madcityrx

Friends,

I had a bad rear main replaced a week ago at the Toyota dealer where I purchased my 2000 RX300 with 82K miles. I just noticed more drips in the garage today. Upon further investigation it's a red fluid this time. Then my wife tells me she noticed a knocking noise coming from the front end when she has the brakes applied and is turning. Sure enough, I can reproduce this problem in the driveway by putting my foot on the brake and turning the wheel back and forth. Also, it seems like more fluid drips during this type of activity. Fluid is coming from the drivers side and is red.

My question is: does anyone have any thoughts on what this could be? I'm positive the fluid and knocking sound wasn't there before the rear main repair. I want to be fairly knowledgeable before I take it back in Monday so as not to be snowed.

Thanks in advance!

TunedRX300

I am in a similiar boat. Had rear main seal replaced and cam seal replaced but oil keeps dripping from the passenger side. Went back to Lexus and the service manager told me power steering, but the reservior is at Max.
Took a sample off the oil coming out, it is engine oil. Does anyone knows what other seals that can cause a leak? Front main seal?
For what I know, the only fluid that is red is ATF, brake fluid is yellow, engine oil is brown (honey when new).

rxdriver

It could be power steering fluid as well, since all RX's use ATF (DEXRON II or III) as power steering fluid.

Toyota coolant also happens to be red, but I doubt that it's a coolant leak.

Fern

You give a good discription of the problem and I would almost certainly be looking in the area of the power steering hoses or pump, as the fluid is red, and added stress on the pump and hoses during the " stopped and turning wheel" proceedure.

Ask dealer what they did that impacted the steering (if that is in fact the problem). Could have disconnected a hose temporarily and forgot to tighten it.

Regardless, have it repaired asap, and you may save yourself costly repairs later

BTW, did you inspect the fluid level in the power steering reservoir, if it's low, that is almost your best bet at origin of problem.

As far as red fluid:
toyota uses red PS fluid
toyota antifreeze is either pink or red in colour
toyota transmission fluid is also red in colour

take back to dealer and insist car was not like that when it was brought in, obviously if it was dealer should have pointed it out before allowing it to leave service.

Only 1 week ago eh! Thats one heck of a co-incidence...

Any warranty from dealer you purchased the car? 30 days etc...? Most dealers (reputable, anyway) here in Canada, would give you at least 30 days on something like that.

docfnky

check your powersteering pump

TunedRX300

If PS is leaking, isn't the first step is to check the level of the PS reservior? In my case, Lexus service managers say it is the PS leaking but how can it be since level is at "Max" and I did not add a single drop since I bought the car...

madcityrx

Took it back in today... steering noise was corrected by adjusting the rack they said. Apparently the tech who replaced the rear main didn't adjust the steering rack properly when re-assembling my RX. I diagnosed the fluid as transmission fluid. My power steering fluid is more of a brownish. They say the transmission fluid is leaking from a bad axle seal. It's about a $200 repair, and they said they didn't tamper with the axle seal when replacing the rear main, but they did remove the axle. They aren't going to help out with the axle seal repair.

What do you guys think: fair or foul on their part? Are they feeding me a line of bull?

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

OK, in order to get to the rear main seal, both axles must be removed (FWD isn't it?) for the transaxle to be dropped. If they are not careful during the removal and installing process the seal can very easily be damaged. It happens all the time. Good mechanics always replace those seals as it only takes 5 minutes each side once the axles are out.
Lee

TunedRX300

We always talk about rear main seal, is there a front main seal? How long does it last before start to leak oil?

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

Yes there is the front crank seal which is an intensive process as the timing belt and pulleys must be removed to get to it. Neither job is something I get excited about but if they leak, they have to be fixed.

Back to the other question, If Lexus changed your rear main seal, they should fix the axle seal as well. Just makes little sense when the seal in the mechanics face and total install time for the seal is 1 minute tops for someone experienced and it is so easy to get to when the axles are out. Not surprising, out of the 2000+ repair shops I dealt with over the years I would only trust maybe.........hmmm......TEN! But, I'm a picky one, I expect a job to get done right the first time and be honest if things go awry. My advice, call the Regional Lexus rep and explain this to him/her.

Also keep in mind that their argument will probably be that often times other parts must be removed to get to defective parts and that they cannot take responsibility for that. For example, a customers radiator is just about to leak. Not yet but close. It is removed to change the timing belt. During the removal/install process the radiator is slightly stressed and starts leaking after everything is bolted back up. Who is responsible? Shop because they touched it? Or the customer as it was going to go out anyhow? The courts will normally go with the customer. Been there several times. Sometimes the shop will win.
But a seal as in your case is a little different as they are so fragile to begin with and the heavy axle must be put through it in the center which rarely happens. Also they need to be lubicated as a dry axle and a dry seal =leak.
Hope that helps.
Lee

TunedRX300

Great insight, but my case is a little different than madcityrx. He has ATF leaking after getting rear main seal fixed. My RX has engine oil leak AFTER fixing both rear main seal and cam seal, Lexus service manager point to PS but 1) PS reservior is at Max, never add PS fluid ever 2) oil leaked is not PS (which is ATF per RX's user's manual) 3) never any noise during steering
For some reason, front main seal is never in questions but PS is. Does Lexus shove down their belief and expect customers to be stupid enought to replace a good part, paying $800 in part and labor, and avoid fixing the real cause of the leak?