IS300FSPORT

@Kam_Lexus_IS_200t "Whatever case may be with power I still believe it’s enough to be fun and I enjoy it to be fair and far better than a CVT 300h" That statement is subjective but as an owner of an IS300H let me assure you it has its own advantages. (Maybe I am biased) The IS300H has far more advantages over the 200T & this is based on facts: - Better on Fuel MPG - Road tax is cheaper - Demand/Resale value (People want Hybrids or EV) trending - Brakes last a long time as with most Lexus Hybrids - Naturally aspirated engine long term reliability less to go wrong. I.e No turbo, yes there is the Hybrid system but proven to go on for mega miles. & to add the in gear acceleration of an IS300H has never let me down in comparison to rivals in sport mode. Of course the 2.0T may well be a good engine but the power is restricted due to it being paired to an old drivetrain (automatic) gearbox & leaves owners disatisfied due to lack of power. With respect most owners of the IS200T who usually join this forum are always asking the usual question "How Do I increase the power? " have a browse on here its the same theme. With Linas always stepping in & giving his wisdom. If I was in the market for a 2.0T I'd just go out & buy a Golf R or S3 etc with the added bonus of 4wd. There are far more capable machines out there with turbo charged engines with modern tech yes reliability is questionable but maintenance is key. Even the 330d is a contender when it comes to economy & performance. Ultimatley from the last decade the GS450H or the RX450H from the Hybrids takes the crown the IS300H is just an average car that ticks alot of boxes.

Thanks it's interesting I have replaced the belt & coolant now more as preventaive maintenance, I am hoping to get at least 100k before the water pump needs replacing. To be fair 90k is reasonable service life, its not a diifficult job as the engine is mounted sideways it seems accessible to do a DIY job. Will report back...

5L would comfortably cover the radiator/engine drain. The inverter took 2L. When they remove the water pump most of the coolant from the engine block will have drained as well. It depends if they decided to drain the radiator down in which case it would be a full drain down. Dont check the reservoir when its hot I have noticed the level sits just below the B mark when hot as the coolant expands, when cold its slightly above the F mark where it should be. They probably overfilled it to prevent a customer from returning. For Toyota/Lexus models its probably safer to 'slightly overfill' than underfill. You will notice on the reservoir there is a black rubber tube that will automatically drain the coolant away into the engine bay if the reservoir reaches its maximum capacity after a couple of heat cycles it will settle down. See pic. In your case it sounds like it was way overfilled its best to suction a little bit out to release some pressure. Also out of interest what age & mileage was your waterpump replaced at? & what tell tale signs are there it needs replacing?

