Decarbonisation Of Rx300

mcleish · May 20, 2012

Hello,

Just want to know if anyone can help in regards to my engine and VSC warning lights coming on.

I had my car system decarbonised last Monday (done 100k, so enough to be cleaned out !!) using the TerraClean system as advertised on Wheeler Dealers, my engine and VSC warning lights came on on Friday. Not sure if this is a coincidence or is connected.

It's relatively new in the UK, but I have to say that since having it done, my MPG has got better and my car responds far better and also sound better.

I have read various threads in regards to extinguishing these warning lights (taking the fuse out and disconnecting the batter), this cleared the lights for about one day, but they have came on again.

My last resort is to go to Lexus and have them look at it, but I am sure they will just say that one (or more) of the sensors have gone £££££.

Was thinking of taking it to my local garage to have them clear it with the usual computer gadgets and wait to see if they come on again.

Any advice or feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks

paolo137 · May 21, 2012

Engine + VSC can mean a lot of different things. You should try to connect the ECU of the car to one of those (cheap) readers, and get the exact error code. It's something like P1234; then you google the code (or search this site) and find a list o possible causes. O2 Sensors is both very likely and very expensive; consider that these elements have a lifespan: as they wotk, they wear out and finally are no longer operative. I had mine replaced at 9 years-60K miles, so if yours are 100k miles old, and they were never replaced, they might well be gone.

Or maybe the decarb spread some dirt on the sensors, and you'll just need to clean the MAF sensor.

Good luck ;)

Ashlander · November 25, 2012

Hi there, just searching the forum for terraclean. notice your post was way back in may....any joy with a resolve for the situation ?

my rx300 had engine+ VSC a few weeks ago. had only had vehicle for about one month, stacked 1200 miles on, whilst going around Devon, on hols, so thought a service was required. Recomended to use small local family garage, by a friend (..who works with council on sting ops on garages and dealerships) so a recommendation from him was worthy.. they serviced the vehicle, and informed me that the code came up showing bank one cat was underperforming. so reset it and see how she goes, well after one and half weeks it came on again.

I should add we are getting a very pleasing 21-22 mpg on a short journey of 9 miles to and from work, so happy with everything ....except the lights on the dash.

They tested again...same results, and informed me a cat was required (of which my vehicle has three !...news to me...first Lexus.lol) £630 plus all bits, plus labour, oh and plus VAT !!!, expensive as it has to come from a Lexus dealer. BUT suggested two cans of CATACLEAN first with a tank of fuel, which i eagerly tried...four days later the lights came on again...

Ive been recommended this TERRACLEAN service by a friend, but would appreciate any feed back before i make the move. Also any feedback on places that i might obtain the replacement cat...if not from the Lexus dealer....Lots of search results come up online, but a recommendation would be appreciated, MAGNACLEAN, was another suggestion ...from a friend.

Suggestions/advice appreciated....

I must add love the car, first Lexus, bought on a recommendation (uncle has had 3 Lexus 300k plus on each) she has 104,000 miles full Lexus service history inc cam belt, when purchased. Nearest Lexus Dealership Lincoln or Nottingham (25-35miles), paid £3k so depreciation not important for resale...hence good local family garage acceptable.

regards. M

mcleish · November 26, 2012

Hello,

I had my RX300 2003 reg cleaned using the Terraclean system about 2k ago (it's still relatively new in the UK, but has been in the US for ages). After having it done, the sound from the exhaust was far better sounding and the car "seemed" to perform a little better (could have been my imagination ), as far as MPG, not noticed anything at all. But, after having this done, about a week later my engine and VSC light came on. This could have been a coincidence and there is no proof that it was Terraclean that caused them to come on. I spoke to the guy in charge at Terraclean UK and one of their Technicians actually took the time to call me and discuss it. I had it done at Grease Junkies in Bracknell who is owned by Ed China from Wheeler Dealers. If you contact Terraclean or look at their UK website, they will give you details of a authorised garage near you who has the system. Cost about £100. Some people also say that it's not worth getting this done unless your car has done a fair few miles (mine has done 100k).

In the end, I know that I will have to get it sorted properly, which means the sensors or the cat £££££££££££££

Good luck.

