Rx 330 Transmission Problems?

[Doc H]

In response to the query, not sure where the TSB # is on the service sheet, but 3 reference numbers are listed: 1+32LEZZ, 2+08LEZ03, and 3+99LEZFUP. Suppose the lead numerical designation is a job #. Very noticeable difference in downshifting in particular; much smoother, no hesitation on acceleration, and no "thunk" from the rear end when easing up on the throttle in traffic in the 30-40 m/h range. A different car. Haven't checked any effect on mileage. No charge for any of the service.

Doc H

[kevinclee]

Hi Doc H,

Thank you for listing the parts. How/What did you ask your dealer to have this TSIB service at the first place? I am not sure if this TSIB is related to TL002-04 DRIVELINE WHINE/HUM OR THUMP DURING DECELERATION.

Have you had this issue? When you decrease the speed for stop sign or traffic without stopping completely, you try to accelerate and the transmission has abrupt engagement.

Thanks

[ajmrem082876]

Hello all, Just visiting from Siennaclub.org to see if there was a viable Lexus replacement for my MY04 Sienna. Seems the transmission /ECU problem is universal to the entire 3.3 liter Camry platform. You can find this same discussion on the MY04 Sienna forums. If the RX 330 has the same characteristics as the Sienna is there another LEXUS alternative, in more, or less the same price range? I do not know the Lexus models. Is there any information on a fix with the MY05 product? Thank you ajm

[JBL]

Came across this on Toyota Sienna forum. This is a reply from Toyota USA on transmission lag and as posted earlier seems endemic to all 3.3 L Toyota/Lexus engines.

"Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

We apologize for your concerns with the driveability of your Sienna.

The throttle on the 2004 Sienna is motorized and there is no cable. This system continuously considers miles per gallon, emissions and driveability when responding to requests for acceleration. If the gas pedal is depressed too hard or quickly, there is not enough information for the system to make a quick decision, resulting in delayed or slow acceleration. For best results, we recommend a strong and gradual acceleration.

Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters under file #200407260846. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us"

[Booyah]

In response to the query, not sure where the TSB # is on the service sheet, but 3 reference numbers are listed: 1+32LEZZ, 2+08LEZ03, and 3+99LEZFUP. Suppose the lead numerical designation is a job #. Very noticeable difference in downshifting in particular; much smoother, no hesitation on acceleration, and no "thunk" from the rear end when easing up on the throttle in traffic in the 30-40 m/h range. A different car. Haven't checked any effect on mileage. No charge for any of the service.

Doc H

DOCH,

When did you purchase your RX330? and what is the build date on it. Im just curious if mine already has the update or not????

I just purchased mine Aug04!!

[pds]

My 2000 RX300 has several times gone into neutral for a moment (for no reason) during shifting.

I've also used cruise a couple times where the engine would rev up like mad and never shift (even if I let it go for awhile). I had to disengage cruise before the engine would shift. Very strange.

I remember reading that the RX transmission "learned" your driving habits and adjusted accordingly (or something like this). So I always attributed these seldom seen anamolies to that.

PDS

[RX in NC]

My wife regularly experienced conditions very similar to what "pds" described with her 2000 RX300 AWD last autumn, and she gradually came to fear the vehicle as unsafe. It took me a month to accomplish, but I forced Lexus to install a new (rebuilt) transmission last November, under warranty at about 48,500 miles. She just reached 70,000 miles this past weekend and she's yet to experience these unsafe conditions since the transmission was replaced.

You can bet that I will change the transmission fluid, using only Toyota Type T-IV fluid, every 30,000 miles during the period that we own this vehicle.

No vehicle should have to "learn" your driving habits before it performs properly - don't buy that flimsy excuse. Get your transmission situation resolved before you wind up in an accident.

[Doc H]

My RX330 is a 2004, purchased 11 Sep last year. Not sure about "build #. Just asked the dealer to check the downshift on the tranny; they did a road test and ordered the parts...

