2009 LEXUS ES 350

Typical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi

Symptoms: Burning 1+ quart every 1,000-2,000 miles, Blue smoke on startup or acceleration, Fouled spark plugs causing misfires, Low oil warning despite recent fill-up

Fix: Toyota issued TSB and extended warranty to 10yr/150k for affected VINs. Proper fix requires engine teardown, piston ring replacement, and often cylinder honing. Labor-intensive: 18-24 hours. Some engines get short blocks. Band-aid fix is frequent top-offs and living with it.

Estimated cost: $4,500-7,500

Typical onset: 100,000-180,000 mi

Symptoms: Pink milkshake in coolant reservoir (coolant mixing with ATF), Transmission slipping or delayed engagement, Overheating transmission, Check engine light with shift solenoid codes

Fix: Cooler is integrated into radiator. Once coolant enters trans, friction material is destroyed. Requires radiator replacement AND full transmission rebuild or replacement. Cooler alone is 3-4 hours, but damage is usually done. Total repair: 12-16 hours.

Estimated cost: $3,500-6,000

Typical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi

Symptoms: Coolant weeping from timing cover area, Grinding or whining noise from front of engine, Overheating if pump fails completely, Pink residue below timing cover

Fix: Water pump is behind timing cover on this engine. Requires removal of timing cover, timing chains inspection, and full coolant flush. Always do timing chain tensioners and guides while in there. 8-10 hours labor.

Estimated cost: $1,800-2,800

Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi

Symptoms: Clunking over bumps at low speed, Steering feels vague or wandering, Uneven tire wear on inside edges, Vibration through steering wheel on highway

Fix: Front lower control arm bushings deteriorate. Some shops press in new bushings (2-3 hours), but most replace entire arms for reliability. Alignment required after. 3-4 hours total.

Estimated cost: $600-1,000

Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi

Symptoms: Rattle on cold start for 2-5 seconds, Check engine light with P0010, P0011, P0020, P0021 codes, Rough idle when cold, Oil pressure warning at startup

Fix: VVT-i oil control valves clog or fail, or cam gears lose oil pressure. Usually cleaning valves and replacing oil control valve filters fixes it. If gears are damaged, requires valve cover removal and gear replacement. 4-6 hours depending on severity.

Estimated cost: $500-1,500

Typical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi

Symptoms: Clunk when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Vibration at idle in Drive with brake on, Excessive movement felt during acceleration, Visible sagging of transmission tailshaft

Fix: Rear trans mount deteriorates, allowing excessive drivetrain movement. Simple replacement but requires supporting transmission. 2-3 hours.

Estimated cost: $300-500