Lexus ES Maintenance and Repair

prettyleaves

Hi,
Just had a diagnostic on "99 ES300, and the result was 5 Engine Control trouble codes (P0115 - Engine Coolant Temp Sensor 1 Circuit; P0330- Right Side Knock Sensor 2 Circuit Bank #2; P0420-Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold Bank #1; P0710-Transmission Fluid Temperature Sensor A Circuit).

4 ABS Codes (22,23,34&36).

2 Trac Codes (43,61.)

Mechanic says $1400 to address codes, which does NOT stop "Check Engine," "Track Off" or "ABS" Lights from blinking. Then Re-scan. Could mean replace Head Gaskets, and or Catalyst Converter, which for both price estimates are costly.
I have 135K miles. Should I sell? Is the $1400 about right? I'm in Orange County, and this is my first car that doesn't have a car note. Any suggestions, and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

wwest

Disconnect the battery for 5-10 minutes. That should clear ALL transient fault codes. If any diagnostic icons show up immediately then have those addressed. If none then drive the car until at least one diagnostic icon turns on.

Then have that code "addressed" by a trusted shop, NOT Goodyear or Firestone.

msjake

Just had my 2007 ES 350 towed to my dealership. It took off while I was driving it, and it's NOT the floor mat, it's not even in the car. So....since they can't find the problem, and there is quite a bit of damage to the car, should I take it to another expert diagnostic center...and who would that be? any suggestions?

tunez8185

I was driving to victorville when my car was smoking i got out checked my trans oil it was brown. The next day i strated the car didnt let the car warm up because i was late to work.When i got to a red lite i started driving and the trans skiped and will only move when the car is cold. when it warm up it wont go. Can I change the screen and the trans oil? Do you think that will fix the problem.

mumble88

I got a car cover from carscover.com and it's a fairly a good cover. But I'm worried that it might ruin the car. Is it possible that the cover could scratch the car?

praz

yes

Smoothie

As we left Lambeau Field following the latest loss, among 70,000 other fans during a blizzard, suddenly all interior electrical operations stopped. The only systems still operating were the engine, headlights, and brakes. A few minutes later, everything came on again; but for the rest of the evening, this happened over and over again until we finally gave up and found a hotel.

The following morning, the local Lexus checked it out and decided that the ignition switch was bad but they wouldn't have one until the next day, so we drove home and the problem didn't occur again until over five hours later and just three minutes before we arrived at home.

Our local Lexus dealer changed the ignition switch, but the failures still continued.

After four hours of searching at $100/hour they still haven't found a thing.

What could this problem be?

wwest

One of your MAJOR circuit breakers, auto-reset breakers, is either faulty or is overloaded. Try cutting down on the electrical loads the next time it happens to see if it abates.

It might be that a connection to one of these breakers is not firmly tightened, the connection heats up accordingly and the heat helps to trip the CB..

mayfletcher

I just got a 2009 ES350. I took out insurance coverage with Geico and they added a Mechanical Breakdown Insurance which they say is cheaper than the Extended Warranty I would get from the dealer. The dealer says I can get the Extended Warranty from them later on, did not need to purchase it now.

So if that is the case, Is it necessary for me to have to even have to pay for the Mechanical Breakdown Insurance with Geico now? My new car warranty is good for some time. Not sure what to do.

lexpaul

Hello MayFletcher,

I will be purchasing a 2009 ES 350 premium plus w/nav within about 2 weeks. Geico is my insurance provider and I will add Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI) and also GAP which pays off any balance that is owed on your loan if your Lexus is totaled (God forbid!!). My wife has worked for Geico in customer service and glass claims for over 9 years. She recommends that you keep your Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI) for several reasons. If your dealership doesn’t honor something on your warranty then MBI covers it (It doesn’t cover normal wear and tear items like tire wear, batteries, brakes, etc).

Most people aren’t aware that warranties don’t cover glass damage. A windshield on a Lexus 350 can cost about $1100.00. If you have MBI and there is only glass damage then your deductible is only $50.00 even if your comprehensive deductable is $1000.00. So this is something to consider, not trying to sell you on Geico, but just give you another angle of looking at it. Thanks

mayfletcher

Thanks for your reply. Good info to know. Given what you have said then do you mean that I should consider having the Geico coverage as of "now" or only as of when my warranty is up because I am paying for the extended coverage now.

