Transmission Noise On Ls400

[Cole]

About one month ago my '94 LS400 began making a High Pitched "whining" sound in the morning when I start out. It appears to come from the transmission when I am in drive and am driving and not when at a stop. The sound is getting worse and can be heard most of the time now although it is most pronounced in the morning.

Is anybody familiar with the problem and how serious it might be to fix??? The car drives fine. I shudder at the cost of potentially having to replace the transmission.

Also does anybody know a competent and reasonable mechanic in Santa Clara county CA (San Francisco Bay Area)????

[99lsguy]

check your tranny fluid level.......

if you don't know how - stop buy a full service gas station and let them do it. Look @ the fluid. It should be clean, translucent reddish color - if its brownish, darkish and smells burnt you need a tranny drain/flush immediately.

The sound can also come from the differential case in the back - it probably need new gear oil.........

[90LS400Lexus]

Yes, I would change that fluid ASAP. These transmissions seem to be sensitive to clean fluids. My transmission in my 1990 LS400 is in perfect working order, but it was not there for a while. When I would have to "kick" it out of "lock-up" torque converter mode, when I was at 40-50 MPH, it would make a "VVVERT" sound, as if a cog or something was slipping, as it was coming out of O/D. Members here said I should change the fluid. I took it to the Lexus dealer and had the transmission serviced and it as not done it since (knock on wood) and that has been about 4000 miles ago.

Good luck!!!