2008 LEXUS RX350 CAR PROBLEMS WITH ONLY 68000 MILES...
Asked by GuruDWVJ Aug 14, 2017 at 02:13 PM about the 2008 Lexus RX 350 AWD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
with only 68,000 odm. my 2008 Rx 350 Lexus has already had: a new water heater, head gasket, batter, tires and now Altenator...I was told these were good and reliable up to 300,000?
6 Answers
BritishTech77 answered 7 years ago
Ok, so what kind of problems you having otherwise?
Do you camp in it with a water heater? A vehicle is like anything else, just because you do not use it, does not mean that it will last that much longer. Tires is a good example. Rubber items dry and rot even when not used. You can have 6 year old tires with 21K on them that need to be replaced due to dry/hard dangerous rubber. A car has to be driven to last. I find this with my parents to the point that I save them money and car repairs by driving their cars. I will only buy Lexus and Toyotas. They are the best but have to be driven and maintenanced. No machine is exempt from maintenance for time or miles. Many maintenance items on a car are miles or time (whichever comes first) for the service. I can have oil that has 500 miles on it but 6 months old that needs to be replaced. A car that is hardly driven has more issues than one that is. I have proven this and have tripled the miles I got out of one. Lexus are the best!!! I have owned 2 and 8 Toyotas and never had a heater core or head gasket issue. In fact never a stage II engine or transmission issue. I have put approximately 1.4 million miles on these cars (purchased all used). 1 alternator, 1 condenser, 1 compressor, 0 starters, 0 radiators, 0 plug wires (I have a 17 year old sienna now). All these parts above on this sienna. I will stick with this brand. I work on friends and family's cars and I do not want their issues. I have converted many but some are stubborn. I have had 3 no starts in 27 years. 1 battery, 1 safety neutral switch and a -26 degree day that it started at -11. (89 Camry). I wish I had your SUV!
If this makes you feel better, NOT that I recommend this, but I have never replaced the transmission fluid on any of these vehicles! I have the original fluid in this sienna. It shifts good. I have learned my stupidity as I have aged and become wiser. I cannot change it now for the fact of it being old and maybe locking up with new thicker fluid and cleaning off the gunk off clutches and gears. I have the filter and fluid just afraid to do it...I will probably sell it with original fluid in it.
Maintenance required light is a reminder to service fluids. Comes on in all cars after 1996 ish. Toyotas are set to 5K mile intervals. I use it to remind me of oil changes.