2010-2023 Lexus GX 460: A Complete Reliability Guide

[@thelonglastexpert]

Friends, if you found this content helpful, I would greatly appreciate it if you could like the video and share your thoughts in the comments. Your support is the strongest motivation for me to create new videos. 500 likes and 150 comments on this video = a new video on the channel!

[@Stargate555]

I bought a 2023 Gx, last of the V8’s. Averaging 6k miles a year I plan to keep it forever.

[@b_t_b_h_]

Thanks for this concise information! I own a 2015 GX460. Love it.

[@thelonglastexpert]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Damienvizuete]

Great info. Thank you!! Just hit 180k NYC miles in my 2011 GX. Occasional highway but majorly city. I accelerate hard often/always and now I know why my transmissions reverse gear failed at 160k miles. Had to replace the whole transmission and my LEXUS dealer offered zero advice or comments as to why. He only said it was “old” lol. My engine is as strong as new. Maybe stronger after years of my Italian tune ups. I drove the dealers 2023GX with only 5kmiles on it while my transmission was being replaced. I was astonished and quite pleased how similar my car old felt to the new one. Mine definitely felt better in the city as I have a MagnaFlow exhaust and OME suspension and 33” BFGs. Our roads are horrible. and my aftermarket suspension and tires really smooth out the ride. Appreciate all the advice especially as I approach 250k. Gotta change that timing chain when I get there. Thanks again!

[@Connor-ji5nn]

It may be helpful to get re-geared, 33" tires are usually the limit for a stock transmission. Larger tires are harder on automatic transmissions in city traffic, a re-gear will help to ease the wear on the transmission.

[@Damienvizuete]

@@Connor-ji5nn perhaps, but that seems a bit expensive for just “33’s” that are actually 32.7”, only 2” aprox over stock and thankfully no noticeable loss in acceleration and torque by my seat of the pants computer analysis. Also the transmission was on stock tires for over 120k miles. Unfortunately my next expense is going to be that damn valley plate gasket. I’m putting 1 gallon of coolant a week in my radiator now after years of keeping a close eye on it and having to add only about 1 gallon every few months, for the last 5 years. Thanks for the advice!

[@pall5114]

Great to know you got 180K on NYC roads; I have a 23 GX460, so hopefully, it will be long before I have any major issues. Can you tell us the cost of the new transmission from Lexus?

[@Damienvizuete]

Hopefully yours won’t ever fail. I’m told I drive like Kojak. Lexus charged me $9,700 or 2,425 NY slices 🍕. They gave me a ‘23 GX loaner with only 4k miles and remarkably the only noticeable difference from my ‘11 was a slightly higher break pedal. Mine still feels just as solid in every other aspect. You’ll be good for years to come!

[@pall5114]

@@Damienvizuete I am hoping you are right. live in the Tri-state, so I have similar road conditions, but it is built solid, so I am not too worried about that, mainly the valley plate and transmission. Wow, $9700 that's what worries me dam expensive for trans. I assume 1/2 is labor since the reman Trans on Lexus online runs $3-4k. I had 4R, and those powertrains v6/5spd seem less prone to failure, but GX, hands down, is the nicer ride.

[@gwilli1754]

Valley plate leak, needs more frequent coolant changes. Also gasket is metal, and engine is aluminum, so engine is sacrificial while gasket is not. So needs dutiful oil and coolant changes. Frame rust issue. Secondary air intake issues. That’s about it, I cannot think of any other problems missed, great vehicle.👌

[@pall5114]

I thought the issue was a sealant material rather than an actual gasket causing the valley plate leak. What would the recommended change interval for coolant to possibly prevent the valley plate leak?

[@TheWinwin4all]

New engine is not more fuel efficient. More complicated only

[@Sunil-he8xm]

The new GX motor is more efficient. Better gas mileage and more power. The only issue with the new GX is that it's not aerodynamic so the fuel efficient is not that great but the motor has better fuel efficiency in the larger LX while pushing even more power with bigger turbos.

[@Stellateeee]

​ It is only 1 or 2 Liter for 100km. That is not big difference

[@Sunil-he8xm]

@@Stellateeee GX460 is rated at 15 city/21 highway/16 combined. GX550 is rated at 15/21/17. LX600 is 17/22/19. If the GX550 wasn't a box it would get 3 MPG combined instead of 1. Even if mileage was identical, you're still getting 48 more horsepower and 150 more torque. 1500-2500 more pounds of towing capacity. The GX550 motor is not more reliable, that's for sure. It is more efficient.

