Does Anyone know if Lexus has done anything more about the transmission problem some owners have or do they simply feel if they wait long enough the problem will go away. I am aware that they came out with some kind of software update for the transmission, but I understand it doesn't always make it better and sometimes it makes it worst. The dealer's Service Rep told me that once the software is installed, it can't be undone. Do they have a real fix? Has anyone been successful under any of the State Lemon Laws? Al I have a hesitation problem, but it only seems to happen n the mornings. I've tried letting the car warm up longer, but it always seems to happen.
Ok here's the deal I see u haven't really been told the story and oh boy I have one for u the transmission is an Asian warner transmission the transmission itself would b good in a perfect world we're everyone changed there tranny fluid every 30 thousand miles but let's get real that's not happening.. now I know a lot about these transmissions there a software nightmare and you don't ever want to change all the fluid unless u feel like buying a new transmission in about 400 miles these transmissions have a sort of love hate relationship with a fluid change but u can just change 1/2 of it by pulling the plug on the transmission for about 3-4 seconds and putting it back in and another thing is the fluid do not go to your local Auto Zone and buy transmission fluid because it's not the same as the OEM FLUID ! If u do your problems are going to get worse now here's is what I would do in this situation I would pull the plug for 3-4 seconds put it back in now have a nice big plastic pan for catching the fluid u can buy them at Home Depot or Menards there for mixing cement but they work great for the task at hand and there only 6 bucks probably the cheapest part of this now when u drain the fluid out into the plastic pan or whatever u use u want to have a big canning jar so u can measure how many quarts u dumped out then when u go to refill u will have the correct amount as far as the OEM fluid u will need to buy it at the dealer and get Took for way too much or figure out what the fluid from the dealer is called and go on EBay and buy it there for way cheaper also add 1quart of Lucas transmission stop slip but don't worry because it actually does more good than bad for your problem .. now the thing about these particular transmissions is they like there metal shavings that wear down of the clutches and other moving parts which is very wierd but it is what it is there is a fix for these transmissions but u would need to remove it to get the new silinoids put in it then you issue would b gone forever but the other option is cheaper and works also I'm probably pretty sure you don't beat on your car? I'm not implying you do so don't take that wrong ! After u do the fuid change u will notice a difference in the way it shifts and it will get better with time then in about 15,000 miles do it agian and you will see definite change I hope this helps u also do not do the bull s--__ software update it's a joke and a waste of money. Let me know how it works out for ya either way have a great day !! Regards Chris
Chris basically I agree with you but would add that if you drain "all" the fluid by dropping the pan or (if it has one) opening a drain plug, you only get less than ½ of it out because the torque converter doesn't drain. I'd support your approach however. Here's my very recent experience. I recently had my Toyota van (2010/100,000 mi and not having any transmission issues) in and the Toyota dealer said there is a filter in the transmission but it is not meant to be changed or removed and cleaned so the only thing they recommend is flushing them. I agree that, usually on older transmissions, flushing will loosen up the stuff that is still stuck in the transmission and cause a failure soon afterwards. He assured me that had never happened at their shop so I let him flush it (and crossed my fingers). Its been about 3000 mi and it is still OK. Still crossing my fingers. Most new transmissions are "Sealed" They never want you to service them. No dipstick. I'm not an expert but I have one point on the curve - as they say.
You can drain all the fluid in the pan cause you will still have around 14 to 17 quart in the torque converter
Draining your fluid and adding more won't loosen up any metal shavings to cause issues that aren't already loose. What you should do is drive the vehicle until the transmission fluid is warmed up, then drain it and refill. When the fluid is warmed up and it's being driven, the fluid is circulating and the loose particles move around, and then when you drain it, they come with the fluid. Refill and call it good.
Yes, there is a filter on the inside of the transmission. It's not necessary to change, but if you're gonna have the transmission off the car you might as well replace it.
