Tranny Question

[mbezzo]

Hi All,

I've been lurking here for quite sometime picking up all the little goodies you guys have to offer. I picked up a 99' ES300 with 65k on it a month or so ago and I love it. I have a question about the Transmission though. This is kind of hard to describe, but I'll try my best. :)

Okay, so if I'm just coasting down a hill and start to apply the brakes, the car kind of suddenly slows down a bit right as I hit the brakes, but it's not the brakes, the brakes modulate very smoothly. It seems to me like the transmission is helping to slow the car down, almost like using the engine in a manual tranny to slow the car down. Do the lexus AT do something like this? Is there something wearing out that makes the transission (from coasting, to slowing the car down) not as smooth as it should be?

The car has always done this for the 1500 or so miles I've put on it. It's not a big deal, but it's just kinda weird. Everytime you brake gently down a hill, it makes the car jerk slightly. Just doesn't seem right.

Okay, one more question!

A few days ago, my transmission started to slip. It was the weirdest thing. I had just started the car to run to the store, the tranny was fine for about 2 minutes, nothing unusual, then I'm at a stop light and the car revs and BARELY starts to move. I'm freaking out, thinking the tranny's shot for the next 2 miles or so, turning OD on and off, shifting through the gates manual, etc. Then, it suddenly stops. Everything is fine and it hasn't done it since. This was maybe 200 or so miles ago. Needless to say, this worries me a bit. I checked the fluid, and it's definitely not the vibrant red when it's new, but certainly not too bad. I think I'm gonna get it changed here soon. I think the real question is how can I check to see if everythings okay with the tranny? Do I need to take it to a shop and have them check it out? Should I do a complete tranny flush, or just drain it and replace what came out? I've read all the older threads about trannys here and am scared to do the whole flush thing with people having more problems afterwards...

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Matt

[amf1932]

No need to be concerned about the braking effect that you're getting when going down a hill. That's the exact same thing I get with my '03ES since day one. I also thought it was kind of strange and spoke to Lexus Corporation about it. I was told that this characteristic was built into the transmission programming.

I would just change the fluid. I don't think a flush is necessary at 65K miles. Of course I expect some disagreement with this statement, but that's what I would do. :)

Good luck with your new car......I bet it's a beauty.

[steviej]

I agree with Alan.

In situation number 1, it may just be your car coming out of OD (4th gear in yours) with the change in speed from stepping on the brake. When your car goes into 3rd from 4th you are actually engine braking and you may feel a sudden but not harsh buck.

Pertaining to the tranny, I would do a simple tranny drain and fill. I posted a thread in the Workshop Tutorial section of this web site. It is very easy to do this in your driveway. I would do 2 of them over the course of 5000 miles. This will yield a gradual cleansing of the tranny and replacement with fresher fluid.

Do you have any maintenance records from the previous owner. Have you had you Lexus dealer attempt to look up the maint. history of the car on there computer (assuming the previous owner had the work done at a Lexus dealership).

I wouldn't be surprised if you still have all the orginal tranny fluid in there.

steviej

[SKperformance]

Hey if you have one tranny problem i wouldn;t wait for a full maintance procedure.

Get a flush and replace with somthnig like amsoil synthetic ( but not mobil 1 )also clean the filter screen

[ArmyofOne]

Hey if you have one tranny problem i wouldn;t wait for a full maintance procedure.

Get a flush and replace with somthnig like amsoil synthetic ( but not mobil 1 )also clean the filter screen

←

DO NOT GET A FLUSH if the fluid is black....get a drain and fill.

[mbezzo]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info. Quick Question... The manual for my car says to use Dexron III ATM fluid. The dipstick says T-IV fluid. So is T-IV toyota's brand of Dex III?

So I went ahead and had the tranny flushed. The guys that did it were pretty sure it had never been done before. The car has 65k at the moment, so it was definitely time for a change. I know you guys have been saying to drain and fill over the course of a 5000 miles or so, but I have a 3000 mile drive train-warranty through the dealer I bought it from, so I want it to fail under that!

Anyway, today after driving about 20 miles or so after the flush, it wouldn't shift into 4th (OD)! I turned the O/D button on/off a few times, no change. Got off at the next exit, went PRND2L got back on, and it's fine... Made it all the way home (about 65 miles tonight) with no troubles at all.

Does the engine light come on if there are tranny problems? I need this thing to have a repeatable failure so I can take it back to the dealer and have them fix it. All these weird one time only oddities are starting to drive me nuts! Any words of wisdom?

The fluid coming out was pretty dark, but it was still mostly pink/red. It didn't smell burnt or anything either. I'm thinking of calling a lexus dealer and seeing what they have to say about it.

Thanks

Matt

[SKperformance]

you probably have a sticking solenoid ,could be from metal debris.

The o/d light does come on if it is being stopped from entering o/d.

It might be the computer not allowing it to get into gear.

Some people have had that problem with o2 sensors but it was never also a slipping gear.

ARMY getting a full flush will not cause problems. in the 70's their used to be problems by using new fluid in an older domestic tranny which was filled with old fluid that new fluid ould not have the viscosity to hold a gear.

[NeiLtYmE]

hey SK,

why not mobile 1 ?

[mbezzo]

So to and from work today, no problems at all. Seemed totally great. Hopefully it'll just keep this up...

I still am curious about the fluid though. Is T-IV equivalent to Dexron III?

Thanks again for the help.

[steviej]

no, Toyota T-IV fluid is not the same as Dexron III. It is Toyota's next step up in fluid quality and specifics.

If the manual says D-III and the dipstick says T-IV, then I would go with the T-IV.

The question that comes to mind is what was in the tranny, D-III, T-IV or a mixture of both?

steviej

[SKperformance]

On the back of mobil one it doesn;t even state it is an equivlent for the dexron for a 94-99 tranny.

People who have used mobil one have had major service rebuilds needed me being one of them also.

I now use amsoil exclusivly

[NeiLtYmE]

for motor oil, i use the sythetic Mobile 1. For the tranny i just used the normal fluid.

So you use amsoil synthetic? How is it any better than normal dex III ?

[mbezzo]

When it was flushed, they used Dex III. Should I be worried?