Good Evening,

We are considering purchasing a 2014 RX 350 and I was wondering if there was anything we should look for, or any problems they might be prone to having? Also, I know the IS 350 cannot do transmission flushes because there is not a drain plug. Is that the same on the RX 350 to your knowledge?

Thanks so much for any help you could provide.

Chris

 

The 3rd generation RX350 has a transmission drain plug and a transmission fill plug. It is a somewhat cumbersome procedure to do ATF drain-and-fills with these supposedly "sealed for life" transmissions but with the right tools (including a floor jack, four jack stands, and a hand-operated siphon pump), any motivated DIY owner can do it. My wife's 2006 Jaguar XK8 also has a "sealed for life" transmission and I have done three ATF drain-and-fills during the seven years we have owned it. These drain-and-fills are a much easier job if two people are involved - one person underneath the vehicle pumping the new ATF into the pan's fill hole while the engine is running, and the other person sitting in the drivers seat shifting the gears as required.

 

Some dealers can and will do a flush and some will not. Some dealers will say it cannot be done and should not be done. They are wrong.
Both my local Toyota and Lexus dealers do it.

I learned from the Toyota dealer that they use a BG flush machine rather than the Lexus/Toyota method. The BG machine calculates fluid in and out in its own way. The Toyota dealer flushed my Mother's 2010 ES350 which has the same transmission and it runs great afterward. Total cost to flush the transmission, coolant, and brake fluid was about $550.
Cost was about the same at either place for the transmission alone. Around $250.

 

Thanks so much guys. We purchased the car today. It's a 2013 with 27,000 miles. Super stoked we could make it work. Thanks a lot for the advice. Greatly appreciated!

 

Congrats! Super low miles. We also are new RX350 owners.

 

Loved the first one so much we bought another 2013 with 38,000 miles Thanks again

 

We have a 14 with 38k on the clock and have had zero issues with it since buying it with 6k on it back in 14.

 

You beat my record, I purchased a 2012 with 36,000 miles last month. lol