Transmission Problems/failures with RX300 awd/fwd

[lenore]

We would probably get a more true indication if we contacted all the Transmission shops around. Too bad we cant get their database on rebuilts for the RX300.

[bluestu]

Why don't you guys call around instead of talking crap all the time. Maybe you can gather some valid information than can actually help resolve this issue.

[jgr7]

Has any one been able to find production numbers for RXs?

[Ericok]

Why don't you guys call around .....

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself.

[monarch]

Here's a 182,000 mile 1999 RX300 transmission durability testimonial that was posted to the forum earlier today in another thread. It nicely supplements yesturday's 161,000 mile 2001 RX300 AWD durability testimonial:

Erv @ May 31 2006, 10:14 PM wrote:

"I just wanted to put ion my 2 cents, I have a '99 Rx300 with 182K+ miles. I am located in upstate NY and drive the vehicle year round. My rear wiper has stopped working and my power antenna is not working. Other than thos things everything is fine. I have not done anything with the trans, or any other major componants. I bought in 2003 with 100k on it and have changed all fluids once, changed one O2 sensor, changed one front strut, and a mass air flow sensor, timing belt and brakes. Other than that I would say I am pleased. I am a sales rep and depend on my RX everyday to get my work done and I have not been let down yet. If I was in any other vehicle, I probably would not be able to say the same. I challage a chevy, ford, dodge etc to accomplish the same!"

[NATALIE300]

I would like to join the bandwagon when it comes to the disappointment with my 1999 RX300. I am in the process of getting my transmission replaced this week (110,000 miles on my vehicle).

This past week, the car started to shift to neutral gear while driving home at 55 miles an hour. My husband and I were able to limp home by turning the car off and on (gaining about 2 miles each time). The next day, we weren't able to go anywhere and had to get the car towed.

My husband actually took the vehicle to our local Lexus dealership (where I get it serviced on a regular basis) the week before, since we had an incident where the car would not go into reverse (until we hit the gas hard and it kicked into gear). The dealership said that they were not 'transmission experts', so they quoted us $5000 to replace the tranny and proceeded to change the transmission fluid (since we were not willing to pay $5000 for a new tranny and didn't truly understand that we had a transmission issue).

Low and behold, we lost the tranny the following week. Per the transmission shop where we are getting our transmission replaced for $3,700, there is a known issue with the Planetary Gear Set. When I mentioned this to Lexus (since I went back yesterday to give them an earful), they said that there are NO outstanding recalls on any parts for the RX300.

Also keep in mind that I had my engine replaced at 71,000 miles (for free since they said it was a known issue with the vehicle, even though it was 1,000 miles past the warranty).

If I look at all of the people who have posted issues with their RX300 transmission, I'm wondering if we have a class action case against Lexus/Toyota? Is anyone who has posted a lawyer?

I am very disappointed with the purchase of an expensive car, which has had more issues than the 1984 Firebird I had in high school.

[tmastres]

My advice would be to NOT let Lexus off the hook. It may be too late if you're having the car worked on by someone else, but there are a few people who've posted on this topic that have gotten Lexus to cover the cost of replacement.

Print out the stories for this forum and take them to the service manager at your dealer. Also, call the lexus customer satisfaction number which I know is posted in this thread, get them involved and make as big a stink as you can. What have you got to lose at this point.

[monarch]

Hundreds of RX300 owners, including owners of the 1999 models, have told Consumer Reports their engines and transmissions have been reliable: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/cr.jpg No one on this forum has identified a design defect. Therefore what design defect could Toyota be sued for?

[tmastres]

Hundreds of RX300 owners, including owners of the 1999 models, have told Consumer Reports their engines and transmissions have been reliable: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/cr.jpg No one on this forum has identified a design defect. Therefore what design defect could Toyota be sued for?

Not so! tens of thousands of people took Vioxx with no ill effects but when a few people had problem you damn well bet theres lawsuits. Not to disrespect people who were harmed by vioxx or any product but just to illustrate a point. Even if no-one was harmed, you still may have a case but obviously the stakes are much lower.

[lenore]

I would like to join the bandwagon when it comes to the disappointment with my 1999 RX300. I am in the process of getting my transmission replaced this week (110,000 miles on my vehicle).

This past week, the car started to shift to neutral gear while driving home at 55 miles an hour. My husband and I were able to limp home by turning the car off and on (gaining about 2 miles each time). The next day, we weren't able to go anywhere and had to get the car towed.

My husband actually took the vehicle to our local Lexus dealership (where I get it serviced on a regular basis) the week before, since we had an incident where the car would not go into reverse (until we hit the gas hard and it kicked into gear). The dealership said that they were not 'transmission experts', so they quoted us $5000 to replace the tranny and proceeded to change the transmission fluid (since we were not willing to pay $5000 for a new tranny and didn't truly understand that we had a transmission issue).

