# Senior in need of advice **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** belts, lexus, timing-belts\ **Created:** [February 8, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074 "2011-02-08T19:29:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![happy5671](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@happy5671](https://community.cartalk.com/u/happy5671)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/1 "2011-02-08T19:29:59Z")
my maintenance dept insists that the timing belt be replaced and fluids changed. I bought the car to another place and they said the fluids were clear and high. I have 71,000 miles on the car. Do I trust the Lexus maintenance dept? ---
**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/2 "2011-02-08T19:37:29Z")
What year is the Lexus? I believe the latest 3.5 has a timing chain, but I’m not sure if earlier 3.5s had a timing belt or chain. What does the Owner’s Manual say about the timing belt interval and other scheduled maintenance? Timing belts are changed by mileage or time, whichever comes first. Ed B. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/3 "2011-02-08T19:37:38Z")
Please Give Us The Model-Year Of The Lexus ES 350. CSA ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/4 "2011-02-08T19:38:02Z")
happy, just open your owner’s manual to the section on recommended maintenance. That will tell you when to have different kinds of things done. If your timing belt is due to be changed - whether because of elapsed time or mileage - this is not something to put off or ignore. If it breaks it will do so without warning and can destroy your engine. When this is done you should end up with a new water pump & new coolant. The job is not cheap but it is necessary maintenance. The only thing to ignore in the manual is whatever it says about the transmission servicing. For maximum lifespan, have a local, independent transmission shop service the pan & filter every 30K miles. You do not need to use a Lexus dealer. As around for a reputable, local, owner-operated shop. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/5 "2011-02-08T20:38:06Z")
Why don’t you believe your owner’s manual, which was written by the people who built your car? ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/6 "2011-02-08T21:18:08Z")
The ES 350 game out in 2007, so it’s at the most 4 years old. And the 3.5 has a timing belt. The interval change is 105k miles or 7 years. Your short in both, so you should NOT need it changed yet. ---
**Author:** ![mark\_petrak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mark\_petrak](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mark_petrak)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/7 "2011-02-08T21:34:14Z")
yes trust them because if your timing belt breaks your in for a world of hurt ---
**Author:** ![kizwiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7cd45c/32.png) [@kizwiki](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kizwiki)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/8 "2011-02-09T02:57:14Z")
Since you haven’t responded to any of the posts requesting your car’s year: your car might have a timing belt or a timing chain, depending on the year your car was manufactured. If it is a timing chain, you will probably never need replacement of this part. If it is a timing belt, you should replace the part every 90,000 miles. So you have 20,000 miles left on the part even if it is a belt. You should probably not trust the dealer. You need a mechanic who you can trust to just do what is needed according to the manual, and it seems to me that you have found one. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/senior-in-need-of-advice/61074/9 "2011-02-09T14:21:49Z")
The ES 350 was introduced in 2007…so it’s no more then 4 years old. The 3.5 has a timing BELT…and the Lexus recommended interval change is 105k miles or 7 years. And it IS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE.