02-06 Transmission hesitation problems

[steviej]

ok............now exhale, annnnnnnnnnnd smile.

Initial impression with about 100 miles of highway, backroads, and city travel.

I am very impressed with the most recent reflash (#TC004-03R).

The major problem we all hate, the push the pedal to the floor-watch the tach skyrocket and wait for the car to catch up is gone.

If I hit the pedal to the floor the tach goes up and the car accelerates accordingly. However, don't get hesitation and slow acceleration mixed up. The tach doesn't skyrocket as previously and the car does pick up speed rapidly. But guys, we are not in a turbo or supercharged ES, so the pick up is not gonna get you in the NHRA. It did get me in an out of traffic, on ramps and intersections like I expect.

I also noticed that upon rapid acceleration, the tranny found/dropped to the gear I would have chosen if it were a manual. Another plus.

As for shifting, 1st gear duration is very quick, you are there for seconds if that.

2500 rpm and it goes to the next gear under normal acceleration. 4000 rpm when I hit the floor quickly with the pedal. The gear changes are as smooth as before the reflash.

Red-lining is also possible, but the speed of the car is comensorate. I managed this when I was doing about 30 and smashed it. I was doing 60 in an instant. The roads were slick to so I don't know if the rpms went higher due to the tires slightly breaking traction. It barely gets over the begining of the redline and then the tranny drops to the next gear (putting you far from redline again). I am comfortable with that, if I ever have to stomp on it.

The joggle that I used to get at 40mph when it couldn't make up its mind for 4th or 5th is gone (or at least not noticed today).

Now, mind you the ECU is learning at step 1 again and the car only has 100 miles on the new program. I can say that the shifting is changed and from what I have seen today, for the better......MUCH BETTER.

I cannot make any prognosis as to what the operation or performance of this reflash is for the long term, but I will most definately keep you posted as to the what I see with my ES.

SW, as for driving the way that we adapted.........that still works as smooth as ever, too.

steviej

[amf1932]

Stevie-

Your findings are good enough for me......I'm calling my dealer to make an appointment tomorrow! Thank you for your complete take on this new upgrade.

[SW03ES]

Great, I'll have mine done right away!

What was the code or name of the reflash?

[SW03ES]

Its not that all the cars dont have the problem, they do, its that not all the drivers experience the problem. I've never driven a Lexus that didn't have this hesitation and I've driven many, especially ES's.

Supposedly theres a reflash that fixes it now though, check out the pinned thread.

[bgut1]

I told you guys but you didn't listen to me !!! :D

[Lexusfreak]

Anybody know if there have been any complaints with the all new Avalon & it's 5 speed automatic?

[obsidianr]

Great, I'll have mine done right away!

What was the code or name of the reflash?

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Attached is the most recent TSB for this. It was updated in April 2005.

tc004.pdf

[amf1932]

Great, I'll have mine done right away!

What was the code or name of the reflash?

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#TC004-03R

[alank22181]

I have read many of the comments on this thread hoping that someone would have run into my problem- but nothing has surfaced- therefore I'll chime in with another "tranny" problem.

I call it a Dragging at acceleration

I have a 2004 330 and have about 10,000 miles on it after 1 year of driving. The last few months I have been alarmed by a dragging feeling occuring and the transmission appears to be stuck in 3rd gear. The RPM's are 1000 over what they should be for the speed I am driving.

This situation can happen on city driving 20-40 mph or on open highway, at 50-60 mph. Its always evident when I am accelerating. It also occasionaly happens when it downshifts. When ever i experience this problem, the only way I know to get it to behave normally is pull over and stop, then start driving again.

In normal driving, even at speeds around 50 mph, the RPM's rarely go over 2000. When this "sticking" occurs, the RPM's shoot up to 3000 and higher. My gas mileage is equally impacted. Normal is get 21-24 mpg, when the trans get's stuck, the MPG plunges to 14-16mpg.

What is going on? I called the dealer's repair facility and the gentleman I talked to did not know of ANY tranny problems happening on EX 330's. I explained that I was aware of hundreds of complaints and I'd send them this web URL to enlighten their staff.

Alan in Vienna

[sonewsy]

Anybody know if there have been any complaints with the all new Avalon & it's 5 speed automatic? 

 

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Yup. Go to the Edmunds forums and hit on Avalon link.

[SW03ES]

We're sure this is a new modification? My service rep knew nothing about it and hadn't heard about anything being new. The update in April says they just added the ES330 to the list of applicable vehicles.

[amf1932]

We're sure this is a new modification? My service rep knew nothing about it and hadn't heard about anything being new. The update in April says they just added the ES330 to the list of applicable vehicles.

