peteanello

One thing I will miss, after switching to the Avalon Limited, is the Lexus Service Department. Hands down, they are number One. I think my wife is ready to get out of her '04 RX330, and don't know if she will opt for a Lexus. But I will stay a member of this site to stay current in what is happening.

I wanted to buy a 2013 ES, but did not like the joystick like controller or they way the Nav screen was set so far back, close to the windshield. I went with a '13 Toyota Avalon Limited with the Technology Pkg and absolutely love it. It has the perfect ride.

I brought my 2009 ES350 to the dealer for the 30K service. (I had about 30.5K miles)

It was expensive, $430 after a service special and supplying my own oil.

What happened though is they did a drive test and found the breaks had a slight shimmy in them and so replaced the rotors and pads for no charge under the warranty. (What looked to be a $550 job)

I could have done it cheaper at my local garage but I doubt they would have replaced the breaks.

So in the end I guess it was worth taking it to the dealer.

I'm at 38k miles(on my '09) and my front end is shimmying again. Under warranty the pads were replaced and rotors turned at 20k miles. $360 I didn't have to pay. So it seems like the rotors have a life of 20k miles. I do not want turn them again....once only, then replace them & pads. So this time, still under warranty, I suspect from what Lexus told me before that they will not pay this time. It will probably cost some big bucks. Anyone else finding front brake issues every 20k miles?

I agree the Michelins handle way better (braking & cornering), but I found the Bridgestones smoother with less noise on most roads.

.

Steve is correct. Once you adjust your tire pressure, reset the monitor and once pressure drops in one or more tires (to a set limit) the warning light will illuminate. It is a very good system, as I picked up a nail and the light came on. Just looking at all 4 tires, I couldn't tell which one was low, but a gauge told me and then I saw the nail. And I think the system also monitors the spare tire, so be aware of that.

Pete

Happened to me too on July 4, 2010. I couldn't beleive it. The possibility of bottle rockets flying into my car. It was like a war zone out in the street. Then I remembered having stooped down for several seconds, while in the house, as the key fob was in my right front pocket and that caused the windows down/sunroof open. Forgot to get it reprogrammed on my last service, but will the next time.

I got the blue dye transfer (from new blue jeans) on the leather driver's seat. I washed the jeans twice to prevent it, but that did not help.

I found some Leatherique (don't know when I purchased it) and it completely removed the dye. I tried other products (Sonus Leather Cleaner) and that got rid of 80% - 90%, but some of the blue was still visible.

At my 20k service I reported I felt a shudder during braking. Under warranty, the brakes were replaced and the rotors turned.

After getting new tires (switched from the Bridgestones to Michelin Primacy), my braking and handling improved drastically. Not sure what tires you have, but it is worth a shot.

Since both of my Lexus vehicles are made in Japan, I'm wondering if vehicle replacement parts will be hard to get. Does anyone know if the parts are made in Japan? I can only imagine it will be a very, very long time before the country is back to normal.

I feel so sorry for all of the people affected.

I usually fill up at the half tank level. I used to switch between premium & mid grade. Now, based on all the logical information in this forum, I will either exclusively use regular or possibly switch between regular & mid.

My only concern ---- I recently had both our '04 RX 330 & the '09 ES350 serviced. Each time I had a different service writer. I asked each of them their opinion of using regular when the manual calls for premium. They both said NO, use premium, because of some kind of build up in the engine. One said to use only Chevron, because of the Techron additive.

In Calif. the difference between regular and premium is 30 cents a gallon. I guess that would work out to a savings of about $4.50/per fill up....not that much....but why throw away money if it is not necessary.

Wish I never read this post...now I am confused.

First of all the compact spare is not part of the tire pressure monitoring system (per the manual). I guess if you have a full size spare, it would be.

Also, the monitoring system uses as a benchmark what ever the tire pressure is when the system is reset. It doesn't say, but I would assume maybe a 10% loss of pressure would set off the warning light. So, if the dealer put 30 pounds in each tire and set the system, then 27 psi would set off the light.

Now, here is what I don't understand. I recently replaced all four tires at an independent shop. The manual says that you need to replace the warning valves and transmitters, which was done. It also says you need to register the new ID codes using the switch under the glove box. The push button pin has two settings....main & 2nd. The main is for the tires installed at the factory. The second is for any new warning valves/transmitters. Well, mine is still on Main. So, I don't know if I need to put it on 2nd, and then reset the monitoring system using the button under the steering wheel.

I guess my confusion is whether the 2nd position is for a second set of tires...say winter tires.

Any ideas?

There is a youtube video showing how to change the battery:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za7pCdUde3U

It's very simple and I change both key fob batteries every year.

I just had my 20k service. I told the advisor I felt a shimmy in the front end while braking. They turned the rotors and replaced the pads under warranty. They said they will only do this once. I don't know how much pad was left.

I also got new tires to replace the Bridgestone Turzana's. I had 4/32" left on the rear and a little more on the front. I went with the Michelin Primacy's..."V" rated. Wow, what a difference. Not so much in the noise factor, but in braking and handling. The Primacy's are much more quiet, by how much it's hard to say. But it takes much less effort to brake and the tires grip nicely around turns. If I wanted the "H" rated Primacy's, the tire shop would have had me sign a disclaimer, holding them harmless if anything were to happen.

Also, when I replaced the crap OEM tires with Michelin Primacy's, the car is now tomb quiet.

Did you go with the "V" or "H" rated Primacy's? I'm replacing the crap Bridgestones on Tuesday. I ordered the "V" rated.

Steve,

If you got the Michelins, did they put the V or H rated tires on your car? And, if you got the Michelins, do you notice a big difference?

iPhone has a great app for tracking mileage....called gas cubby

I've been using it for 7,954 miles with my '09 ES350.

