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We have had a 2001 RX300 which we were very impressed with. We shopped for other makes such as Acura MDX, Mazda CX-9 and even owned a GMC Acadia for a short time (horrible experience) and settled back to a tried and tested Lexus. Hope the experience with the 350 will be as good as or better than the RX300. Saying Thanks in advance for all the support that i am sure i will get from this forum.
To do list (after reading your posts)
- VVTi hose replacement check - The Lexus VIN check site did not indicate a requirement.
- Oil cooler line replacement check
- TPMS reset (previous owner replaced the sensor but the light is still ON)
- Oil and transmission oil change so that i have a starting point
- Install a hitch
- keep an eye for a set of 18" wheels to make it look better/stance
- Do i need to schedule the Timing chain (not belt) change?
Timing chain should be good for life of engine. Check your steering rack for a leak, especially the passenger side. Check your water pump for leaking. Bleed the brakes. Have the spark plugs and coolant been changed yet? Check your CV boots for cracks. Check your struts for leaks. Enjoy the ride!
Update:
- VVTi hose [Part # 15767] replaced
- Oil cooler line [Part # 15772-31030] replaced with much difficulty, this was a right PIA,i had to remove the power steering pump to get to the bottom bolt. Note: even though i got this from the dealership it still had the rubber flex bend, after much discussions/guarantees from the parts guy, i used this.
- Transmission oil changed, had to do it twice as the bolt leaked the first time and i had to get the steel washer (dealer part) for the 2nd time round.
- Oil changed
- Updated the firmware on the GROM Ipod connector (was used on my previous 2001 RX300) and connected, works like a charm with all the call pickup functions including the steering wheel controls
- Rear hatch 'reset' which resolved the issue, still makes a noise when starting to open/close, maybe some lithium grease in the summer will resolve that.
- Replaced most of the interior lights with LEDs, left the ones that needed soldering alone.
- TPMS light still on and has beaten me. It blinks indicating a issue with the system but the reader indicates that all 5 sensors are reporting 'as they should'. Any ideas where to look now?
- Still looking for a hitch
- The paint seems to be chipped on front bumper and hood (like highway chips) and passenger mirror, looks tacky and would love to get it repainted sometime.
- The factory radio/music sound is below par to say the least, an upgrade is desired, initial investigations reveal this is going to cost $$$, left as is.
all the above DYIs are documented in this site and i thank all the authors for without them i would have not been able to accomplish the above.
I am currently looking at an 07 with 125k miles, and I noticed that the TPMS light was on as well. The dealer suggested that it may be that the spare tire needs checked- because most people don't realize that it also has a sensor. Maybe that is your problem?
On a related note, how did you check to see if this vehicle needs the VVTi hose replaced? I tried the VIN search on this site, but didn't see it mentioned.
I'm also concerned about the leaky timing cover issue mentioned in the attached TSIB. However the last 6 digits of the VIN number are higher than the production change effective vin for my car "2T2HK31U57C032860" from that pdf. Just to confirm, does that mean that this vehicle should not be impacted?
Finally, did yours have any issues with the passenger side front strut (or tie rod?) issue? I'm pretty sure that this one has a problem. To be honest I'm a bit scared of this vehicle after reading about these issues. I always assumed Toyota/Lexus to be pretty bulletproof vehicles. I currently have a camry with no issues and 220k miles.
We have had a 2001 RX300 which we were very impressed with. We shopped for other makes such as Acura MDX, Mazda CX-9 and even owned a GMC Acadia for a short time (horrible experience) and settled back to a tried and tested Lexus. Hope the experience with the 350 will be as good as or better than the RX300. Saying Thanks in advance for all the support that i am sure i will get from this forum.
To do list (after reading your posts)
- VVTi hose replacement check - The Lexus VIN check site did not indicate a requirement.
- Oil cooler line replacement check
- TPMS reset (previous owner replaced the sensor but the light is still ON)
- Oil and transmission oil change so that i have a starting point
- Install a hitch
- keep an eye for a set of 18" wheels to make it look better/stance
- Do i need to schedule the Timing chain (not belt) change?
anything i have missed?
Transfer case and rear differential gear oil need check at least.
@jbeezer
"how did you check to see if this vehicle needs the VVTi hose replaced?" - i did not go by VIN, just inspected if it is the old rubber part and replaced with steel (for peace of mind)
TPMS - checked the spare as well. no issues ...
"passenger side front strut " - no issues noticed on mine, will double check now that you mention it .. thanks.
@5w30 - thanks for the reminder, will check those 2 as well. I need to get 2 lit of "Castrol Hypoy C Gear Oil 80W90" before i start on that.
(Sorry to hijack your thread popeyerx, if you want me to start a new one let me know)
Well I did it! I too, am the proud new owner of a 2007 RX 350. It has 131k miles. From its service history (on lexus.com) I can see that it had the VVTI hose break at 59k miles and was replaced. Excerpt below:
Oil Cooler - Are there any gaskets that I need in addition to 15772-31030?
Longer term mechanical replacements I plan on doing:
rear knuckle bushings - I think I have the clunk issue mentioned on this thread
struts
Additionally it has quite a few cosmetic flaws. Any advice or tips on the following replacements would be great:
Door trim - the middle 2 inch trim piece on all doors. It is really bad on the drivers side and has lost its color and is coming off in some places. How hard is this to replace myself? I think I may order from here
Drivers side mirror - It is quite loose and bounces all around. Additionally the clear coat is missing and much of it's color is gone. Should I try to tighten and repaint this, or buy a new one? Edit: tightened it up myself, the relevant screws are hidden under a plastic flap that was easy to pry off. Still might put some touch up paint on it.
Otherwise, I do like this car quite a bit. This forum is also very great and full of useful info.
VVTI - Should I replace the VVTI hose anyway with the all metal part? Amazon Link
Oil Cooler - Are there any gaskets that I need in addition to 15772-31030?
The Amazon link you posted IS NOT for the VVTi. That is the oil cooler line. And you need 2 gaskets, one for each end of the pipe. The gaskets are not the same.
So you need the 15772-31030 pipe and the 15785-31010 & 11496-31010 gaskets. Toyota has created a "kit" for those 3 parts under one part number, 04004-29131. It is less expensive than buying the 3 parts separately.
It's been a while i got on the forum and I thought i will keep the log rolling.
Since the last update, we have added a 2009 RX350 to the fleet.
The 2007 is still going strong at 310k (km). I am starting to hear a slight 'tick' in the engine, so i use 1/2 lit of the Lucas at every oil change to keep it down. It was dinged by some jerk at a parking lot and I had to replace the front panels. In the few "covid" years it was not driven as much as the previous years though we still prefer the 2007 to the 2009 whenever an opportunity comes up. I did replace the Transmission oil cooler (OEM Part # - 32920-0E011 / Dorman - OE Solutions / Part # 918-285). The OEM part was priced at Canadian $1300, the Dorman was $280 shipped.
Still going strong.
02-16-18, 07:13 AM
New Owner - 2007 RX350
