toytrain13

My recently acquired 2002 ES300 now has 32,300 miles on the odometer. I've changed oil, brake fluid and filters and intend to have a radiator flush, transmission fluid flush and power steering flush. I read somewhere that the timing belt should be changed at 10 years. So what do CL members think about this? Is this really necessary now? If the consensus is that I should change this now, should I change the water pump at the same time?
Regards- Richard W.

LeX2K

You will get a lot of opinions on this, some say you must replace the belt because it ages and dries out, others say no. My car had 36k miles when I got it, removed the timing belt cover to inspect and the belt looked like new. I changed it anyway because I had the parts, but if I had known I would not have touched it. At your mileage you definitely don't need to change the water pump.

I should add that the water pump will be fine as long as the car has Toyota coolant, otherwise the pump seals might be starting to degrade from having cheap fluid.

yeskay

no water pump change needed in the first major service assuming there are no leaks.

hzt30

Being an interference engine, I would change the belt. You can do the complete timing belt change on the next go around.