Lexus RX 330 Maintenance and Repair

hotinhere

I don't think anyone here is holding Lexus to an unobtainable standard. The issue is, at least with me, if I purchase a new car, I expect it to run without any undue squeaks, rattles, clunks, pops, tics, or especially transmission problems. This is not unobtainable. We own a '93 Accord and a '00 Prelude. They are both drive-n-go cars, no undue problems whatsoever. What few problems we had with the Accord were only after we'd put a zillion miles on it. The Prelude has taken nothing but regular servicing. My first car was a $6K '86 Nissan Sentra. The doors could've blown off on the interstate, and I wouldn't have cared. However, they didn't and that car is still being driven by the folks we sold it to.

If I pay $40k for a Lexus, I expect it to run at least as well as a $20K Honda or a 20-year-old Sentra. If I want to sit in a dealership trying to explain a problem to a service tech who "can't reproduce the problem" or who insists that the car is "operating as designed," I'll buy a Ford. When buying a Lexus (or a Honda for that matter), one is also buying peace of mind. "Peace of Mind" should be on the invoice under standard equipment. Honda and Toyota know this and that's why they can charge top dollar and people will pay it. Once peace of mind is gone, what's a Lexus but an overpriced Pontiac?

I must agree with lovemylexus that we are lucky to be able to afford such luxuries and that in the scheme of world history our complaints are trivial. But we all work hard to be able to afford these things, and when you feel like you've just flushed $40k down the toilet and are getting the cold shoulder from the dealership snots, it's upsetting. You can't return a car like you can a defective piece of clothing or an appliance. Once that $40k is gone, it is gone for good.

tcpip1

I agree with hotinhere. Other cars had problems does not mean a new Lexus RX330 owner has to suffer the same. People less fortunate in other part of the world does not imply RX330 owners do not need to care "small issues."

Expose the issues/problems so that Lexus can fix them; that will benefit future RX330 owners and Lexus as well.

cotmc

Gardencar is correct! I am not a salesman, nor am I involved in any aspect of the auto industry. I am just an electrical engineer in the aerospace field. If I appear to read like a salesman, I apologize. My wife and I stretched our budget to purchase the RX330 for her, and thus far, we are very happy with it. Much of my sentiment comes from the unpleasant experiences we have had with other so-called upscale vehicles, as well as because of my curiousity and research with several other discussion topics and forums discussing these types of premium vehicles.

A small point of irony is that I personally do not prefer any type of SUV for my own daily driver. Don't get me wrong. I think crossover SUVs, such as the RX330, are perfect for small families such as ours; but for my own commute to work, I prefer a small to mid-sized sedan. Ideally, it would be a "sport" sedan. The only Lexus model that I would consider sporty enough, while still within my price range, is the IS300, but it definitely isn't at the top of my list.

Anyway, I just wanted to make a point on the transmission. This model year, 2004, is the first year that Lexus/Toyota introduced the 3.3L engine, and I believe it is also the first year they introduced a 5-speed automatic transmission to go with any of their V6 engines. Maybe that is why I am willing to cut Lexus some slack for their initial attempt being a little off the mark? However, as I said previously, I am definitely pleased with the shifting after our dealer updated the ECM software. I also promise I am not exaggerating when I say my wife, who is not as performance-oriented as I am, was perfectly content with the shifting before this update was performed.

Within another Lexus forum (not Town Hall), someone conducted an online poll regarding the RX330 shifting. Of those who responded, I believe close to 90% who had the ECM updated claimed they noticed an improvement. I believe there was also a good percentage of responses claiming they had no plans to have the update performed. They were fine as is.

