02-06 Transmission hesitation problems

[sonewsy]

I have 5,000 miles on my ES, had oil change yesterday. I wouldn't trade my car in. And I have no complaints.

Initially, a few times, car felt jerky when driving 1-5 mph. Not consistent and hasn't happened in a long time.

No other acceleration/hesitation problems. I am not in a lot of stop and go traffic for the record.

I am glad I got the 2005. Some people ay ALL es 330s have the hesitation problem. Not true.

[SW03ES]

Well...they do. It depends on how you drive, Some DRIVERS do not experienced the hesitation problem, but all the cars have it. Every Lexus does, as do cars from many other makes with electronic throttles.

[wwest]

Cross-pollenization results in common flaws throughout specific fleets.

European climate control systems designed by Bosch cause exterior fogging of the windshield surface by inappropriately CHILLING the windshield on a HOT and HUMID day.

Asian climate control system by NipponDenso, Denso US, cause interior windshield fogging as a result of NOT keeping the windshield WARMED on a COLD and HUMID day.

Who, what entity, other than an actual automobile manufacturer, was the arther of the original source code for electronically controlled transaxle and transmssion shifting sequences?

The original SIN!

[ES330-2005]

I have been driving 2005 ES330 for 2 months. This car has this problem also. The hesitation is really annoying. Especially, when I enter the freeway, the car will not accelerate quick enough. I think this is danger and a faulty design.

My problem was that I didn't do enough research before I buy this car. This made me :( .

I dropped off my car for repair this morning (Dealer scartched my car when they repaired my seatbelt) and I got a loaner (2004 ES330). This loaner car is much better than my 2005 ES330 because it did not have the hesitation problem.

The good thing is that I am not alone. The bad thing is I am one of the victim. I will talk to the service consultant when I get my car back later. I hope he can fix it.

[98es]

I'm not sure if anyone has done this yet, but I just got back our 2002 ES from the dealer, and they updated the tranny software. MAN what a difference!!! This thing drives like a TOTALLY different car! It says something like "recalibrated shift points" on the service invoice too. Hesitation is almost gone. I'm not sure when the last time the software in this car was updated, we just bout it CPO, but going through the records i don't think it ever was. The newest update seems to drag out the gears a little longer, which makes this car feel a lot more peppier. I wouldn't be surprised to see gas milage go down a little, but it would definitely be worth it to me. I honestly didn't think any software upgrade would help, but I'm very pleased with the results.

[amf1932]

I'm not sure if anyone has done this yet, but I just got back our 2002 ES from the dealer, and they updated the tranny software. MAN what a difference!!! This thing drives like a TOTALLY different car! It says something like "recalibrated shift points" on the service invoice too. Hesitation is almost gone. I'm not sure when the last time the software in this car was updated, we just bout it CPO, but going through the records i don't think it ever was. The newest update seems to drag out the gears a little longer, which makes this car feel a lot more peppier. I wouldn't be surprised to see gas milage go down a little, but it would definitely be worth it to me. I honestly didn't think any software upgrade would help, but I'm very pleased with the results.

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I'm glad to hear that this upgrade worked for you, but the fact that you don't know whether the previous upgrade was done on your car will make me wait a little longer, until I find somebody that went through all the original steps of upgrading.

I'm waiting for steviej to do it first. :P

[steviej]

Alan, the ECU is being reflashed next Monday (5/23/05) then I leave for Toronto to see the Red Sox do some Canadian bird bashing. I will wait about 2-3 weeks to post up my feelings only cause I want the reflash to learn my habits before I make claims that it worked, was an improvement or was a waste of time.

For what it is worth, my service manager did say that he highly recomended this one where as he strongly advised me to not have the original reflash done.

Trust me though Alan, I'll put it all on the table for you. I'll even come down to NY to let you drive mine first if it is favorable. You gotta buy the coffee, though.

steviej

[amf1932]

Trust me though Alan, I'll put it all on the table for you. I'll even come down to NY to let you drive mine first if it is favorable. You gotta buy the coffee, though.

Stevie-

I await your decision........then we could go down to my favorite Lexus dealer and get the best coffee & donuts, or bagels.......FREE!! heehee :D Who said I was cheap??

[texagun]

Is this "hesitation problem" just affecting the ES-330's? I am considering the LS-430 and was wondering if it was a problem with that model too?? Thanks for any info.

[98es]

It's been a week since the reflash. Not too much has changed, hesitation hasn't come back like it was before. I've definitely seen a change in gas milage though. With about 95% city driving, before the reflash I was getting around 19 MPG, now its down to 16-17. I did kind of figure this would happen, since it really seems to drag out the gears. It seems like 2nd gear doesn't change until around 4000 rpms with normal acceleration, when before it was around 2500. Anyone else tried the new reflash?

[amf1932]

It seems like 2nd gear doesn't change until around 4000 rpms with normal acceleration, when before it was around 2500.

