jwminzen

The tires are brand new, I put them on the same week I bought it.

If I keep it I plan on changing fluids. That's not a huge expense so I'm not really worried about that. I do realize I'll have to change the plugs here in about 20k though.

It has new brakes, new tires, and timing belt and water pump have been done.

hypervish

In all seriousness, I'd keep it.

Why do they think the CAT is bad? Is it a code for catalytic inefficiency. Does your state do emmissions testing?

With only 100k on the clock, I'd put some money into it and drive it for another 100k.

chris948

That makes no sense, so the OP is going to sell it for $13k and buy what exactly that isn't going to potentially need repair? If you want to avoid "the next big thing to go wrong" might I suggest a bus pass?

Nothing in the list (cat, rack and pinion, wheel bearing) indicates prior abuse. This isn't really bad luck, more like life with a 100k mile vehicle.

RX330inFL

Was not that it needed repairs, I agree with you that all vehicles will need repairs. Was just that the OP had this dropped on them all at once instead of spread out over a greater amount of time giving them the opportunity to deal with them one at a time. When repair needs cluster such as this the owners many times fear the next big ticket repair. Thus, they try to get out of the vehicle and into something they feel will not require immediate attention or at least not a big check out of their savings. In this case, I believe the OP will continue to worry about the transfer case as a major repair item which will deduct from the joy of owning his new-used RX.

I, too, have an RX330. Have not seen any of these major problems to date. Suspension pieces are in good shape. No CAT or O2 problems. Have owned it since new. Long since paid off. So, for me any big ticket item would be considered to be much cheaper than a series of car payments.

mpatton

This is going to sound stupid, but how would one know if there was a rack an pinion issue? I have an 04 RX330 and I bought it well used and had it checked out prior to purchase by a Toyota mechanic that gave it a clean bill of health. Are there just some that are worse for wear? Of course, now I'm all paranoid!

RX330inFL

Not a stupid question.

You would see signs of fluid having leaked out around the boots.

lexus114

If it is the Cat under the RX you can eliminate it. There is no sensor after that one. Now the header converters, different story.

jwminzen

It is throwing code p0420 and both my mechanic and Lexus said it needed to be replaced. My state does not do emissions testing.

Carver

Could just be the luck of the mechanical draw on the cat. The only reason I have my sweet '05 is because it blew a coil and needed a set of tires and in the face of these horrors the original owner traded it in on a new one. Lucky for me.

When I got it I gave it the mid-life maintenance it needed for the next 73k. The coil had been replaced when i got it and I did tires, brake pads, steering rack, 4 wheel alignment, complete fluid change and a detail. Except for a battery, gas etc that's the only money spent (for maintenance, I've spent a ton on toys!) in the last three years. If you take care of these cars you will be rewarded with long, trouble free service.

hypervish

P0420 means the catalytic converter is operating at less than 95% efficiency. Not a big deal. And, since your state does not do emissions testing, you don't need to fix it.

I'm not familiar with the RX330 but does it have a 02 sensor after the catalytic converter? I'd assume it does and if so, you likely just need to replace that sensor. Better yet, check it's resistance and see if it's in spec.

jwminzen

The cat is the least of my worries, but I would still like to get it fixed. I hate having a nice car and the check engine light is on all the time.

Does it make a difference that my RX is made in Canada? Are the parts of the Japan and Canada model interchangeable?

RX330inFL

So, they both jump to the same end-game solution instead of working through the process...

1. Gas leakage in exhaust system
2. A/F sensor (bank 1 sensor 1)
3. Heated oxygen sensor (bank 1 sensor 2)
4. Three-way catalytic converter (inside exhaust manifold)

Not saying the CAT cannot be bad. Just that they come up with that as the root cause for the error is just too convenient, IMO.

RX330inFL

Almost all the parts are interchangeable. There are probably only the rare exceptions. Does not mean the parts are not of the same quality.

RX330inFL

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...-trac-off.html

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...0430-code.html

I wonder how much time they spent testing your problem? Have seen too many times where someone gets sloppy performing an oil change and drips oil on a sensor while it is hot ruining it. I find that a more plausible explanation unless I know the tech testing for the P0420 error has completely ruled out the items previous on the list I noted above. O2 sensors also have a given lifespan. After 100K miles it would not be too far a stretch for those just to start acting up a bit.

jwminzen

The Lexus tech that posted in the second link said that 95% of the time, the cat is faulty, not the sensor. I wish it was as easy as just replacing the sensor.