I do get the feeling this transmission issue is considered minor, within the managment at Lexus/Toyota, and that may explain why so many sales and service reps are unaware of it. I am guessing there were not enough owners complaining about it to bring significant visibility to this issue. I am happy that Lexus addressed this issue with a new ECM load and a TSB. I think we have good reason to believe this issue is resolved on all new deliveries.

edev31

I feel exactly the same as Hotinhere. I owned a Mazda 626 for 5 years and had no problems whatsoever-not one squeak or rattle,no jerky transmission, and much less wind and road noise than the RX330. (and for half the price!)I know these things are trivial compared to a lot of other problems people have in the world, but spending your hard earned money, and getting way less than you expected (and something that you can't simply return and get your $$$ back)is very frustrating and disappointing. My husband and I own our own business, and I don't have the time to keep taking my car to the dealer and constantly making lists of the problems that are occurring-and then have the car returned not fixed. I did that with the Ford Expedition we traded in for the RX330, and it had way fewer problems in the 3 years we owned it than the RX330.

Starforce, thanks for your empathy! Have you gotten any of your problems "fixed" by your dealer?

starforce

hotinhere, your words get right down to the crux of the matter. With work, family, and other responsibilities, peoples lives are busy and taking your RX330 back to a Lexus dealership over and over again for these problems isn't trivial. I have lost over 20 working hours trying to get these problems resolved and I get paid by the hour. My car has been in the shop for fourdays now because the dealer needs to order a new passenger seat due to a faulty SRS system. I was told these seats were on back order and that leads me to wonder what is causing this back order? If Lexus never built a car without these problems then I and others wouldn't be posting about it. However, truly for 40K the RX should not have these defects.

starforce

edev31, Nothing has been addressed with my car. Truly, as time marches on I have more problems. Lexus/Toyota isn't very responsive at the corporate level.They give you a toll free number to their customer services department but they never call you back when they promise to or follow up on my problems.

lovemylexus1

I am curious, for the folks upset with the amount of time they have spent or lost dealing with their RX problems, is your dealer not willing to give you a loaner and/or have a valet pick up your vehicle?

If the answer is no, then perhaps your dealership is as much of the problem as the issues you want serviced.

lovemylexus1

I don't disagree with with you.

If you read my post #127 you will see that I clearly stated the following:

"I accept the fact that the issues the 2004 owners raise will only improve future vehicles. "

edev31

Starforce, sorry to hear that your problems have not yet been addressed by Lexus Corporate. It sounds as if your dealer hasn't been of much help, otherwise you wouldn't be calling the corporate offices for help. Is this the case?

I have to wait until all of my backordered parts are in, and then see if my dealer will fix all of the other existing problems. If they don't, then calling corporate will be my next move.

Good luck, and I hope you are able to get all of your RX330 problems resolved.

lovemylexus1

Thank you for your posts and positive attitude.

Like cotmc, I am not a Lexus salesperson. I am an international affairs journalist. As such, I have spent time in war zones witnessing unspeakable things. This is why I view the problems I have with my RX as trivial in the bigger scheme of things.

This is not to say that those on this board who are having problems with their RX shouldn't complain. I have aired my problems (and solutions) with this forum and my dealership and will continue to do so. But I firmly believe constructive complaining is much better than an angry rant.

cotmc

edev31 and starforce:

Sorry to hear about your problems. I don't mean to trivialize your experiences nor the grief they cause you. I hope your issues are resolved promptly, and that Lexus and your dealerships do the right thing. Unfortunately, there are always additional risks involved when buying a first year production model, especially for most SUVs. (Regular passenger cars, such as ES300s, Accords, and 626s', for whatever reasons, usually have fewer defects during their new model introductions). For the RX330, I am not surprised that a few bad apples were delivered out of the tens of thousands of models sold since its introduction.

Question for both of you, as an extension of cheesestate's original question: Were your RX330's built in Japan or Canada??

cotmc

"I firmly believe constructive complaining is much better than an angry rant."

;-)

edev31

Cotmc,
To answer your question, my RX330 was built in Japan.

Lovemylexus1, my dealer does offer loaner cars, and they do have a valet service, but never offer it unless I ask, and they seem annoyed when I do. They often say that the valet has a lot of pick- ups that day, so it would be quicker if I brought my car in myself. I do agree that my local Lexus dealer (there are only 2 in my area, both owned by the same people) is definitely a part of the problem. The day they were supposed to drop off a loaner at my house, I waited an hour and a half, and kept calling the service dept. to see where the valet was, only to get voice mail. I finally got a human, and was told they forgot to enter my service appt.in the computer, and couldn't even take me that day, even if I drove the car in. (a 40 minute drive)I had called a week earlier to make this appt. and spoke with the service manager himself, who obviously can't even do his job. It was just a very bad first experience with my dealer, that keeps continuing.Hopefully my next experience will be more pleasant!

lovemylexus1

No wonder why you are frustrated! It sounds like your dealership needs some new employees.

