Filehorse

That's exactly the way I felt so I was happy to pay it forward. Thanks for the feedback. Glad to see it worked for you too.

Before you go down the road of seat belt replacement I suggest you look at this video and give this a try. I have an RX300 with 225,000 on the clock and over the years the driver's side belt had gotten to the point you almost had to push it back to make it retract. I follow the procedure demonstrated in the attached video and the belt now retracts as easily as when new..!! You don't realize how stiff the belt has become until you feel the clean and dry version. The only change to the process I made was to put a small amount of liquid fabric softener in the rinse water. I also used a nylon bristle brush to scrub the belt on both sides while in the detergent solution. Be sure to rinse the belt more than once. After looping the cleaned belt over the steering wheel to dry it literally worked like new and still does. I'd do it outside where the sun can help with the drying. I had actually bought a used seat belt thinking it would fix the problem but as I researched the same issues you are now considering I ran across the belt cleaning process and could not be happier. I think you'll be amazed at the difference and it's a LOT easier than removing the entire assembly for rebuilding and I promise it will cost less..!! Good luck.

I think what you need is in here. You can find the Transaxle and Transfer Case listed in the section headers on the left side of the document. Good luck. I have others but I'm not sure they are any different. RX300_-_Repair_Manual_.pdf

A good pair of needle nose pliers will get the job done but the tips need to be fairly long and slender. El cheapo pliers probably need not apply. Your best bet for the Outer Grounding/Retaining Sleeve is probably going to be a used parts place/junkyard. Pull-A-Part is a national franchise where you have to do your own wrenching but if they have what you need you'll never find it for less. https://www.pullapart.com/locations/ If there is not one in your area there are probably similar salvage yards. With Pull-A-Part you can check their inventory before you go to see if they have a Gen 1 RX300 in inventory. Otherwise, you're at the mercy of your friendly Lexus parts department. Or, depending on your level of desperation, a quick Internet search will find you complete replacement antennas: http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/2002/lexus/rx300/fluids-fs-manuals-fs-misc/antenna.html Lotsa luck.

Based on your description it's impossible to make any kind of diagnosis with any certainty. However, it appears that at this point you are just throwing parts and money at the problem. I think it's time to find a good independent Toyota/Lexus shop that will have the proper diagnostic equipment to give you an informed determination of what the problem is. It'll cost a lot less than coil packs and valve timing solenoids. Good luck.

Sounds like a trip to your local independent Toyota/Lexus shop may be in order.

Based on the limited amount of information you've provided, if the vehicle seems to lose power going uphill but the engine RPM's are increasing, I think it's time for someone to take a hard look at your transmission. I don't know of any other place where you can create any serious slippage in the drive train. Let us know what you find.

Just looking at the belt arrangement on my 2000 RX300 and the adjustment has to be either via the alternator or the A/C compressor. Either way, it's not obvious like the old days but it has to be there somewhere. If you push down on the belt midway between the alternator pulley and the crankshaft pulley there should be about 1/2" of depression available and that's with a pretty stout finger pressure. I had my alternator replaced sometime last summer and this is where the indy shop left the belt tension. If there's much more than that much depression available you may have found your problem. It'll be interesting to see what you discover on your quest. Again, good luck.

While you're under the hood, loosen the belt and check any other accessories (A/C, power steering pump) to see if there is any significant drag. I have trouble thinking it's just a coincidence that you have a squeaking belt and a Alternator/Battery warning light. In a vehicle of this age, you really need to find a good independent shop that specializes in Toyota/Lexus repairs. Under the hood is all Toyota so there should be one in your area you could trust to do good work at a fair price. The parts will be about the same price as the dealer but the labor rates should be significantly less. Good luck and let us know what you find that solves the problem.

I think you have two possibilities: (1) the accessory drive belt is loose and needs to be adjusted. (2) you have an alternator bearing seizing up and the belt is slipping over the pulley. If the belt is loose, adjust and problem solved. If the belt is tight, loosen it and see if the alternator pulley will spin freely with no drag. If it doesn't, problem solved with a nre alternator - and they ain't exactly cheap but it is an easy DIY. Good luck.

