FlopTop04

Greetings all. I looked but didn't see any post on the RX350h oil change process so being I was due for an oil change, here are some photos.

Tools needed :

10mm and 14mm sockets with wrench
oil filter removal cap tool or similar wrench
oil filter and drain plug gasket
4.8 quarts 0W-16 full synthetic oil
drain pan, clean funnel and rags

Park the RX on a level surface. For best access, jack the RX up on the front passenger side and use safety stands to secure in place. ( Engine is OFF and parking brake is ON. )
Open the hood and pull the dip stick. Wipe the dip stick with a clean rag. Loosen the oil fill cap.
Go under the RX and locate the oil change access panel. It is held in place by four 10mm screws. Photo below :



Remove the four screws and drop the panel. You now have access to the filter and drain plug. The photo below shows the location of the drain plug and filter mount ( filter removed and surfaces cleaned and checked for NO gasket left behind).



Position the drain pan below the filter and loosen the oil filter & allow it to drain. Then remove the filter. Next is a picture of the factory oil filter. Check to ensure the oil filter gasket is still on the filter.



This is the current replacement filter from Toyota/Lexus.


Use the 14mm socket and wrench to remove the drain plug. While this is draining install the new oil filter as per SOP ( 3/4 turn after contact ). The oil filter gasket comes pre-lubed on Toyota filters.
If you use an aftermarket filter, lube the filter gasket with clean oil. Clean the oil drain plug and install new gasket.
Beware : The factory drain plug gasket was firmly stuck on the oil pan and did not come off with drain plug. I had to pop it off with a knife blade.

Oil drain plug with new gasket. ( Oil drain plug does not contain a magnet.)




Once the oil is finished draining, clean the oil pan drain plug area and install drain plug with new gasket. Lexus has an official torque setting for the drain plug but I'm not positive of the exact value. I just go
by feel when the drain plug crush washer starts to compress.

Fully insert the dip stick, add 4.8 quarts of oil, reinstall the oil cap and start the engine. Allow the engine to run for 30 seconds and turn it off. Check under the RX for any leaks by the drain plug and
oil filter. If everything is good, re-install the access panel with the four 10mm screws. Remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle. Allow about 15 minutes and check the dip stick oil level. It should
be very close to full. Adjust as necessary. Properly dispose of the used oil and filter.

lexusnyca

Nice writeup, but I think I am too old now to be laying around on a concrete garage floor. That is one good thing about Mercedes - the oil change is all topside.

Freds430

Agree. Nice write up. I used to do my own oil changes. No more. I take my mobil 1 and Toyota oil filter to my Lexus dealer who charges me $35 in labor. Probably the best $35 I spend.

Eagleboy99

If the drain plug is magnetic, maybe a neodynium magnet on the outside of it would collect the shavings inside?

Eagleboy99

I don't think of myself as lazy per se, just that I don't think it is worth my time. Even for the fishing motor it is a PITA as I have to dispose of the used oil, etc. For the inboard we use a remote filter and there's a tube to drain, so it is all topside as well.

ggebhardt

‘I am with you. I used to change my oil but no more. It is getting off the garage floor that would be hard for me. The few times the oil has to be changed, I will pay someone to do it. I will be retiring soon and spending half my time in the mountain cabin and the remainder in Jacksonville. The summers are hot and in the mountains, not so much!

Urlik

I still change the oil on my Golf but the filter is on top and I use an extractor to pull the oil out. Not sure I’ll bother getting underneath the RX, especially since the 2.4 takes 6 quarts. Maybe I’ll take it out to the base auto hobby shop and do the first one. I’ll let Lexus do the 10K one.

CAPTBob

I still change the oil on my '14 Cadillac CTS and '73 Alfa Spider. I also did it on my wife's '13 Cadillac SRX until it was replaced in March by her new '23 RX350. Besides just the satisfaction of doing it myself, it also is a great opportunity to go over the car for any issues. In 2006 I was changing the oil on my wife's '05 RX330 before a long trip. As I was doing the procedure I got a whiff of that distinctive sweet smell of coolant. Poking around I discovered that one of the plastic end caps of the radiator had a crack in it. Obviously we decided to not take the Lexus on the trip and shifted to my Acura TL. Once we got back from the trip the radiator was replaced by Lexus under warranty. I'll let Lexus change the oil at the first complimentary service visits and then start doing it myself.

tedward155

Thanks for that, Flop. Could you tell us how the old oil and filter looked? Can the plug be replaced by a magnetic one and would that be beneficial?

Corps Vet

Thanks for the write up, Excellent job!

FlopTop04

This was the first oil change. The RX had 1,993 miles on it. The drain plug was clean and had no internal magnet to catch any metal. I have in the past replaced the drain plugs with ones that did have a magnet but never got any metal filings on them. Think the newer engines are aluminum alloy with some cast/ forged iron/steel parts. It's usually the transmissions and rear differentials that need magnets. The oil was a cloudy chocolate color and while a Blackstone test might have said it was good for another 8,000 miles, I'm glad I changed it. Below is a photo of the old oil going from the drain pan to the recycle jug :

tedward155

Thank you!

jahnjva

Nice wright up. I use my 3 ton jack to lift the car on its center front lift point. Then place jack stands on each side of the front of the car. I lower the car on the jack stands and then snug up the 3 ton just as a backup if one on the stands slip. I put wheel chucks behind both rear tires. Also make sure to warm the oil prior to changing. I was surprised how dark in color the original oil was after only 1000 miles.

Does anyone know if it makes a difference if you change the filter before you drain the oil? I like to hold the oil draining basin right under the oil filter so it doesn't spill everywhere. I then do the same with the drain plug oil and quickly lower it to the floor before it gets too heavy and off balance.

I also use a funnel made for Lexus and Toyota vehicles that screws right on the same threads as the oil cap. Less change of spilling.

BCBrent

, jahnjva

It doesn't matter which you change first. I used to work in a Canadian Tire outlet called a "PitStop" (about 100 years ago), and the oil comes out the same whether you remove the oil filter or drain the oil first.

I'm not sure on the positioning of the present oil filter or plug on the RXs though till I have one.

budwom

Yeah, I haven't needed an oil change on my 2023 RX yet, but just had one done on my 2013 RX yesterday, and it was incredibly inexpensive (done by a very competent local mechanic) so the notion of me crawling around on the garage floor remains unattractive.

I'm still impressed and amazed about how inexpensive maintenance has been on my 2013...and not one single repair required, except for periodic brake work......hope the 2023 performs similarly.