In regards to my engine light and VSC light, I am going to have a punt at Cataclean, you never know, it may work !!!

Ashlander · November 27, 2012

i posted a query on TERRACLEAN uk site on 25th nov. got email today, giving details of local garage agent at Sheffield. This evening i got a call from them, and booked myself in for Friday...will update over weekend after giving vehicle a little run.

If it doesnt clear my cat problem then it will clean everything else so worth a punt, as car worthy of keeping.

M

geoffgrove34 · February 15, 2013

Hello

As to the Engine/VSC,

I like you all did not know what to do with my car.

Lexus or local garage, well finance told me where to go.

My local garage did put it on the computer which came up with

O2 sensor but there is 3 of them and it does not tell you which 1 is at fault.

So £70 for a sensor, replace 1 at a time resetting the system and wait to see

if the lights come back on. The second swap" a result" no lights well so far that is.

The work was done 6 months ago, the total bill from garage £140.

So Terraclean and still having to replace a sensor, mmmmmmmmmmm

ColinBarber · February 15, 2013

You really need to get the error code. I suspect one or more of the air/fuel ratio sensors has been damaged.

Was your vehicle inspected for carbon? It isn't a common problem with these engines.

At 100k your cat could also be on its way out.

IHgs300 · February 16, 2013

Weird how the fault appeared after using the above service, makes you wonder? Especially as there's more than one person having problems.

mcleish · February 16, 2013

Correct, I would advise NOT to have Terraclean done on your car until it has been tested and been around for a long time. It may be a coincidence, but due to me having this done on my car, I probably have a HUGE bill to get this rectified. I am booking my car into Lexus Reading next week to for them (the experts on Lexus) to assess the cause of my engine and VSC lights and see what the cost will be to properly extinguish them. I will let you all know what they say and what the cost will be ££££££££££££.

Jaspersilus · March 5, 2013

Hi,

I had the engine and VSC lights in, these are usually caused by the O2 sensors on bank 1 and 2, I bought 2 Denso dox 0243 sensors from sparkplugs.co.uk for 75 quid each and fitted them myself, took 45 minutes and my wife could have done it!

According to the Lexus Techs I spoke to they only last around 75k so if your car is around or over that its worth changing them, £150 quid for 2 is less than a third of what Lexus charge for the job, and it fixed my Engine vsc light problem

mcleish · March 8, 2013

Great to hear you did yours so cheaply !!! I bit the bullet and got Lexus Reading to do it for me. They changed the Bank 1 Sensor 1 Oxy Sensor Air Fuel for the pricely sum of £331 (I know, expensive, but I was fed up going round the houses with this issue). Before the work started, they did warn me that this "may" be the cause and they could not guarantee that this would exstinguish the lights on the dash, if it did not, it would probably be the CAT !!!

Any way, no lights on the dash since Monday and in the past they came on after a few hours or so, so I think it's sorted !!!

I just find it hard to believe that with the technology today for Car Technicians to determine a fault cause, it just gives them a "area" of the car in which the fault may be, why does it not just tell them EXACTLY what needs fixed !!!

Cheers

mcleish · March 9, 2013

Bugger !!! My dash lights are back on, so I guess I wasted £300 getting the bank 1 oxygen sensor changed !!! I now have a different error code, does anyone know what it is, is it the cat ? The error is P2238 O2 Sensor Positive Current Control Circuit Low Bank 1 Sensor 1. I am totally pi**** off !! Going to the pub tonight to drown my sorrows !!

sendz · March 10, 2013

Bank 1 sensor 1 is at the rear of the engine before the CAT, Can you confirm they changed the correct sensor?

mcleish · March 10, 2013

Well, I can only assume the Lexus garage changed the correct one !!!

The Lexus invoice states:

Code P0420 Cat Below Efficiency Bank 1, Replaced Bank 1 Sensor 1 Oxy Sensor

Part replaced, it says Sensor, Air/Fuel L89467-48060

Funny thing is, I put my OBD reader on it today and the code P2238 does not show and now it shows error code P0031, sorry cant remember the fault description, as I have cleared it, but it will come back on tomorrow !!!