Re GAP my car is paid for so I do not have the loan or balance "owed" issue.

lexpaul

Hello again,
Considering the high reliability of Lexus cars, I think you will be fine with the warranty from Lexus. Keep in mind though, that you won't be able to get MBI after 15 months of ownership or 15k miles on the car, so that gives you a very short window to decide. You can get an after 'market warranty', but they tend to be much more than Geico's MBI. I would say if the cost of having Geico's MBI is something you can comfortably live with, then I would keep it for the peace of mind, because it will cover you long after the manufacturers warranty has ended.

Here is a great link with some additional information:
http://www.geico.com/getaquote/auto/mechanical-breakdown-faq/

wkendmechanic

I have a 2001 lexus es 300 with 66 K miles on it. I have started to get a periodic rumbling or rubbing sound. It is much more felt at lower speeds, when I am slowing down or when I turn a corner. Showed it to Firestone. they say the rear struts have to be replaced (rear tires have unusual wear pattern) and also the rear tires. The tires are fairly new and have a lot of tread. Has some one had a similar problem? How difficult is it to replace the struts? Any help will be appreciated.

wwest

Firestone...??!!

NEVER...!!!

turbobill

Although manufacturers recommend sparkplug replacement at long (100,000 mile) intervals, often the plugs can become carboned up and impossible to remove without removing the cylinder head. To avoid this I have always taken out the plugs at about 20,000 mile intervals and replaced them after inspection.
On my 2008 Lexus ES 350 the front cylinder bank plugs appear easy to remove, but the rear bank plugs are hidden.
Has anyone learned the trick to removing the rear bank plugs?

gbjerke

Remember "fun vans"? Back in the 70's/80's where about 1/2 the engine sat in the drivers compartment? Had a couple Dodge ones.
Knew I needed some fresh plugs so on one nice spring day I popped the hood and removed the engine cover in the passenger compartment. The front plugs were easy, the rear plugs were a PAIN...literally. Removed heat shields, contorted my body in ways not comfortable, left a lot of blood from my knuckles all over and 6 hours later the job was done.
The next time I took it to my local gas/service station (remember full service?).
They offered to change the plugs for $1.00 labor per plug + $1.50 each for the plugs themselves. My thought, "knock yourself out". I told them I'd come back later and they asked if I wanted to wait as it would only be 15-20 minutes.
I thought I had better stick around just for laughs. Laugh was on me. They put the van on the hoist and thru the wheel well all plugs were easily accessible. No heat shield removal, no nothing and 15 minutes later I was on my way.
Just a thought, but I wonder if the same applies to the ES.

lexusron1

I have an es350 with navigation. My problem is i tried to reset for daylight saving time change. It does not change to dst or will not change time zones. Please post if you have a solution to my problem.

gatesw908

i have the motor and fan in the car but the oil line connecting the fan to the motor is bad and i need to know what that part is and where i can find it. any suggestions would greatly be appreciated

turbobill

The "plumbing" around the air filter box looks a bit complicated. Does anyone have any hints on how to replace the air filter element?

bdg2090

The water pump stopped working, which resulted in my timing belt coming off. My friend says the valves might have bent when the belt came. Is this true?

rparis

Can anyone offer information as how to change the cabin and air filters? Where is the cabin filter located?

carolinabob

RE: windshield replacement. Check with your insurance provider or state insurance departement, but in S.C. the insurance company pays 100% of cost to replace windshield by state law. This includes dings, cracks, whatever. It is up to owner to determine replacement vs. repair.
Other states may have same law.

