Lexus Nerd

Yes, Chris, there's a few recent discussions on oil consumption, including this one: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/12377-allianz-extended-warranty/?p=44920 I'm not an expert, but this the aforementioned thread details why I have an aversion to Mobil 1 in an IS 250. But before we further discuss the merits of various oils, consider these points first: You say you are using Caltex 10W-30. That means you are probably using Havoline Premium Plus. That particular oil comes in a 5-litre pack. But we know that the IS 250 engine uses around 6 litres (give or take a bit, depending on whether you replace the filter). So if you are draining the oil and only replacing it with 5 litres of oil, you'll get a low oil warning rather soon. So the first question is, are you using the right amount of oil? The IS 250 engine suffers from carbon buildup. If higher oil consumption is only a recent observation, then perhaps carbon buildup over a long period of time has only now accumulated to a point where it is causing higher oil consumption. Have you considered a carbon cleaning service? (Okay, that might be a little more expensive than just putting up with more oil top-ups, but may be worth it if you believe you have other issues, such as an apparent lack of power.)

Awesome, kyo ... Will be in touch about the BBQ. The date's been set, folks ... Saturday, 3 May! See http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/12392-aloc-sydney-meet-13/

It's been a while, but the date is now set ... Saturday, 3 May 2:00 pm End of Leeds Street, Rhodes Show and shine your Lexus! Pick up a Club sticker Make new friends or catch up with old ones over a sausage sanga! Chill out for a bit, or hang out after the sun sets (as usual, open to suggestions)

Yes, use a 10W-30 for the reasons given above, and a full synthetic for the same reasons that are always given for using a full synthetic over a semi-mineral. The engine in the IS 350 has port injection as well as DI, so it doesn't face the same carbon buildup issues. I would use the oil grade recommended in the Owners Manual.

Quick answer: Feature comparison courtesy of Lexus Australia: ----- The three equipment grades, in ascending order, are: Prestige, F Sport and Sports Luxury. All three grades are highly specified and include Lexus' Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management (VDIM), eight SRS airbags, powerful brake package, HID head lamps with cleaners, LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) and a sequential six-speed transmission with paddle shift. IS 350 Prestige has split five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels, reversing camera with rear guide assist, touch-screen satellite navigation with Bluetooth connectivity, multi-information display, power-adjustable front seats, smooth leather-accented seat trim and front seat heaters. It also has Lexus premium 13-speaker audio system with 6-CD multi-changer. IS 350 F Sport has a unique suspension calibration and 18-inch alloy wheels with five close-paired spokes, as well as IS F-style rear spoiler and radiator grille upper and lower. Its additional equipment over and above Prestige includes IS F-style sport seats with drivers' memory function, F Sport steering wheel and gear shift lever, sports pedals and unique F Sport badging. The F Sport model also has power tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment (in lieu of manual adjustment), auto-retract and self-dimming exterior mirrors, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and Mark Levinson 14-speaker premium audio system. The Sports Luxury model has five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels and moonroof. It also has, over and above Prestige model, Active Cruise Control, Lexus Pre-Collision safety System (PCS) with newly adopted Pre-Collision Braking (PCB), rain-sensing windscreen wipers, front and rear clearance sonar, and self-dimming and heated exterior mirrors. Inside, IS 350 Sports Luxury has the added features (over Prestige) of ventilated and heated front seats, semi-aniline leather-accented seat trim, Smart key card, self-dimming (electro-chromatic) interior rear-view mirror, driver's seat memory function, woodgrain-look trim and 14-speaker premium audio system. ----- The moonroof is optional on F Sport, but standard on Sports Luxury. I don't recall any common issues. Practically all the 2IS "common issues" were sorted out by the time the MY10 came along.