All this is confusing me like heck !!!

sendz · March 10, 2013

P0420 usually means the sensor after the CAT is faulty (bank 1 sensor 2) but P0031 is a bank 1 sensor 1 fault. Have a look under the bonnet and if the sensor above the CAT there looks new they have changed the wrong one.

mcleish · March 22, 2013

Ok, for anyone who is following my ongoing quest..... my car was at Lexus all day today to try and determine what the hell is going on. Lexus have been as helpful as they can.

They checked as much as they can and according to them the code P0031 which is showing and the tasks that they have completed indicates that everything is working as it should. All sensors have been individually checked and are working fine.

Options are to give them my car (for as long as it takes) to fault find and check all wiring etc (£££££££), they also said that it could be the ECU, but they (all the technicians) are 90% that it is not this, because they have not known one to go wrong. Also if it was the ECU, it would not show just this one code and other things would also be going wrong. Even if I went for a replacement ECU, they cannot guarantee that this would sort my problem and clear the code.

So I have went for the cheapest option, which is to continue to drive the car, check and clear the code frequently myself, hoping that it will "vanish". If another code shows up in the future, then this may help pinpoint what is going on.

Lexus have said that there is no damage being done to the car and I am in no danger, so I suppose I could just live with the lights on the dash !!! Concern is, there may be a new law introduced about dash board warning lights being on during a MOT results in a fail !!!!

Bloody hell, what to do !!!!

Any idea guys ??????

Jaspersilus · March 22, 2013

Hi Mac,

sounds mysterious, if it was me I would be taking it for an Italian tune up, to clear up any crap in the exhaust and Catalyst system, as long as your car is in good health it will do your car good, driving like Miss Daisy ( which I do to achieve 24 mpg ) is not good for an engine, give it some stick occasionally, it will negate the need for carbon removal remedies and is more fun!

Cheers Jason

The Editor · March 22, 2013

Quote from mcleish ".......... Concern is, there may be a new law introduced about dash board warning lights being on during a MOT results in a fail !!!!......."

There already is !! (or it's due in next month) as far as I'm aware - Any Engine warning light illuminated (including TPSM lights) means MOT fail.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly with first hand knowledge to confirm (or deny) this.

The Ed

mcleish · March 22, 2013

OK, I have done some more research on Google and this new addition to the MOT comes into effect on 1st April 2013. So unless I get this fixed, my car will never pass the MOT. My situation just proves how Joe Public is going to get stiffed by garages for more money, even though the main Lexus dealer has confirmed there is nothing wrong with my car. A bloody injustice if you ask me. I am going to speak to my Lexus garage and ask them what they will do if I get them to MOT it, when they themselves say there is nothing wrong and they cannot extinguish the warning light.

sendz · March 23, 2013

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_E_200302_LEXUS_RX300%7E330%7E350_MCU38R-AWAGKQ_8401.html?hl=89467B

The part number L89467-48060 you have previously quoted seems to be the wrong part for the error code you have as this is bank 2 sensor 1.

Ask the dealer the location of the sensor they replaced on the car.

Duncan Roberts · March 23, 2013

OK, I have done some more research on Google and this new addition to the MOT comes into effect on 1st April 2013. So unless I get this fixed, my car will never pass the MOT. My situation just proves how Joe Public is going to get stiffed by garages for more money, even though the main Lexus dealer has confirmed there is nothing wrong with my car. A bloody injustice if you ask me. I am going to speak to my Lexus garage and ask them what they will do if I get them to MOT it, when they themselves say there is nothing wrong and they cannot extinguish the warning light.

To quote your original the Lexus dealer has not said that there is nothing wrong with the car he said "that there is no damage being done to the car and I am in no danger,"

Subtle difference from being nothing wrong, there are things that you can live with on a car but regrettably the EU has decided that this is not one of them.

mcleish · March 23, 2013

I'll ask on Monday, but as they have said, they have checked each sensor individually, the sensors seem not to be the problem...I think.

mcleish · March 24, 2013

Can anyone recommend a specialist in OBD dashboard errors. I need someone who can do more than plug in a OBD reader and scratch their head and give me a load of maybe's !! I live in Wokingham, Berkshire, but I am willing to travel a long distance to get my issue sorted.