2009 Lexus LX570 — 200 series build

Bought the 3M headlight polishing kit. I did 4-5 passes each of 800 and 500 grit, cleaning the dust off the sandpaper and the headlights after each pass. Then wet sanded with the 3000 four times, wiping everything dry after each pass. Two applications of the polishing compound, and here are the results. They are completely clear. This kit works!

 

It has been a long time since updating this thread. We’re sitting at 175k miles. No new mods, but I did put new tires on it about 7k miles ago. We’re trying out the Duratrac RT in SL. These are 275/60R20, which is a bit taller and a bit narrower than the stock factory 285/55R20 size:


Had some help doing an oil change and a 5-tire rotation a while back. It was chilly, and the other two kids were lying in the warm sun until their turn to help:


Initial impressions are good. I have a bit of rubbing in reverse at full lock. Nothing a heat gun can’t take care of. They are barely louder than the Defenders they replaced at highway speeds. Comfortable. I’m curious to see if the RT tires last longer than the standard Duratracs, which it looks like Goodyear is phasing out.

Planned preventative maintenance:
As far as maintenance is concerned, I am approaching the 180k service. The biggest job is replacing my radiator which has developed a stress crack that I covered with JB Weld before it could start leaking about 20k miles ago. There are some other things that should be replaced along with the radiator. Here’s my list:

• 16400-50384: Radiator (latest iteration that finally fixed the weak point issue at the badge)
• 16031-0S010: Water Inlet Sub-Assembly, With Thermostat
• 16100-09491: Engine Water Pump w/ gasket
• 16620-0S012: Accessory Drive Belt Tensioner
• 16603-38012: Accessory Drive Belt Idler Pulley
• 90916-A2033: Serpentine Belt
• 16380-0S010: Fluid Coupling Bracket
• 16571-38080, 16572-38131: Radiator Coolant Hoses

I started accumulating parts last summer. I did just buy 5 gal of OEM Toyota pink coolant, and I think that means I have everything I need, so I guess I’ll start tearing things apart on an upcoming weekend.

Speaking of accumulating , another big job I’m going to do is replace the AHC accumulator globes and bleed the system. I found the proper accumulators and 3 cans of AHC fluid on a Japanese auto parts eBay account. If we’re doing a big road trip this summer, I need to go ahead and get these two big jobs out of the way.

Here are the parts I have:
• 08886-01805: Suspension Fluid (2.5 liter can x 3)
• 49141-60020, 49151-60020 (2 each): TOYOTA SUSPENSION ACCUMULATOR SET for LX570, URJ200
• 49156-60030 (x 4): new O-rings for the accumulators (called “Ring Suspension Control backup”)

I’m also going to replace the heater T’s. These are plastic and tend to fall apart over time. My factory T’s still look great, so we’ll see.
• 87248-08030 (x 2)


In other news, I replaced the clock spring. The horn had stopped working. I immediately thought it was the clock spring, so I ordered one and put it in. This isn’t a terrible job, but is a bit unnerving taking your steering wheel off:


Using some painter’s tape with lines drawn on it to make sure I’m lined up properly when reinstalling:


Took it all apart. Removed the clock spring, and got it all put back together, and the horn STILL didn’t work. Took the wheel off again, double checked everything, cleaned a couple ground wire connections, shot Deoxit into some connectors. Nope. Still no horn. I checked the fuse box. Fuse is blown. Whoops. Replaced it. Horn works! Except it’s really high pitched. Curious. Popped the hood. Had one of my kids press the horn while I had a hand on each of the two horns. It turns out there is a “low note” horn and a “high note” horn. The low horn doesn’t work. Connectors are the same, so I swapped the two horns positions. Low one still doesn’t work, but the high one still does. Thus, this low horn is bad:


Ordered a new one, popped it in, and everything works as it should. Didn’t need to replace that clock spring after all…

Sometimes, we put the LX to work:



Mostly just smaller trailer jobs. Spread two yards of mulch here.

What a ridiculously great vehicle. Well worth the 13mpg city/17mpg highway.

As I mentioned above, we are looking to do a summer road trip out West. Still in the planning stages, but thinking of hitting Moab and the San Juans again. It will be interesting taking a mostly stock 570.

 

Got a really big job done on the 570 @ 176,200 miles.

New
• radiator (updated without the design flaw)
• water pump and gasket
• thermostat
• fan pulley bracket
• tensioner
• idler
• upper and lower hoses
• serpentine belt

I will do a full write up on this, as much of it translates to the 2nd generation Tundra equipped with the 5.7L 3UR-FE V8.

The reason for this big preventative maintenance job is the stress crack in the radiator mentioned earlier in this thread. I patched the crack, which had not begun to leak yet, 25k+ miles ago. It makes sense to swap the other items given the relatively massive space to work in with the radiator out.

Everything was in pretty good shape. No leaks, no squeaks. The fan pulley was a little bit loose. Other than that and the radiator, no signs of potential issues on the horizon.

 

Full writeup for radiator replacement over at Mud.

Included are relevant bits for 3UR-FE Tundras on replacing the water pump, thermostat, fan pulley bracket, tensioner, and idler pulley.

 

Just did a tire rotation and oil change (Kirkland 5w30, OEM filter) on the old girl ahead of a long road trip this week. 178k miles.

Rest of the truck is pretty clean. 5 wheel rotation problems:

 

Big fan of the LXs. Trying to convince my wife to trade her 4runner for one.

 

She’ll love it. There are some good deals to be had right now, too. Market is cool.

 

Exactly why I keep sending her links to them haha. I’m trying to add another 5.7 to the family.

 

To be honest, my wife would prefer a Sequoia. More space, walk through 2nd row option with captains chairs, a 3rd row adults can actually use, more cargo space, roll-down rear window.

