Last week my car (2006 IS350 200k miles) started idling really hard on the way home and just as i was turning into my house it cut off on me. I started it and it fired up but cut off after a few seconds. It kept doing this and then the check engine light came on. I pulled the code P0345 for a camshaft sensor. I immediately came here to see what the possible issue was and it seemed to come down to the fuel pressure sensor. Just to be safe I replaced the battery, the camshaft sensor that was throwing the code and also the fuel pressure sensor along with the gasket. I tried to start it and it sounds like it’s about to turn over but never does.

I had a local mobile mechanic who specializes in imports come look at it and he stated it was a fuel delivery issue and that the fuel pressure regulator was probably the culprit. He just installed a new one and it is still doing the same thing. The P0345 code keeps coming back even after clearing it. Short or sucking it up and having it towed 60 miles to nearest Lexus dealership does anyone else have any ideas on what could be wrong?

 

Tell us how often the oil gets changed and how it is used? Lots of short trips, missed OCI's? Anything like that.

The four cams use oil pressure to set and maintain their position. If the oil pressure is low, they can't do this. If the oil changes are late and dirty from lots of short drives, the upper end (cams and lifters) can be oil starved.

There are strainers under the banjo bolts the keep chunks out of the VVTi system. If dirty / plugged, these could cause issues. They can be replaced.

Another item - at 200k, the in take fuel strainer could also be dirty. Replace it and the pump if suspect!

Tell us some history on this 200k mi machine.
Also cleaning the MAF sensor, TB and potentially a spark plug replacement could be beneficial to running better.