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I have a 1999 RX300 AWD. About 197000 miles. I have had an ABS light on for about 24 months. The last time I checked the ABS codes (a few months ago) the only code was 34. Which I believe is left rear wheel.
I had purchased a used rear axle with a good tone ring. But had procrastinated the install.I decided yesterday afternoon was going to be the time for the axle install. I drove the car to church in the morning, and then on the way home, no speedometer. (This is a new problem) Wife also noticed an erratic fuel gauge.
I now have a CEL with P0500. What I did not do (and probably should of) was re-read the ABS codes.
Proceeded to (attempt to) remove the driver side rear axle DIY. This is my first time doing this. I got the axle nut off, and all four nuts off the differential. But I cannot get the axle to budge. Probably 17 years of road salt has done it damage and welded the axle to the differential.
Is there any gasket between the differential and the axle? Can I stick some kind of pry tool in there? Should I drench it in PB Blaster? Any other tricks to get this thing separated?
From searching the forum last night, it looks like others have had similar issue with ABS light and P0500. They suggested clearing CEL, reading the ABS codes again (I probably now have 31 32 33 and 34) , and then re-setting the ABS codes. That at least got the speedo working again.in the threads I found.
Ii wish I would have checked the ABS codes again before delving into the axle replacement, but hindsight is 20/20.
I must have one marginal speed sensor still working. Every now and then, like if I drive in a lot of snow, I get the P0500. I clear the ABS codes and CEL and I'm back in business.
Well I got the axle of off the differential end with a drift and some pounding. But now it is still stuck in the hub. I did put the axle nut on and give a few whacks with a sledge. But was afraid to get too violent with it. I may try to rent a front wheel drive hub/axle puller. I have seen some scary youtube videos with monster tools and torches to get some axles out. I hope I do not have to go that far.
The puller did not help at all. Axle is still stuck in hub. And last night I discovered that the replacement axle I had obtained also has a broken tone ring. I do have one replacement ring, so all is not lost.
I am not exactly clear on what has to be done to get the new ring on the old axle. The new ring comes with 3 "parts", one ring with the teeth, and then two other rings. I am trying to figure out what needs to come off the old axle and then what order the new stuff goes on.
For now I started putting it back together as is. The differential is bolted back up. I did not have time to get the axle nut and the wheel back on before dark last night. Hopefully tonight.
I think I am going to try to re-read, then reset the ABS codes. Hoping that will at least get speedometer back. If I now have ABS codes for other wheels, I may try to pull off one of the other axles, hoping it is not stuck as bad..
As for the stuck rear left axle, I only have two more ideas:
1)I purchased a Harbor Freight Air Chisel a couple years ago but have never used it. I need to take a look and see of it has a "hammer" bit instead of a chisel bit. Some stuff I have seen on the web has said that air hammers work better than sledge hammers.
2) Disconnect axle and hub and take to a shop with a big press. Problem there is my wheel speed sensor is also stuck in its spot. I can remove the bolt, but cannot get the sensor out. I understand to disconnect that sensor, I would need to remove the back seat. I am not sure how big of a project that would be.
To be honest, I am starting to wonder if I should start shopping for a less rusty RX?
PB Blaster or equivalent ... for a period of 24 hrs with some loving jarring blows.. Keep the axle nut on and use a 4x4 piece between the axle and the sledge hammer.
A week's worth of daily PB Blaster soakings, sledge hammer, Autozone Front Wheel Drive/Hub Puller (where the drive bolt pretty much ground off at the tip), An air hammer.
Still stuck.
I re-read the ABS codes; I have all four wheels now 31, 32, 33, 34. Tried to reset to no avail. Still no speedometer.
I may try the passenger side rear and see if it is as stuck as this one.
Also, tried to remove the axle carrier, but I could not even get the nuts on the suspension arms to budge.
Not having the speedo work most likely is due to have a bad wheel speed sensor , relatively cheap and easy repair, might be difficult to pinpoint which one it is though. I recommend replacing all 4 since they are so cheap.
Not having the speedo work most likely is due to have a bad wheel speed sensor , relatively cheap and easy repair, might be difficult to pinpoint which one it is though. I recommend replacing all 4 since they are so cheap.
I own a BMW 328i E46 as well to my RX300 & i was tackling a couple lights that i had on my dashboard for the BMW. In order to get rid of these lights i read on the bimmerforums that they are caused by a bad wheel speed sensor. I bought all four new wheel speed sensors since they were relatively cheap (about $50 for all 4) but before I installed the i tried cleaning the old ones. I started with my rear passenger and nothing happened to the lights so i installed the new sensor, still no change with the light. I moved on to my rear drivers side sensor, i removed it cleaned it and i reinstalled it. When i got back in the car to test drive it to see if the lights would go out i noticed that my speedo went completely out. I read more on some forums and found that the rear drivers side wheel speed sensor affects the speedo( for the BMW) , and it makes sense. I installed the new sensor into the rear drivers side and the speedo came back to normal. unfortunately my other lights were still on. I also read on a different forum the front sensors might take blame for these lights so i installed the new sensor in the front passenger (the old was was really dirty ). I finally got to my last wheel, the front drivers, and this was the only sensor that was giving me a lot of trouble trying to remove, after over an hour of fighting with it i unfortunately broke the sensor so half of the sensor is stuck inside my hub and i can't seem to find a way to remove it. A bunch of spiraled up copper wire came out. Anyways I'm thinking the only way i can remove it is when i replace my front wheel bearing and while i have the bearing off i could hammer out the sensor thats still stuck inside the hub.
