High idle on a 2005 ES 330.
Idles high for 4-5 minutes even in 80 degree weather.
Has anyone else had this problem and if so how did you correct this?

 

Hello,

It is normal for those cars to idle at ~1,500 RPM for a while, and it is also normal for them to stay in second gear until the car warms up. It is all done to warm up the engine quicker, since the cold engine is running rich, which adds wear and creates unnecessary pollution.

Hope this helps and best of luck!

 

Absolutely, if you are letting it sit at idle it can run high that long.

Best thing to do is start the car, give it 10 or 15 seconds max just to let the oil circulate. Then drive. This applies to all weather conditions.

BUT: keep it under 2k rpm or so if possible until the dash water temp gauge is swinging upward past the lower marks. You are using it as a proxy gauge for the oil temp, and it's reasonable for that. Once the gauge is visibly moving towards normal, drive as you would otherwise.

This maximizes the variables between idling and polluting, as well as fuel-diluting the oil and increased wear on parts, particularly cylinders and walls. It gets the car to temp fast for optimal performance and lubrication.