Domenico Nelli

Okay, thanks, I'll go back to Autozone and have another scan done and see what code I get. If it is the exhaust manifold is that a do it yourself deal or leave it to a mechanic? I too had a P1150 and a P1155, and the code reader said it was Air/Fuel Metering and it isn't the mass air flow sensor either. Lexus calls the O2 sensors Air/Fuel Meters. I did the one between the fire wall and back side of the engine. Never doing it before, working with room for only one hand, blind it took me 50 minutes to figure out how to unplug it then it was easy to unscrew it from the exhaust manifold. The front one recently went on me hence the aforementioned codes. I thought, "oh this is gonna be a 15 minute job". I ordered a new air fuel meter from oxygensensors.com for $125, including shipping (Lexus wanted $260) and I was sure to get a Denso which is stock on the car. I read not to use universal sensors as they won't work correctly. The front A/F Meter took two seconds to unplug once I removed the battery and tray. However, unscrewing it with the oxygen sensor socket became a nightmare. I wound up using a 1/2" impact wrench on it to zip it out as it was frozen and no amounts of penetrating liquid or Roost Off worked. I then had to get a tap and chase the threads as they were boogered up. All in all, it became an all afternoon job, but I still saved cash doing it myself, even after dropping $20 for the M18 X 1.50 tap.

Look at the below hyperlink...the Lexus Tech called it an intermediate pipe for my RX300. I nearly crapped in my pants when I saw the price. I did replace the conical donut, post cat which helped with the noise. The flex pipe is incorporated in the intermediate pipe. I learned that instead of replace the $1200 pipe, you can get a pipe shop to cut out the flex portion of the pipe and weld a new one on. I also have recently seen these flex pipes being sold at the Advance Auto in town, if you wanted to do it yourself. The flex portion of the pipe on my 300 is under the engine. Good luck. http://www.lexuspartsonline.com/index2.html?make=20&Year=2004&catalogid=1&B12=Search&action=selectCatalogYearMakeModel&siteid=214281

So I called Lexus of Cherry Hill, NJ today to find out that they do in fact sell the seat pan cover for my 2000 RX300. They quoted me $950 just for the factory replacement cover. I have the beige interior color seat and the drivers seat is torn on the left side of the seat. I guess that is from the getting in and out of the vehicle. The LEXUS P/N for that seat pan cover is 7107248051A2. If you go to LEXUSPARTSONLINE.COM you'll find the OEM part for only $756, plus installation of course.

Not to contradict what you have stated......but I had a Lexus Master Tech tell me that the Rear main seals go at about 60K! (I have a 2000 RX300 currently with 101K.) I said....A luxury car with a 60K main seal....Nice, real nice... He spoke to his service mgr and basically got the OK to do a good will warranty for the job. I think they get like 9-10 hours of labor. I had to pay for the twenty dollar seal though. I just hope the seal is a newly revised seal that will last longer than another 60K!!

Thanks. The CEL is still off and it has been about 125 miles since I cleared the code... I thought I saw a fuzzy, like from the air filter, deep within the MAF sensor the first time i cleaned it. So this last cleaning I went in there and gingerly wiped the two wires with a de fuzzed cotton swab. Then I blasted it with MAF cleaner. Hasn't been on since. Hopefully, it'll stay that way...lol

I had a Lexus tech buddy tell me that the A/F sensors and such should be done at the same time...as for the plugs..it is less than ideal to be running three good plugs and three beat plugs...or potentially beat plugs...you may want to consider changing the rear three....good luck with that.

Thanks for the reply. What year and engine type was your corolla for reference? Also, what year is your RX? Lexus charges you top dollar, as you know, for parts and they don't even re package in Lexus packaging!! I mean they could at least make you feel like your getting a LEXUS part...for the price. If the light comes back on.. I may price out the corolla MAF... Thanks