Doc H

[pegasus8228]

i have similar problem --- shaking car when driving on highway (like there is transmission/engine problem, or when the road is very rough -- do you call think "clunk'?)

RX330 less than 2 months old, happened pnce a month ago....quite erratic happenning which makes me believe it is the software/electronics....

ithis (and the way one particular dealer handled it) really makes me feel unsafe with this car, and lost faith in any lexus.

this dealer said no problem was found and put the blame of towing/car leasing on me -- REALLY terrible dealership/service. i know these electronics misbehavior are hard to detect and can be erratic, but just admit that rather than accusing the customer of false alarm!

they towed my car to a dealer north of LA -- dont get your car towed there, they also said their loaner are reserved for other people and forced me to rent a car!

-- let me know if you want the name (i will wait a few days before publicizing this dealership, as i am taking it to the lexus customer care right now)

--------

edited to add: it is Lexus Valencia, they are horrible, dont go there, dont buy any thing from that dealership.

i am disappointed first of all, for safety concern. i think safety goes above any luxury or whatever for a car. secondly, they way they handled the problem. some company have handled probelm a lot better and won back the faith of the customers. and they respect tyhe customer.

what is worse than a problem left unfixed (and denial, maybe), plus bad service!

just couldnt believe i have put my trust in lexus. perhaps this is the first problem for the Lexus cars, but this is going to do bad damage to their brand.

[rxatkin]

I've had our 330 in the shop at least four times and it still isn't fixed to our satisfaction. We've basicly given up trying to resolve the screwed up transmission. The car is great otherwise. I keep hoping that Lexus will come up with a "fix" and issue a recall to resolve the transmission problems.

[lenore]

The RX series of automobiles appears to have a major problem with transmission problems. It started with the 1999 RX and has got only worse. While my wifes RX was in the shop for the second and third transmission we had the experience of driving the RX330 and my wife found their transmission at best very disconcerting. It would shift at weird points, which would distract the safe driving experience making you wonder whether it was going to fail. Thank you Lexus of America for !Removed! up a almost perfect car. Time to go back to basic 101 transmission engineering school. Lenore

[04RX330]

Thought some of you would be interested in this article regarding the transmission hesitation issue.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04345/424551.stm

[04RX330]

No doubt about that there is a transmission lag when you accelerate but to me is not a big issue. I have been driven it to its maximum speed @110 and never encounter the transmission shift to netural for the past 12 months. From my experience when you need to accelerate you need to release your gas pedal completely and step on it gradually instead of just hit it hard (kick down). To me this is not a problem cause I used to drive a manual transmission and this is the procedure to shift. There is another way is to shift it manually from D to 4 or 3 and the transmission is quite responsive under this way.

[lenore]

My wife regularly experienced conditions very similar to what "pds" described with her 2000 RX300 AWD last autumn, and she gradually came to fear the vehicle as unsafe.  It took me a month to accomplish, but I forced Lexus to install a new (rebuilt) transmission last November, under warranty at about 48,500 miles.  She just reached 70,000 miles this past weekend and she's yet to experience these unsafe conditions since the transmission was replaced.

You can bet that I will change the transmission fluid, using only Toyota Type T-IV fluid, every 30,000 miles during the period that we own this vehicle.

No vehicle should have to "learn" your driving habits before it performs properly  -  don't buy that flimsy excuse.  Get your transmission situation resolved before you wind up in an accident.

←

just want you to know that lexus now feels the fluid change should be 15k, however Lexus of America will take no part of this and refuses to acknowledge the 15k changes recommended by the dealerships. What a lying, cheating car company.

[wwest]

Conclusion:

The hesitation is to extend the life of the automatic transmission bands and clutches.

The reason for the need to extend the life of the bands and clutches is because the transmission is dropping out of gear during coastdown and/or when coming to a stop in order to prevent loss of directional control due to engine drag at the driven, front, wheels of a FWD vehicle.