auntjslexus

2003 Lexus E300, started fine this morning, did errands, came home, appx. 1 1/2 hours later, car won't start. I wonder if this "not starting problem" has anything to do with the immobilization security or key.on this car. I have been having trouble with my LoJack and keyfob/battery.(keeps calling me in error, wasn't reading itself properly) I have replaced the battery on both sets of key fobs (and the battery in the Lojack keyfob}. All accessories still work inside the car, the car is just dead. The battery is new last year and checks out as good. doing a jump did not start the car. This is my first time on this forum but I thought I would sign up here and see if I can get some help. thanks in advance to all who are willing to contribute. Jo

carriedarby

We replaced the water pump and removed the timing belt, now the vehicle will not start, we think the timing belt might not have been lined up, would we have possibly damaged the valves. Is this vehicle a non interference engine or an interference engine. I have not removed the head to check for damage, because the toyota dealer told me that this is a non interference engine? How do I line up the timing marks? 1992 Lexus ES300 V-6 FOURCAM 24

Mike

Hi, a few days ago the auto door locks stopped working when you move the shifter from park to drive. The manual had a rather weak description of how to program this function. I tried it every way that I could interpret the manual (yr 2008) but, no luck. Can anyone describe this process? Or, has anyone else experienced this? Our closest Lexus Dealer is 90 miles away. Thanks for any help.
Mike

nvbanker

Well, I thought this was an interference engine too, but the dealer should know probably more than I do. I just had the timing belt replaced on my 96, and everything went fine. There are arrows on the pulleys that show you how to line up the belt, I'm told...... But if it were just off a little, the engine should run albeit badly, not just refuse to start at all. I'm wondering if something simple wasn't hooked back up.

tpllos

I would like to know how to take my nav unit out. Are there instructions available?
Thx

largee2007

I have a 2007 ES350. I change the oil myself. I had no problems when I changed the oil+filter at 10,000 miles. The car has about 15,000 miles now. Yesterday when the oil filter (whole filter-element and casing) was removed, I could only drain about 1 quart of oil, then the flow stopped. I have to momently crank the engine a few times to squirt out the oil. Each crank would eject about 1 quarts of oil.

I need help! Thanks.

wangguy

I have an '02 ES 300. My inside trunk release button stopped working today. The remote still works. Any ideas on what the problem could be? Maybe a fuse? Any help is appreciated.

olddave

I had a similar problem with my '05 ES330. But I figured it out...On my model, there is a button inside the glove box which de-activates the trunk release. Probably a security issue to keep a valet out of your trunk when you use the valet key. I don't know if the same is true with the '02 model, but open the glove box and look for a small switch - mine is in the upper left-hand corner of the glove box. If that switch gets accidentally bumped, the trunk release will not work but the remote will still open the trunk....
Regards...

wangguy

Thanks for the info. That was the problem, don't know how it got shut off.

richbf2

my 330 has 93k on it. Manual says to replace t/b at 90k. 90% of my daily commute is freeway and i usually easy on my gas. Do you think i push it to 100k? thanks

lexhou

just sold 330- 04 yr model...it had 110,000 miles on it...had no timing belt issues...thats just one of those you had to go with gut feeling one way or other.

richbf2

thanks for your prompt response. My next question is one of my headlights is burned out. Since it's hid, it's costly to replace it. I dont want to go to dearler for this. Can i replace it myself? Do you know any body trustworthy for this task? what is your recommendation? :confuse: Thanks

richbf2

One of my headlights is burned out. Since it's hid, it's costly to replace it. I dont want to go to dearler for this. Can i replace it myself? Do you know any body trustworthy for this task? what is your recommendation? Thanks

lexhou

cant help with HID's ....of course one I'm getting in 10 days will have them ...but mine 04 did'nt have hid headlights....not sure of difficulty to replace, my suggestion would be to fine very reputable mechanic shop in area you live for something like that...maybe one is set up to work on lexus..bmw..acura etc...they're out there and very likely hourly chg less than dealer. good luck

twinb

Would there be replacement instructions in the owner's manual?

lexhou

as mention I'm not in ownership of es350 yet ( 10 more days ) so cant really say what is in ownership manual..sorry cant help

mpuddan

DASH BOARD HAVE THE FOLLOWING INDICATORS FLASHING
1) TRACK OFF (FLASHING)
2) ABS (CONTINUOUSLY ON, STEADY)
3) ENGINE CHECK (CONTINUOUSLY,STEADY)