[@TheWinwin4all]

@Sunil-he8xm 550 have the same fuel efficiency in real life, even though on paper it should be 1mpg better)) Turbos must have a more frequent oil change, extra idling time after starting and stopping if you are planning to keep the car for longer than 5 years. That iPad in the center controls everything, and if one diod or triod will burn out in it, you will have to shell out tons of money for the replacement. KDSS system is ONLY on overtrail version. No real wood at all, no real leather on all of them but on luxury trim, no air vents on top sides for the passengers, rear windshield viper is located cheaply on the bottom of the rear window and not hidden like on 460, not a lexus anymore, plain Toyota for the price of a Mercedes

[@Sunil-he8xm]

@@TheWinwin4all I said even with the same mileage you are getting more power and towing with the GX550 and if it did have better aerodynamics (ex. LX600) you would definitely get the best of both worlds. GX460 does have easier maintenance and better longevity. It's a trade off and with a new generation it shouldn't be that way, everything should be better.

[@JavierCR25]

Very thorough review

[@philamor5139]

nicely done

[@party4real]

Impressively thorough review. We love our gx though only 60k miles right now. Hopefully it'll go to 200k and beyond

[@thelonglastexpert]

Fingers crossed!

[@rickmarshall-hk5ys]

Great information for potential buyers...Thank you for doing a great job!

[@thelonglastexpert]

happy that you like it!

[@joseg5511]

Very informative and interesting channel. Do the LS 430 next. Subbed.

[@thelonglastexpert]

Let's see. LS 430 absolute legend already

[@VeritatemQuaere]

Great video, thanks.

[@thelonglastexpert]

Glad you liked it!

[@bedrockrunner1530]

The one issue they all will have between 75k-140k is the valley plate coolant leak. but other than that amazing cars and go anywhere

[@wavenami]

I can attest to that. They told me that it was a small leak, but offered it to be replaced. I'm going to keep watching the coolant and will only change if it gets worse.

[@Damienvizuete]

Yup. Have one leaking now. Slow but have to keep an eye on it until I can get it repaired.

[@hurpaderpp]

@@wavenami offered to replace for free? dude do it....

[@wavenami]

@@hurpaderpp Oh no, for 2k. Fee, I'll take that deal all day.

[@Slowly_We_Rot]

How long can you go before it absolutely has to be fixed?

[@seanclarke4061]

What a cool video! Awesome because my girl's 17 just crossed 82k miles. We did full mechanical fluid replacement thankfully taking care of the trans (overdue) and the differentials. Now I'm going to make sure her radiator is nice and clean!!! Thanks for making this super informative break down of the legendary 460 platform! So the FSE was for the LS, huh? Cool cause they use the S designator on my IS350 as well 2GR-FSE vs the 2GR FE found in non sport like vehicles across toyota and lexus brand. Very cool!

[@seanclarke4061]

Another thing to note is a lot of people complain about the front chairs having a weird pertrusion from the lumbar area... Very weird how its tough for me to get comfortable on long drives as I'm 6ft 3" tall. Saw one guy rip open the back of his seat just to remove that plastic insert that Lexus puts in which gives the chair its particular shape. Some hate them, most don't complain at all. I hear they seriously addressed these ergonomic issues with the 550 seats. Glad they listened!

[@thelonglastexpert]

hah happy that it was useful for you!

[@chivse7064]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ I love GX 460 more than LX570 . Thanks sir

[@thelonglastexpert]

Thanks for your comment 👍🏻

[@chivse7064]

@@thelonglastexpert Loving kindness

[@chivse7064]

@@thelonglastexpert Thanks sir 🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟❤️❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@1957jallen]

Thank you. I am considering buying a used GX. I have a 2020 RX and would like to see a review on Lexus RX reliability.

[@thelonglastexpert]

it's in the list 😉

[@Damienvizuete]

@@1957jallen you won’t regret it. I get a loaner RX when I take mine for service and the difference is astonishing. Different animals altogether.

[@Warhorse556]

The most common issue GX460 owners face is the KDSS? Where are you getting this information from? Though it is entirely possible, I don't know a single GX460 owner who has had to service the KDSS system. The coolant valley plate leak, secondary air injection pump failure, oil leak from the cam tower, and transmission failure over 120K miles are all much more common.

[@thelonglastexpert]

what area do you live?

Agreed

[@wayonc]

Absolutely amazing and in-depth information is presented here.

[@thelonglastexpert]

Glad you think so!

[@can-cruiser]

Great review. Thanks.. I really wished if Lexus/Toyota did a better job of rust proofing the undercarriage. It is only painted, without even any primer. Very disappointing because the GX will rust long before it's useful life.

[@thelonglastexpert]

thanks for your comment man👍🏻 you're right rust protection it's something that Toyota really needs

[@wavenami]

We reviewed a ton of used GX460 and passed on all of them due to this issue. Finally found one in TX with very little rust.

[@VeritatemQuaere]

@@wavenamiI’m currently looking to purchase, can you give hints on most common area the rust starts?

[@wavenami]

​@@VeritatemQuaere As far as rust goes, pretty easy to see. Get a flashlight, start with the front skid plate and work your way back. Look inside the front passenger wheel well underneath the rubber cover. If the metal tubes are smooth, it's a good sign. Carefully inspect the front wheel suspension/linkage on both sides for corrosion. Cars from cities that use a lot of salt on the roads in winter are the most suspect. Take a screwdriver and lightly scrape areas that look suspect. If it's heavily rusted in areas, pass. Light rust can't be avoided most of the time, but you can tell if it hasn't been taken care of.