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I dropped my car off at my Lexus dealer this afternoon. I also printed out the .pdf file with all the information about this update released April 2005. They were very much aware of this new update. Sooooo....I left my car there, and they will install the new software tomorrow morning. I'll keep you informed. I'm getting all excited. :D

[SW03ES]

Cool, my guy must just be confused (doesnt surprise me)

[98es]

steviej- any noticable drop in MPG for you? We're still running around 16mpg city, 2 MPG less than before the reflash. Just curious....

[jragosta]

Its not that all the cars dont have the problem, they do, its that not all the drivers experience the problem. I've never driven a Lexus that didn't have this hesitation and I've driven many, especially ES's.

Supposedly theres a reflash that fixes it now though, check out the pinned thread.

←

It doesn't look like there's a fix.

After my last service visit, I sent in the questionnaire about their service. I pointed out that I was particularly offended when Lexus tells me that clearly defective behavior is normal - this is what they told me both over the transmission problem and the fact that the seat memory doesn't go back to the same position.

I got a call today from their customer support and explained my concerns. She re-iterated that they don't have a fix for the problem - and implied that there will never be one. Now, it's possible that they simply never told their customer support people about the latest flash, but I doubt it. Considering all the complaints, you'd think that they'd tell them about the new patch - if it really fixed the problem.

[SW03ES]

Check out the thread on top of the forum, so far everyone who has had the latest patch has been real pleased with it. Mine gets flashed tomorrow.

They're never going to say that something fixes it again because they'd have to admit theres a problem and bring on that liability. Its a "shift feeling enhancement" not a fix. Get it done and see how you like it before you dismiss it.

[amf1932]

I started this thread on May 20, 2003, so if you go back to my first post it'll explain why I absolutely hated this ES's performance, from the time I picked up this brand new car from my Lexus dealer.

Well, I can finally tell you that I'm completely satisfied with this new transmission calibration. Gone is the hesitation! Gone is the transmission hunting for the proper gear to go into! Gone is the lagging feeling as you go from a standing start.

Today I picked up the car and immediately noticed a vast difference as I drove off the first time. Mind you, the transmission didn't even know my driving habits, so it didn't make any minor electronic adjustments to make it feel any better.

Now the car responds like a good transmission is supposed to.....downshifts at the proper RPM and upshifts at the proper RPM. Like steviej said in an above post, it sorta feels like a manual transmission, where you would normally shift the car. It's beautiful.

There is no more of having to adjust your driving style as you had to do before this upgrade. It now knows!!

Lexus finally got it right!

I'll post some of my findings in the future, but as of now, I'm happy as a pig in s**t.

:cheers: :cheers:

[LexKid630]

I don't know what everyone's talking about. I just took my wife's 05 es330 out few minutes ago to see if i noticed anything; i didn't notice anything unusual. It rides very smooth and shifts as i think it should.

Is this a "problem" with the ES330, or just something unusual; like the rx330's strange upshifting. Maybe it's just because i'm so used to the lexus transmission i can't tell.

I still think it's a great car. Maybe i'm wrong?

[sonewsy]

I don't know what everyone's talking about. I just took my wife's 05 es330 out few minutes ago to see if i noticed anything; i didn't notice anything unusual. It rides very smooth and shifts as i think it should.

Is this a "problem" with the ES330, or just something unusual; like the rx330's strange upshifting.  Maybe it's just because i'm so used to the lexus transmission i can't tell.

I still think it's a great car. Maybe i'm wrong?

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Not at all. Not all cars have the problem. Mine doesn't. Or at least with 6,200 miles, not yet.

I've driven Lexuses with the problem and without.

[amf1932]

The newest transmission upgrade that was released on April 2005 now includes ES's plus other model Lexus's, so I guess some owners of 2005 models also didn't like the shifting quality. Even though you're happy with your car I think this upgrade will make you even happier. :)

[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.

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Thanks to all for your respnses. I've concluded, "I ain't the only one." There's even a class action suit started.

[SW03ES]

Thats great! I can't wait to have this done today at 1:30.

[amf1932]

I think a class action suit will be a waste of time, as has been proven in the past, especially now that they have fixed this problem with their newest transmission calibration.

There have been a few owners that brought Lexus to court and got nowhere fast.

[SW03ES]

Wait and see Alan, this fix isn't going to stop all this anger. People are out for blood now and I've already seen a couple of instances where people have glossed right over the info about this update and even dismissed it entirely even in light of the positive response its gotten from everyone thats had it done.

This is what my problem with a lot of the people that have this hesitation has been all along, they don't want it fixed. Some people are happiest when they're unhappy.

[SW03ES]

I just had it done, not entirely sure this was the most recent reflash as the guy still didnt know anything was new.

My invoice reads:

EG5017 or maybe 7315 W

Its better but still kinda notchy in places, any insights?