A few weeks ago my wife's 2000 RX300 engine started to shutter, so I took it to a local indy shop and it was one of the ignition coil that had to be replaced. Since her car was approaching 98K miles, I decided to give the guy the green light to replace the timing belt & water pump while the car is in the shop.

The engine check light popped on shortly after we drove it home. Took the car back to the shop and the guy said that the O2 sensor by the exhaust needed to be replaced. Not trusting the guy I took it to a near by Autozone for a OBDII hook up, and the code is: P1346.

I emailed this code to a Lexus Tech. that I know in Dallas, and he said that the O2 sensor is fine, and it's the timing on bank 1 that's off. However, my local indy mechanic insisted that the O2 needed to be replaced. So after the green light from me to have it replaced, the engine light popped back on after a few miles of driving. Our "genius" mechanic is now baffled and wanted the car back in his shop for further diagnosting. Kudos to this mechanic to own up to his work, but that doesn't help us with the P1346 code in the mean time. I've scheduled to take the car back in tomorrow.

Sorry for the long rant, but any help or input that I can relay to our mechanic would be greatly appreciated.

Robert

 

Check with your lexus tech again to confirm, it seems the belt is off by a notch/tooth on valve train of bank 1.

Salim

 

According to the repair manual, P1346 is "VVT Sensor Cirtcuit Range/Performance Problem (Bank 1). It trips when there is a "deviation in crankshaft position sensor signal and VVT sensor (bank 1) signal." Trouble area is listed as: "mechanical system malfunction(skipping teeth of timing belt, belt stretched)" or ECM.

 

I just had the P1346 set off the cel., hope it was just an engine misfire,(AA's scanner said it may be that) reset cel so far has not come back on. I had the oil changed yesterday, drove it last night everything was fine. Timing belt was changed about 2-3 months ago.

P1346 VVT Sensor Rang/Performance Problem (Bank 1)

The RX seems to be running fine.

 

P1346 VVT Sensor Rang/Performance Problem (Bank 1)

 

P1346 VVT Sensor Rang/Performance Problem (Bank 1) I wonder how your shop came up with an 02 sensor problem from that code?? I believe he was going to charge you for a sensor,to get paid the time to fix his own screw up!

 

If the belt was not replaced immediately before the error code, then the sensor would be the culprit. Although even after the belt replacement it can be a faulty sensor, but it is more likely that the belt was off a notch.

The original post was a long time ago and we did not hear back as to it was a sensor failure or the belt was off.


Salim

 

I restared the thread after pulling the 1346 code, reset it and everything is fine.

 

Lastplace- You do realize that almost all CEL have a criteria they have to meet to set the light. I truly trust it was a fluke that the light came on, but sometimes it requires the fault to manifest itself X # of times to set the light- hence the reason the light often does not immediately come back on after it's been "offed", even though the problem may still exist. Good Luck!

 

It was back on 05, so if the light has been off, I would not worry about it.

Salim