Lexus Servicing - Non Lexus Garage

[daddypatches]

My is220 is due for a service soon. My nearest Lexus garage is approx. 25 miles away however I have a Halfords Autocentre close by - I've been to them a couple of time for some minor issues and they have been great so I have no problems with using them - plus their service plan does look comprehensive. I'm not going to lie, dropping the car off round the corner is a bonus!

My question is, are there any special types of fluids an is220 needs (over and above the standard off the shelf stuff) just so I can give them the heads up. I'm aware the car needs semi synthetic oil but are all other fluids standard?

[Steve_M]

Yes, make sure they which type of coolant to use. Think it's the oat type but very difficult to get information out of lexus about the specs for their own stuff which is all they will recommend.

[North west beast]

Go on Opie Oils site and ask them or they will list the exact stuff for your car

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

If doing coolant flush them you need the stuff from Toyota/lexus either pink or red. If you let Halfords flush it then make sure they empty it, fill it with DISTILLED water (normal tap water is harmful to the system). Flush that water then let them put whatever coolant they want in there. But if they don't flush it with DISTILLED water then they must use Toyota pink or red coolant. The reason being if they use a non glycol/ethynol based coolant :l(which Toyota red and pink is) then the two different types of coolant can react and cause what can only be described as mud to form and imagine what damage thick mud in your system can do!

The Opie Oils tip is excellent. They do indeed list all oils and oil specs for every Lexus :)

[ChumpusRex]

The IS220d and IS250 need Toyota Pink coolant. The generic name is a low-phosphate, zero amine, zero borate, zero silicate, hybrid organic acid technology coolant. However, in the UK, there is no alternative product that meets this specification on the market.

The toyota Red coolant is a standard zero amine, zero borate, zero silicate, zero phosphate, organic acid technology coolant. This is compatible with lexus cars, but is not the optimal formulation. However, it will likely work fine. This type of formulation is reasonably common these days, and generic products, such as Comma G30, are available off the shelf.

The phosphate in the pink is a useful additive as it stabilises the coolant against aging, and acts as a secondary anti-corrosion additive for aluminium. I suspect that toyota had originally intended the red to last 10 years between changes, but found that that was a bit optimistic as it degraded faster than expected.

That said, if you use red and change it more regularly than the book says, you'll probably be OK.