2009 RX400h Timing belt or chain?

[Migg]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum, not quite new to Lexus. I used to own a 2004 RX300 which I kept 7 years, drove 120k miles with it and sold at 180k miles. I replaced it with a Mercedes R class, which was a costly mistake! Consequently, I am about to purchase a 2009 RX400h with 128000 on the clock, but I can't figure out (nor the current owner!) if it is chain or belt driven. I know that earlier models have a belt, but did Lexus equip later models with a chain?

Many thanks for your expert input on this.

[royoftherovers]

12 minutes ago, Migg said:

Hi all,

I am new to this forum, not quite new to Lexus. I used to own a 2004 RX300 which I kept 7 years, drove 120k miles with it and sold at 180k miles. I replaced it with a Mercedes R class, which was a costly mistake! Consequently, I am about to purchase a 2009 RX400h with 128000 on the clock, but I can't figure out (nor the current owner!) if it is chain or belt driven. I know that earlier models have a belt, but did Lexus equip later models with a chain?

Many thanks for your expert input on this.

Have a read Mike.

And a warm welcome to you.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/hybrid-technology/298333-does-the-rx400h-uses-timing-belt-or-chain.html

[Migg]

3 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Have a read Mike.

And a warm welcome to you.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/hybrid-technology/298333-does-the-rx400h-uses-timing-belt-or-chain.html

Hi,

Thanks for this. I had seen this discussion before, and it does seem to suggest that the car is belt driven, but I can't manage to get a definite answer. I guess what I need is someone who has a 400h of the same year to tell me for definite.

The current owner who had it for 3 years hadn't even heard of timing belt replacement, but checked in his service booklet for me and saw that the "belt inspection" item of the service list had been crossed for "chain"...hence my confusion.

[royoftherovers]

1 minute ago, Migg said:

Hi,

Thanks for this. I had seen this discussion before, and it does seem to suggest that the car is belt driven, but I can't manage to get a definite answer. I guess what I need is someone who has a 400h of the same year to tell me for definite.

The current owner who had it for 3 years hadn't even heard of timing belt replacement, but checked in his service booklet for me and saw that the "belt inspection" item of the service list had been crossed for "chain"...hence my confusion.

Spacewagon 52 will know and I`m sure he will note this Posting Mike.

You are not alone in finding that Mercs  (and Audi/BMW) can be costly mistakes.

[Migg]

16 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Spacewagon 52 will know and I`m sure he will note this Posting Mike.

You are not alone in finding that Mercs  (and Audi/BMW) can be costly mistakes.

Mine gave up on me on a French motorway! It sounded like a spun rod bearing...on a well looked after 100k V6 350CDI engine... Utterly shocking!

[royoftherovers]

17 minutes ago, Migg said:

Mine gave up on me on a French motorway! It sounded like a spun rod bearing...on a well looked after 100k V6 350CDI engine... Utterly shocking!

My Water Pump gave up on me (E Class Est 220 cdi) gave upon me just North of the border with Spain some years ago om the French Autoroute.

[Migg]

5 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

My Water Pump gave up on me (E Class Est 220 cdi) gave upon me just North of the border with Spain some years ago om the French Autoroute.

... therefore, back to the reassuring and comfortable predictability of Lexus. Really nothing compares!

[ColinBarber]

13 hours ago, Migg said:

Hi all,

I am new to this forum, not quite new to Lexus. I used to own a 2004 RX300 which I kept 7 years, drove 120k miles with it and sold at 180k miles. I replaced it with a Mercedes R class, which was a costly mistake! Consequently, I am about to purchase a 2009 RX400h with 128000 on the clock, but I can't figure out (nor the current owner!) if it is chain or belt driven. I know that earlier models have a belt, but did Lexus equip later models with a chain?

Many thanks for your expert input on this.

All 400h, of all ages, have a cam belt (as do the RX300/RX330). Only the series III 450h onwards has a chain driven engine.

It should be changed every 100k/10 years. If it breaks it will almost certainly damage valves/pistons as the engine is an interference design.

[Migg]

10 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

All 400h, of all ages, have a cam belt (as do the RX300/RX330). Only the series III 450h onwards has a chain driven engine.

It should be changed every 100k/10 years. If it breaks it will almost certainly damage valves/pistons as the engine is an interference design.

Ok, that seems to clear the matter. Many thanks for your input 👍

[Barry14UK]

When it comes to belts, age as well as mileage causes degradation so must betaken into consideration.