After 9 months of owning my gx which my wife drives. She still loves. However, i am not really satisfied. The space is adequate, unless you are a golfer, which I am. I am avergaing 14 mpg. My z71 gets better mpg! I'm plagued with this dreaded cel light that cannot be sorted even after a 650$ repair. Same light and code p0174 and p0420. I'm thinking of cutting my loss and going with a Yukon. Dealership wanted $2500 to fix. That seems just ridiculous. I looked for the loss pipe near gas tank that has been referenced, got any photos, because I can't find it! My wife loves it and doesn't care about the lights being on but it's becoming a money pit! Bought it bc it's a toyota, maybe I was wrong. This thing just sucks! Anyone got any suggestions. I'm giving it another month then I'm done with it. I can't have wife driving a unreliable vehicle.

 

Was the repair done by a Lexus Dealer? some shops have code readers that "work" but may give false codes or the technician could be reading the codes wrong? Sometimes the system just needs a reset,(unhook the battery for a few minutes) would be my first suggestion; I have run my 4runner for years with a check engine light no problems, could be a faulty sensor? If the truck runs ok and the light doesn't bother the boss(wife), I wouldn't worry about it. I have had many Toyota vehicles over the years with some minor problems but have never been left stranded. If you are really concerned about the light the key is finding a trustworthy mechanic that knows his stuff, one that is familiar with the vehicle. Even some of the guys at the dealer are morons, find the guy that has been there the longest and talk to him, don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion. Is the vehicle exhibiting any other symptoms besides the Light? What dose the light look like? do you have a pic? there are many different warning lights on these vehicles. How many miles are on the vehicle?

 

Sounds like the only problem you are having is a light on te dash? Not seeing why you would say the vehicle sucks bc of that.

14 mpg is bad, even for the GX, but you bought a full time 4x4 - what did you expect?

I play golf and my clubs fit fine I the back - not with the third row in obviously. But then again, you have a truck for that if you need it.

 

p0174 is maf sensor reading too lean
p0420 is a bank 2 catalyst issue, either with the cat itself or the oxygen sensor.

They could be related or they could be two separate problems. The easiest and cheapest thing to do would be to clean your maf sensor with some electronics cleaner spray found at any auto store, then reset your ecu by disconnecting the battery for a few minutes. It may be that a dirty maf sensor could be causing bank 2 to run leaner than it should which would then trigger your 02 sensor as well. Start there before you decide to junk the truck.

What exactly was repaired for $650?

Neither of these codes is anything to get too upset about because they are usually easily identifiable. Also, what exactly is this loss pipe you're talking of?

 

My experience with the p0420 is that usually the problem is the oxygen sensor.

The Yukon will be way worse than this. I actually LOL'd, after reading that statement. From reading your post though, it sounds like you've already made up your mind and don't want anything to do with the GX.

 

Sorry for such a rant. Just frustrated with this. Full story. Bought the GX nine months ago. lights came on like 3 days after we bought it. Raised hell with the dealer and they replaced one 02 sensor, not sure which one. Never resolved the issue. It's been the same codes ever since. So took to a shop ,not lexus dealership, the guy did some research and suggests replacing the catalytic converter. $500. Went ahead and let him replace. Drove GX to KY and CEL VSC etc. lights come on and at one point when my wife was in it, said it started shaking severely and wanted to stalled and wouldn't go above 25mph. Took my scanner with me get a code for o2 sensor. Return home and have replaced by same guy for cost of the part $150. lights off. 24 hours later lights back on with p0174 and p0420. been on since. My scanner is a fairly decent and shows p0420 as bank 1 cat. I had bank 2 (passenger side) replaced. But aren't there 4 total cats?

I have cleaned the MAF already, but I'll try it again as its pretty easy.

The missing pipe is referencing a previous post from another member something near the gas tank.

Golf- my third row is in the upright position. I have remove my driver and fairway wood to get multiple bags in.

I probably worry more about the lights being on than my wife, mainly in case its something more serious. I know exactly what I bought when I bought a 4x4. I won't buy a 2wd anything. The mpg is quite depressing. Really expected to get at least 16 mpg. I believe the poor mpg is related to this issue. Maybe I will suck it up and pay the stealership.
Thanks for any other tips.

 

Re: your golf bags. The very FIRST thing I did after we got our '08 home was to remove those third row seats, put them in black garbage bags, and stuff them into the shed. Both the wife and I were impressed at how much room we had behind the second row when those third row seats were outa there. It's unlikey we'll ever put them back in until we decide to sell the GX.

I know you didn't exactly ask for our opinions on this, but I think the mechanic you have been taking your GX to just isn't "Lexus qualified" (if I can use that term). Yep, it may be time to bite the bullet and visit the Lexus dealer, and I hope they can fix your problem for you. My experience with Lexus service is that they will stand behind their work if your problem returns. Good luck.

BTW- we get 16-18 mpg around town and 18-21 on the highway.

 

yeah, I have a feeling your gas mileage issue is due to these cels. My wife is still averaging 16.5 mpg lifted with 33" mud terrains. We also removed that 3rd row into storage and couldnt want for anymore room in the back. If ever really need to carry 7 people it isnt very hard at all to just pop them back in there real quick.

Just be a little patient and sort through this problem one thing at a time. Dont trade your beautiful GX in for a run of the mill yukon, which will also have its own little problems.

 

What work was and was not done by a Lexus Dealer? I prefer my own mechanic for most things, but when it comes to electronics and computers, sometimes the dealer is best for trouble shooting, plus you can hold them very accountable if you have repeated problems. Lexus dealers really sweat their customer satisfaction rating/score, mine sure does anyway.

I hear your golf club complaint, the GX is wide enough, but certainly not a class leader in that department. .