RX used sensors run about $100 each. New are $200+. I was hoping you found a a cheaper source.
E328 are fun car. Just a few things that drove me crazy .. warning about tail light with no real problem, prematurely rotting speakers and bad molding around the front and rear windscreen. Ah I almost forgot the the gear shifter not ligning up in 3rd ... but still a fun car to own and drive.
I just want to give a quick update. No real progress yet. For now I am driving it with no speedometer and no cruise. Using a speedometer app on my smartphone for the time being. Car shifts and drives ok, except for no cruise.
I still have been unsuccessful in removing rear drivers side axle. I have not tried to remove any other axles yet. The spare rear axle I do have has a broken tone ring. I had a new tone ring, but ended up destroying the new ring when I was trying to install it on the old axle.
My ABS light has been on for well over a year. When it first came on, I read the ABS codes and only had 34 (left rear). I just let it go then. Had not re-read the ABS codes until speedo failed. I now have 31, 32, 33, 34 (i.e. all four wheels).
From my research, it seems that the ABS codes may be from the electronic sensor, but most posts I have read say more likely code is due to broken tone ring(s). For now, I am assuming I have 4 broken rings. That said, I do have here one new (uninstalled) sensor for the left rear. Problem there, is I cannot get the old sensor out of the rear axle carrier either. And if it is just the rings that are bad, then I really do not want to go to the trouble of replacing the sensor (which I understand would require removing rear seat).
Front axles (new, including tone rings) are readily available at reasonable prices.~$80.
Rear axles for 1999-2000 are $600 new from Ebay sources, and while I have not personally called the Lexus dealer, I have read other posts where dealers were charging $950 for new rear axles for 1999-2000. Interestingly the 2001-2003 rear axles are much more available in the aftermarket at reasonable prices. I presume because the same ones were likely used in the more ubiquitous Toyota Highlander. Bottom line, is I am unwilling to pay $600 or more for replacement axles for a car this old.
I can find 1999-2000 used rear axles for about $100. And some of those ads say "with ABS". I would like to find a rear axle (or two) with an intact tone ring.
The other possibility for an inop speedometer and a P0500, I have read, may be the speed sensor on the transmission. That part looks relatively easy to replace, and I believe it is within my DIY skillset. I have ordered a new sensor from Rock Auto, and it should be here by this weekend. Ideally that would fix speedo, but I am not really too optimistic.
As for the axles, I have never done a DIY CV axle replacement. But I do believe the rear replacement would have been within my skillset, except for the fact that this one is so seized in the rear carrier.
I have ordered one new front axle (driver side), and am still deciding if I should even try that DIY, or just take it to a shop. I have decided to let the shop deal with the rear axle, and am thinking I may just let them do the front(s) as well.
Some of the posts I have read, have implied that if all four ABS sensors/rings are broken or not working, then the speedo will not work, but if the car is getting good ABS from at least one wheel then that is enough for the speedo to work.
I can live w/o ABS, but really would like to get speedometer and cruise back.
So as of now my plan of action is:
1) DIY Install new transmission speed sensor
2) Attempt to DIY R&R front driver side axle
3) Attempt to DIY remove rear right axle, and if able, replace with used axle.
4) Take car to mechanic and let them remove left rear axle, and then decide if we can just put a new ring on or if we need to source a used axle.
5) If I am unable to DIY any of the other axles, I will let them do those as well.
I will stop at whichever step yields a working speedometer. And I will report back here once it is resolved.
Even though I had previously tried to reset the ABS, I had been unsuccessful until I tried again last night. This time it appears the reset took. I just tried to rapidly press the brake pedal as many times as I could in 3 seconds.after turning on the key (with the jumper wire in Tc and E1 of the diagnostic port under the hood).
I originally had ABS code 34. When the speedometer stopped working I had 31, 32, 33, and 34.
After the reset the ABS light was off, I went for a short drive; speedometer worked and ABS light came back on. Read the code, and it is back to only being 34 again.
I had previously replaced the speed sensor on the transmission, no help.
When I had all four ABS codes showing I tried the following:
I checked the tone ring on the left front axle, and it is still intact and solid.
I attempted to remove the right rear axle to check its tone ring, but the exhaust was interfering with its removal, so that ring never got inspected.
I have been trying to remove the left rear axle for weeks with daily applications of penetrating oil, and hub puller, and sledge and air hammers, all without success. It is still stuck in the hub. (I suspect I have a broken tone ring there.) I finally made an appointment with a trusted mechanic, who has better skills and tools than me. The poor shmuck who will get paid flat rate to remove that axle, I already feel sorry for though. I will know more next week.
But for now, I am just happy to have working speedometer, and more so working cruise. (GPS made fine speedo substitute, but doesn't help the lack of cruise control).
04-04-16, 07:51 AM
ABS, rear axle, and no speedometer
