Do you change the following fluids, and how often?
- Transmission
- Front Differential
- Rear Differential
- Transfer Case

What does "LSD" mean?

 

LSD should mean limited slip differential

I am not sure about the fluids, except for transmission. I changed my fluid at 70K with last fluid fill up at about 45K. It was gray where it should be clear.

 

LexMex, how can you have transmission fluid change from clear to gray. It should change from Red to Reddish Brown.

 

Good question,

This has been talked about on the board before. It is either a gray or a silvery color. It comes from the little bits of metal within the transmission system. It is nothing really to worry about, but it does happen on RXs.

 

Lexmex, have you ever changed your transmission fluid on your RX? How many miles on your RX? I checked the ATF fluid yesterday and found that the color was so what dark silvery brown. The dip stick writes "Under normal driving condition, no ATF change is needed". I don't understand because I believe all other vehicles require change of ATF fluid.

For the heck of it, since it is not difficult, I changed the ATF fluid at 36K miles.

 

I do not have normal driving conditions, and that goes for most people who live here in Mexico City. With a Lexus (and not having a dealer, just Toyota which has been useless on ATF), you have to take preventative maintenance. I read a few comments on this board regarding what ATF should look like, so when I took my last trip north of the border, I had it flushed out at 70K. Fluid is now very clear, but the transmission gets some work down here with all the hills and stop and go traffic.

Technically, I could change the ATF down here, with the fill and remove method, but if something goes wrong, you are up a creek here.

 

Lexmex,

Besides changing the transmission fluid, do you change your differential and trasfer fluid? Is yours AWD? Does RX300 AWD have front differential?

 

I do have AWD, but not sure about your question.

I am aware that other CL members do this with their RXs. However, every time I have put this to the Lexus dealers in the U.S. about changing the other fluids you mentioned, they say it is not necessary. You would think they would say to do this to get more $$$, but that has not been the case.