I just had my 2018 in for its 40k service at the dealer. They recommended a throttle body and injector cleaning to clean the carbon buildup. The cost is $250.

I’ve owned 4 LXs since 1999 (99, 04, 08, 18) and have put about 400,000 miles on them collectively. I’ve never had this service recommended before, nor never knowingly had any issues.

I’ve used the same dealer for all purchases and all services this whole time.

is this necessary or another way for the dealer to make $$?

I declined but am interested in opinions.

Thanks!

 

Not a chance - Lexus only recommends a fuel additive if you are in HI or Puerto Rico. This is a pure money grab and a WASTE of your hard earned money. My dealer pushes a fuel additive. A good long drive doing 75-80 mph would do the exact same thing that crap will do.

 

Another simple question for them is this - if I purchased the Lexus prepaid maintenance would it cover this additive? The answer is going to be no, but watch them squirm when they try to figure out how to talk around that one.

 

I'd be shocked if prepaid maintenance would cover it, as Toyota makes no mention of that service.

If you look at the throttle valve butterfly and see black crap on it, it's easily cleaned by holding the butterfly open and using a shop towel and carb cleaner. Simple, and about a 3 minute job.

$250 is definitely in the rape and pillage category.

 

Like the OP said, when the service advisor makes a recommendation on preventive maintenance item, ask him/her if that rec is also in Lexus' recommended maintenance schedule. If it's NOT there, that means Lexus isn't recommending such y is the dealership recommending it? I had a 19yr old Honda Ody before, and never had throttle body cleaning over it's 250k miles journey. Yes the IAC did go bad once (around 170k miles) due to dirt / carbon build up in one of the channels (I tried cleaning it but the channel was so small / tight, it couldn't be saved / worth the attempt). The power steering fluid also original.... Just pour in a bottle of Chevron fuel injector cleaning fluid once every 50-60k (except on direct injection engine which these injector cleaning fluid will be useless) and u r good to go.

 

I took a look at my throttle Body at 70k miles while doing my spark plugs, it looked clean as new.

 

In the old days when throttle body (and other 'controllers') was connected via a physical cable, then yes I would recommend throttle body cleaning BUT ONLY if they are able to somehow clean the idle air control valve 'channel'. Otherwise when you let go of the throttle (say approaching a stop light), your throttle will close but and the idle control will kick in allowing just enough air to keep the engine running / idling...but if the IAC ch has too much build up, the engine will stall. But in the new days when these are 'drive by wire', the computer will electronically adjust the throttle plate if the engine rpm becomes erractic / about to chock (even if the IAC fails). As w/ injector cleaning, as long as you put in good gas, you are fine, just pour in some chevron fuel injector cleaner into the tank some 40k miles (don't remember the interval) / so, will be good enough.