RX Cold Start Injector Issue

Alright Lexus RX gurus, I'm pulling my hair out here! My 2003 RX with a gasoline engine starts like a tractor in Siberia when it's cold – super rough idle and generally runs like garbage until it warms up. I'm thinking it's the cold start injector, as the engine seems to be struggling to get enough fuel when cold. Any ideas or similar experiences? Fuel rail pressure seems okay, so I'm leaning towards a faulty injector. It's got 127219 km on the clock, so something's gotta give eventually, right?

4 comment(s)

I had something similar on my RX. Have you checked the fuel delivery? It sounds like a classic case of fuel starvation during the cold start phase. Could be a dodgy injector indeed.

Fuel delivery seems okay, but how did you pinpoint the injector as the problem? Did you test it somehow, or just replace it and hope for the best? I'm trying to avoid throwing parts at it blindly, you know? Plus, did you notice any specific smell of gasoline, or a drop in fuel economy before?

Honestly, I didn't have the tools to properly diagnose it myself, and I didn't want to mess with the fuel injection system. So I took it to a workshop I trust. They confirmed it was a defective injector and replaced it. Cost me around 500€, if I remember correctly, but it solved the problem completely. Sometimes, it's better to let the pros handle it, especially with fuel systems – like performing open-heart surgery on your car!

Thanks for the advice! I think I'm going to bite the bullet and take it to a workshop. I suspected the cold start injector all along, but your experience confirms it. Just got a quote for 515€, so that seems about right. Hopefully, that'll sort it out. Appreciate the help!

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