My recommendations are based on hours of research, rather than personal experience. For most points, I've tried to find at least two different sources before accepting any point as gospel. To get good viscosity in both cold and hot engine conditions, multigrade oils require additives known as viscosity modifiers. The wider the viscosity span, the more modifiers are required. Viscosity modifiers, however, do burn off under high temperatures and produce carbon deposits. In a port injection engine, this isn't a big issue, as the fuel coming through the intake valves wash the deposits away. But in many direct injection engines, the carbon deposits are left on the intake valves. The capacity of the cylinder, the sealing ability of the valve, the O2 sensor etc. are all affected, eventually leading to poor engine performance and excess oil consumption. Oils are like Pokemon: each has their strengths, but they also have weaknesses. So even though Mobil 1 was great on a Celica, it's not good in DI engines, according to the TEOST test in this oil manufacturer-sponsored study: http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g3115.pdf Now, the overall validity of this study is debatable, but it does show that an oil that performs well in one respect may not do well in another respect. It also suggests that Castrol Edge is great for minimising carbon deposits in a DI engine; but it doesn't have a good rep on these forums for other reasons. Besides, I shouldn't recommend any specific oil without trying it myself. Also note that the study is for 5W-30 oils. Based on the above information, I would expect that, for minimising carbon deposits on an IS250, the grade of the oil is more important than the brand. Try going for a 10W-30 oil: after all, this is what Lexus Australia is now recommending on the latest IS 250s (but not the 350s, which have both port and direct injection) ... I imagine they are recommending it for the reasons given here.

... Or not using the right oil. Some Lexus dealerships are known to use semi-synthetic oil; yet, this may cause less problems than a DIY job where a more expensive oil is used. Presumably because of the benign effects this issue has on most IS 250's, this issue is not covered by a standard Lexus warranty in Australia. Therefore, it's unlikely to be covered by any extended warranty here. The excessive oil consumption is caused by carbon buildup which, in turn, is caused by oil additives burning up in the direct injection engine. Its effects can be minimised by choosing the right oil and regular removal of the deposits.

How about Saturday, 5 April? Knowing how late these meets can wrap up (should one want to hang around for a while), I think we can do with the extra hour due to the end of daylight saving :D

Who went to the Top Gear Festival last weekend? Certainly, there was two days of perfect weather for an outdoor car show. For me, the opportunity to actually see supercars perform the way they're designed made this kind of show stand out from the traditional motor show. Sure, I couldn't get up close to everyday car models and find out, say, just how overrated Infiniti interiors really are. Instead, there was the aural and visual spectacle of seeing some of the world's finest cars ... and learning, say, that an R8's engine is overrated. For Lexus fans, there was the opportunity of seeing Jeremy Clarkson drive an LFA. (I missed that bit - did anyone else watch it?). Besides the Lexus safety car, it was probably the only exposure Lexus had - but perhaps it was better value for Lexus than doubling their floor space at the Sydney Convention Centre. What are your thoughts? Was it better than a traditional motor show? Would you go again?

The issue is found in most direct injection engines. Should you choose to change your own oil, be careful about what you use. A 5W-30 may sound better, but produce more deposits than a 10W-30 due to the higher proportion of additives. Certain brands also produce more carbon (including Mobil 1). My research suggests that Lexus USA had no choice but to change the piston rings. They couldn't tell people to switch to a 10W oil due to fuel conservation laws.

I bought an extended warranty for my 2010 IS 250 at purchase time. I was sold it on the suggestion that, while the mechanics probably won't fail, the electronics could. I vaguely recall a recent post that someone did get some electronics fixed under extended warranty.

Just a clarification: so the contacts have disappeared from the iPhone? Or are the contacts on the phone intact, but the phone book on the Lexus becomes empty? What version of iOS are you using?

A relay would be used to control the +/-power to the motor and hence determine whether the motor winds up pr down. Is the relay separate from the switch unit you replaced?

If anyone has "a copy of" a later version of maps than your own, then it's only for their own backup purposes. If you want to ask whether you can buy someone's DVD, you'll need to make ten posts before asking in the "Buy and Sell" forum. Alternatively, try EBay or whereismaps.com. (The latter currently doesn't seem to sell an update for Lexus - presumably because a new version is only a month or two away.)

Thanks for the tips, Jerry. On that note... I recently received a reply from a Penrite rep when I asked them the suitability of their "Enviro+ GF-5" oil (it's also a 5w30 full synthetic). He responded with the following: "Do not use any oil from our Enviro+ range: these are mainly low ash oils and are only to be used when called for. The best oil is Racing 10w-40 as it uses the highest categories of base oil in its fomulation. However, HPR5 (SAW 5w-40, full synthetic) would also be a good choice." I thought low ash oils were more ideal to put in your car...? I'm reading a lot more about oils than I originally ever wanted to know, but I figured it was useful since we could have a lot more pre-2010 IS 250 owners asking about oil consumption in the future - perhaps linking it to the brand of oil they use or a US service bulletin about oil consumption. Here's my understanding: Low ash oils are good in that they do reduce deposits. Doing what you can to reduce deposits in the IS 250 engine is important, since many direct injection engines have an inherent problem with carbon buildup (this isn't a problem with the IS 350, which also features port injection). But low ash oils don't provide as much protection against premature wear. I guess Penrite is suggesting there are other ways of reducing deposits while maintaining protection against engine wear.