Low and behold, we lost the tranny the following week. Per the transmission shop where we are getting our transmission replaced for $3,700, there is a known issue with the Planetary Gear Set. When I mentioned this to Lexus (since I went back yesterday to give them an earful), they said that there are NO outstanding recalls on any parts for the RX300.

Also keep in mind that I had my engine replaced at 71,000 miles (for free since they said it was a known issue with the vehicle, even though it was 1,000 miles past the warranty).

If I look at all of the people who have posted issues with their RX300 transmission, I'm wondering if we have a class action case against Lexus/Toyota? Is anyone who has posted a lawyer?

I am very disappointed with the purchase of an expensive car, which has had more issues than the 1984 Firebird I had in high school.

I am so sorry that you have joined the ranks of failures, Ignore Monarch, he is a pain in the !@#$%, and does not own a RX300. Please file a complaint with the NHTS board online, you will need the VIN # of the vehicle and write a short summary of your failure. If Dropping into neutral at 55 is not dangerous than what is? I am on my third transmission. It is very interesting that finally someone has said there is a known problem with the planetary gears. We on this site have been waiting for someone to show the failure area. You know many suspected the clutches, but the gears make more sense probably throwing metal fragments throughout the valve body. Please file that report. Yes LExus should be sued for false service intervals and trying to hide the failures by blowing the customers off and admitting nothing. But secretly asking the dealerships to recommend 15k tranny fluid changes. What a low life bunch that runs LExus of AMerica. SO HAVE YOU OWNERS FILED YOUR COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTS BOARD ONLINE???????????????????? And by the way Monarch, keep your LS 400 veiws off the RX300 forums, they are not appreciated or welcome.

[wwest]

Sorry if I'm bursting someone's balloon but IMMHO the burned and "dark", contaminated ATF plus lack of metalic particles in the sump is indicative of clutch frictional surface wear.

As is Toyota/Lexus "protect the drive train" solution, DBW to enforce engine acceleration delays during shifting.

[lenore]

West, but when the trannys fail they have lots of metal particles in the fluid. The fluid could still be failing in both ways, clutch, and gear fatigue. Gear fatigue also builds up heat in the system as well. Especially if the coolers are becoming blocked with contaminants.

[wwest]

West, but when the trannys fail they have lots of metal particles in the fluid. The fluid could still be failing in both ways, clutch, and gear fatigue. Gear fatigue also builds up heat in the system as well. Especially if the coolers are becoming blocked with contaminants.

You may be correct, I cannot despute gear fatique becoming a factor, but on the other hand once your brake pads' frictional surface is completely worn away....

[TimAndRobin]

Add us to the list of RX300 owners with transmission problems. We bought a 2001 RX300 with 90K miles. Transmission seemed fine but had a slight whizzing sound. We were going to take it into dealer to get it checked out but 4 days later transmission went out on the highway. 3500 repair.

[lenore]

I am sorry to hear about your addition to our list. Did you file a complaint with the NHTS board ONline? YOU will need your vin# and give a brief paragraph describing the failure and if it caused any potential danger to you or your family when it occured. Thankyou for your discovering our site the bad way. Did they say what failed in your transmission? Lenore

[LexusOwner2]

I am so sorry for you tranny experience, join the ranks of unsatisfied RX300 owners with this failure. And yes Lexus will not stand behind their product, they continue to bury their head in the sand and ignore the customers. So with that have you filed a complaint with the NHTS board online? YOU will need the Vin # on the vehicle and write up a short paragraph of the failure and how you feel. The more entries added to this government agency will give LEXUS the bad rap they deserve on the RX300 and maybe someday they will get off the dime. By the way how much did your tranny job cost?

The transmission rebuild was over $4,200.

So that was just the labor and parts for a rebuilt transmission, right? Or was there other items included, like a major tune-up...

Just wondering..

[LexusOwner2]

Hindsight is 20/20. Well, I experienced the transmission issue (as mentioned in a previous post), and was told by the Lexus dealership that I needed the transmission rebuilt, and that Lexus Corporate no longer offered that service, so I'd have to take it to a transmission shop. I did this, and subsequently started reading all the entries of other owners with transmission issues. Thereafter, I contacted Lexus Support and after a couple of weeks of reviewing the case, they have advised me that yes, "a small percentage" of vehicles have experienced the transmission issue, but that they do offer a transmission refurbishment (something about them sending it overseas?) and sorry I was told otherwise, but since I wasn't advised properly there's nothing they can do for me except give me one free service.