Yes dealerships began putting in 'sealed' transmissions, but that was mainly so people don't add the wrong fluid. It is still possible to change your own transmission fluid, and it's easier if you have a machine that plugs into the transmission lines.
Julio, if your vehicles torque converter holds 14-17 quarts of fluid, I'm scared to know what you drive.
Maybe he forgot a decimal point after the 1's.
Thats why you stay away from computer controlled automobiles
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Software update thus help but only for a while i have the same problem with my AUDI.
Probably different transmission. No help
Audi/VW were one of the first to come out with "no service" automatic transmissions. Drive it till it fails, then replace it, oh yes, the dealer is the only ones with the equipment to work on them! They wouldn't even sell you the fluid if you wanted to buy it and if they did you would have thought it was pure gold. There was no dipstick and people got creative in finding ways to add fluid when the hard shifts/slow shifts started and signaled low fluid levels in other types of vehicles. Adding fluid solved many problems before failure happened. I had a VW Passat that the trans locked up where it had to be dragged onto a rollback wrecker and dragged off.
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The transmission have to warm up befor they can shifted to a normal operation, specific if the outside temperature are in the minus. Letting the car warm up longer will not help, you have to drive. May you disconnect the Batterie for 5 min. that will reset your Computer and if that not help, check out the transmission Sensors by a Transmission Dealer.
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U should make sure that you pick the right car that u want not what other people want
1. Have you checked which transmission fluid it uses and the grade?
2. When servicing the gearbox, ensure to put enough ATF. Reasons, if you put more or less the same problem might occur.
Hi, Just a thought but there seems to be a lot of talk about changing auto trans oil to resolve this Lexus problem but very few people are talking about "flushing" your auto transmission.
(Refer: http://mdhmotors.com/transmission-flush-when-and-when-not-to-flush-transmission/)... so you get the idea.
Once this is done, presuming your auto trans is sound mechanically, then look at the intermittent issue if it is still there. I suggest most likely your fault has diminished.
I recommended a flush (by the Lexus dealer) to this gentleman. Thanks for posting this link. It's the best description I have every seen and agree with it 100%. Each transmission model and manufacture is different and only they know what to do for sure in my view. I hate the cost of taking my cars back to the "dealer" for work but not for transmission work.
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Has anyone mentioned that it may be a short in the wiring harness?
Wow!
lots of guesswork in these answers thats gonna cost you lots of money you probably dont need to spend.
Always get a professional garage to carry out a full diagnostic test on your car, not just the transmission.
listen to what you are being told and the costs and work it out for yourself. Generally, if it seems like B/S it is....but, if it makes sense and the garage has a good reputation and offers warranties..dig deep.
You will save money in the long term.
Roger
Is it hesitating only after take off? If so try taking off from a stop in low gear and manually shift into drive. If the problem goes away you know it's not the transmission exactly. Since low isn't connected to the computer. Depending on the symptoms could be the transmission sensors, solenoid, throttle body. You can reset the ecu but that only fixes it for so long. I'm still working on which issue I'm having.
If your problem seems to be intermittent, you can't predict when it will happen, could be the torque converter locking up. The action this causes is what's referred to as "trailerhitching". Ask your service center what are the symptoms of a torque converter that is going south.
Curtis Scott
My car was an older one,a 1998 Pontiac Grand Am Se and when that happened with my car it needed a new transmission modulator control valve.Don't know if the newer cars have them or if they can be changed it's worth asking about it.
This may due to the throttle body.
You may solve by cleaning the throttle body
Faulty design, should be covered by warranty, if not return it and get your money back and by something in mint condition that was made before 1996. After that year the vehicles have become more and more unreliable from an overload of electronic controls in which most of it is digital logic and a vehicle was meant to run under analog theory over digital. Overall the vehicle companies are a bunch of idiots. I will never buy any vehicle newer than a 1996 just because they are Royal Pains to deal with. That's from my almost 30 years of experience studying vehicles.
Did you change oil recent? it may be to heavy a you said only happens in morning sounds ok when warm chec when oil was changed?
