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I've joined Club Lexus to learn about my new vehicle and am finding a lot of good information! I come most recently from the Swedish car world; my last car was a Volvo and the one previous to it was a Saab. The Volvo is in for long term maintenance due to a head gasket and catalytic converter issues. In the meantime I needed a good daily driver and occasional road tripper so here I am. While looking for another Volvo, I decided to widen my search and happened on this 2007 RX350 AWD, Flint Mica with 130k miles and an extensive list of maintenance recently done by the local Lexus dealer. P/S steering, belts and hoses, transmission and differential flushes, shocks, headlights and a long list of things were done by the P/Os who drove it between Denver and Austin often. My mechanic is a Volvo specialist so he may be biased, but he couldn't find a single mechanical flaw. Interior is flawless except for a small split in the lower dash. The only issue are a couple of park-by-Braille rub marks and judging from the nose, they spent some time on gravel roads.
Welcome to Club Lexus. I bought my 2007 RX a month before I went on a 6000 mile road trip. It was so nice cruising down the highways in it. You will probably love the car, too.
Just an update 3 weeks in: The oil cooler hose split on the way home last Thursday, spraying a stream of oil out in front of the car. Lexus shows it was replaced about 40k miles ago. Is this normal? AAA towing got me to my mechanic and the next day and $150 later we were back on the road and headed on a 4 hour trip out of town. Average mileage so far is about 15.5 in Austin's stop and go traffic and 20.4 on 80 mph highways. I'll be looking at getting new tires before winter. She currently rides on the standard Michelins. Is there a better option, i.e. quieter, better mileage or handling etc? My Saab came with Discount Tire Hankook All Seasons and I used them on my Volvo as well and they seemed good. I'm planning on adding the Cibie driving lights off my old car as a safety precaution. We drive the farm roads on the way to Abilene and this last trip, we counted 2 dead hogs and several deer that met with unfortunate demises.
The oil line splitting so soon after it was replaced is not normal. The replacement line is supposed to be all metal, which makes this more abnormal. There have been cases where people have had the dealer replace the original oil line and the dealer installed the same exact rubber hose unit. Did you see the oil line? Was it metal or rubber?
I get better gas mileage than you. I get 17 to 18 in the Dallas suburbs where I live. I do go to Austin maybe every other month and the traffic there is much more congested so I probably get less mpg there. I get a varying range on the highway, from 22 to 26.
My mechanic saves the parts he takes off to show me and it was split about an inch right in the center. It was an original style rubber hose. He ordered a replacement hose from the dealer and it was a rubber one.
Gotta say nasty things about the dealer your mechanic deals with. While Toyota/Lexus still sells the rubber hose version (and I don't understand why) when the better version is the metal pipe one. There are also aftermarket parts makers that make them, too. Dorman is one of them.
Toyota has the metal pipe with the 2 gaskets put together as a kit. It is part number 04004-29131 and is less expensive than the 3 parts separately. It has a MSRP of $78. If you shop around. McGeorge Toyota out of Richmond, VA has it for $52 + shipping. Toyota dealers many times sell the parts for less than the Lexus dealers.
I don't know if your mechanic can do anything in regards to getting the rubber pipe exchanged for the metal one. I'm a pessimist on that. Maybe you should consider biting the bullet and getting a metal pipe put on.
Just an update 3 weeks in: The oil cooler hose split on the way home last Thursday, spraying a stream of oil out in front of the car. Lexus shows it was replaced about 40k miles ago. Is this normal? AAA towing got me to my mechanic and the next day and $150 later we were back on the road and headed on a 4 hour trip out of town. Average mileage so far is about 15.5 in Austin's stop and go traffic and 20.4 on 80 mph highways. I'll be looking at getting new tires before winter. She currently rides on the standard Michelins. Is there a better option, i.e. quieter, better mileage or handling etc? My Saab came with Discount Tire Hankook All Seasons and I used them on my Volvo as well and they seemed good. I'm planning on adding the Cibie driving lights off my old car as a safety precaution. We drive the farm roads on the way to Abilene and this last trip, we counted 2 dead hogs and several deer that met with unfortunate demises.