This car is NOT driven hard or fast, but feels like it's slowly breaking down. Recently, the transmission. Now, the creaking with the struts, and some sort of strange vibration perhaps coming from the drive train. And, intermittent problems keeping the engine started -- when this happens it doesn't idle at all, just shuts off unless I rev on the gas pedal.

In my driving history, I've never had a transmission problem before (and I've kept most of my cars for more than 10 years) and have not spent nearly as much as I have on this Lexus between the normal maintenance charges and the corrective work. And, I've owned two Ford Mustangs so that's saying a lot!

This was my first Lexus, and really I think there's more hype than reality about the quality. From the very beginning there were creaks and noises, and various little things that would repeatedly have to be replaced, especially tail lights and the inside hatch fasteners. Now with the magnitude of the repairs getting bigger and bigger, there's no way I'm going to even consider another Lexus. They're not even fun to drive. But, reliability was my number one priority. At this rate, I'd rather buy something that I at least enjoy, even if I have to have it fixed now and then. And "Maintainence included" would be a plus!

Hi rcheong,

I hear you on the 'magnitude of the repairs', if I wanted to buy a transmission at 90K miles I would have bought a cheaper car.

I also had your 'not idle' issue, its a valve in the intake manifold. On mine, it was replaced at 50k but they just fixed/replaced the diaphragm, at 90k they went ahead a replaced the entire valve ($600+ part, at least that's what they said they did and how much it costs). They opted to pay for the part (GOODWILL) but I got nailed with $700 in other repairs, and this is 1,000 miles after the trany replacement and a major tuneup. I get the feeling that everytime a GOODWILL item is given an extra $ is made on a different aspect of the visit.

[lenore]

I am so sorry for you tranny experience, join the ranks of unsatisfied RX300 owners with this failure. And yes Lexus will not stand behind their product, they continue to bury their head in the sand and ignore the customers. So with that have you filed a complaint with the NHTS board online? YOU will need the Vin # on the vehicle and write up a short paragraph of the failure and how you feel. The more entries added to this government agency will give LEXUS the bad rap they deserve on the RX300 and maybe someday they will get off the dime. By the way how much did your tranny job cost?

The transmission rebuild was over $4,200.

So that was just the labor and parts for a rebuilt transmission, right? Or was there other items included, like a major tune-up...

Just wondering..

That was for just the labor and rebuilt transmission that they installed.

[edwardh1]

I agree with Bluestu when he wrote: "It's not a design flaw, but a service flaw. Just because it says Lexus, made by Toyota, doesn't mean it is maintenance free. Most transmissions will fail if you don't replace all the fluid on a regular basis."

maybe if you tow a boat

but no otherwise.

a friend works in a trans shop and says many run til 150k with no service at all

[wwest]

I agree with Bluestu when he wrote: "It's not a design flaw, but a service flaw. Just because it says Lexus, made by Toyota, doesn't mean it is maintenance free. Most transmissions will fail if you don't replace all the fluid on a regular basis."

maybe if you tow a boat

but no otherwise.

a friend works in a trans shop and says many run til 150k with no service at all

Yes, I drove only Fords from 1962 to 1992, some over 250,000 miles. Other than DIY overhaul of two of them at ~125,000 miles I never serviced the transmissions and NEVER had any problems.

[carquestman]

One thing that everyone needs to remember and take into consideration when talking about transmission longevity is the different driving habbits and uses of your Lexus. Do you tow? Do you live in a mountainous area? Do you simply have a lead foot? Heat is the biggest factor in transmission life and towing and other factors can greatly reduce the life of your transmission fluid and therefore your transmission. No two drivers or conditions are exactly the same so use some common sense in making your determinations on servce intervals. Also make sure that you are getting a fluid flush and exchange using a machine like the MotorVac TransTec II or BG's and Wynn's version. Some shops simply drop the pan and change the two or three quarts the pan holds and change the filter and call it a transmission service. By using a machine like the ones mentioned before, you actually get all the fluid out of the torque converter and they usually run a couple of extra quarts of new fluid through the transmission before they are done ensuring a complete exchange of fluid in the entire system. Don't be afraid to ask your service shop how what method they use. Don't forget that transmissions cost more than engines in todays vehicles, so take care of it and it will probably outlast the car. Bob

[TunedRX300]

ATF is not the only place that holds metal debris, there are three magnets in the tranny pan in addition to those on drain plugs. Without dropping the pan, one can not check the condition of the filter and clean those magnets. One can DIY with a few hand tools with this link RX300 Transmission Photo DIY Instructions

There are dangers of using flush, as described in this Tranny Filter Clogged by Flush

ATF function as a coolant, synthetic fluid will absorb and dissipate heat faster than mineral based fluid, in addition to having higher flash point and same color as OEM. In another word, a work around for higher amount of heat generated w/o having to deal with Lexus' "OEM fluid only" to honor warranty (which is against Federal law).

