chesterman

Moderators:   How do I list my RX400 for sale ?   I have read of a for sale section but cannot find it anywhere, let alone how to list on it !

My 57 reg RX 400h due the 100K service shortly and need to decide where.   Anybody with experience of Lexus Chester who would like to share a comment ?   Or indeed any recommendations for such a service within a reasonable distance  ?    

Sam,

       I looked into this recently anticipating a disc/pad change all round, which proved to be unnecessary on inspection.   One piece of advice I came across during that research was only to compress the brake caliper pistons the minimum amount necessary or risk tripping the sensors and generating faults.   The only solution offered was to depress the brake pedal several times to re-settle the pistons/pads before switching on the ignition.   I do not know whether this will work at this stage but is worth a try.Ian.

I believe many of the modern "intelligent" chargers will not work on a completely discharged Battery as they have to detect the polarity.   Thus your solution of connecting a second, live Battery, was a good work around.   I bought a Bosch S4 (45AH) Battery for my 400H when the previous Toyota battery was 10 years old.   Paid about £50 from euro Car Parts.   This was the largest capacity Battery which would fit in the Battery housing, as reflected in many previous posts on this subject.   Hope this helps.  

Excellent job.   Very informative thread.   Thank you.

Unfortunately I cannot find any exploded view of the scuttle area and cannot therefore confirm drain tubes.   (Oh where is Mr Haynes when you need him!)   It may well be that they simply dump within the front end as you suspect.   Certainly you appear to have tested them in a thorough way and can now dismiss them as a cause.   My original comment was generated by the location and knowing how thoroughly blocked they can become.   Hope you have now sorted it.

I certainly would not dismiss the roof rack mount points, leaks are notoriously difficult to trace.   Given the location I would also have a good look at the front scuttle drains which must be directly above the visible ingress.   A blockage or damaged pipe here may be the culprit.   Just a thought.

Aftermarket parking sensors ?

Update.   New rear calliper slide pins & rubbers are £19 per side from Lex Birmingham.   Bit pricey.   As they are not handed, bought one set in case of need and will get another if necessary, (2 day delivery).   Thanks for the tip Peter.

You are looking at cars almost 10 years old and need to bear this in mind when carrying out all the usual checks & inspections.   Plenty of advice already recorded on this forum for potential owners which you should research, including rear brake calliper corrosion/sticking, water ingress at the rear & inverter recall if applicable.   The cars are not faultless and repairs, even outside the dealer network, are expensive.  ( As they are on any premium car.   You will be paying sub £10K for a car which originally cost £40K !)   All of that said, they are probably the most reliable vehicle in this class and a joy to drive.   Having now owned mine for 12 months I have absolutely no regrets or wish to try anything else.   Hope this helps to inform.

Peter,

         Thank you for your reply.   These cars do seem prone to significant corrosion to the rear calliper slide mechanism, so your suggestion of having the necessary parts in hand prior to commencing the work has much merit.   My thanks.

I would agree.   The sunroof must be your first stop.   Blocked drains here, I believe there are 4, will cause major problems.   But gently, gently, very easy to cause significant damage which will be expensive to rectify.

Having noticed a slight vibration on low speed braking a couple of months back and suspecting warped front discs, I had a good look all round.   The front discs are certainly worn and the rears corroded/worn unevenly.   With the RX due its 100K service this year and wishing to avoid any other inflated Lexus bills, I have decided to replace discs & pads all round myself.   I have done this job on other marques in the past and am quite confident regarding the work required.    I have researched the unique characteristics of the RX on this forum & others.   Purchased the required genuine parts from Lexus Birmingham via e-bay, (£300 with free delivery,) ready for fitting when weather improves.

Whilst carrying out the job I intend to clean/inspect adjacent/associated parts including the parking brake & shields.   To date I have been unable to find an exploded diagram of the rear hubs, parking brake & mountings which I understand are on the shields.   I would much prefer to have such a diagram available before starting the job, (cos I`m paranoid,) and am hoping that any one of the very knowledgeable individuals on the forum can point me to such a PDF.  

Any other advice from members regarding the work would of course be welcome. 