Wow, that sounds terrible! 4000 rpm is quite high for an upshift unless you're really pushing on the throttle.

If this is what happens when you do the re-flash.......I ain't gonna do it!! :whistles:

[bgut1]

It seems like 2nd gear doesn't change until around 4000 rpms with normal acceleration, when before it was around 2500.

Wow, that sounds terrible! 4000 rpm is quite high for an upshift unless you're really pushing on the throttle.

If this is what happens when you do the re-flash.......I ain't gonna do it!! :whistles:

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I had my 05 es330 reflashed the other day and have to agree that it seems to have solved the hesitation problem. I also have noticed the higher rpm before upshift but don't really mind as long as the hesitation issue is resolved. Another byproduct of the reflash is that the car seems more responsive and peppier. I would definietly do the reflash again. No regrets.

[bgut1]

On my way to work this morning, I decided to test my car out. I can confirm the earlier poster's observation that there is a gear shift at about 4,000 RPMs, HOWEVER, I only noticed that this occured when you "gunned" the accelerator. During normal acceleration the shift is at about 2,500 RPMs. For all those hesitating to perform this reflash, I suggest you get off the fence. This is evidently the solution to this very old problem.

[McBurg51]

In reading posts back to 02-03 it's apparent the tranny "hesitation/surge" problem has been around awhile and Lexus has done little if any to correct it. My dealer basically shrugs with a "that's the way it is and there's nothing we can adjust or change to fix it." Our 01 Camry is about as close to a perfect car as we've ever had but the so called "luxury" Lexus is a real disappointment. Oh well, it's only a car.

[LexKid630]

In reading posts back to 02-03 it's apparent the tranny "hesitation/surge" problem has been around awhile and Lexus has done little if any to correct it.  My dealer basically shrugs with a  "that's the way it is and there's nothing we can adjust or change to fix it."  Our 01 Camry is about as  close to a perfect car as we've ever had but the so called "luxury" Lexus is a real disappointment.  Oh well, it's only a car.

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My wife has had an 05 es330 for a few months now and loves it. There haven't been ANY preblems with it, unless you want to call a long scratch on the side a manufacturing problem lol

My brother has a 2001 toyota camry xle and loves it to death! He has over 100k miles i'm sure of it, and hasn't had any problems at all. Toyota knows how to make cars!

[VGR]

Our 01 Camry is about as  close to a perfect car as we've ever had but the so called "luxury" Lexus is a real disappointment.  Oh well, it's only a car.

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A '02-'05 ES 300 /330 is a cosmetically dressed up and slightly better insulated '02-'05 V6 Camry. You pay roughly a $7,000 premium for the luxury appointments and prestige. Mechanically, however, the ES330 is virtually identical to a V6 Camry so it drives the same.

[Lexusfreak]

In reading posts back to 02-03 it's apparent the tranny "hesitation/surge" problem has been around awhile and Lexus has done little if any to correct it.  My dealer basically shrugs with a  "that's the way it is and there's nothing we can adjust or change to fix it."  Our 01 Camry is about as  close to a perfect car as we've ever had but the so called "luxury" Lexus is a real disappointment.  Oh well, it's only a car.

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My wife has had an 05 es330 for a few months now and loves it. There haven't been ANY preblems with it, unless you want to call a long scratch on the side a manufacturing problem lol

My brother has a 2001 toyota camry xle and loves it to death! He has over 100k miles i'm sure of it, and hasn't had any problems at all. Toyota knows how to make cars!

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I don't think there have been any major complaints with tje 97 - 01 ES or Camry V6's LexKid (I know I personally don't), only the 02+ generation with the 5 speed automatic. But the 05's have alot less complaints than the 02 & 03's from what I have read.

[amf1932]

Of course there's a lot less complaints on the '05's......Lexus sold a lot less '05's so far. Ratio wise, there's plenty of complaints on the '05 also. :whistles:

Check out Edmunds: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@@.ef14656/0

[Lexusfreak]

I had a feeling amf. ;)

[steviej]

I am having it done at 8am tomorrow morning

steviej

[bgut1]

I am having it done at 8am tomorrow morning

steviej

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Good luck - Let us know what you think.

[SW03ES]

Yes, please do Steve.

[SW03ES]

His 01 Camry doesnt have an electronic throttle thats the difference.

Unfortunately its something you just have to get used to, in my experience you do get used to it and can drive around it. Do a search and read all the info we've got on the board about the subject.

[amf1932]

Yes, please do Steve.

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I'm holding my breath. LOL :)

[sonewsy]

His 01 Camry doesnt have an electronic throttle thats the difference.

Unfortunately its something you just have to get used to, in my experience you do get used to it and can drive around it. Do a search and read all the info we've got on the board about the subject.

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Not all the cars have the problem. My 2005 ES has 6,000 miles. The only hesitating /surge I have is when driving between 1-5 mph. Shouldn't be there, but not a major problem.

I've also owned a Camry. World of difference between the Lexus ES and the Camry.