It took a few more phone calls than I expected to schedule my RX the first time. I mentioned this in a follow-up survey and I am pleased to report my dealership is taking my concerns (and those of others in my area) seriously. I now have the cell phone number of the new service manager.

A few months ago I referenced a USA Today article in a post that mentioned Lexus' growing pains. The explosion in sales is great for the company...but Lexus admitted dealerships may not be prepared to keep up with even routine maintenance on the surge of new vehicles. A Lexus USA executive indicated in the article that Lexus is taking a serious look at its American service needs...because they recognize sales won't continue to go up if they can't deliver Lexus quality service.

I sincerely hope your situation improves. I have been known to by-pass the service department and head straight to the sales manager to complain about service issues. In the case of my RX rattle, it was my visit to sales that nudged service to take my concern a bit more seriously. Maybe you could try the same thing?

indiana97

Just received my Feb 2 copy of Autoweek. It has an article on the RX330 titled "Gold Standard" "The Lexus RX330 continues to set the pace in car based luxury suv's". The article is very positive regarding the RX330. Consumers who own the RX330 were positive. One did mention the rattle in the dash and transmission but were still overall very positive. RX330 owners who responded to Autoweek survey overall seemed to be quite satisfied.

buffnbou

I've been reading all the posts about problems with the RX 330. I am keeping my fingers crossed, because to date, my Lexus has no rattles, high engine noise or fan noises. However, I am not pleased with the transmission shifting and I WIIL ask for the TSB software change when I take her in for the 5K service in a couple of weeks. I have heard the engine "ticking" on those rare occasions when the radio/cd player is off and the engine is at idle-is it objectionable? No, not in the least, and it still the most quiet vehicle I have ever owned. Is it the perfect vehicle? No, but I don't think one has yet to be built. But, so far, it is my favorite vehicle and I really enjoy driving it.

I feel bad for anyone with a problem car-no one deserves that-but IMO, this is an overall fine vehicle, albeit still evolving with the new engine and transmission. I'll continue to keep my fingers crossed-BTW, I purchased it in Aug 23 and it was built in Japan. So far, so good. . . . for the overwhelmingly most part.

gardencar

I can imagine the frustration and disappointment you must be feeling at having your vehicles at the shop and on top of that, having a less than sympathetic service department. I suspect that in your case, edev31, your dealership feels you have no choice but to put up with them as they have a monopoly of the area. Where I live, there are six different dealerships and as a result, they are extremely competitive, both in pricing and customer service. However, I can't imagine that Lexus won't do their utmost to bring your vehicles up to snuff.

Although I have been enjoying my Lexus without any major complaints, I agree with cotmc and lovemylexus1, that voicing your issues and letting Lexus know about them can only improve things for all of us and for future RX owners. Also, first year models or redesigns will most likely have some bugs and quirks which will require some trips to the service shop (although you both have had to put up with way too much.) Unfortunately, neither of you may find much solace in either of these facts. However, perhaps you'll find some small comfort in knowing that I and other RX owners are grateful to both of you for the "constructive complaints" you have shared. Please keep us apprised of future fixes. Thanks to you both.

starforce

I don't have my vehicle at the moment but when I get it back I will look. Where do you look to see where it is manufactured . I wonder if the Canadian cars are performing worse or better.

starforce

edev31, that was the reason I tried to get in contact with corporate. However, it was useless. Better to try and talk to the Regional/District Manager. At one point Lexus was talking about letting me move up to the GX but the price difference was 17000 dollars more and I can't afford that nor giving the experiences I already encountered with Lexus would buy one if I could....