I've averaged 22.29 mpg.

Max mpg is 26.98

Min is 17.76

Cost per mile 15 cents

The way you get results like 30-33 mpg, is on a long trip, take a freeway exit, fill up and get right back on the freeway. Driving even a few miles on city streets will prevent those high numbers.

Also, in addition to Steve's question, did they put on the "V" or "H" rated tire??

Thanks

Speedometer is off 2 mph according to my GPS which is accurate in 2 other vehicles. Lexus dealer tells me there is nothing they can do. I don't accept that to be a valid response from a professional maintenance shop. I was able to correct a motorhome by changing the dip switches but have not looked under the dash yet on this car. Just wondering if I have the only bad speedometer on the road.

I think most vehicles I have owned (including my '09 ES), have had a speedometer that has been off 2 mph. I noticed the discrepancy when I drive past those portable radar trailers set up by police in town. Also, I have driven past permanent radar signs at freeway speeds, and noticed the speedometer is off by 3 mph. I think they make the cars like this intentionally so the driver is on the safe side, and not speeding. I personally don't mind it being off a little bit.

Oh and for the tires, mine has the Bridgestones and they are just okay. They're very smooth, but they do have some low speed road noise that you don't have on the Michelins.

They don't do Primacys from the factory, but they do the MXV4 S8 which is not as good a tire as the Primacy, but better than the Bridgestone.

The Bridgestones also have a ...terrbile 240 treadwear rating and the Michelins are 440, so if the car you get doesn't have the Michelins, try and get them to swap. I picked mine up in the dark and the rain the day I got back from vacation and I didn't think to look until the next day and they wouldn't do a warranty swap after the fact. They're not so bad, but if I really threw a fit I bet they'd swap them for Michelins.

I see Costco now offers 8 different tires for the '09 ES (all "V" rated). When I checked a few months ago they only offered the 2 OEM's (Michelin MXV4S8 and the Bridgestone Turanza). Now they offer a Michelin Primacy ("V" rated). I wonder if that would be as quiet as the "H" rated Primacy?

The one feature of the Lincoln Zephyr I traded for the ES was the fact I could run with park and fog lights on, and headlights off, which to my mind is ideal in snow/fog conditions. Low/flat fog lights minimize the glare you get from the headlights; the Zephyr was the only car since auto-headlights that I've been able to run only fogs & running lights.

I'm surprised Lincoln would design a car like that, being the configuration of parking & fog lights on without headlamps is illegal (at least in California). Any vehicle I have had will not let me activate the fog lights without the headlights being on.

Reference:

Foglamps

24403. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two foglamps that may be used with, but may not be used in substitution of, headlamps.

V C Section 24800 Lighted Parking Lamps

Lighted Parking Lamps

24800. No vehicle shall be driven at any time with the parking lamps lighted except when the lamps are being used as turn signal lamps or when the headlamps are also lighted.

Thats my guess too...

It could be that the new iPhone is just not compatible...

I paired my iPhone 4, without issue.

I agree with everything you say. And I really want the quietness of the Primacy. But I'm a worry wort and people are sue happy. I'm not an agressive driver, but sometimes I like to put the ES through its paces. So, if I purchase a lower rated tire and drive 2 -3 hours, somewhat over the speed limit, in 100 - 115 degree weather and the lower rated tire fails and I get in a BIG wreck with major injuries and there is a big investigation which reveals I'm running tires not recommended by the manufactuer, and I signed a waiver (assuming liability) with the tire shop, I think I would be screwed. I would have no recourse against the auto or tire manufacturer. Yes, my vehicle insurance would cover me to my limits, but there goes my house, savings, and everything else I own.

I also agree this is a one in a billion chance of happening, but I will sleep better at night knowing that potential is not there.

Now if I wanted to purchase tires for an ES owned by my 88 year old mother who wanted an absolutely quiet ride, I would probably recommend the Primacy to her because I know she only drives short distances and rarely on the freeway.

Steve, you do great work here on this board.

Trust us...you really don't want the Energy S8...the Primacy is a better tire with better specs and reviews, a treadlife warranty where the S8 has none...and they are cheaper. My set has 40,000 miles on it and probably has another 10k to go, and my Energy MXV4+ I had before were done at 30k.

I'll be needing tires on my '09 ES in about 6 months and I was encouraged to read about the Primacy Tires, because of all the great comments. So, that was going to be my next set of tires (my ES came with Turzana) until I did some investigating.

Here is what consumer reports has to say:

For owners looking at tire replacement, we don’t recommend downgrading because it introduces a safety risk. Tires with higher speed ratings generally have better steering response and cornering grip than lower-speed rated tires, in addition to being capable of higher speeds. So if your car originally came with H-rated tires, that’s what you should replace them with. After all, the automaker spent millions on testing the car with that specific configuration, including suspension and braking systems.

Sticking with H-rated tires comes at a cost. While we found prices are similar to S- and T-rated tires, H-rated tires didn’t last as long in our treadwear test--an average of 49,180 miles, versus 61,080 for our S- and T-rated tires. V-rated tires had an even shorter tread life of 48,260 miles. Mileages are projected to wear-out, based on Consumer Report 16,000 mile wear tests.

Here is a link to the page: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/10/hrated-tires-with-shorter-life-spans-become-more-common.html

Also, today I dropped of another vehicle to have it detailed. The shop specializes in tires/brakes/shocks. I asked the owner if it was okay to put H Rated Tires on a vehicle that came from the factory with V Rated tires. He said absolutely not, because it would be unsafe.

So, now I guess my choice will be limited to the Turzana or Energy.

Also, make sure the volume on your cell phone is up high. The car and cell phone volume work in tandem.