Hopefully you can get some benefit from the attached files. Good luck. RX300_1998-2003_Workshop_Repair_Manual__WhereEverybodyKnowsY.pdf RX300 - Body Electrical Diagrams .pdf RX300_-_Repair_Manual_.pdf

Most likely it is the retractable antenna mast. It has a coiled nylon "tail" with teeth that allow it to be pushed up and retracted back. I'm pretty sure some of the nylon teeth have broken off. The following video will show you how to replace your mast. It's actually a pretty simple job. Just pay attention and take your time. New mast is available at your friendly Lexus dealer Parts Department. As repairs go, this one is pretty easy and not that expensive. I did mine a few years ago and this is the procedure I followed. Good luck.

With the advent of aluminum radiators having plastic end caps this has become a common problem for many makes. The leaks typically occur at the "seal" between the aluminum core and the plastic end caps. It's usually the product of poor (cheap) materials combined with poor workmanship. I don't know if the radiators available from your friendly Lexus Parts Department are any better or not. Most all the El Cheapo imports are manufactured in China and often last until the warranty runs out. Sadly, although the cost of the radiator itself is typically not too bad, the labor cost to remove and reinstall one is where the real pain is as you are well aware. If you are going to opt for another replacement, I'd probably spring for an OEM radiator from the dealer provided they could convince me it was a Genuine Lexus (Toyota) part. Also, this might be a good time to take a look at the available cooling system sealants available at your local Autozone, Advance, NAPA, etc. Things really have improved over the years and I don't see that you've got a lot to lose at this point. Let us know how things turn out.

As long as you don't have the vehicle loaded down with 4-5 passengers and accompanying luggage you should be OK. At 500 pounds that is like 2-3 passengers which is a lot - especially if you have the back storage area full of tools, spare parts, etc. That transmission was not Toyota's (Lexus') finest hour either. I think you're pretty much on the edge with that much weight hanging off the back bumper.

Any good independent Toyota/Lexus shop should be happy to do that work for you. The parts costs won't differ much but the labor charges should be less - perhaps 25-30% - than your dealer quote. The vibration may be related to the failing center U-joint on the drive shaft. If the joint is making that much vibration you need to get it replaced now or have your AAA policy paid up. Once the drive shaft problem is resolved you can then begin to look for the source of other squeaks, creaks, and groans. It would be good if you could find someone to recommend an indy shop they have used. Failing that, be sure to go online to the local BBB to check the shop's track record in dealing with the public. Good luck.

Good news. Bad news. The good news is that some independent locksmith shops can duplicate the remote key. i priced one for my 2000 RX300 and it was about $125 a couple of years ago. The bad news is that they have to have a working 3-button key to obtain the source code. Check around with some full-service key shops and you might get lucky. Otherwise, it's back to the dealer or use the valet key with manual locking and unlocking.

It probably won't break anything that isn't already broken. That said, the attached YouTube video shows you exactly how to solve your problem. I've done mine either once or twice over the past 16 years and 225,000 miles. If you take your time and follow the video this is a pretty simple job for any decent do-it-yourselfer. The final step when you power up the radio to retract the new antenna it would be handy to have an extra pair of hands to help feed the new antenna into the housing. I've done it with no help so it's not a requirement. At least this video will show you what's actually broken. Hint: it's the nylon teeth on the retractable part. Lotsa luck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBXLxVovqpE

There should be a wheel speed sensor on each wheel. Typically one of them feeds the speedometer and others do other things. You can lose one (or more) of those coils and you can get the symptoms you are seeing. Short of checking the resistance on each coil there really is no other way to see if that might be the problem except getting the codes read by a Lexus/Toyota dealer or a good indy garage. They will have the model specific analyzers which tell them things you can never get from the standard OBDII port at your local Autozone store. Even checking the resistance is often not a clear cut indication since these are Hall effect sensors. If you have one sensor that reads radically different than the others then that is a likely culprit.