I do have a loaner car.

gardencar

I was told by my sales rep that mine was made in Japan. According to him, you can tell by noting if the car's VIN has two J's in it. The first letter and the third letter should both be J's.
If there is no third J but a C instead, then it is Canadian made. The VIN can be found at the base of the windshield on the drivers's side,on the driver's door edge, or on your purchase papers.

It is my understanding that all the RX's made in the first six months came from the Kyushu plant. Then, for the remaining six months, RX's would be made in both countries, eventually phasing out Japanese production. Hope this helps.

cotmc

The VIN tag on the driver's door edge also provides the manufactured date (month/year) along the top line, and I'm wondering if it provides the build location along the bottom line? The bottom line on our tag states "Made in Japan", which matches the info of the first 3 VIN characters ("JTJ"). I wonder if the new RX330s built in Canada state "Made in Canada" (or similar) on their tag?

Gardencar: How certain are you that production will be phased out of Japan? I don't claim to know otherwise, but I thought I read somewhere that the western region of the United States would continue to receive RX330s from Japan. Is that only for the short term?

gardencar

I first heard about phasing off Japan production of the RX330 from the sales rep when I first test drove the car in June '03. I also remember coming across this information in some articles and reviews I read.

Since I took delivery in June, my RX might be one of the last made in Japan. However, I wouldn't bet money that this is still true. Do
you have some information that the Kyushu plant will still continue producing RX330's? I read somewhere that Lexus was going to start building GX470's there. Enjoy the Super Bowl!

windy6

I was in Cincinnati over Christmas and went by two dealers, all of theirs were Canadian build. Since they were all AWD I really didn't have much interest. Every car I've seen in Houston, Austin and San Antonio the past 10 days has been Japan built.

tsmith67

I took delivery sept 22nd and it was manufactured in Japan. I would also like to point out that I am very satisfied with the quality of this vehicle. I have not experienced the problems that have caused so much discussion on this board lately. I did have the transmission update done at the 5000 mile service. I would have been fine without it, but thought that any time I can improve something at no cost to me, I would do it. The update was an imrovement, but I would be ok with either. I have not had a problem with the dash noise and I do live in a climate that was zero this week. I can't remember the other complaints at this time, but prospective buyers should note that this is probably the best car based suv on the market. That said, I do have one minor complaint. I wish Lexus would have made an effort to reduce cabin noise. I don't think the wheel wells and doors are insulated well enough. It does not compare to my wife's gs300 in this regard. I hope this helps prospective buyers with their decision.

starforce

My car was made in Japan.

gardencar

Oops. I made a mistake in my post #186. I meant to say that I took delivery of my vehicle in December.

carsonsgirl

I just had my 2004 RX 330 in the shop for a rattle in the dashboard and it seems that was fixed but they kept my car a little longer because it seemed that they received something called a bulletin on it (recall) and it had to do with a front defrost nozzle/padding that needed to go in.

Anyone have this service done to their RX 330 w/in the past week?

mvd1

Lexus issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) # NV00603 on 8/1/03 regarding the dash rattle. This is a common problem with the RX330 that seems to be worst in cold weather. I also had it fixed by the dealer. I thought the noise really cheapened the luxury car experience.

keithwand

This is my wifes second RX. I thought she would never let go of her 1999 RX300 with 40K Miles but she finally agreed as it was out of the 48 month warranty. She loves this bamboo colored car even more! We got it in Nov. 04 and she now has 2,500 miles on it.

I have owned a 1999 Lexus GS400 and it was fast (almost as fast as my 1995 Vette) and the car was great.
The dealer and service in Southfield MI has been stellar and when we moved 250 miles away they delivered the new RX and will drive a loaner up if/ when the car needs service.

NO, I have no relationship with Lexus.
I replaced the GS with an Acura TL Type S because it cost less and that car was great too.
I now drive a Volvo XC70 and man does it go through the snow. Very nice car and feels as safe as a tank!

The trend is we switched to foreign cars in 1999 and plan to keep it that way after driving a lot of GM trash.
Sorry Detroit.

wwest

I going to go ahead with the X3 purchase.

It begins to look as if my 01 AWD RX is a keeper in comparison to the 04 model, hybrid or not.

