What's even more interesting is Toyota incorporates an oil filter top side on several models including the newer generation Tacoma, 4Runner, and discontinued FJ Cruiser. My guess is that this is to reduce the chances of the oil filter being 'bumped' or 'punctured' in off-road use examples?

 

 

Just finished my first engine oil & filter change on my wife's 2015 RX350 as part of the 40,000-mile service. Happy to report that the little drain disk at the bottom of the oil filter canister easily unscrewed from the canister using a 3/8-inch socket drive extension. Popped the little plastic drain tube in there and allowed the canister to finish draining after I had already drained the oil pan. I then unscrewed the canister using my Motivx 64mm oil filter wrench cap on the same 3/8-inch socket drive extension. It also unscrewed rather easily. I attribute the ease of unscrewing the oil pan drain plug (14mm), the little drain disk, and the oil filter canister to this vehicle always being serviced by the same Lexus dealership it was originally leased from in West Palm Beach, Florida prior to it being shipped here to North Carolina in 2018. Removed the old oil filter paper element and discarded it, replaced the two canister rubber O-rings that come with the new paper element, popped the new paper element inside the canister, wiped the various exterior surfaces clean, then put everything back together and gently torqued it down. I did lift the vehicle's front end with my floor jack to make access underneath the vehicle much easier.

I then lowered the vehicle back to ground level and added 6.5 quarts of Mobil 1 0W-20 as required and took the vehicle for a ten-mile test drive with no issues. I will check the oil level again in the morning to ensure that all is well.

Thanks again to Clutchless for providing the oil change videos above. They made it easy for me to know what to expect on my first oil & filter change job on this vehicle. It is definitely messier than changing a conventional oil filter, but it is relatively simple as long as the various components are not cranked down gorilla-tight with the various wrenches required.

 

Just did two oil changes today, one on the wife's 2012 RX450h and then the BIL's 2009 RX350. The little disc underneath the main oil filter housing was siezed on the BIL's.

Couldn't get it off even with a strap wrench on the filter cap. I was the person worked on both cars, and I always make it a point not to over tighten the little disc.

So I'm a bit puzzled by why it was easy to spin off on one of the cars, but siezed on tight on the other. No one else has done an oil change on these two vehicles.

Goes to show that sometimes it's not the mechanic at the Lexus service center overtightening the disc which causes it to be stuck on tight.

 

The easiest and cleanest way to do these is by following the instructions.Push through and do it the right way. Once you've done it the what it was intended it will be easier all the times after that.
There are two ways that taking the small disk out is difficult: 1. Disk was tightened more than housing
2. New O-ring was not lubed upon installation and rubber ring is holding onto underside of disk

If you can't budge the disk but can get the housing out, put it in a vice and take disk out from there. Again, put in new O-ring and lube it up. Should be easy from then on.

 

I have a side question related to all this....seeing how complex this whole job is,, would any of you trust a drive thru lube shop to do an oil change on the RX?

 

Hell no !!!

If you do, this will cost you more !!

 

For the last 40+ years, my philosophy regarding working on our vehicles has been that the only person who will take the time to do the job 100% correctly is ME.

 

^^THIS^^

It's why other than a major repair requiring a lift, I do all the work myself. It's cheaper and my labor isn't dependent on getting the car in and out as fast as possible.

 

Quick lube places are known for shabby work. From "hidden camera" videos we know that they don't always actually change the oil, an when they do, they use cheap bulk oil of unknown specs.

But the dealer, or a good local independent shop will do a good job. I noticed that the full service shops in my area all want to do oil changes. I trust them.

 

I totally agree with your ideal DIY as much as you can do but some repair need a host lift up the car to work on the problem and also safe for yourself.
Especially in winter time too cold to do any work on the car even a simple oil change.
Then, some time if I don't have time or too cold in winter to do the oil change for my car and my wife car, I just bring the car to Walmart as they allow me to bring 0W20 oil and filter for them to do the dirty job, they just charge me $20 Canadian dollars labor + used oil disposal fee. I think it's fair deal and I watch them to do the oil change through the shop window. As Rx 350 need 6.5 quarts oil, I brought two jigs of Mobil 1 for them and they return the left over unused oil in the jig. Next time I just buy only one jig of Mobil1 0W20 oil.and use the left over oil from last time.

 

Glad it works for you, but I simply do not trust the local Walmarts / Jiffy Lubes to do any work on our vehicles. Too many "techs" who were probably flipping burgers for a living just a month or so ago.