Hey there, thanks for replying! Terribly sorry! I did mean 115,755km.... My bad. And yes, the 250 also takes 6.x L, including the filter. And I have also verified the Low Oil Level warning on the dip stick and it does sit quite close to the low mark. To explain in detail the time where I was using the Castrol Edge: Back then, that was the time when I relied on my mechanic to do the oil changes as part of the service. I see him on a one year service interval and I give him 10L (if it makes any difference, 2x5L bottles) of Castrol Edge sport. The oil change takes around 6.5L (he goes a bit over the full mark) and I take home the remaining oil. Somewhere like a few months before the next service/year is due, I get a Low Oil Level warning. I then pour the remaining 3.5L of oil as a top up to my car. This will survive until the service is due without giving me another Low Oil Level warning. The last time my mechanic changed my oil for me was at 100,929km on 22/09/12, which was 10 months and 14,826km prior to me changing oil for the first time and using Nulon. (Don't be alarmed.. I still take the car up for service. I just let him know my oil was changed so he needn't bother with the oil.) I'm not sure if my math is logical here, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd say that year, my car survived on a total of 10L of Castrol Edge 5w30 over a span of 14,826km in that 10 month (service booked early) period (and then some, since there was enough oil remaining for it to not complain). As with the deal with me using Nulon... Well they came in 6L packs which I found to be quite convenient. It doesn't exactly go past the full mark. It's close.. but not all the way up, but I would expect that amount to last me at least 6,000km. The reason why the first change (where I couldn't get my filter out) lasted a little longer (4xxx Km) may be because there would be some old oil left over inside, where the second time I actually was able to get the filter out, and so I really was only running 6L of oil, which only lasted around 3,000km in 3 months. I recognize that right now, there is still some oil inside that's allowing my car to run, otherwise I'd imagine to hear some ungodly rattling and screeching somewhere... However, just looking from a very novice POV, I was able to do quite a bit more km using 10L of Castrol Edge in one service interval (10 months back then) than the two oil changes using 12L (combined) Nulon within the 7 month period before I got the warning lights. In hindsight... I'm really comparing apples and oranges here, aren't I? In the case of the Castrol, I am just simply topping up (usually goes all the way back to the high mark), while in the case of nulon, I empty the remaining oil and I replace it with only 6L of oil. But still, we are talking about a difference of twice the milage... Sorry for the extremely tedious post and please do tell me what you think... Also I'm tempted to try out the Penrite Enviro+ GF5. Seems like a much more affordable alternative to Castrol, which costs 50% more. Again, please share your valuable input. :) You're right; it's comparing apples with oranges. wrxhoon is right to say that the low oil warning light doesn't mean there's no oil left at all. In the 2007 IS 250, there's a difference of 1.5 litres between the full level and the low level on the dipstick. The oil capacity is 6.3 litres, or 5.9 litres without the filter. With the Edge, you used as little as (10 - 5.9)/(14 826/1 000) = 0.25 litres per 1000 km. Since some oil would have been consumed between the time you made the last top-up and the next oil change, you could have used as much as (10 - 5.9 + 1.5)/(14 826/ 1000) = 0.38 litres per 1000 km. On the first change you made yourself, the 6 L of oil should have theoretically been enough to reach the full mark, plus 100 mL extra. Assuming the oil light comes on at the same time that the "low" level on the dipstick is reached (ok, big assumption), you've used (1.5 + 0.1)/(4 843/1 000) = 0.33 litres per 1000 km. At the time of your next oil change, you changed the oil filter, and you used 6.0 litres when 6.3 litres would have been needed. You would have consumed merely (1.5 - (6.3 - 6.0)) = 1.2 litres before the "low" level on the dipstick would have been reached. That means you consumed 1.2/(3 091/1 000) = 0.39 litres per 1000 km. There's enough margin of error here, such that you can't really say whether using Castrol Edge or Nulon is making much difference to your oil consumption. But I will conclude with one interesting note. On the Owners Manual for the 2007 IS 250 for the US market, the following paragraphs appear: Oil consumption: Max. 1.1 qt./600 miles, 0.9 lmp.qt./600 miles (1.0 L per 1000 km) If you consume more than 1.1 qt. (1.0 L, 0.9 lmp.qt.) every 600 miles (1000 km), contact your Lexus dealer. That would indicate to me that your oil consumption of between a quarter and half a litre per 1000 km is deemed by Lexus to be completely normal.

