BOWTIE 3

My wife's 2000 RX 300 [ 48,000 miles ] seems to have a higher than normal cold-idle speed. On a 60 degree morning [ in the garage ] it has been idling at about 1750 RPM when first starting up. After a few minutes it slowly goes back down to idle speed [ about 500-600 RPM ]. Is 1750 RPM normal for 60 degrees or am I being too picky? This will be the 2nd cold-season with the car; don't remember this high of an idle-speed.

Lil4X

1750 does seem awfully high - the ECM may be getting bad information, or you could simply have a cable or linkage getting stiff in cold weather. Whatever the cause, shifting into reverse at 1750 won't be doing the transmission any good.

You are far better versed in diagnosis and repair than I, but about all I can contribute is that kind of "idle" speed is abnormal for the RX. My '00 300 did idle fast under somewhat colder condtions . . . well, as cold as it gets down here in the tropical prairie - 40's or so . . . . but it rapidly slowed to about 1100-1200 after no more than 10-15 seconds. I know this may date both of us, but I instinctively gave the throttle a blip to "get it off the fast-idle cam" (remember carburetors?) and it seemed to work. . . .maybe a bound cable?

I caught myself trying to do that to my 330 a time or two last winter. Felt really stupid when I realized that only electrons connected my right foot to the 3.3L ECM.