Lexus recommends the following coolant/anti-freeze change: - 100,000 - Radiator & 150,000 - Inverter Its well debated online to follow manufacturer recommendations v Reports of early water pump failures due to the coolant becoming acidic. Dont over think it if you want to do it just get on with it. Mine is on 52k & 8 years old it was not due however if I leave it until it gets to 100k it would probably take 15-20 years before it is replaced i'm sure you will all agree anything more than 10 years is questionable. (Disclaimer - Do so at your own risk) Tools required 10mm deep socket & ratchet, Flat head screwdriver, Axle stand, funnel, Ramp, Jack, chocks, 10L bucket, Gloves, Cardboard, Lexuspartsdirect provide 7L of Pink Super long life coolant for the 100k service package. This was just right for both inverter & coolant. However if you run short you may run into trouble. Best practise to have 2x 5L bottles to hand. The remaining you can just use for top up as necessary in the future although its a sealed system there shouldn't be any leaks if your loosing coolant theres a problem! Warm the car up, put heater temp to max, airflow (blower) on lowest. This will open the thermostat & drain the coolant from the heater Matrix assisting in getting most of the coolant out. SAFETY FIRST Drive the car onto ramp, apply handbrake, chock rear wheels, if you want to lift the car higher jack it up & place axle stands. Remove the plastic undertray held on by 10mm nuts & plastic push fit clips. Place your cardboard under the car now. You will see 2 drain valves dont remove them initially just loosen so it can start draining position the bucket right under the drain valve so you catch the coolant you can control the flow. *It may be hot if you warmed the car up so be very careful* - Yellow drain valve is the radiator coolant & white is the inverter. One at a time doesn't matter which I chose to do the inverter first. Approx 20 mins for full drain. Remember to tighten both of the drain valves back up. Now go to the top remove the inverter coolant cap using your funnel slowly pour coolant until it is above the F marker. You want to slightly overfill the reservoir to start with so it doesnt run the inverter pump dry as soon as you try to start the car it will bleed the air and gulp the excess coolant. >>>>> Do not mix the caps <<<< Next remove the cap for the radiator reservoir & top up to the Full mark. Now remove the radiator cap & Place the funnel there & fill coolant slowly until it pours out you will see bubbles coming out. You can help squeeze out any air locks by squeezing the rubber hose. Providing both reservoirs are full & there is coolant in the radiator you now want to bleed air out of the system to prevent overheating. Leave the caps off the inverter & radiator. Go to the car > foot on brake> press start within 3-4 seconds BEFORE the engine starts turn it off. Do this 2-3x. This will run the inverter pump sucking in the coolant. If the level drops below F top it up again to the Full mark. Thats inverter pretty much bled & done. Put the cap back on. You need to put the car into maintenance mode before starting the car so the engine remains running to warm up & bleed any air locks. Otherwise it switches to EV cutting the engine out not allowing it to warm up or do the bleed procedure. As soon as you start the car keep eye on the temp gauge. It should not exceed the normal operating range which is in the middle. What you want to do is let the car warm up & for the cooling fans to come in twice to ensure there are no air locks. The funnel may release bubbles which is normal bleeding air out & the coolant may try to come out of the funnel. Volcano effect its normal as it gets hot. Turn the car off, exiting maintenance mode. Now restart as normal & go for a drive & top up as necessary over next 2-3 cooling cycles it may need a slight top up. I appreciate this is a DIY guide & may not be the perfect method & may well have missed a step on here, but should it help anybody then thats great.. I have since done over 100 miles no issues. Upon observation I think the inverter coolant could easily go on another 50k the coolant was clear, however the engine coolant although not contaminated appeared cloudy so well worth doing I dont think it would have done the engine any favours for another 10 years. I probably wont touch it for another 5 years. Not a difficult job can be messy thats the only downside. Dispose of the coolant at a recycle centre & job done.

Holding their value at the moment a couple of factors. - The used car market after Covid went crazy due to lack of supply - EV/Hybrid now trending in comparison to diesels - Londons ULEZ expansion charge driving out old diesels - Low road Tax What I find interesting is Lexus/Toyota were well ahead of their time the IS300H if i'm not mistaken was initially in released 2013 production up until 2020 7 years is a long time yes their were upgrades & facelift version. It does show they it may not have been so popular 10 years ago because they were deemed as boring to drive now with the used car market alot of people are taking an interest & all of a sudden they are in demand. Well done to Lexus they were leading the 'Green' environment game way back. Same could also be said for Honda.

I read a few articles the pre-facelift suffers with inner tyre wear never thought of it as a show stopper unless its shreading new tyres in less than 10k. Interesting to see what high mileage owners have experienced from a set of new tyres? (Pre-face lift) I believe had a revision to the suspension which may have improved/reduced the wear rate.

Drilling a hole on the edge of the rear bumper is necessary if you want the guard to sit flush the screw will hold it tight. More to prevent any strange noises or risk of it ripping off should you one day drive off a high kerb etc. If you have a have a jack taking the rear wheels off is easy providing the nuts haven't been over torqued & the wheel isnt seized onto the hub. If you know how to change out a wheel in the even of a puncture you have nothing to worry about. Plenty of youtube guides available. I followed this guide to give me an indication on what to expect before I started. All in less than an hour ob.

It slows down the amount of dirt piling up especially during a rainy spell. Go easy on the tyre shine & it stays cleaner for abit longer more noticeable when visiting my local farm for eggs.

