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2007-2012 Lexus RX 350: 2GR V6: timing cover seep + oil cooler line

CHECK IT CLOSE
specific things to inspect and negotiate

What goes wrong

Two documented items on the 3.5 V6: the timing cover seeps oil (big labor to reseal, often just monitored), and early years used a rubber oil cooler line that can rupture and dump oil, Toyota superseded it with a metal line.

Federal record for the 2010 Lexus RX 350, pulled from NHTSA when this page was built:
170 owner complaints on file , most-reported: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (38) · SERVICE BRAKES (21) · ENGINE (20).
1 safety recall listed.
Complaint volume tracks how many were sold as well as how they held up , read it as a pattern, not a score. Counts change; confirm live at nhtsa.gov or by running the free check below.
Rough cost: $150 line fix if caught · $2,000+ timing cover reseal · engine if a line bursts. Broad estimates , labor rates and parts vary widely by region and shop.

What to do about it

Before you hand over cash: Look for oil weep at the front of the engine (seep = negotiate, not panic). Ask specifically whether the metal oil-line update was done, that receipt matters more than the seep.

Whatever you find, a $100-150 pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is the cheapest money you’ll spend on any used car , including this one.

Run the full free check on this RX 350 →

Free · no signup · federal recall + complaint data included

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General reference information only , not a mechanical inspection, appraisal, or vehicle history report, and not specific to any individual car. Failure patterns describe documented tendencies across many vehicles; any single car may be better or worse. Cost figures are rough estimates , verify locally. The absence of a warning is not a statement that a car is safe or problem-free. Always verify recalls directly with NHTSA and get a pre-purchase inspection. Not affiliated with any manufacturer, dealer, or reporting service. No affiliate links, no commissions, no ads. © Used Car Informer, operated by MCC LLC · v6.6