Weighit

Not near the car for another week or so, so my 2008 400H just rolled over 72,000 miles. Want to make an appointment with the dealer for the oil change and service, but want to know what to ask for at this mileage. Bought the car with 34,000 as a certified used and they replaced the brakes, and did what ever service was required. I've gone in every 3-4000 miles for oil changes and so far only needed a 4 wheel alignment. Figure we will keep the car for another few years as it has been so nice to drive. What would you think I should ask for at this mileage and time? Thanks for your help. Hate to waste money on things not needed, but also willing to spend on what may save me money later on by servicing now as opposed to waiting till failure.

jakenbake

Why are you going in so frequently for oil changes? The maintenance light comes on every 5000 and the reality is that you could go even longer without an oil change and not cause any problems. Car dealerships ask you to go in more often because it makes them money. As long as you go in every 5000 miles like the manual states, the car will be fine and the warranty will be honored.

As for what you should ask for...Just go off the maintenance schedule in the owners manual. The last service in the book is 70,000 and just an oil change and tire rotation and the next service at 75,000 is the same with the addition of the cabin filter.

fastnoypi

I'm pretty sure the '08 400h the factory recommends 0w20 synthetic. It is good for 10k miles.
Just rotate the tires and top off fluids as needed.
A member on http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ with an 400h also confirmed with an oil analysis.

maximizese

I change our Rx400h every 7-10K miles. Every time, my mechanic says the oil looks fine and could probably go longer. I assume the large oil capacity, good filtration, and the fact the ICE is on 80% of the time.

We bought our Rx with 80K miles on it and it's been to the dealership twice for service. Once for a complete inspection/oil change, and the second time for a service recall. I've got a local indy mechanic who charges $60/hr in labor and seems to charge 1/3 the price as the dealership.

takeshi74

If you don't have a copy of the maintenance schedule it is available via the Lexus owners site:
http://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/do...x400h08smg.pdf

Then why are you getting oil changes at 3-4K? Use UOA's to set your intervals.

Weighit

Well I guess I was wrong, my wife said we go in every 5,000 miles?? Getting old is not going to be fun! Thanks for the link to the service guide as I will not be back to the car where mine is kept for another week. At about 40,000 miles I did have the brake fluid changed I remember that at least. Have replaced the tires and a couple of 12 volt batteries along with the Hybrid battery under warranty. It has been an amazing vehicle and hate to think of getting rid of it. Will need to buy a SUV vehicle I can tow behind a motorhome next year. Thanks for everyone's help.

alex1372

It's not the oil that limits your mileage between oil changes - it's the oil filter that is no longer efficient after certain mileage. I'd recommend 5K in between because if you will have any issues under warranty it will add another layer of questions from the dealer and possible denial in service because of not following suggested maintenance schedule

jakenbake

Another thing about brake fluid...Brake fluid needs to be replaced because it absorbs water in the air and can rust out your brake lines...Since we live in the desert, we can go longer without a brake fluid flush than someone that lives in a wet area. So when it comes to brake fluid, I would take that into consideration. Time is more of a factor than mileage for brake fluid.

As for your 12 volt battery, spend the extra money and get an AGM battery. The Optima Yellow Top works great. They are about double the price of a regular battery but will last and save you headache. When I had the crappy batteries Lexus kept putting in for me, I had to have it replaced about once a year because the electrical demands were too much for the tiny battery. I then wen to a Yellow Top which is designed to handle heavy demands and it worked fantastic. Never had anymore problems.