For those of you complaining about a blower squeal I suspect Lexus has gone to a switching voltage regulator (low frequency, ~15 Khz) for the blower motor rather than simple power wasting voltage dropping resistors or transisters. Most of us older folks cannot hear the squeal but many do.

At this point I'm convinced the transmission shifting problems are the result of "driveability" software being incorporated into the transmission by the VSC for matters of additional safety and extended MPG ratings.

engrbill

I happened to be reading the RX330 service manual (yes, I'm one of those geeks who actually buys the service manuals for my cars). Regarding the transmission not upshifting when the engine is cold, it is designed to not upshift from 3rd to 4th when the transmission is cooler than about 120 degrees F unless you exceed 35 MPH. I too was a bit disconcerted about reving a cold engine. What I've found is that once it is "forced" an upshift by exceeding 35 MPH, that subsequent shifts, even before the temperature reaches the right limit, will occur at lower RPM. Strange set up but this is how it is designed (maybe trying to keep the RPMs up to warm up faster?). BTW, I have had the transmission TSB done at 5K and am pleased with the results. I find the shifting much crisper although I would prefer even more so, but I'm happy with the way it is.

cotmc

that the folks over on the X3 board are going to be in for a real treat!!

Are you planning to order the 3.0? I bet the X3 equipped with a 2.5 engine will seem lacking in torque, not unlike that '02 525i I once test drove.

I truly wish the Japanese made a "premium" small, sporty SUV -- something substantial, upscale, and sporty. (Note the redundant emphasis on "sport"!) Perhaps the FX is the best example, but I am thinking smaller in terms of size and weight. The X3 3.0 is a little too expensive to be my commute vehicle, and I honestly don't trust European SUV reliability.

Back onto the proper topic: I'll buy that the hesitant shifting was influenced by a desire to improve MPG ratings, but I don't know if the VSC system or safety concerns played into the equation. I think most of us agree the initial attempt with this new engine and tranny was not a "home run". The ECM update is definitely a significant improvement, and I suspect new builds have this update.

Gardencar: Thanks for the update! I don't remember if you mentioned this or not? -- Does your December delivered RX330 already have the latest ECM Software for the transmission? (Did you have this inspected?) Just curious...

gardencar

Uhhh...wwest I have the feeling, from reading your posts, that not many people can convince you
about much. So, don't blame this on us. I'm not sure if I should take offense!
   Since when have you been interested in the X3? I was once very serious about getting the X3 and test drove it many times. You can read my posts on that board relating why I chose the RX330 instead. I have never regretted it. However,I have not seen you post on that board.
     I seem to remember now that you drive a different car and the RX belongs to your wife. Am I correct or am I mistaken? Is it the BMW X-drive that has captivated you or is it something more sinister? Surely you are not letting something like a few rattles and hesitations in some vehicles scare you away from Lexus?
    I will almost bet my bottom dollar that the Bimmer will have more serious problems and more of them and the whole thing will be compounded by less courteous service! You seem like a numbers and research kind of guy, check the stats, check the forums, check CR, check your reasoning, man! Please enlighten us!

gardencar

Yes, and it rocks! Very happy. Very, very happy and can't wait to sidle up to the first X3 I see on the road. If it is a 2.5, it will be seeing my tail lights. Not sure if the 3.0 is as fast as the RX330. Do you? I've forgotten.

cotmc

"I have not seen you post on that board."

Yes, I noticed that as well. Maybe that will change as soon as somebody posts their experiences with the climate control system? Or better still, if somebody asks how they might be able to improve the standard audio system? :-)

Personally, we are very pleased with our RX330. The shifting response seems to have continued to improve during the few days since we had the ECM update. The standard audio system has a nice "tight" sound to it. It definitely sounds better than our previous MDX's standard system. (My one complaint: AM radio seems to have a distant, hollow sound to it.) Although I fully understand some of the complaints regarding engine noise, or with the sound levels being higher than a GS or ES sedan, I find our RX330 to be one of the quieter vehicles we have owned. The tire noise in my 4-yr old 528i Sport is deafening by comparison! (I need to buy new tires, but my boss at home is insisting that I get more wear out of them before tossing them!)

