I have a 2007 RX 350 and for the past few weeks it has had a high pitched squeal during the first start of the day (car sits in my driveway overnight). The sounds like it is coming from right behind the front right/passenger side wheel. It is worse when the temp is colder. It will go away in 3-5 mins of driving and won't come back as long as the car/engine/etc is still warm.

I thought it might be the power steering fluid. So I took all of the fluid out of the reservoir (it was brown, so definitely dirty, and running low, well below the cold min line) and put in some synthetic Mobil 1 ATF fluid. I drove around a couple of days and the same sounds comes during the cold starts.

I only emptied/refilled the reservoir of power steering.

Any other ideas? Otherwise, I have to leave my car overnight at the Dealership and spend $$.

Mine was doing the same thing, replaced serpentine belt. no more squeal.
Rrplace a belt will take you about 15 minutes and 45$

Is it really that easy on an RX 350? Is there a DIY post? I saw one for the GS, but I the engine is placed quite differently for RX.

hardest part was to take off a wheel=)

Also could be a pulley bearing, like the idler pulley bearing.

BTW, welcome to CL denimfake!

thanks sc400
I got the same car with the same millage. checked pulleys they were in perfect condition.
bearing noise in most case will stay all the time. it doesnt matter its hot or cold

you may want to check tensioner pulley, but i give 100500 percent that this is a belt=)

Mine squealed for a week or two after I got (spilled) engine oil on it. Did you get your oil changed recently?

I did change my oil 2 weeks ago, however, the noise was there well before that.

Hi denimfake. Do you mean that you have an '07 RX 350? If you did change the belt recently, I would appreciate a few tips. Sounds like you removed the front right tire. Which bolt did you have to loosen to remove the belt? Was it a clockwise or counterclockwise motion to remove it? Also, after putting the belt back on, how tightly does the bolt need to be screwed back on?

Thanks for any help you can provide - I appreciate it.

Open hood, remove passenger side engine bay plastic cover, jack up car, secure it, remove passenger side wheel, remove small plastic cover that covers crankshaft pulley( 2 x 10 bolts and clip, find a belt tensioner( located at 2 o'clock from crankshaft) use 14 wrench turn it counterclockwise until hole on pulley match a hole on tensioner bracket, put an alien wrench to secure it, change a belt following diagram

Diagram: http://www.dealerdirectparts.com/2007-LEXUS-RX350-Serpentine-Belt-p/lexus-4117593-rx350-4.htm

Thank you very much. Very helpful. I will try to report back if I can do this (probably over the weekend).

Do I need a torque wrench to tighten the bolt back up or just do it as tight as possible by hand?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ajfcAfnCT5Y

Watch a video. It is same procedure on our RX. Make sure you get good quality belt.

No torque wrench needed, you gonna move tensioner pulley forward to release a pressure from a belt.

Just watch a video. It's everything there. Enjoy=)

Very unusual thing happened yesterday morning and this morning. Both mornings were a bit cooler, so I was expecting the squeaking to be louder (as it had been the previous days). However, now there is little to no noise. If before it was a 10, now it is at most a 2. Only thing I can think of is that it took the power steering fluid over a week to fully mixed in? (Since I did not do a full drain, merely just pumping out the reservoir and filling it back in).

I'll wait on the belt for now, empty the power steering reservoir and refill again.

Could try to spray belt dressing (buy in store or ask any mechanic in the shop they will do it for you) If belt has many cracks (inside, you can look at it with flashlight) replace it. I'd personally replace tension bearing as well.