I had a dealer tell me that to change or access the oil filter on the new ES350 that the car has to be jacked up or on a lift. This would be a major pia to a diy. Does anyone know if this is true?

 

You just have to jack the car up high enough to get to the filter housing. The ES350 uses the metal housing that you have to remove to change the filter element.

 

Get yourself a nice set of Rhino Ramps and you'll be good to go!

 

How high up is "high enough"? How is the access to the filter housing?
Thanks,

 

First, you NEVER want to be under a car while its on a jack, its just not safe! The Ramps will be more than high enough to do anything under the car you want to, from tranny fluid to diff changes.

 

The Rhino Ramps can be had for $40-$50 at your local auto parts store, or even at Sears in the auto section. I use the ramps for all my oil changes and any under-the-car work.

 

I just completed my first DIY oil change on my ES350 and didn't need to elevate the car at all. Both the drain plug and the oil filter canister are easily reached from in front of the passenger tire and my oil drain pan fit underneath with enough arm room to maneuver.

Kudos to Lexus for the placement of the necessary parts. I've worked on some pretty inaccessible filters in the past, but this was easy.

 

Thanks, that exactly what I was hoping to hear. My gut was that it was the dealers way of saying 'only we can do it'.

I have ramps and jackstands, but that seems like a pia and too much work to just change the oil. Am also concerned about not getting a complete oil drain with the frond end up on ramps and not being level.

Is there any way of draining the oil from the filter canister before opening it up to remove the canister?

Thanks again,

 

Yes, that's part of the procedure (directions are on the filter box). You unscrew a drain plug in the middle of the canister. Then you insert a plastic pipe that opens the valve to drain the canister (it comes with the filter). You should have about 3" of 5/8" inner diameter tubing attached to the plastic pipe so it drains neatly into your oil pan. Once the oil is drained you can remove the plastic pipe and unscrew the canister (you'll probably need a 65mm oil cap wrench).

All in all it's much cleaner than the conventional spin on oil filters.

Here's the oil change procedure for the Avalon which is identical to the oil change procedure on the ES350. Like I said before, elevating the car is not necessary.

Avalon Oil Change

 

Very good write up on the Avalon Oil Change.

But why did Toyota do this? It seems to me that the mechanic needs to do more work and there is a greater risk of damage.

 

Almost all vehicles are slowly transitioning to cartridge type oil filters...

 

I've read that it is environmental/epa driven, to control seepage in and around landfills.