cotmc

Hey! Just wanted to check in with you... Do you have your RX330 back from the dealer? Were they able to resolve any of your car's issues??

tthcharnc

This is to complete my service history on the rattling noise in center console underneath the dashboard. As I mentioned in two previous postings, the first service included padding of the defrosting mechanism, which didn't help the noise. The second time, they insulated the plastic cable holder, which helped the noise for a couple of weeks. This last time, the dealership removed the cowl underneath the windshield, replaced and padded it. This fixed the problem! Throughout, my visits were fantastic, dealership was very accommodating, and at least appeared to put forth a good effort at trying to solve the problem (including the person from Toyota/Lexus headquarters, who called regularly for follow-ups). In this day and age, this kind of service carries a lot of weight for me. Judging from the discussions so far, I'll ask for the ECM software upgrade with the 5K service. RX330 has otherwise been a great vehicle for me! (for prospective buyers in the market, like most people on this board, I test drove quite a few SUV/LUV before purchasing the RX).

starforce

No, they still have my car. Been a week and 2 days now. Suppose to be ready tomorrow.

gardencar

Hey, cotmc! Had fun reading your post! It's amusing to try to get a reaction from wwest. I'm sure he knows it's just friendly banter. I'm a little worried about him, though. He hasn't posted in a while.

Hey, wwest, where are you?

Cotmc, I know you own a '98 528. Sweet car, by the way, we thought about picking one up but went with the LS because of its reputation for bullet proof engine and tranny. I think wwest owns a Bimmer, too. Anyway, I wish you would help me with this question. Even though in the end we bought the RX, (Like cotmc, I also have a boss at home, who always does know better.) I still like the X3 very much. In a couple of years, when we decide to sell the LS400, I was thinking that I could pick up a pre-owned X3.

Would you buy a Bimmer if it was out of warranty, or if it only had a year or two remaining? Cotmc, what's the number of times per year you had to bring your 528 in for malfunctions, or repairs? What did you spend on a yearly basis to keep an out of warranty Bimmer running like a top?

I know that BMW initial quality and five year integrity ratings are respectably higher than MBZ or Volvo, but still lag behind Lexus, especially the pre-Bangled 7 series. IMO, this was BMW's most beautiful sedan, just needs a small fortune to keep it going tip top. Am I correct? I know this is off topic, but since I "know" you guys, thought perhaps you could help with info. Thanks.

cotmc

Sounds like you might be inventing a new game here within Town Hall: "Where's Willard?"

Off-topic: I actually own a '00 528i Sport. This was the first year BMW provided a 5spd "sportronic" with the 6-cyl engine. I purchased it from a BMW dealer in '02 as a certified (CPO) car. Once the 50K warranty expired, the vehicle is now covered by the 6yr/100K CPO warranty. (It's similar to the Lexus Certified car program, except the BMW certified warranty is fully transferable.)

This car has been trouble free, as were previous 3-series cars we owned ('98 323is and a '97 328i). However, we have never owned a BMW beyond 40K miles, other than this one, which is now approaching 53K. Hence, my upkeep costs were extremely small, with most of the maintenance performed for free, and at a lower maintenance frequency than Lexus or most other Japanese cars.

But to answer your question: Yes, I would be a little nervous to own a BMW without any warranty coverage. I've seen a few posts on BMW topics from owners who started experiencing expensive repairs around 70K miles. The relative frequency of repairs might be at, or below, "typical" levels, but the repairs tend to be expensive, especially if performed at the dealer.

I've been told I will soon need a brake service on my rear brakes: ~$545 at the dealer, or maybe $300 at an independent shop. Certainly this must be more expensive than Lexus!

Hey, at least Lexus hasn't "Bangle-ized" any of their designs! (Although the new GS design looks like it might be a bit "polarizing".)

cheesestate

There's a previous post stating that if the VIN number begins with "JTJ" or starts with a "J", it's built in Japan. However, if it starts with a "C", it's from Canada? Mine starts with "2T2". Any ideas where it might have been made? I'm referring to the RX330. Thanks.

johnnieliu

1st Character: The 1st character of your car's vehicle identification number identifies the country where it was manufactured: 1 or 4-USA; 2-Canada; 3-Mexico; J-Japan; S-England; W-Germany; Z-Italy.

