Can someone please give me a definitive answer on whether or not a 2008 ES 350 has a timing chain that requires changing. There's also something call a V-belt that the dealership told me needs to be changed. Please help -- The service department at a local Lexus dealership told me I need to get the V-belt changed. My car is running smoothly like charm and I get regular maintenance performed at a local repair shop that specializes in Japanese import vehicles. My head is spinning. I had to go to the dealership to get the passenger airbag replaced due to a recall. Now they're telling me I need this & that!!!!

 

Take it to the shop you have maintenance done and have them take a look at it. Then don't worry about what the dealer says. Has timing chain that does not require service. V belt could be the serpentine belt that might need to be replaced, but is easy and inexpensive. Your maintenance shop can handle it if it needs it.

 

Your car has a timing chain – if the car is well maintained it should never need to be changed, or at least not until the car has several hundred thousand miles on it

The V-belt may need to be changed, but usually it's changed when the water pump is replaced. Next time you take it in for an oil change, ask them to take a look at the belt and replace it if necessary (it's a $50 part and should take about three minutes to replace with the car already on the lift)

Also, from now on it's probably best to post your ES-related questions in the ES forum rather than the GS forum

 

I do have a v belt that operates the PS Pump Water Pump and Alternator i personal recommend changing that every 100k but that's just how i replace mine unless it needs it sooner.

you engine timing chain should never have to be messed with if the vehicle is properly maintained since it's not a belt that some of the vehicles have

 

Spot on! The above is correct.

 

It has timing chain (Lifetime) and a rubber V-belt ( needs replacement every 85k-100k).

 

I'm in the same situation with getting my airbag replaced in a couple of weeks. I have an '07 with 114k miles and I want to get ready to save up for a water pump / serpentine belt change. Should I just wait until I start to see it leaking? Under the 90k and 120k service intervals they say nothing about getting the water pump changed. Also, how much should I expect to pay for that, $500? I've seen youtube videos on how to DIY but I think I'd rather just take it in to get it done.

 

I would seriously consider getting the pump replaced along with the serpentine belt. $500 sounds about right. I think I got the belt and pump done for about $800 CDN.

 

their is no set interval for the Water Pump Replacment on the 07 ES350
if its not bad don't worry about it. if it is bad then fix it.
i think my Water Pump job was like 1100 or 1200 when i lived in flordia the service contract company i had paid for it but i think thats what it was like 1100

 

I usually don't say this but I call B>S I don't think this is accurate statement i think it's a crock of blank if you ask me because in the past 4 years I have been to Lexus dealerships probably about 15 different dealerships across the country on road trips when I have just needed service or been worried about something and luckily the majority of time they have told me nothing is wrong and when they do find something wrong they have to go and then check and see if it is in stock I sit right in front of the service writer as they are calling over to the parts department to find out if they have the part and how much it is. They may be locked into the same computer system, but the service department doesn't know what the parts department has or doesn't have until after they contact the other department to find out.
Atleast in my experience, this is how it works.


I just had my right side exhaust manifold replaced at the dealership this week I brought my own OEM part in and I told them to get the gaskets from their parts department they called and found out both gaskets were available in stock , and I went to pick the car up latter that day and they only had to charge me for 1 gasket because one was fine and didn't need replacing
i also asked them to check the V-belt because it had been about 80k since it was done last and if it needed to be replaced i gave them the approval to go ahead and do that they didn't have to do it and didn't do it because it was fine.
dealerships are not all dealerships they are really good if you find the right person
so the same thing that most people say about dealerships can also be said for private shops I know one mechanic in Ohio who quit his job because his boss told him to sell a lady a job that she didn't need he went and started his own private shop up after leaving his private shop he was at
so it actually doesn't go by the old saying of a dealership is a dealership you have unethical crooks all over the place and you have great people all over the place also.

 

My local toyota dealer charged me a little over $800 to change the water pump. Fun fact: it used to require engine removal and a redonculous corresponding labor fee until they figured out that you could remove it by jacking up the engine a few inches. Much cheaper now.

 

For pete's sake......I sometimes wonder how "stories" are created on these websites. Oh, wait......it's the internet! With the ES350, except for the fact that the serpentine accessory drive belt drives the coolant pump there is no need to "automatically" replace the coolant pump when replacing the serpentine belt. This assumes that the coolant pump is not leaking coolant, and when the belt is removed, that the pump rotates smoothly when rotated by hand and that the pump drive pulley does not have excessive axial and/or radial play. The belt tensioner is a little tricky to access to relieve the tension but otherwise the belt removal/install ain't difficult. This is NOT like some cars that have a camshaft/s drive belt (that also drives the coolant pump as well) that is buried under a difficult to access front engine cover. I believe some Hondas are an example of this. The ES330/300 may have been the same.

 

I agree with you.