ERROR CODES P1410 , P1411 AND P0773

WHAT IS THE REMEDY.

uknirmal

I recently moved to a small town and my 2009 ES350 is due to 15K maintenance. The closest Lexus dealer is 2 hrs away, however there is Toyota dealer in town. Please let me know if I can take the car to Toyota dealer for 15k maintenance?

somum1

Hello, I have a Lexus ES 300 2002. Few months ago, I started hearing loud road noise coming from front tires that would increase with the speed, I was told that tires had feathered due to bent front shocks and I would need new shocks for front, I had replaced these same shocks in 2007 and put on 40,000 miles since. I had also bought 4 new Michelin Weatherwise from Costco in 2008 and put on 30,000 miles since. Also, my car is suddenly giving me from 25 miles/gallon to 13 miles/gallon. Here are my questions.
1. Is the life of these struts only 3 years or 40,000 miles? Is there generally a warranty on struts?
2. Can bent struts cause tires to feather/warp so bad that they will cause extreme road noise especially for Lexus?
3. Can bad tires cause the mileage to drop from 25 miles/gallon to almost 13 miles/gallon?
4. If I were to change the struts, get the alignment done and buy new tires, would it fix my issue of road noise and mileage?

fredvh

Can someone tell me the oil filter diameter(mm) for the 2006 Lexus ES330?

donb1

I am considering buying either a 2011 Toyota Avalon or a 2010 ES350. I am trying to get a feel for the cost of a normal warranty service for the ES as compared to the Avalon. Can anyone give me an idea of what it might cost for 2 years worth of services? Toyota now is offering a 2 yr maintenance free program. Thanks

haywood437

Hi, I have a question regarding the recent oil change in a Lexus dealership. A few days after the oil change in this Lexus dealership for my 2007 ES350 I went to a local garage for changing tires. The mechanics there told me the engine oil was over filled. And I checked it at next morning when car was cold, it was about half inch over the max mark at the oil stick. I called the Lexus dealership and the service person said I need to come in to get the oil drained and refilled. And then her supervisor called back to say this is normal. No need to worry.
I want to know if you have similar experience, and if the overfilled engine oil is okay to the car. Appreciate if you could share your thought and experience,

pats1

First, read all the fine print in your warranty book. Next, I would call the Toyota dealer and ask the service manager - maybe get his email address and send him an email so you get something back in writing. Fortunately for me the local Lexus dealer is close. They did tell me that I could use a Toyota dealer if I was on the road and there was no Lexus dealer nearby. Best of luck to you, and enjoy your ride.

pats1

Who do you trust, the tire dealer guy looking for service business (otherwise why would he snooping around other parts of your car that you didn't ask him to look at) or the Lexus dealer's service department, who warrants their car and their work? I don't mean to be condascending, but those tire stores are notorious for snooping around cars looking for service business, whether the car really needs it or not. I also have a 2007 ES350. After I read your post I popped my hood (first time ever) and checked the oil, it was slightly above the "full" mark, and that car's never been anywhere but the dealer. I'd put my faith in the dealer.

sharonirocks

I too have a 2001 ES300 and I have a similar problem and it happens mostly when the car is approaching second gear..mostly between 30-40 mph. I took it to my mechanic, he took it for a test drive and said it was the engine mounts. The rear one especially was gone and when the car shifted the engine was knocking around. He popped the hood and shifted it back and forth from drive to reverse and showed me. I thought it was going to jump out of the car. I'm waiting for the last part but so far it's costing me about $600 labor and parts. Places like Firestone only care about selling you tires and getting into your pockets one way or another. If you have a reliable, trustworthy mechanic (I know, they are almost non-existent) let him check it out it could make all the difference in the world. Word to the wise...if you have firestone do their suggested repairs and there is nothing wrong with your tires and then there is, firestone will NOT stand by their work and your warranty on your tires will be null and void.

nvbanker

Word to the wise...if you have firestone do their suggested repairs and there is nothing wrong with your tires and then there is, firestone will NOT stand by their work and your warranty on your tires will be null and void.

I have to agree with you.