2nd Character: The 2nd character in your car's VIN specifies the manufacturer: A-Audi; B-BMW; H-Honda; A-Jaguar; D-Mercedes; N-Nissan; T-Toyota; V-Volvo; V-VW

3rd Character: The 3rd character in your car's vehicle identification number indicates the vehicle type or manufacturing division. This varies among car makes and models.

4th - 8th Character: The 4th through 8th characters in your car's VIN reveals its features/attributes, such as body style, engine type, model, series, etc. Again, this varies widely among car makes, models and equipment.

9th Character: The 9th character in your car's vehicle identification number is a VIN accuracy check digit, verifying the previous numbers within the VIN. This check digit is a single number or letter "X" used to verify the accuracy of the transcription of the vehicle identification number.

There is a precise method for obtaining the check digit; however, it is not relevant to our discussion here. Suffice to say that after all other characters in the VIN have been determined by the manufacturer, the check digit is calculated by carrying out a mathematical computation. The correct numeric remainder - zero through nine (0-9) will appear. However, if the remainder is 10 the letter "X" is used to designate the check digit value.

10th Character: The 10th character in your car's VIN tells you the model year. (This varies somewhat among car manufacturers - see the chart in the "Here's How to Find Your Car's VIN" section below for specific locations by car make.)

gardencar

Thanks for the info. I don't know exactly how much a brake job for the new RX would be, but for my LS, the rear brakes plus rotors were right around $400 at Firestone. So, unfortunately, I think it would be as or more expensive than a brake job on your '00 528i.
Have you seen how HUGE those new RX330 brakes are?

starforce

I got my car back yesterday but the dashboard noise is somewhat better. They did install a COWL kit but it still makes noises on the right side. Guess that it is some improvement. They SRS seems to be working but it worked fine the first week the last time before it started acting up...I just wonder if the problem is that I didn't buy the car from this dealer. The Director of service always says you bought it in another city. I asked him what difference does that have to do with anything? He says he is just stating facts. Well, I saved 1300 dollars for the same car. I will probably drive it back to where I bought it from (about 3 hours away) and see what happens. Also, they kept my car so long because they fixed a couple of other problems that I didn't know about. Something about a Thumping noise in the transmission.

my1stsuv1

The whining noise is really annoying. When you drive around 40-50 mph with D4 or 50-60 mph with D and release the gas paddle, you will hear this whining noise from rear. I don't hear this noise from a RX300 loaner car. Why does it have in RX330? Of course, the service dealers said nothing is wrong. I don't think it should happen to a $40+k car. Anyone has the same noise?

lookrx330

Please read my message #148. I think I may have the same noise as yours. I will have my 1000 miles service in a few days and will repor if there is any improvement.

Please let me know your development.

gardencar

Glad to hear the dealer's fixes have resulted in improvements. One of the technicians also mentioned that my car had been bought at a different dealership when he saw the dealer's name on the cardboard insert, where the plates will go once they arrive.

What exactly is a COWL kit? Would you mind posting what exactly they did? You seem happier about the car. Hope the fixes work for you this time. You certainly deserve to enjoy your car after all that's happened.

cotmc

I personally think any Lexus Service employee, whether a manager or a technician, is extremely unprofessional when making any comments because the car was purchased at a different dealer!

Why should they care??

Sure, the Sales staff might not be overjoyed about it, but the Service staff should be happy to gain your business! That is where the dealership makes a good percentage of their profit.

Maybe by providing good customer service within the Service Dept, they will earn your business on your next car purchase? Conversely, if I get treated second-class by the Service Dept, why on earth would I consider buying my next car from such an unprofessional dealer?

I sure hope Lexus Corp frowns upon this type of behavior.

lovemylexus1

Couldn't have said it better myself!

gardencar

Leave it to cotmc to voice and voice heartily what the rest of us are thinking. I agree whole heartedly.