I have a 2000 RX300 with 215,000+ miles on the clock and over the years the dealer has replaced no less than a half-dozen of the key cases. They cut the keys in the Parts Department and transfer the electronics from the old key to the new one at no cost. Fortunately they have all my records and when they try to charge me I just mention that they've been providing these replacements at no cost and that's usually the end of the story. The problem is so bad that sitting on the parts counter is a display from an aftermarket supplier for a replacement key case that will NOT twist apart from simply normal use. The only problem is that they want $150 to buy one. I don't think so. This is clearly a design problem. With the newer proximity keys this is no longer an issue but I also have a 2002 BMW 5 Series with 100,000+ miles on the odometer and it's still running perfectly with the original remote keys. Lexus has buried their heads in the sand on this issue hoping no one notices or will simply continue to pay for replacement keys that were faulty from the day the vehicle was purchased. The only thing in question was when they would fail. My recommendation is that before anyone hands over serious money to a dealer that you inform them that you know this a common generic design problem and that Lexus should comp the replacement cases in the interest of customer loyalty and support. The worst thing they can say is, "I'm sorry." At my dealership this seems to sort of fall into the category of a "hidden warranty." The dealers are NOT performing this service without getting comped by Lexus.

Unless there were smoke and flames involved when you replaced the batteries, this should be simple coincidence. There is nothing about those two components that should be sensitive to properly changing out a battery.

This is not the LS400 forum. If you had an RX300 I'd say most likely it was either the Air Mix Servo or the Mode Servo. I'm guessing you have the same/similar servos but you really need to hear from someone who has experienced this problem on your model vehicle.

The most likely culprit is the Mode Servo which is the one that changes airflow from defrost to vents to floor. If you plan to keep the vehicle, I'd suggest you replace both the Mode Servo and the Air Mix Servo (controls temperature) while you're in the area. Both these servos are available online for a lot less than your local Lexus dealer will likely quote you. It's also a fairly easy DIY if you don't mind standing on your head under the glove box for about an hour - maybe less. There are lots of writeups and pictures available covering this procedure. I replaced both of my servos last year. The trickiest part is removing one screw that will probably be at least partly obscured by one of the aluminum tubes routing hot water to/from the heater core. You can carefully pry the tube to one side enough to remove the screw without any real difficulty. This is also a good reason to be sure the engine is COLD before you start this process. If you follow someone's writeup and you have the requisite stubby #2 Phillips screwdriver, you should expect to go start to finish in a couple of hours or less if you've never done this job before. Also, if you are actually going to go to the trouble to remove these servos, go ahead and REPLACE them. You can take them apart and clean the contact surfaces but this will most assuredly be a short-term fix and you'll be right back in there to replace the servos when the problem resurfaces in short order. The problem is less a one of dust/contamination than it is of a wearing of the internal "painted" contact strips. The following link provides a LOT of information/pics on the How To for this little job. http://www.clublexus.com/forums/esp_search.php?query=air+mix+servo&ref=esp-nav-bar&type=all I bought my servos from Stevinson Lexus of Frederick, CO. http://www.partswebs...=108&type=parts You might shop around the Internet and save a few bucks but these prices are very competitive. I gave my dealer the opportunity to meet the price but he couldn't/wouldn't come close. Lotsa luck.

Given the age of your RX and a well-documented history of this problem, a roundup of the usual suspects would have to include the Mode Servo (Part No. 87106-30371). The servo is available online for about $150. Your local Lexus dealer will probably quote you around $200. The typical failure mode is the conductive contact surface on the servo internal disc has worn to the point it no longer will make adequate contact and no amount of cleaning is going to restore that function for more than a short time. If you plan to keep the RX you might want to consider replacing both the Mode Servo and the Air Mix Servo (Part No. 87106-48020) while you are in the area standing on your head under the glove compartment. If I remember correctly, the Air Mix Servo must be removed to get to the Mode Servo anyway. Here is a link to a discussion I was involved in on another forum. It has some good links for parts sources and How-To. http://us.lexusowner...=1. Lotas luck.

If you're pushing exhaust gas out of the exhause manifold gaskets, you surely must have an obstruction in the exhaust system. Short of someone stuffing a potato in the exhaust pipe, I'd certainly be looking hard at the catalytic converter. At that age, cat failure is not that uncommon although I have a 2000 RX300 AWD with 175,000 miles and still with the OEM catalytic converter. That's probably my next major expense. Let us know what you find.

Only the overhead light comes on when the door opens. You'd think the front overhead light would also come on but you'd be wrong.