Timing Belt

usually

What year?

It was 90K for my 1997 ES300. There were some belt changes at 60K, but not the timing belt.

What year ES300?

Realize if the timing belt breaks, it will leave you stranded and it usually happens at the worst time/place, however, the engine is a non-interference design, so it shouldn't do any damage (confirm with dealer).

On our 99 ES300, I was going to wait until 90K, but we traded the car at 82K, so I never replaced it.

What you can generally take to the bank is this: If the manufacturer "RECOMMENDS" replacement at "X" miles, the actual design life expectancy of the component is likely closer to "2X". They recommend replacement at X miles simply to a. help embellish their shop receivables b. protect themselves from frivolous claims c. help keep product reliability high

Everyone knows any "wear based" component (tires, belts, etc) can actually fail at any time, though most premature failures occur very early (i.e., infant mortality) either as a result of manufacture defect or failure in an adjacent component or an accident or road hazard.

The above said, would I personally trust something major like a timing belt, that's recommended for replacement at 60k, to last 90k? Absolutely. However, I would not be so foolish as to expect it to go 120k. I think that's inviting trouble.

One might logically ask, why must I replace the T-belt on my ES at 60K when the recommended replacement interval for the same component on the LS is 90K? Ok, sure, one is a 6-cyl and one is an 8-cyl, but is the 6-cyl belt under any more stress than the belt of an 8-cyl engine? Are they maybe using a "lower quality" or structurally weaker belt in the ES compared to an LS? (I doubt it).

Market>>

Whatever you feel comfortable with. My 98 ES300 had recommended change at

I had a Subaru, with a recommended timing belt change of 90k. The belt broke at just over 80k, in the fast lane of the NJ Turnpike at rush hour, while I was surrounded by semis, and doing about 70mph..........

I'm lucky to be alive.

yikes, no doubt there

Now, over 10 years later, I can still hear the air horns and the screeching.....

BTW Steve, my brother-in-law wants to get a new ES. (His wife likes ours) I'm gonna have to break the news to him about the hesitation problem. While I think the car is reliable, I have a hard time recommending it to anyone.

It's a shame, because if it wasn't for the trans hesitation, the only complaint I'd have with the car is that the stupid first aid kit refuses to stay on the trunk wall.

Do you suppose the firmware developer for the transaxle could have also been assigned to the first aid kit fastening system ? Is it possible that Lexus has TWO knucklehead engineers ?

Walt

used to work for MS?

Heh, heh, .......That's good Bob. (And that's also why I'm going to get a new iMac !)

:)