Once the transmission has dropped out of gear in these instances, or by pure happenstance is in the process of dropping out of gear, the bands and clutches would be quickly worn down if the engine were allowed to build torque before the transmission can be "put" into the proper gear.

The 4runner will never exhibit this symptom

because it is RWD or rear biased AWD/4WD. And yes, the driven wheels of a RWD, or a rear torque biased AWD might also "lock" due to engine drag torque, but you would still have directional control so the hazard there would not be nearly as great.

Since this is done as a safety issue Toyota and Lexus will be extremely reluctant to admit the cause and effect. To do so would be an admission that FWD vehicles have been inherently unsafe all along.

[monarch]

Just about all the major automotive forums have a troll or two that secretly works on behalf of a class action lawsuit attorney. Their agenda is to rally owners together to bring a class action suit against the car maker. That's how they make their living.

Of course this is self defeating for the car owner because suits lower the resale value to the car and even in the case of legal settlements the car owners get no significant financial compensation. But the attorneys and the people that work for them sure do.

Anyway, whenever you see someone chronically bad mouthing a car maker on an internet forum, consider they may be doing it because that's how they make their living.

[lenore]

Please note you mentioned the Accura MDX being recalled. At least they admitted a problem and are doing the right thing. They have a cooling problem and are increasing the transmission cooler and making all repairs to the trannys. Lexus is still sitting on the sidelines and treating us like crap.

[lenore]

Just about all the major automotive forums have a troll or two that secretly works on behalf of a class action lawsuit attorney. Their agenda is to rally owners together to bring a class action suit against the car maker. That's how they make their living.

Of course this is self defeating for the car owner because suits lower the resale value to the car and even in the case of legal settlements the car owners get no significant financial compensation.  But the attorneys and the people that work for them sure do.

Anyway, whenever you see someone chronically bad mouthing a car maker on an internet forum, consider they may be doing it because that's how they make their living.

←

I assure you I am not part of a class action suit, I am just disappointed with Lexus which I was led to believe was a class car company that touted great reliability and back their product. I am on my third transmission which I payed $4400 for and got very poor quality worksmanship on and had to take back 6 times to get my car put together properly.

[wwest]

I wonder

There has been some indication that left foot brakers are at fault with the hesitation problem. Suppose, for just a moment in time, that I am correct and the transmission is actually being shifted out of gear just before coming to a full stop. And let's further suppose that it will now be left out of gear as long as the brake is applied and/or the vehicle has come to a full stop.

Under this scenerio if I quickly get off the brake and quickly onto the gas (not necessarily WOT) just before coming to a full stop I may catch the transmission "out of gear".

Certainly then, the hesitation symptom would be more pronounced for left foot brakers. Absolutely no "fore warning", NONE, to the transmission ECU that I have changed my mind about coming to a full stop.

[lenore]

Just about all the major automotive forums have a troll or two that secretly works on behalf of a class action lawsuit attorney. Their agenda is to rally owners together to bring a class action suit against the car maker. That's how they make their living.

Of course this is self defeating for the car owner because suits lower the resale value to the car and even in the case of legal settlements the car owners get no significant financial compensation.  But the attorneys and the people that work for them sure do.

Anyway, whenever you see someone chronically bad mouthing a car maker on an internet forum, consider they may be doing it because that's how they make their living.

←

I assure you I am not part of a class action suit, I am just disappointed with Lexus which I was led to believe was a class car company that touted great reliability and back their product. I am on my third transmission which I payed $4400 for and got very poor quality worksmanship on and had to take back 6 times to get my car put together properly.

←

by the way I have been making my living working as a Electronics Technician for the last 36 years and have never participated in a legal class action suite. I am also a very fine amatuer mechanic learning my skills by owning many British sports cars in my younger days and fixing anything you can name up to and including Ford automatic transmissions, Mercedes Benz 190 cars, Jaguars, Toyotas, Hondas, and last but not least Lexus RX300's. Thank you so very much.