Hi Gary. I can't speak to the hose issue, but wanted to suggest you get a tune-up to see if that will increase your gas mileage. I bought a 2009 RX350 in 2015, or was it 2016? Supposedly, the prior owner maintained impeccable maintenance. All I've had to do is put on new tires, 18" Assurance Comfortred Touring, best and quietest ride ever, and regular oil changes with full synthetic, change every 10K miles. I get 21.5 - 22.5 in the Dallas suburbs and a trip to Missouri, I got 25.5. So it sounds like you need a tune-up. I think you will love your RX. When you need the acceleration, gosh, is it ever there! As to the little crack in your dash, I suspect it will grow. Lexus was replacing the entire dash at no cost due to a bad product. Many people had massive cracks in their dash. Mine started out small, but didn't take long to start spreading. Contact your Lexus dealer and see if you can get it replaced. If it's the same problem, you will regret not getting it taken care of.
I own a 2008 Burgundy Lexus RX 350. It has a tan leather interior. I'm joining this forum in the hopes that some folks here might be able to help me keep it in top shape.
I bought a 2004 Lexus RX330 (front-wheel drive) about two months ago with just under 71k on the odo. This was a downsize (mainly financially) from the 2012 Toyota Highlander that I owned (a bit of a longer story there). It's dark gray with light gray interior. There are a few minor issues with it that I would like to gain more knowledge about and hopefully address myself. I also still own a 99 Toyota RAV4 front wheel drive (284k miles) that I bought nearly 10 years ago, as well as a 1988 Toyota 4x4 5-spd pickup (167k miles) truck I bought about 4 months ago and am doing mechanical work to. (I like Toyotas if you didn't already guess!).
Bought this 2007 RX350 AWD two years ago with 88k on it for 9k cash. It's the dark charcoal gray metallic - probably has some great name Almost perfect gray leather interior. Had a salvage title, but I had it checked out pretty well. Best car I've ever owned. Drove a 2000 Avalon before that. I run several small businesses and drive over 20k miles a year. The side step bars are kind of useless but I thought it looked good so I kept it. I still like it. Put some Blizzaks on it last winter and drove over the pass at Mt. Hood here in Oregon in the left lane and I was blown away with the stability. Totally sold on this vehicle.
Recently purchased:
2008 RX 350:
AWD, premium luxury package (non-navi)
Black exterior; ivory interior
90k miles; single woman (no kids) only other owner
Previously owned: 2014 GMC Terrain, "sold" to 19 yr old son
I own a Lexus and couldn't be happier with my decision. Oh my! In almost every measure of quality, the GMC is no comparison.
I appreciate any advice and FYIs you are willing to share. Also, I live in a cold, road-salt driving hell paradise. The rx has undercoating in wheel wells, (may be elsewhere) but please pass on any ways to keep the exterior from rusting out. In Minnesota, rust's impact on car body/parts is usually the reason for junking most vehicles, rather than engine/transmission failure.
I bought a 2008 RX350 about 2 months ago. It has a beautiful bamboo pearl (green) exterior with tan leather seats - Premium Package with Navigation. I had to trade in my 2003 RX300 which I miss very much now. 3 weeks ago I started using 89 octane after reading an old post by a club member that argued for it. On the 2nd fill up, one morning it started tap tap taping. Even my 10 year old daughter noticed that. It has been doing it eversince even after I went back to premium fuel. I recently I put new KYB Struts on it, and thank God the ride quality has improved a lot. However, the tap, tap noise which somebody called "dieseling" in one of the posts I read, is bothering me a lot. I had the injection system cleaned, the oil changed, the ECU cleared via a scan and also used the Chevron additive to no avail. I know a lot has been said on this forum about the taping noise which also affects the power in my case, and also feel the engine running rough . Has anyone recently heard about any technological breakthough to get rid of the tapping noise? The noise does go away after you drive it for a while but also comes back most of the time after you start the engine again. I would like to thank Club Members for all your efforts on this forum.