It does rather sound like a sticking handbrake shoe, often caused by corrosion on the inner face of the rear discs.   Needs to be addressed sooner rather than later as it could jam the wheel with expensive/dangerous consequences.   Either yourself or your chosen garage need to strip both down and find out what is going on.   Note:   Also an MOT fail if the handbrake is not working correctly.   Hope this helps. 

Sounds as though the cable itself has jammed the hoist, possibly due to corrosion.   As far as I am aware there is no complicated, (spring loaded) mechanism involved with the RX so it is unlikely to be anything too technical.   I would try a liberal spray of WD40 or similar from below & above and then try working the mechanism back & forth.   Hope this helps.

No relevant experience to quote, however previous posts on this issue often point owners to blocked scuttles below the windscreen, under the bonnet, and the consequent waterlogging of the pollen filter.   Probably worth a look at both if only to dismiss the possibility early on.   Hope this helps. 

Hi & welcome.   IMO 37 mpg would only be achieved under ideal conditions & driving style, ie low speed, stop/start traffic where the electric motors are doing a proportion of the work.   At constant motorway speeds & up to "100mph", a 2.2 tonne SUV with a 3.3 L engine will use a lot more fuel.   Add cold conditions and watch the fuel needle sinking.   If the car is otherwise running well, (plenty of power & smooth delivery,)  I would expect around the 24 mpg you quote under such conditions and 30+ in normal driving.   Hope this reassures.

Hi,

    Cannot help with the ABS which would require diagnostic equipment.   However regarding the wipers, these are exposed to the environment & deteriorate over time, I would recommend a strip & clean.   Fronts are working but not parking correctly, possibly caused by dirt/corrosion on the electrical contact ring.  There are posts on this forum regarding corrosion of the rear wiper pivot causing failure and your issue of slow/laboured operation sounds similar.   Hope this helps.

A wonderful thing - the unquestioning faith of our children !   And often drives us to extraordinary achievements !   Good fortune.   Ian.

Bad news Chris and I too hope you get it sorted for less than an arm & a leg !   Age & environment take their toll on cars too!

With regard to Waxoyl etc.   Many years ago when I was a young man, (and dinosaurs still ruled the earth,) I spent some time in Germany where the common practice was to take your car to the garage in the autumn and have the underside sprayed with old engine oil.   This seemed to work reasonably well as a corrosion inhibitor and was both quick & cheap.   Totally unacceptable nowadays of course for all sorts of health & environmental, ( & I am sure, commercial, ) reasons. 

However, having briefly researched more modern under body treatments for my own RX when I first got it, I came to the conclusion that it was an expensive & time consuming option probably only worthwhile on a new or nearly new car where the corrosion had not yet set in.   This is of course only the opinion which I formed.   If other members have experiences to share I would certainly be interested.   

Had a similar problem on my previous Volvo S60.   Research on the owners forum LED to the sensor attached to the upper arm of the foot brake which had come out of its housing.   Clipped back in and hey presto, no further issues.   May not be the cause but for the sake of 10 seconds on your knees with a torch, probably worth trying !   Hope you get it sorted.   Ian.

I recall reading a post on this forum over a year ago from a member who had indeed imbedded solar panels into the rear spoiler, though I have a feeling it was hard wired.   Unfortunately I cannot remember the outcome as it was not something I would pursue.   Suggest a forum search on the subject of weak 12V battery/solar charging.   Hope that helps.   Ian. 

My 400h is often on the drive for a week or more between trips.   For this reason I have a solar trickle charger, (4W,) connected via the OBD socket whenever the car is not in use.   This, or some other form of witchcraft, has worked well for me and to date no issues.   It certainly has done no harm to anything.   MPG - I average 29.8 across all journeys.   Hope that helps.

This issue will become more common as these complex cars get older/worth less, exacerbated in your case by your location.   My only suggestion would be to consult an air con specialist though I doubt the IoW has many!   May be worth a look on the US site where they are more inclined to take things apart.   Ian.

I find this truly frightening.   On a vehicle with a full service history with the same dealer it is even more shocking.   I shall be underneath mine tomorrow and with a thank you to Anthony for the "heads up".