MOT Advisory last year may not necessarily be an issue or get picked up on the next MOT. Its upto the tester to decide how much play there is in a pin/bush. Advisories can go on for years without causing an issue. If anything it gives you room to negotiate play with £500 cant see it costing that much for a lower control arm. Its not specific. Example diagram below is there play in the upper/lower control arm? 10k is cheap but its cheap for a reason, does it have a service history that reflects the mileage on the MOT history. A pin or worn bush is the least of your worries if there are other hidden issues, with tracking, electrical issues, tyres, offset paintwork, etc. Dont fall for a clean washed car with abit of tyre shine 10k is a fair bit of money to gamble away. Quiz the seller do they have pictures or a report of the damage? There is a modern trend with the Copart specials damaged accident repaired vehicles random people buy a car to repair cheaply to sell on for a quick profit nothing wrong with that but if its been in a rear end collision does it drive straight? as its rear wheel drive the battery & drivetrain are at the back of the car. Misaligned boot that lets water in to the boot goodbye high voltage battery. Not to mention the resale value! It maybe a good example dont let me put you off but dont buy it with your eyes shut!

For reference should anybody plan on doing a DIY job or if you decide on going to an indepedent garage ordering the parts as a Complete service kit + an additional 5L Super Long life coolant from Lexus parts direct you will likely have 2L of coolant left over. If you plan on doing the Major Service its a whopping cost of £280 (parts only) using genuine service parts. Although for me not at 100,000 miles its reaching 10 years but 52,000 miles young. Items include: Air filter, Pollen filter, Oil & Filter, x4 Spark plugs, Inverter coolant, Radiator coolant. Differential I did previously factor this as part of major service. Should hopefully be set for at least another 5 years if I still own it will do CVT at 100,000 miles. Saving potentially 50% from getting it done directly from a dealer. From a cost perspective these cars are easy enough to maintain & work on so if your capable of doing maintenance its a joy owning the IS300H.

Good to get your thoughts on this its directly from the Lexus Service website. Notice the inspect inverter coolant not replace? Dealers only replace engine coolant, this is a skipped service item. 100,000 miles / 10 Years Carry out 100K/120 month full service as per schedule. Includes:- Replace engine oil & oil filter. Inspect drive belt. Replace windscreen washer fluid. Check all fluid levels & top up as required. Inspect cooling system, hoses & connections. Inspect radiator & condenser for debris & signs of damage. Inspect inverter coolant. Replace engine coolant. Inspect air filter element. Inspect charcoal canister. Replace brake fluid. Inspect brake pads & discs. Check brake pipes & hoses. Inspect fuel cap, fuel lines & connections. Replace rear differential oil. Inspect steering wheel, gear & linkages. Inspect drive shafts including CV boots. Inspect ball joints & dust covers. Inspect wheel bearings. Inspect wheel alignment. Inspect front & rear suspension. Inspect for under vehicle and under hood fluid leaks. Check exhaust system for security & leaks. Check all tyre pressures (including spare if equipped). Check wheel rims for damage & tighten wheel nuts to correct torque. Check operation of hand brake. Check brake pedal travel. Check operation of lights, horns, wipers & washers. Check function of all warning lights. Inspect glass and light lenses. Replace pollen filter. Check seat belts for damage & operation. Check operation of alarm system. Check installation of driver's floor mat. Replace remote control battery. Carry out hybrid health check. Reset OMMS. Carry out wash & vacuum. Carry out visual safety report. £580.00

Thats a great guide for the Engine coolant change do you by any chance have a similar guide for the inverter coolant?

Done abit more digging: 8.2L for the Engine & Radiator system 2.2L For Inverter known as Power control unit (Right hand drive) All in best to have 10.4L to hand I understand not all the coolant flushes out during a drain so may not necessarily need the 10.4L but its best to have more to hand for than not. Lexuspartsdirect may not be providing enough coolant in their 'Complete' service pack which is due at 10 years or at 100,000 miles.