I bought a 2008 RX350 about 2 months ago. It has a beautiful bamboo pearl (green) exterior with tan leather seats - Premium Package with Navigation. I had to trade in my 2003 RX300 which I miss very much now. 3 weeks ago I started using 89 octane after reading an old post by a club member that argued for it. On the 2nd fill up, one morning it started tap tap taping. Even my 10 year old daughter noticed that. It has been doing it eversince even after I went back to premium fuel. I recently I put new KYB Struts on it, and thank God the ride quality has improved a lot. However, the tap, tap noise which somebody called "dieseling" in one of the posts I read, is bothering me a lot. I had the injection system cleaned, the oil changed, the ECU cleared via a scan and also used the Chevron additive to no avail. I know a lot has been said on this forum about the taping noise which also affects the power in my case, and also feel the engine running rough . Has anyone recently heard about any technological breakthough to get rid of the tapping noise? The noise does go away after you drive it for a while but also comes back most of the time after you start the engine again. I would like to thank Club Members for all your efforts on this forum.
The term dieseling applies to the scenario of when you turn the ignition key off but the engine keeps running, albeit very poorly. This is caused by carbon deposit buildup in the cylinders or the tip of the spark plugs. BTY, how many miles are on the car?
Getting rid of the tapping depends on what is causing it, so you have to find the what and why of it. Would it be possible for you to record the tapping? Locate the area where the tapping sounds the loudest and record it. Then post it here.
Other tidbits - Using regular grade gasoline did not cause this. It was an unfortunate coincidence with you putting in the regular. You said that you or someone put Chevron additive in. In what? The oil, the gas? The Chevron stuff is ok as long as you don't have a problem. Get yourself a can of Seafoam and put that in the oil and see what happens.
The term dieseling applies to the scenario of when you turn the ignition key off but the engine keeps running, albeit very poorly. This is caused by carbon deposit buildup in the cylinders or the tip of the spark plugs. BTY, how many miles are on the car?
Getting rid of the tapping depends on what is causing it, so you have to find the what and why of it. Would it be possible for you to record the tapping? Locate the area where the tapping sounds the loudest and record it. Then post it here.
Other tidbits - Using regular grade gasoline did not cause this. It was an unfortunate coincidence with you putting in the regular. You said that you or someone put Chevron additive in. In what? The oil, the gas? The Chevron stuff is ok as long as you don't have a problem. Get yourself a can of Seafoam and put that in the oil and see what happens.
Thanks for your help DennisMik! My truck has 115200 miles on it. I added the chevron additive in the gas. I will try the Seafoam and update you on the outcome. What I mean by diesling or the wasy I understood the other guy was the engine sounded like a deisel engine. However, thanks for clarifing the term and I stand corrected.
MembersTell us some details about your new Lexus includin
Color or the exterior and interior
Options
Any pictures you might have of your RX
Tell us what you drove previously
and congratulations from Club Lexus!
My name is Joe B, Hello Everyone, new to Club Lexus but not to owning a Lexus. I currently maintain and drive my first Lexus I ever bought, a 2004 RX 330. I am a ASE Certified collision repair technician, better part of thirty years now. Being in the business of repairing automobiles, one would think I would know the name the color my RX is painted? Well I don’t, light blue buyv I do how ever know the paint code. LOL. ! It is nice to see a community for what we own and love. I have read a lot of threads on here, and I have learned some great information from everyone. I hope that I can add to helping others understand and figure out issues or concerns that I know about from being a tech and more importantly an owner. I continue to figure out and learn more about my Lexus from this forum, thank you all.
Last edited by joebtech71; 10-08-19 at 12:55 PM.
Reason: Improper gramer
06-19-19, 02:07 PM
New To Me 2007 RX350
Almost perfect gray leather interior. Had a salvage title, but I had it checked out pretty well. Best car I've ever owned. Drove a 2000 Avalon before that. I run several small businesses and drive over 20k miles a year. The side step bars are kind of useless but I thought it looked good so I kept it. I still like it. Put some Blizzaks on it last winter and drove over the pass at Mt. Hood here in Oregon in the left lane and I was blown away with the stability. Totally sold on this vehicle.