[@pall5114]

Great video, I have 23 GX460 and hope to keep it for many years. I do regular maintenance. So, a few things: If I understand from your video, the 1UR-FE can take higher viscosity oil 5w-20, as pointed out in the Russian GX manual, and can take 87 octane without decreasing its reliability or longevity. Which Tundra years use this engine, and is it the same engine? The Transmission replacement is expensive, so besides changing the transmission fluid every 30k? is it wise to install a Trans cooler. I don't do any heavy work or towing.

[@MikeS-n2i]

It is worth mentioning the common UR series engine leaks. Very common on the GX and all labor intensive repairs. - Valley plate leaking coolant - Front cover oil leaks - Cam tower oil leaks The lean mentioned in this video has nothing to do with KDSS. There is a Lexus SB addressing the issue and the fix is to replace the left front spring with a revised part number. Also the sketch on the video is incorrect, the GX does not have fluid accumulators.

[@thelonglastexpert]

Indeed, some Lexus models can suffer from certain leaks. Typically, coolant or oil leaks are related to improper engine temperature management. Owners who have never replaced the coolant or cleaned the radiator may encounter such problems after 10-15 years. The lean I mentioned in the video is related to the KDSS system in most cases. You are right; sometimes the issue lies with the spring. There are even cases where the problem involves both the KDSS system and the springs simultaneously. However, most owners complain about KDSS-related issues when the vehicle's body position changes. Hydraulic accumulators are present on the Lexus GX 460, just not in the form shown in the video. The part number is 4800660031.

[@ShinobiTekken]

The leaks are due to coolant becoming acidic and eating plastic. Change coolant early and you wont have the leaks

[@paulbugoni2846]

@@thelonglastexpert apparently coolant changes are key to help avoiding the valley plate issue.

[@pennmikael]

what should be stated is that no AT cooler was available for US models, until the off road package. many owners install an aux cooler.

[@biodot88]

Pretty sure there is a small one inside the main rad. It just isn’t full size aux.

[@pennmikael]

@@biodot88 I understand, but what I meant was there isn't/wasn't an aux option until recently. Many earlier owners, including myself, added one since temps were routinely higher than I would have liked. Towing was actually okay in my use case, but long, slow, steep off road made the TC 250f+. I haven't seen above 220 since mine has been installed, even on 100f+ days.

[@biodot88]

@@pennmikael good to know. I tow around 3600lb and try to stay in higher rpm’s in 4/5th. I wish there was a more accurate way to watch the temperature on my 21.

[@yayinternets]

The one in the radiator is mostly for warming up the transmission on cold days, not sure it really does much cooling.

[@josephsantangelo2801]

Sales were only down in 2023 cause of the new redesigned 2024 was coming out. If it hadn’t been redesigned for 2024 sales for 2023 would have been similar to 2022.

[@PotatoQuality88]

Please do Toyota/Lexus 5.7L engine next

[@marcelrodriguez2067]

Have a 06 gx 470 but holy shit does this drink fuel like nobodys business

[@Febreze99]

Couldn't care less about outdated aesthetics. If it ain't broke, don't fix the damn thing

[@lotusasturias]

Can you do the LX 570?

[@thelonglastexpert]

it's in the list😉

[@1GulFF]

New Gx 550 overtrail uses ekdds step up on the older kdds

[@JimRockfordFiles]

Switch to 5w30 after 60,000 miles.

[@CP-pb3pj]

Why? 🤔

[@prime1172]

Dope Content! Would you say that a 2012 Nissan Titan can be called reliable for 350,000 miles?

[@thelonglastexpert]

which year you're interested in?

[@prime1172]

@ It is a 2012 Nissan Titan Pro 4X and it has around 170,000 miles

[@thelonglastexpert]

check my channel. Video nissan patrol. They have the same engines there you'll get your answer.

[@necasb]

10+

[@hoshgel]

Reliability has been taken from you in place of efficiency and speed.

[@Eatshhhushi]

GX 550 is not much more fuel efficient and more complex and smaller turbocharged engine. Reliability questionable.

[@Sam9wilson9]

❤

[@devanrogers3133]

Lexus GS.........

[@sebastianromero420]

4.6 and 4.7 are not large

[@7aramkeda334]

Should I feel bad for trading my gx460 for the 24 trd pro 4Runner ?

[@thelonglastexpert]

new 4Runner has the same platform as 24 Tacoma. Video about 24 Tacoma already on the channel, it should help you with your choice 👍🏻

[@DukeFame88]

Don't skimp on fuel . My 2012 needs a new bank 2 catalytic converter. Too much cheap gas will now cost me $2800 for a new CC. Other than that HUGE fix that I've been putting off for almost two years , the truck is running great at 167k miles.