Rx300 2001 Occasional Cutting Out

[Cruiser459]

My other half has a lightly used 51 reg, 108k RX300.

Night before last it cut out on her out of the blue. When she restarted it the eml and vsc stayed on but car drove fine for the few miles home.

Took it out yesterday during day, gave it a blow, all fine, no problems, no warning lights

Took it out last night and it cut out within 100yds, all dash lights came on. Restarted, no lights came on and car drove perfectly.

It's due to go in as there's an occasional grinding noise from osf brakes, and the a/c light has started to flash, so do we simply get codes read to begin with or are we looking at an obvious problem We use a great independent who we trust (Swan in Basildon)

The exhaust has been a slight issue since we've had it, last mot had an advisory saying very slight leak, but it didn't fail. Car is very lightly used, very much a second car (we have my gs300 as the main) so it can sit for days.

As I say, it went perfectly during the day yesterday when I used it. Only thing I did notice was the amount of "hiss" when I took the petrol cap off - but that's only when comparing it to mine.

Both times it cut out it's been on side roads, but obviously it's not something to be risked.

So ideas of what it might be would be welcome

[Cruiser459]

Car booked in for 12th but on way back from garage exhaust started to rattle so presume the cat has gone. Would that explain the problem?

[ColinBarber]

it shouldn't have cut out if the cat was playing up. Need to find out what error codes have been generated. Normally for a cut out there is either a complete power failure or an engine sensor failure which is required for the engine to run (e.g. crankshaft sensor) and the system shuts down to protect the engine.

When you say cut out do you mean an instant cutout or poor running and then stall?

[Cruiser459]

The car would run fine and then suddenly cut out as though the ignition had been switched off. Restarting would clear the problem.

On the way back from booking it in it cut out again, pulled over, restarted and this time the eml and vsc lights were on, although the car drove fine even though they were on.

Back on the drive restarting didn't clear the lights and on one occasion the car started as usual then the revs slowly died and it cut out.

Tried it again, no lights and it idled away happily until I turned it off.

It will sit on the drive now until it goes in on the 12th - and no, my other half won't be using my GS in the meantime!!!!

[Boxbrownie]

Give Westfields at Rawreth a call, they have serviced my RX for 7 years and they know them inside out, specialist Lexus independant.

I know Swan have been established for years but I thought they were mainly a bodyworks repairer (or were).

[Cruiser459]

Thanks for that. Swan do have a general side too and they've always been excellent. Cars going into them on Thursday and will see how we go on. If they can't sort it I will contact westfields.

The repair costs will dictate the future of the car too so fingers crossed!!

[Cruiser459]

Apparently it was the MAF. Does that make sense?

[Boxbrownie]

Yes, very possibly....if the MAF gets dirty with oil or dust it'll send the wrong messages to the ECU and if the ECU thinks the MAF is not operating at all it would be safer to shut down rather than continue running the engine risking engine damage from a weak or over rich mixture.

[Cruiser459]

Car back today. MAF replaced. All good, though £200 poorer!