Thanks for the download Admin it maybe worth pinning this. Lexus Parts direct advertise/provide 7L of coolant in the 'Complete service kit' package. But the Handbook states 8.2L does that mean they supply 1L less than necessary? https://lexuspartsdirect.co.uk/product/lexus-is300h-phase-3-service-kit/

Anybody know the Fluid capacity for the following: 2013>Is300H (Trim level does not matter) F Sport etc - *Cooling system drain & refill - Engine oil - Brake fluid - Differential oil - CVT transmission Thanks

As above a regular cheap OBD2 will not read the ABS module. From experience it is usually just a bad wheel speed sensor 1 of 4 is potentially at fault. Also it is worth checking the wheel bearing for play whilst your at it sensors usually go bad due to contamination or if there is play in the wheel bearing taking out the sensor with it.

With your foot fully on the Gas pedal continue to crank it may just fire up as soon as it does let go of the pedal. Had this with a Yaris many moons ago took a while but it did start. Is it low on fuel? Also after start do all warning lights turn off if red battery symbol remains on its a dying or dead alternator if the serpentine belt is still on.

Brilliant the joys of DIY never give up.

Providing the pads are evenly worn across the entire surface/fitted flat against the the disc it shouldnt be a problem. To be fair you would notice if they were uneven when you took them off. I'd be tempted to give it a few miles it may well settle in providing your braking performance is fine, Hybrids are known to have light use on the brakes. Try doing a few brake cycles when the car is in 'N' ,so it doesnt use the regenerative braking just to see if it makes a difference? Did you Spray brake cleaner on the surface of the disc removing the storage chemicals? Worst case remove the old pads & reassemble with new pads & maybe with new metal clips as shown in the image above. They have a few different names (caliper shims) they should ideally provide hardware with new pads. Providing your MOT is not around the corner give it time to settle, the tester may pick on it visually but on the brake rollers test if if it passes the braking force test nothing to worry about. Keep us posted pls

Classic sign of either a sticking caliper or carrier brackets not allowing pad to move freely. If you didnt replace the pads you wouldnt have noticed a seized caliper, because you didnt need to push the caliper piston back. Caliper carrier brackets disturbed at all during your clean? When you refitted the pads did they move freely in the carrier or did you notice them being a tight fit if they are not moving freely you need to remove & file the caliper carrier down sligthly or the pad ears (v slightly) ,& reinsert. To check for a seized caliper: Jack up the car put it in 'N' , chok the wheels so it doesnt roll, & try spinning the wheel does it spin freely? If there is obvious resistance or wheel refuses to move its likely a seizing caliper. Personally I'd rule out if its the caliper carrier 'brackets' before spending money on a caliper.

Lexus RX450H Honda CRV 7 Seater RAV4 *If you can stretch your budget Toyota Highlander king of all terrain.

To add this was mine at 46,000 miles or when it was 6 years old I have since comittted to doing it every 2 years. Keep in mind it has been withhin the main Dealers network since new! For those that prefer the Lexus stamp in the service book its questionable considering we pay top dollar for the reassurance! I Dont know why its not a service item, in fact I know why more revenue for dealers when a customer has a warning cooling performance low for the Hybrid battery. Blocked vents will impact battery life in the long term however because most cars will be out of warranty by then its not their problem.

To be fair the IS300H has decent acceleration in 'Sport' mode with High voltage battery assisting. The IS250 being a VVTI engine probably loves to be rev'd out to use the power like the old Honda B/K series VTEC engines but then goodbye to MPG old techonology but making them very reliable because simple in comparison to modern engines as they are are turbo charged making them more lively in the lower range. For example the new CIVIC 2016 onwards with the 1.5 VTEC Turbo is a lively engine at 180bhp if your after good performance, MPG & reliability.

Good luck with that! On these cars the ECU is not easy to unlock to remap. & they certainly dont have the market/fan base for tuning. You may have bought the wrong car. Your most obvious mods are breathing mods, exhaust, air filter, suspension coil overs, tyres, strut brace etc & weight loss get rid of rear seats how serious do you intend to go? Look on an American forum the IS3 especially the IS350 is a capable motor we didnt get that in the UK. IS250 whilst it may be a great engine its quite lazy not designed to be a racer more a cruiser.

+1