[wwest]

I don't think changing the fluid more often will be an effective effort.

The fluid is being "cooked" because something within the transmssion is over-heating. My guess is that that "something" is the bands and clutch surfaces because they are still not fully engaged as the engine builds RPMs and torque when the gas pedal is unexpectedly(***) and agressively depressed.

***The firmware in the transmission ECU is not downshifting from 3rd(?) to first until the vehicle comes to a full and complete stop. Accelerating just before coming to a full stops results in the need to quickly shift from 3rd(?) to 1st, all while the engine is already reacting to a (fully?) open throttle valve.

Except in the 04 or later with an e-throttle. In that case the engine ECU chooses not to "see" the open(ing) throttle until the transmission has shifted into 1st and the bands and clutches are fully seated. That very like takes more than 1.2 seconds, the time the shop manual says it take to shift from neutral when you first move the shifter to D, drive.

Same problem with/during coastdown, the RX transmission upshifts from 3rd to 4th (according to the 01 AWD Lexus shop manual) during coastdown, and now if you suddenlyn decide to accelerate the transmission must quickly shift from 4th to 3rd, or maybe even to 2nd, and while the engine is already building torque....

Except on the 04 or later models with e-throttle.

[monarch]

Changing the transmission fluid frequently is what Toyota Motorhome owners do to keep their overworked, overheating transmissions alive. Burned fluid loses it's lubricating ability and the resulting excessive friction is what causes transmission failure.

Now with regard to the first generation LS400 power steering system, fluid overheating was never a problem. On those cars the fluid needs to be periodically changed and system filters periodically cleaned because they get physically dirty with debris. Debris you can actually see and feel.

[wwest]

Are the transmissions failing due to band and clutch surfaces wearing out prematurely or due to friction on mechanical components?

Motorhome manufacturers advise the owners to drain and flush the transmission fluid on a more regular basis than the engine manufacturer might because the engine and transmission are ALWAYS subject to a heavy weight load and most owners have no real idea how to prolong the life of the transmission otherwise, such as shifting out of overdrive on a steep or long climb.

My RX300 has not been subjected to any type of extraordinary loading, nor is it likely to be. If I were towing a boat, even a small light one, I could excuse them, maybe.

[istanbul-kid]

I just bought a used RX300 at 49K, and the transmission started to become erratic, usually in the mornings when the car is cold. The dealer says should do a fluid flush at $299, if it doesn't work and gets worse then they'll replace the transmission under warranty. I cannot figure out the benefit of spending the money when I am not sure whether it will solve the problem. Any advise?

p.s. do you think it is unsafe to drive it with erratic transmission?

Thanks.

[RX in NC]

Your owners manual will tell you that your factory-fill transmission fluid should be good for the life of the vehicle as long as you operate it under "normal" driving conditions. Find these exact words in your manual, show them to your dealer, and insist upon obtaining fresh transmission fluid at no cost to you. Your vehicle is still under warranty and if your transmission is truly misbehaving, your dealer should repair this problem without charging you for it (as long as the vehicle has never been used for towing or been operated under other "abnormal" conditions - see your owners manual for a complete description). If your vehicle came with a trailer hitch installed, all bets are off and you'll have to pony up for the fresh fluid cost.

That said, you need to understand that the weakest link in the RX series (particularly the AWD models) is the transmission. Read enough of the threads on this forum and you'll see that fairly quickly.

Once you obtain your first fresh fluid change you should change your fluid at least every 30,000 miles from that point forward. No excuses - just do it. It's an easy job that you can learn to do yourself. There are several threads on this very forum that describe how to do so. Be sure that you use nothing except Toyota Type T-IV transmission fluid (which you can purchase at most Toyota dealership parts departments for less than at your Lexus parts department).

Good luck to you and keep us posted on how your situation turns out.