The big thing is that it’s hard to add CarPlay/android to a 200 series. There are solutions out there, but they’re pretty buggy. The OEM touch screen head unit is ancient and has too much control over basic functions like climate, radio, etc.

 

Oh I tried going the sequoia route but she prefers the look of the LC/LX

 

Just put 1500+ miles on this beast last week. Met up with family several states away and blew up a bunch of stuff on the farm. Bought a rooftop cargo box. Game changer. Everyone sprawled out away from each other (including the dog) makes long road trips so much more enjoyable. Took a couple DVDs with us for the kids, too. Continually impressed with this vehicle.

At the farm. Poor dog was not into fireworks at all:

Rolled over 180k miles:

 

185k Blackstone report

 

Sample date 9/28 and you already have the report? Their turn around has improved significantly.

 

Just about to hit 190k miles on this thing, and it seems that I’m getting water ingress from somewhere.

Symptoms:
• dash goes haywire
• head unit loses volume regardless of source
• no headlights DRLs, low and hi beams are just gone.

I drove from one relative’s house to the other on fog lights last night.

Attempted fixes:
I took some trimmer string and a cup of warm water and made sure the sunroof drains are operating properly.

I pulled the kick panels off (both sides), opened up the connectors, and checked for any signs of moisture. Found nothing.

This leads me to believe it’s coming in from around the windshield or cowl panel. More disassembly this morning to try to figure it out.

Individual headlight fuses and relays in the engine bay fuse box are all good. I think water is causing a grounding issue somewhere behind the dash. Usually when water gets in, you can smell it or at least find where the carpet is wet. I haven’t yet found or smelled any water.

All posts on Mud indicate water is the culprit, though. My wife took the LX through a car wash and vacuumed it all out before we left. And then it rained on us during our trip.

 

Update on my voltage surge issue:

We drove home across multiple states and through a blizzard last Saturday. The voltage spiked and dash lights went crazy several times during our 9-hr drive. Here’s a 0:13 video of the issue:


When we got home, I started looking around again for moisture. Nothing behind or around the cabin air filter. I took apart the door sills and kick panels. No moisture there, either. But I did find evidence of corrosion. This discoloration doesn’t happen without moisture. It also doesn’t happen overnight:


So I got my can of Deoxit out and cleaned all of these connectors in the kick panels. While letting them dry, I went to an auto parts store and bought one headlight bulb, just to see if it would work. After button the connectors back up, I installed the low beam bulb on the passenger side, and IT WORKS. Crazy! That means the voltage surge burned out my headlamps without tripping any fuses or relays. Wild.

So I decide to go get the other three bulbs (one more low beam and both high beams, which are also the DRL bulbs). Upon my return, I remove the battery to access the driver’s side headlights. I notice a bit of corrosion under the terminals, and a LOT of buildup under my machined aluminum SDHQ tie down. So I clean all of that with a wire brush and some battery cleaner. Install headlights. Reinstall battery. All headlights work. Crazy.

I decided the next day to buy a new battery. Costco Interstate 27F. My old battery was dated June 2020. Yep, time for a new one.

End result: I can’t make the voltage surge again. It behaves perfectly normally. We’re still not going to drive it in the rain until the replacement cowl panel I ordered gets here.

 

Another 10k in 5 months

 

Spoke too soon.

I went to pass someone this evening after prepping the LX for a road trip. I didn’t quite floor it, but as the RPMs came down, the battery voltage gauge surged to over 17 volts. It burned my low beam bulbs out and killed the head unit volume.

Guess we’re taking the truck. I’ll have the alternator tested and report back.

Such a weird issue. Wife is over it. She wants a new vehicle. Don’t really blame her

 

Didn't she have issues with the Yukon??

Maybe try switching her out to see if the problem persists..

 

Yeah, both of her full size GMs stranded her on the side of the road at one point or another. The LX still hasn’t done anything like stranding us. It’s got to be the voltage regulator in the alternator

 

Alternator ordered. Will probably keep driving the LX during the day. Lol

I noticed we added 1,000 miles since the last time it happened. Weird.

Might replace battery cables, too. Especially the grounds.

 

This is a nice thread to read through as someone who just purchased a new to me 2014 LX570.
I have a similar issue with the 2nd Row Cupholder. Do you happen to know the part number you ordered? I keep finding just the whole assembly.
Thanks

 

I don’t think there is any smaller part than the whole cup holder assembly.
For my year, the p/n I got is
66990-60020-B0

 

@Terndrerrr has the windshield ever been replaced. My 98 4runner had a bad lower windshield seal when it was replaced and resulted in water ingress.

 

Windshield is original. I could never find any evidence of water ingress, and I took the kick panels, door sill panels, and cowl grille off, and took apart the dash around the cabin air filter. No moisture anywhere. Here’s where I’m at:

Cleaned:

• All multi-connectors in kick panels with Deoxit
• Battery terminals and battery cable ends

Replaced:

• Cowl grille (even though no evidence of water, the weatherstripping was falling apart, so I replaced it proactively)
• Headlight bulbs twice (oof)
• Battery
• Alternator

I finally caved and replaced the alternator once the random overcharging issue happened with the new battery. Truck operates normally ever since, but the dang battery light won’t go off on the dash.

After checking with my multimeter, the new alternator is charging the battery properly, and the battery holds that charge overnight. No codes on my reader.

For some reason, the LX thinks it’s not charging the battery, but it is.

 

Thanks. I was planning to order one and just hoping it comes with the matching wood grain lid. If not I'll just switch it out. Not a fan of the wood but I also don't like changing stuff.

 

I didn’t see a p/n with the wood grain cover. Mine came with a gray cover, but it is not difficult to swap out.