Free Buyer’s Guide
2012 Lexus RX350
A simple guide for buyers with no car knowledge. Do most of the work from home, on the phone. Only go and see the SUV if you like what you hear. The decision is always yours.
The free guide is below. The full guide is made for this car after you pay.
Most complete
Want the full step-by-step plan for this 2012 Lexus RX350?
The full guide is made for this exact car. It runs to up to 40 pages, with drawings, so you know where to look and what each answer means.
- Drawings of the car, the engine bay and where oil and coolant leaks show up
- A step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive, with a Yes or No for every check
- A colour on every No that says how serious it is, and a rough repair budget at the end
- Your name, odometer reading and VIN printed on it, if you give them
Which 2012 RX350 is it?
Ask the seller: "Is it the RX350 petrol or the RX450h hybrid, and can I see the compliance plate?"
3.5L V6 petrol 2GR-FE
Engine code 2GR-FE · 6-speed automatic
- 6-speed automatic gearbox
- All wheel drive (called 4x4 On Demand)
- Premium petrol, 95 RON
3.5L V6 petrol-electric hybrid (sold as the RX450h) 2GR-FXE HYBRID
Engine code 2GR-FXE · CVT (continuously variable automatic)
- Petrol engine plus an electric motor
- Gearbox is a CVT, an automatic with no fixed gears
- Hybrid battery: nickel metal hydride, 1.9 kWh, 650 V
Safety rating
We did not find an ANCAP star rating for the 2012 RX. The only ANCAP rating for the RX is for a newer model from October 2015. It does not apply to this car. The 2012 specification pages list 10 airbags, ABS (brakes that stop wheels locking), traction control, electronic stability control and brake assist.
The big-money items
You can’t see inside these parts, but you can ask about them.
Front timing cover oil leak 2GR-FE 3.5L PETROL ENGINE
$$$ (over $2,000)The seal at the front of the engine can seep oil. One owner reported a $3500 repair, so the cost is not confirmed.
Ask: "Has the engine ever leaked oil from the front, and is there a leak now?"
VVT-i oil line 2GR-FE ENGINE. REPORTED ON EARLIER BUILDS, SO ASK IF IT WAS CHECKED OR REPLACED.
$$ ($500 to $2,000)An oil hose that feeds the system that adjusts engine valve timing. We found nothing that confirms how this applies to 2012.
Ask: "Has the VVT-i oil line been checked or replaced, and is there an invoice?"
Water pump 2GR-FE 3.5L PETROL ENGINE
$$ ($500 to $2,000)The pump that moves coolant around the engine. Coolant is the liquid that keeps the engine cool. It can leak or get a noisy bearing.
Ask: "Has the water pump or cooling system been replaced, and do you have the invoice?"
Want to check these yourself?
The full guide shows where each of these parts is on this car and how to check it safely, with a Yes or No for every check.
Get the full guide · $29Regular maintenance
Look for these on the service invoices.
- Engine oil
Keeps the moving parts inside the engine slippery
As shown in the logbook
- Spark plugs
Small parts that light the fuel in each part of the engine
As shown in the logbook
- Brake fluid
The liquid that carries your foot push to the brakes
Every 2 years (our guide)
- Coolant
The liquid that keeps the engine from getting too hot
As shown in the logbook
- Gearbox oil
Oil in the gearbox, and in the rear diff and transfer case on all wheel drive. These are the parts that send power to the wheels.
As shown in the logbook
- Air filter
Cleans the air going into the engine
As shown in the logbook
- Tyres
The only part of the car that touches the road
Replace at 6 years old, even with good tread (our guide). Alignment every 10,000 to 15,000 km (our guide)
- Battery
The 12-volt battery that starts the car and runs the lights
Most last about 3 to 5 years
Questions to ask on this RX350
These are for this model. The full list of questions, with tick boxes, is in the PDF.
Is it the RX350 petrol or the RX450h hybrid?
Good answer: The seller says which one straight away and the compliance plate agrees.
Why: The two have different engines and different costly parts.
Has the water pump or cooling system been replaced? Do you have the invoice?
Good answer: Yes, with an invoice, or a clear logbook entry for the cooling work.
Why: The water pump is the part most often mentioned for this engine.
Has the front of the engine ever leaked oil?
Good answer: No leaks, or a leak that was fixed with a receipt.
Why: Oil seepage at the front of the engine is reported on this engine.
Words you might see on an invoice
- Water pump
- The pump that moves coolant around the engine. It can leak or get a noisy bearing.
- Serpentine or drive belt
- The belt that runs the water pump and other parts. Sellers often replace it with the pump.
- Idler pulley
- A small wheel that guides the belt. One owner post describes it rattling.
- Timing cover gasket or seal
- The seal at the front of the engine. It can seep oil.
- VVT-i oil line
- The oil hose that feeds the variable valve timing system.
- Coolant bleed
- Letting trapped air out after the cooling system is opened. Ask if it is included with the pump job.
Two quick checks at home
All you need is the VIN.
- Recalls: vehiclerecalls.gov.au
- Money owing: ppsr.gov.au (small fee; check again on the day you pay)
- The PPSR search costs $2 and uses the VIN.
- It shows if the car is free from debt, and may show if it is stolen or written off.
- It does not show the amount owing, the odometer reading or unpaid fines.
Free guide or the full guide?
Both are for the exact car you are looking at. Here is what each one holds.
| What it holds | Free guide | Full guide · $29 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 12 pages | Up to 40 pages |
| The engines sold that year, with their codes | Yes | Yes |
| The big-money items, with the question to ask | Yes | Yes, and where each part is and how to check it safely |
| Questions to ask the seller on the phone | Yes | Yes |
| Service history | What to look for on the invoices | A table for the odometer reading, with the jobs that should be done by now |
| Drawings of the car, the engine bay and the leaks | No | Yes |
| Step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive | No | Yes, with a Yes or No for every check |
| How serious each problem is | A simple scorecard | A colour on every No, and a rough repair budget |
| Your name, odometer reading and VIN printed on it | No | Yes, if you give them |
| A PDF to print or open on your phone | Yes | Yes |
A look inside the full guide
Four real pages from a full guide for a 2015 Toyota HiLux. We blur most of each page on purpose, so it cannot be copied. Your own guide is clear, and made for your car.
Your car drawn see-through, with the key parts marked
The engine bay, with numbered pins
A Yes or No for every check, with a colour on each No
A rough repair budget from what you tick
General information only, not an inspection of any vehicle. “Our guide” means our recommendation, not a legal rule. Costs are a rough guide. Information current at October 2026: always check the VIN yourself.