morning I marked the driver front wheel just to make sure they rotated the tires. I was not at all surprised to find the tires HAD NOT BEEN ROTATED. *BLEEP*s! To the service advisor I asked "Why didn't you rotate the tires?" Answer: "We did." Reply: "No you didn't. See this mark on the wheel? That's my mark I put here before leaving the car with you this morning. Stop living up to my expectations of your dealership." This poor guy was so embarassed.

To get the arm vertical you must first work the "cap" off of the pivot point in the glass; at first you'll think your gonna break something but it does come off.

Totally redundant to buy an extended warranty on a new vehicle; invest that money some other way and insure yourself against some issue that probably will never materialize on a Toyota product. A waste of money IMO.

I can do those three things in my own garage; by myself it will take me about an hour - I have air tools but still must jack-stand the car by hand eating up about 10 minutes. I usually include visual and tactile inspection of CV boots. If I feel particularly spunky that day I'll put a torque wrench on a driveshaft bolt. If the oil and filter cost Lexus $10 you are paying $190 for an hour of labor. They probably include an air filter at 30,000 and perhaps even a brake system flush. Somewhere along the way they will stain a seat and scratch the paint, just for good measure.

I did not include putting my coveralls in the laundry. :D

I never let these people wash my car. They are unskilled in this field (I'm dubious about the rest of their "maintenence" too) and usually make the ride look worse. I'd ask them: What is the price without a wash, vacuum, coffee, donuts, and hot receptionist?

Are we twins separated at birth?

Alright - you made me laugh! :D

To answer your question though, No. My wife's family is from Kansas though. Very good chance we're related through marriage, depending on how long your gene pool has been in Kansas.

My 07 RX350 just hit 25000 miles, and plan to take it back to dealer for oil change and service. They told me it will be $200 something for the service including oil/filter change, tire rotation, check brake...etc.

Is this too expensive? If 25000mile cost $200 something, I cannot image how much it will cost when I do 30000 mile maintenance!? :(

I can do those three things in my own garage; by myself it will take me about an hour - I have air tools but still must jack-stand the car by hand eating up about 10 minutes. I usually include visual and tactile inspection of CV boots. If I feel particularly spunky that day I'll put a torque wrench on a driveshaft bolt. If the oil and filter cost Lexus $10 you are paying $190 for an hour of labor. They probably include an air filter at 30,000 and perhaps even a brake system flush. Somewhere along the way they will stain a seat and scratch the paint, just for good measure.

I did not include putting my coveralls in the laundry. :D

I never let these people wash my car. They are unskilled in this field (I'm dubious about the rest of their "maintenence" too) and usually make the ride look worse. I'd ask them: What is the price without a wash, vacuum, coffee, donuts, and hot receptionist?