rland123

I was aware of the gel issue, but does anyone know about the other issues?

This info from Carpoint listed as Significant engine problems.


Lexus RX300

Occasional problems on this vehicle are failures of the Engine, the Air Fuel Ratio Sensors and the Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor. Failure of the Engine is caused because the engine oil gels. Engine oil gelling will also cause excessive engine oil usage. When proper maintenance schedules for oil changes are followed, oil gelling should not occur. Lexus has issued an 8 year unlimited mileage goodwill repair for this condition. Failure of Air Fuel Ratio Sensors or MAF Sensor will cause a drivability problem or the check engine light to illuminate. The cost to repair the Engine is estimated at $4500.00 for parts and $1514.50 for labor. The cost to repair the Air Fuel Ratio Sensors is estimated at $377.31 each for parts and $65.00 for labor. The cost to repair the MAF Sensor is estimated at $151.88 for parts and $32.50 for labor. All prices are estimates based on $65 per flat rate hour and do not include diagnostic time or any applicable sales tax.

Fern

I would be interested in seeing which car manufacturer Carpoint suggests is reputable/reliable...

Gelling woun't be an issue if service is done properly. Every 6000 Km oil changes...

Do some research and you'll see that the engine in the Rx has been in Toyota's production inventory for many years... Its bullitproof (provided you maintain it).

All said I would still prefer the Rx over an infinity or acura... Let alone any domestic... Although I probably am opening up a can of worms with MY OPINION..

Cheers,

Fern

d2gs3

iTrader: (4)

Those thing you listed there is normal for breakdown. I am not too concern. Wait until you own an Audi then the you realize those Lexus are reliable.

parula

Fern, imo your's is right on. I haven't had any of those issues on either car, and after 13k on the '03 haven't had one issue to report for service. I'll take a Lexus any day, and hoping they fixed some of those problems reported for earlier year models . .. so far so good and loving it! Just threw another 5qt.+ of synthetic in her over the weekend cause I plan to keep this one, like the Honda.

toyo

2001 Rx300 awd, 113k miles on it. I change the oil and filter every 4k miles with Mobile1 5w30 and a Toyota filter. My ineards are spotless. Preventaive main is the key. Dont forget the PCV Valve.

doug_999

Wife's 2000 RX with 54K on it just lost its MAF. Quote to fix was $325. Dealer says they got Lexus to cover the part and waive diagnostic charge, but we pay the $125 installation.

Looks to me like we still got ripped off.

parula

Toyo, how often should one change the PCV.

erinb007

Posted this on the main page, but didn't get any input....engine folks! Pls comment

Well, I just feel like I dodged the biggest bullet of my life. Some of you might remember me posting here with a strange grinding noise intermittently when I started my car. ( I will try to find the thread to thank those of you who kept encouraging me to keep on the dealer about finding the noise!) The car was in for the third time today and they finally found it and not a moment too soon. My warranty runs out in July, I believe. It needs a new engine to the tune of 7-12k! Is this common? They claim that the previous owner must not have changed the oil often enough, but I remeber the previous owner showed me the receipts when I bought the car...??

Should I expect more major things to go wrong since this did?

Thanks for any and all input! I am literally dizzy thinking that I might have had this expense.
Erin

toyo

He may have shown you all the paper work. He had a shoddy mechanic that was smoking the work more than likely.

BurnishedGoldRX

Usually the pcv is changed every 15k to 30k miles. With the possibility of engine gelling, 15k might be best. Thought I'd point out the air/fuel ratio sensor was mainly a problem with the early vehicles. Lexus redesigned the part to alleviate the problem the earlier years were having. I had to have the air/fuel ratio sensor replaced 2 times(once on the old engine and once on the new engine). Since there are 2 different air/fuel ratio sensors on this car(not to mention the regular oxygen sensor), I'm waiting on the other to trip my check engine light...

HarrierAWD

You don't necessarily have to replace the PCV valve. Simply remove it and do a visual check. Clean it with compressed air if it's dirty.

Also, the Toyota engine oil gelling issue has nothing to do with the PCV valve.

toyo

Why would not want to replace a $3.00? Cleaning it out does nothing to improve the inside workings of the spring and diaphrams. In regards to the valve not having any effect on the engine gelling: Nobody except Toyota, for sure know exactly why some of these engines are doing this. Alot of talk has been in regards to the engine ventalation. The engine is a very hot running motor. The blowby gases that are created have to reburned. If the PCV valve cannot open up and let the gases out, it stays in the motor and starts creating sludge. That is a proven fact.

Fern

Toyo,

thanks for shining more light on topic...