I am not interested to debate about synthetic vs mineral ATF or Flush vs Dropping the Pan. Just trying to help members to deal with problem at hand instead of pointing fingers.

[LexRexBlue]

It is obvious that the problem is in the design of the transmission. Too many people are having problems. Most of the people who own RXs here are housewives who drive the car around town, get it serviced regularly by the dealer and seldom if ever tow or take it off road. I'm one of them. Somewhere around 62,000 miles my car had weird hums. After replacing several parts for free (differentials, bearings, etc.), going for test drives to hear it with me, etc. the dealer concluded it was the transmission. (the car ran fine). Lexus gave me a loaner and replaced it with a new one for free. It was before the 6 year warranty ran out, but I did not have an extended warranty. They had records of all the service that had been done regularly by the dealership. Their service schedule is ahead of Lexus'. There was no question or haggling. I guess I have the dealer to thank for this. If it weren't a design problem I'm sure they would have insisted that I pay for it. The car is still running 20,000 miles later.

[lenore]

Well folks I have received two more emails from unfortunate victims of the tranny failures that did not post on this site. They read the posts and emailed me directly. How sad that every week I now get at least one email of another failure. Please everyone File a complaint with the NHTS board online and register your displeasure. We are growing in numbers and Lexus is still not standing behind their crappy product. Soon there may be a class action if enough people get together to voice their displeasure. Hey I have repeated it over and over and I know it gets old, but I did the changes and maintained my vehicle. It sucks to eat $4300 for a rebuilt tranny when Other Toyota products are lasting much longer with less maintenance. I took my ford on vacation, because I didnt feel confident enough to go on a multi state travel with my wifes Lexus. how sad, a Luxuary car that makes you loose all confidence.

[wwest]

Late in the last century there was a paper written and published by Sierra Research (I think) on how car manufactures might use existing technology and mechanical capability to improve FE as much as 9.8%

This proposal involved ASL, Agressive Shift Logic, upshifting the transaxle whenever feasibly possible. Getting into a higher gear ratio "more" quickly will always result in lower average engine RPM and thereby improved FE.

Torque converter must be "lossy" by design, to supplant the need for a clutch the torque converter MUST NOT couple very much energy to the driveline at low engine RPM levels. So using the torque converter lockup clutch more often, to eliminate those losses, will also result in improved FE.

So, as of about the year 2000 Toyota began adopting these techniques.

That resulted, at times, in the gearbox NOT being in the most appropriate gear ratio for what the driver's next intentions might be, became.

As you come slowly to a stop the gearbox upshifts (feels as if being bumped slightly from behind) and then doesn't downshift into 1st gear until you have come to a full and complete stop.

And if you change your mind, now that the gearbox is in 3rd, before coming to a full and complete stop?

For the RX series prior to 2004 the gearbox would react always quickly and downshift simultaneously with the rise in engine RPM. These had a solid connection between the gas pedal and throttle valve.

As we all already know the earliest inceptions of this ASL technique, the 1999 RX300 for instance, is resulting in premature transaxle failures. Pretty rough on transaxle clutch frictional surfaces to have the vehicle be almost stopped and have the engine output torque level start rising rapidly while in 3rd gear and have to downshift into first quickly.

Burn baby, BURN!!

Sorta explains why ATF needs to be flushed every 15,000 miles, doesn't it..?

So, the 2004 and after RX330s (and others...??) get a DBW system to "protect the drive train", prevent the engine torque level from rising until those clutches can be fully and firmly seated.

Lots, loads of customer complaints result and not just a few written complaints to NHTSA.

What to do, WHAT to do.

Well, lets just change the firmware back so the engine RPM rises to the level desired by the driver as quickly as the driver can apply pressure to the gas pedal.

So now here we are at 2006 with 2007 models either here or on the horizon and the new engine/transaxle firmware has been adapted to eliminate the engine hesitation/delay effects.

In other words...

BURN baby, BURN.

With transaxle space so very limited in FWD vehicles just how small must those clutches be made in order to have 5-speed or even 6-speed transaxles?

Maybe Toyota has looked in to NASA's dust bin and found a clutch frictional material that will last for over 100,000 miles with the engine going "overspeed" during gearbox downshifts.

Or...

The engine hesitation/delay was deemed too hazardous to humans to warrant using it to preserve those clutch surfaces. Better to continue replacing transaxles than incur the publicity of producing cars that are clearly hazardous to the driving public.