The 75,000 km service involves removing the back seat to replace the fuel filter. This will usually make the service more expensive than any of your previous services, unless the non-Toyota/Lexus service centre miscalculates the effort required. Do ensure you get quotes from various Lexus (or even Toyota) service centres, as prices can vary significantly for this service in particular.

A recent study of used vehicles in the US (based on number of defects found at trade-in) has found the Toyota Prius platform as one of the top ten most reliable platforms. (Toyota/Lexus had five other platforms on that list.) "Fewer than 4 percent of Prii that are traded-in exhibit any type of serious mechanical issue, and that includes problems with the hybrid battery. While the older Honda Civic Hybrid and Accord hybrid have all experienced substantial battery wear ..." While the RX wasn't specifically listed, you can at least be assured that the intuitive fear of battery degradation shouldn't be a factor when buying a car with Toyota's hybrid technology.

Given the prevalence of some rattles and squeaks, I would guess there exists a documented procedure for fixing them. But, perhaps, your real question is, "If there a recall for the 2008+ model 2nd gen IS250 and IS350, with regard to rattles and squeaks, so I can get them fixed free of charge?" I would guess again that the answer is no. But there are some factors that might minimise any cost to you for fixing them outside of the warranty period. I believe there are three kinds of rattles and squeaks: 1. The most common one emanates from the glovebox. It is easily found when the technician fiddles with the air filter and/or removes the shelf inside the glovebox. Perhaps your Lexus dealer will be nice enough to help fix this one without any labour costs, since it's easy to identify and fix. (And if they've recently performed a major service and replaced the filter, then just complain that they didn't do a good job, because it's been rattling since you got the car back.) 2. The second one involves the door seals. The doors can rattle due to dry door seals, particularly in winter. Your Lexus dealer can show you how to fix these yourself, so the only cost to you would be some lubricant spray. 3. The third one involves the foam inside the body panels. I once had a rattle in the B pillar on the passenger's side. A fix would involve removing some interior panels, and perhaps insertion of even more foam. I suspect these are the kinds of problems that would cost you if you find them outside of the warranty period, but they're not as prevalent as the other two types.

It's imminent, as today is the last day that you can buy WhereIs V19 online, at a discounted price.

linhtron, You've got enough info on the exhaust smell issue: try changing fuels and, if that doesn't satisfy you, then you'll need to look at exhaust changes. The engine oil consumption is an entirely different matter, and has been discussed in a number of places on the Web, including in this topic. In short, there's a known issue with excess consumption in some IS250s produced before mid-2010. While these problems are being addressed in the US, there is no such recall on Australian vehicles; so you won't automatically qualify for a free fix if you present your car at your local Lexus dealer. Suggested solutions: Perhaps you can work something out with your local Lexus dealer, such as getting them to perform a scheduled service on your car (you'll need one in the next 12 months, anyway) but only if they warrant that the oil consumption will be reasonable over the next 15,000 km. You're the second person to have reported this issue recently on this forum. The last guy also reported using Mobil oil. Other bloggers on the Web have reported issues with using Mobil 1, at least with predominantly highway driving. Try changing your brand of oil.

If it's under warranty, have it checked by your Lexus dealer. As with all rattles, squeaks and clunks, they will address the problem until you're certain the problem's gone. (Having said that, it helps if you drive the car to the dealer yourself and don't leave until you know they've reproduced the noise.)

Welcome Sirlach! One of only 45 shipped to Australia - is it an auto, or a manual with the LSD?

I thought HDD navigation only appeared in the IS in 2013 (yes, towards the end of the life of the second facelift)? In any case ... WhereIS suggests that their Lexus navigation updates apply to all Lexus vehicles. Even if we assume their Website is a little out of date and doesn't apply to HDD navigation, we can safely say that a Lexus DVD-based navigation disc will fit all Lexus models with DVD-based navigation.