Hi, I have had the check engine light (CEL) illuminate in my 2000 RX300 with 100K miles. I live at sea level. I ran it up to Advance Auto to scan it and the one code that set was P0171. I read on this forum, that it is a mass air flow (MAF) meter sensor. So, I went home after clearing the code and cleaned the MAF with MAF cleaner. I had to run out shortly after reassembling the MAF and within a mile the CEL came back on!! I drove the RX back up to Advance Auto yesterday evening to read the new code. I had another P0171 (B1 too Lean) set with a second P0171 "Pending". The customer service person said that this particular scanner (ACUTRON)says either lean or weak. So it was explained to me that "lean" meant that I was receiving too much gas and weak would mean too much air?!? (I thought lean meant too much air and rich meant too much fuel.) I went home again, disassembled and re-cleaned it a little more thoroughly. While I had the MAF out, I did a resistance check between E2 and THA terminal's as per the SFI_SF_file someone was kind enough to post. It says, on page SF-31, that the resistance at 68 degrees F should fall between 2.21-2.69 kOhm. I measured 1.188 kOhm's @ ~72 degrees. It seems to be out of spec. The tech manual also has a test to inspect the MAF operation. The voltage did change while I blew air into it while plugged in, with ignition on but the difference was in millivolts. I have put 35 miles on it since yesterday evening and the CEL is still out... Also, I spoke to a couple tech friends yesterday and each of them say the code is related to either the A/F and or the O2 sensors. This forum says that, they are common misdiagnosis. Is this true? How many A/F sensors do I have, 2? How many O2 sensors are on this car, 1? What exactly does a pending code mean? I mean, will the same code set a second time? Which cyl head is bank 1 vice bank 2? Should the car be scanned with a more sophisticated scanner in real time? Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what it may be? The vehicle has been reliable, though I had a main seal replace at around 62K under a good will warranty. And a stuck throttle one 12 degree morning I decided not to warm it up (this happened one time only, a few years ago). I suppose I will ride the warmed up RX until the light comes back on. Thanks for any help you could lend. SFI__SF__file.pdf

I was told by a friend who happened to be a Lexus Tech to stay away from the 99's due to the trans issue. I purchased a 2000 model year. He told me when I was looking to buy, to start the car up and throw it into drive or reverse, while the car is cold. There should be no hesitation whatsoever. He also mentioned for me to stay clear of Rx's with the towing receiver. I had the timing belt and water pump done at 94K. I think 90K is the service interval. I almost forgot to mention that I had the rear main seal done at about 60K. Apparently that is about how long they last... Also, you want to make sure that the oil and filter is/was changed every 5,500 mile as these vehicles have sludge issues. He pulled the valve cover off the day I took it for a test drive and said that the camshafts looked great (eg. no signs of sludge). Good luck and welcome!

So are there two conical shaped exhaust crush gaskets for that pipe? How much did you pay for the intermediate pipe? Thanks :)

The connector? Not real easy on the rear one. My suggestion is to have a friend lean over the drivers fender and reach behind the engine and hold the wire loom just where the sensor lead plugs into it. That way you can reach one hand up and release the tab and pull the plug out of it's socket. I did it alone but it is not easy because you can only get one hand up there at a time. It took me a while to disconnect the B1S1 sensor wire from the harness. I wound up getting a mirror up there and shined a light to see what kind of connector it was. After determining that the tab was enveloped in the plastic connector housing, e.g. the tab was hidden in a cove so to speak. I used a little carb flat blade screwdriver and with my right hand, I tried guiding the screwdriver under the tab. Once I located it, I lifted the tab (with the screwdriver) and pulled on the wire simultaneously. This is how I finally released it. I did a lil dance in my driveway after it unplugged...

My RX has about 95K on it and I have read discussions where dudes are getting 184K and even one guy who had 200K on his original timing belt. I got a quote from an independent shop to replace the water pump and timing belt for $505. I then called the local Toyo shop who wanted $790 but also said they'e replace the two other belts exterior to the engine. So I settled for a friend of a friend to do it. He is a Master Mechanic at a Lexus dealership. He charged me $500 which included a timing belt, water pump, topped off brake fluid, wiper fluid and did an oil change with oil filter. I am going to change out the tranny fluid with type IV. He also checked the brakes, tires (which will need replacing soon since at 4/32) and made a recommendation for me to replace the intermediate exhaust pipe and crush seals since he heard an exhaust leak there. Not too bad for $500....

I have a buddy who is a Lexus Tech and he told me that tha rear main seals are good for about 60K! I said WTF? Luxury car and the rear main seals go that soon... He brought it into his shop and had asked his service writer to do a goodwill warranty on it. I believe it took him about 9 hours and they were paid by the factory. I had to pay for the seal which I believe cost only like $20. Oh well, I guess you can say that I am lucky. Not looking forward for it to go in another 60K.