Lexus RX300 Engine is making a gurgling sound Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(324)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(324)

Engine is making a gurgling sound Inspection Service

How much does a Engine is making a gurgling sound Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Lexus RX300 Engine is making a gurgling sound Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2003 Lexus RX300V6-3.0LService typeEngine is making a gurgling sound InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$132.49 - $145.62
2002 Lexus RX300V6-3.0LService typeEngine is making a gurgling sound InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
2000 Lexus RX300V6-3.0LService typeEngine is making a gurgling sound InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
1999 Lexus RX300V6-3.0LService typeEngine is making a gurgling sound InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.48 - $125.60
2001 Lexus RX300V6-3.0LService typeEngine is making a gurgling sound InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.55 - $125.72
Show example Lexus RX300 Engine is making a gurgling sound Inspection prices

You’re driving along one day just fine. You arrive at your destination and park your car, turning the engine off. Just as you’re about to get out, you hear what sounds like a bubbling, or the engine making a gurgling noise. If you’re like many vehicle owners, your first thought is that something is very wrong. Well, it may be a problem or it might be normal operation.

How this system works:

Hearing a bubbling or gurgling sound means that there’s fluid at work. The most common source of this sound is your coolant system, particularly if you have an expansion tank attached to your radiator.

These systems work a little differently than those on other vehicles. In a basic coolant system, the coolant is locked into the radiator, with nowhere to go as it heats. In a vehicle with an expansion tank, engineers have taken into account the natural expansion of fluid when it’s heated.

Your expansion tank is connected to the radiator, usually by a hose through the radiator cap, but sometimes in another location. As the coolant heats and expands, some of it spills over into the overflow tank. When the coolant cools and condenses, it moves into the radiator. Both of these can cause a gurgling or bubbling sound, and are completely normal.

However, there’s also the possibility that there is air trapped in the system. As the bubbles move with the flow of coolant, you hear the movement as a “gurgling”. This can be a problem – air trapped in the system can cause your car to overheat.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Inexpert Coolant Service: The most common reason for air to be trapped in your system is that it wasn’t bled out properly when your coolant was changed. There are several ways to bleed air from the coolant system, including using a funnel on the radiator attached to a special tool that allows mechanics to run the engine while filling the coolant. There are also bleeder valves located on the coolant lines (notably at the back of the engine) that let you bleed air out.

  • Blown Head Gasket: A blown head gasket can allow exhaust gases to enter the coolant, which becomes trapped in the system and can cause a bubbling or gurgling sound during operation. If this is the case, you may also notice that your engine doesn’t run as well as it used to because it’s losing compression due to the leak.

  • Air in the Heater Core: Your car’s heater core uses coolant to provide the heat for your cabin. If air makes it into the heater core, you’ll hear a bubbling or gurgling sound from the passenger side, behind the glovebox.

  • Low Coolant: If your coolant is low, then air moves in to fill the void left by the missing coolant. Again, this creates air pockets in your system, which cause the gurgling sound. Low coolant is generally caused by a leak or several leaks, including from cracked hoses, a leaking water pump gasket and many other possible locations.

  • Normal Operation: As mentioned above, some vehicles have an expansion tank as part of the coolant system, and hearing some bubbling/gurgling is normal with these types of systems.

What to expect:

One of our highly trained mechanics will come to your home or office to inspect your radiator, coolant level and listen to the gurgling noise. The mechanic will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.

How it's done:

The mechanic will check the coolant level, as well as the condition of the radiator, radiator hoses, coolant reservoir/overflow tank and more. It may be necessary to test drive the car in order to get the engine up to normal operating temperature and duplicate the noise in question.

How important is this service?

While bubbling or gurgling from the engine may be normal on some vehicles, it is not on all of them. It could be a sign of air trapped in the system, which can cause the engine to overheat. Having your coolant system regularly serviced and properly maintained is essential, and one of our professional mechanics can inspect the system and provide any needed repairs.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Lexus mechanics

Real customer reviews from Lexus owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(324)

Rating Summary
304
10
2
1
7
304
10
2
1
7

Patrick

15 years of experience
406 reviews
Patrick
15 years of experience
Lexus RX300 V6-3.0L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Anaheim, California
Great Mechanic

James

30 years of experience
877 reviews
James
30 years of experience
Lexus RX300 V6-3.0L - Axle / CV Shaft Assembly Replacement (Passenger Side Front) - Oviedo, Florida
James did a terrific job installing my front CV axle. He answered questions I had about my car and has a terrific personality. A+++

Anthony

17 years of experience
39 reviews
Anthony
17 years of experience
Lexus RX300 V6-3.0L - Alternator - Pittsburg, California
Very great customer service.

Corey

17 years of experience
337 reviews
Corey
17 years of experience
Lexus RX300 V6-3.0L - Car is slow to accelerate - Charlotte, North Carolina
Corey was very knowledgeable and gave me straight/honest answers. No gimmicks or up charging! Highly recommend using him and his company.

Excellent Rating

(324)

Rating Summary
304
10
2
1
7
304
10
2
1
7
Number of Lexus RX300 services completed
3564+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Lexus MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How Long Does a Crankshaft Position Sensor Last?
The The crankshaft position sensor monitors the rotational speed and position of the crankshaft in the engine. It reports this information to the engine management system to control the ignition system timing. The crankshaft position sensor is used with the...
Hummer Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Car Program
If If you are in the market for a used Hummer vehicle, you may want to check out cars under their certified pre-owned program. Many manufacturers have a certified pre-owned (CPO) program, and each one is set up differently. Read...
How to Take the Doors Off Your Jeep
Jeeps Jeeps have been around since before WWII, and they’ve been modifiable since the very beginning. Because of their unique nature, Jeeps sit in a class all of their own: a coupe, a convertible, and a capable off-roader, all in...

How do I wash the wheels on my truck?

Over time, the tires on your truck will become dirty. Cleaning the wheels regularly will ensure that they maintain their shine. To clean the wheels. Use Motorcraft Wheel and Tire Cleaner to clean the wheel. Remove tar and grease. Rinse...

Car will not move in gear after we bleed the clutch slave cylinder 2011 Dodge Caliber

Hello - if releasing the clutch (https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/how-does-a-clutch-work-by-richard-manning) pedal with the car in gear does not produce forward motion with the transmission in a forward gear, then yes, the clutch has likely failed. This would be a failure of the clutch...

Question

A likely cause is a loose or worn suspension component. There are other possibilities but if you were to request a diagnostic that is where the investigation would begin. As far as whether the noise represents a normal characteristic of...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com