Couple of things to look at:
1. If equipped with Carb, try spraying with a cleaner. Clog carb do
sometimes makes engine hesitant.
2. Checked air filter cleaner. (located at air intake manifold)
3. Old engine oil may be a factor also. Change oil & filter..
4. If equipped with electronic ignition, have the chips test. may be
old or worn.
5. If manual ignition, check the condenser and you might as well
try and adjust the distributor. Your engine might be retarded
already. Have an expert mechanic do the test.
6. Battery is also a concerns. Check your battery. Older that 2 years
battery may cause hesitation as well.
7. Ignition cables are also a concerns. Cables that has crack may
cause hesitation also. If one has crack, change all Ignition cable
for better results.
Give me a break!
throttle position sensor could be your problem I have seen it in different vehicles cause the transmission to slip ,not go into high gear , so I would try there first before getting too invasive
Jogp98. Oldman1387 is very correct in most cases.
New cars dont have a detent cable AKA TV cable it is now relied off the TPS throttle positioning sensor
I just guess here but check your engine coolant, check your ECT sensor for short, staying open, poor connection, check Thermostat could be bad, I had a Chevrolet and it was a shifting sensor on the side of the transmission, the wire that was connected to the transmission was bad, replaced it and it fixed the problem for sure, good luck
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I would have the transmission serviced. Change all the fluid, filter and pan gasket. Put in one bottle of lubeguard. There is a company called transgo that makes a valve body kit that addresses some of the common problems with your tansmission. I would have the transgo shift kit installed at the same time you get it serviced.
The transmission oil and the filter need changing. Don't believe it when they say it never needs changing. You can have the oil checked and you will see it is dirty and worn out.
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Well for me I think the best place to look for your firstly is your cold start switch, it may have gone bad or broken and if that's not the problem check your fuel system it may also have issues, so if the vehicle is not warmed up enough it makes it difficult it move, sometimes if your plugs are weak it maybe a likely cause.
At which gear ? N . What your mileage . Check your airflow sensors.! N wire.
ok not pulling punches here,, sorry. there is no fix for it Lexus has has issue starting 2004. the chipset in the electronics, has limited capacity to download or update it any more. Lexus has told a few or many the car is performing as expected. yes paying $40k for a car and they say that. They have know of this problem for more than 10 years!
until some group of persons put their feet to the fire. well you know.... here is some of the evidence, many have shared. they have many more issues out there. I am putting disclaimer here I maybe wrong, I hope the heck I am. I do not know total history of the problem . for the little I looked into it I discouraged me from buying newer LEXUS'S. link: http://www.carcomplaints.com/Lexus/ES_33...
sorry.... read all of it .... you may feel their pain, you're not the only 1.....and
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Lexus/ES_33...
The law protects you.. FIRST as other post mentioned dealers are aware of issues and maybe or should be a recall.. If under the lemon law u would leave at different dealer.. HAVE THEN DOCUMENT THE ISSUE ALSO PRINT OUT THE KNOWN SOFTWARE PROBLEMS ON THIS WEBSITE... GETTING.. GO RIGHT TO DMV REPORT THIS DEALER IF NEED BE GET AN ATTORNEY THESE ARE ENFORCEABLE LAWS AND IS A CRIME DMV AND TAKE THIER DEALER permits away and fine them and attorneys can get you a car fast.... J. Don't waste time fixing something they knew was an issue when they sold the car.. Good luck.. Shady poeple.. It's important when buying cars NOT to just go by BRAND sadly these days ethic takes back seat to profits... Many brand companies are allowing issues like this to be passed to the consumer for the profit seem to more important than thier own brand... Over and over again we see this with VW Craftmen with tool and snow blowers that don't start.. Again wording the warrenties to blame on consumers...
Switch to the highest-quality synthetic transmission fluid. It could help
My experience with this problem has been the torque converter which is very expensive. However, my cars weren't heavily electronic or a Lexus
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