00 Rx300 Transmission Problem

[Marsol 300]

Hi, The trans in my RX300 slips intermittantly. Fluid is darker than normal, but not burnt. Will a fluid change possibly with some anti-slip product help, or is it a goner? It has aprox 70K. AWD. Thanks

[RX in NC]

Unfortunately you're experiencing a problem that plagues many RX owners and has been actively discussed on this forum as well as other Lexus forums out there. It's well worth your time to check out the threads on this forum pertaining to the RX transmission and learn as much as you can. I did so a year ago and wound up forcing Lexus to replace my wife's transmission under warranty, and that did make a significant difference although the vehicle still shifts harshly and we won't purchase another one based upon the inherent RX transmission flaws.

It's worth changing the fluid yourself to see if that can make a difference for you. Use ONLY Toyota Type T-IV automatic transmission fluid - nothing else, and no additives either. Pull your transmission drain plug with a 10 mm Allen wrench, allow it to drain as much as possible, and then replace the plug and add three quarts of T-IV using a small funnel through the dipstick tube. Check your dipstick as you slowly add most of the fourth and last quart, and you should find that when you've gotten the fluid level correct, you will have used almost four quarts of fluid. Be sure to continue to check your fluid level as you drive over the next few days to ensure that you have it right.

Purchase the four quarts of T-IV at a Toyota dealership, not from Lexus. It will be significantly less expensive for you. Good luck and keep us posted on whether this first step makes any difference for you.