Okay! I confess! I am hooked. Just bought my 3rd Lexus ...a 2001 ES for my daughter to go with our LS & LX. Now for the bad news. This is my first front wheel drive car ...ever! Before I crawl underneath the front end, can someone tell me if the ES has a front differential and a separate tranny. If I flush both, how much fluid do I need? Book says 3.7 qts. of T-IV for trans (sounds small). I plan to do a complete torque flush.
If there is a front differential, what lubricate does it require and how much? Book is silent on this.
Thanks in advance!!!

 

Congrats on your new Lexus.
The front diff and the transmission on the ES are the same unit, with seperate drian plug. You have to use a 10mm hex head to remove the drian plugs. The trans drian located at the trans pan and the diff drian plug located about 6-8" behing the trans drian plug. You fill both of them up at the trans dip stick tube and it take about 3.8 qts of Type T-IV.
To do a complete flush you will have to a shop with the flush machine and it will take about 14 qts of Type T. Make sure the shop don't use nothing else but Type-T.

 

I am confused. The front differential and transmission have different drain plugs abut are filled at the same trans dip stick. I assume if I drain only one of the drain plug, I will have to add less T-IV fluid. But the new fluid will flow through the front differential and transmission units. Am I right?

 

Correct, you drain about 3 qts from the trans and about .8qt from the diff. You fill it from trans dip stick tube with 3.8 qts. THIS FOR ES AND RX ONLY.

 

You mean it also applies to my 2001 RX300 AWD.

For my RX300 AWD, does its rear differential fluid share with the transfer case? Do they have the same filler plug? Do they use regular GL-5 gear oil or Type T-IV?

 

On the RX300 AWD you have one transfer case in the front and the rear diff. Both of them used gear oil not Type-T and both of them used seperated drain plug and filler.
The transfer case(in the front) you have to use a 24 mm wrench to remove the drain plug and 24 mm thin wall socket to remove the filler plug.
The rear diff, you have to use a 10mm hex head to remove both drain plug and the filler plug.
Note: this kinda off topic here because the original was about the 01 ES, but it will applied to the FWD RX as well. The RX300 AWD has one more transfer case and a rear diff to make it an AWD.

 

Congrats on the ES. They are very reliable and very efficient. I have a 99 and do most of the work myself. Of course whenever needed which is not often I purchased the car new and have performed most of the regular maintenance. I have a checklist from the dealer on what they do and I save quite a bit. Back to your question. You already have quite a bit of info from other replies so I'll try to cover items I did not see.

1. Torque for the two drain plugs - 36 ft lb.
2. I buy the Type T from any Toyota delear - they are the same but cost less than a Lexus delearship.
3. I've never had to flush the tran and diff. I've always used the 1 gal can container.
4. I replace mine every 15K miles.
5. Yes, both trans and diff gets filled through the dipstick tube...

Good luck!

 

I could be wrong on this, but I am sure on a 98 es300. On a 1997 es300, there are separate drain and fill.

On the 98 there are seperate drain and the same fill.

On 99 es300 and forward (not sure about 2002 and on) same drain and fill

From 99 on you should use the Toyota type-IV ATF.