EnzoRX

Hi all,

My RX300 has just started making a high pitch whining noise. Usually it happens in the morning and lasts for a few hours. It only appears when the engine is idling. When I raise the revs a little, the noise disappears. In normal traffic driving, the noise is gone...but when I come to a stop, the noise re-surfaces again. Any ideas what this could be? I am thinking it's a loose belt of some type...just don't know which one.

I have made an appointment with the Lexus dealer for tomorrow. I am just hoping this is covered under warranty and I don't have to shell out money for a diagnostic fee or something.

Thanks everyone.

Bruin2K

Enzo,

I am experiencing this noise as well. I have noticed that this noise occurs after the car has been warmed up. The noise does go away when you rev higher, but that may be due to the fact that as you move faster, there is more road noise that drowns out the whining noise. I have also noticed that the noise only occurs when the steering wheel is in the neutral position. Try turning your steering wheel slightly to either direction the next time you are at a stop light. The noise should go away. This problem has been bothering me quite a bit too. The first time I took it to the dealership, they couldn't replicate the problem. The second time, they said it was normal. I really don't believe that this can be a normal noise in a Lexus. The service guy suggested the next time I bring my car in for service that I ask a service tech to accompany me in a test drive so I could pinpoint the noise. I haven't had time to do this yet. Hopefully you will have more luck than me. Please let me know what you find.

Thanks

LexRX

I had a squeaky noise in my engine bay a while back that was more evident in very humid and wet weather. I could tell that it was a seaky belt and had it replaced under warranty. That fixed it.

EnzoRX

Bruin & Lex,

Thanks for the info. When I did notice the noise, it was last weekend when the San Francisco area had a mad rain/wind storm. It was also a rainy and wet day (similar to what Lex is talking about) when all this noise was happening. My girlfriend drives it daily and I only drive it on the weekend. She hasn't noticed the sound lately (but then again, she's not really paying attention to it either )

I will try the steering wheel trick and see if I notice a difference in the sound. But yeah, it's bugging me cuz a Lexus shouldn't sound like this.

I will keep ya posted on what the Lexus tech tells me tomorrow.

CK1_RX3

Enzo,
I've got the same sound coming from my RX... EXACTLY as you described. Seems to go away after the RX is warmed up though, but I'll start paying more attention. I have always thought the RX is mighty noisy for a Lexus, this being my 3rd Lex.

ecc

I got the same problem with a 2000 RX. It seems to come when its warmed.. but goes away after an hour of driving. And since my dealer is an hour away, everytime I go there its gone. Sometimes the "noise" is horrible and other days not too bad.. but still there. Please post any answers. Thanks!!

ecc

Anyone out there ever found a fix to this problem?

bx167

Is the noise come out from the belt?

I had the same prob. and heard the noise came out from the left side where the steering and alt belts are.

I brought my 99 RX to dealer and they said they found crack on the belt and replaced both.

It seems the noise is gone now. Wonder if yours apply