02-06 Transmission hesitation problems

[Blueangel]

I like this car Lexus very much on the picture. The design is very special and metal is great! One of my friend have one, and he stop his car in the outside of our factroy which produce the digital product! It is very cool!

chinablueangel digital

[RickyP]

I have a new 2003 ES300 with 700 miles, The transmission shifting pattern seems

> super erratic. If you ever let off the accelerator and put it back where

it

> was, there is a thump with the transmission, also a lot of hesitation say

> from 27 mph when pressing on the accel. Seems like a computer problem and

> engine and transmission have delays in talking with each other. The

dealer

> says a software update may be in the works by the year end. Anyone else

> experience this? It is getting a lot of press, and I even heard that there was a class action suit headed that way. Maybe they can't fix it. It makes me want to trade the new thing off, I dont want to be in a Houston intersection and need to move.

>

>

I'm pretty sure I have the same problem except I have way more miles than you. I got a 2003 es 300 too with 81000 miles on it but anyway when i'm at a stop sign and want to accelerate pretty quick i sometimes get a nasty little jerk (i dont know if you get that too)

And it happens to me when i'm going like 20 mph and let off the gas a little bit i'll hear the engine kind of like pause and then resume. Its wierd I know. But sometimes I think the stop sign thing might just be because its a luxury car not a sports car but who knows!

[mrlexluter2]

:chairshot: :chairshot: :chairshot:

Let's just be real on this issue...... <_< there just isnt' a real solution to this hard shifting, late shifting, just plain lazy shifting... what i learnt is warm your car up till the rpm is below 1000. when taken off, never flow it look at your rpms compared to your shifting gears see which gear shift some what normal at what rpms like 1st some where around 1500 2nd 2200 so on.. your's may be different just see where the hard or late shifts begin at. once you figure that out either raise or lower your rpm's to where the shifting is not so hard or lazy like and just memorize it but dont try to force shift it let it shift on it's on even if it's late. If you in traffic just use your POWER button B) . I mean lexus not really good on acceleration all that fast but once you begin to pick up speed all else is going to flow

[kashife]

hey I own a 99, es 300, my car hesitates between first and second gear shift. It did the same thing 3 months ago then the problem went away, not since yesterday its been happening again. any suggestions or advices pls?

[sotiredoflexus]

New here - just found this forum. Thank you guys for tones of useful info.

I have ES 330 2005. Just wanted to sat that I do not have any transmission hesitation problem with it. Not sure why, but I do not.

Cheers.

Stokka.

I wish I could say the same. We just picked up a used 330 with less than 15k miles on it and it certainly has this issue. I'm just glad to learn that I'm not losing my mind.

I am going to look into the reflash. If that does not help I may have to sell the car. This issue is driving me crazy.

Interestingly, I just sold my 2006 IS250 that had an awful 6 speed standard in it (terrible clutch, poor gating, and very noisy). Very disappointing for a $45k car (in Canada).

[GS 430]

New here - just found this forum. Thank you guys for tones of useful info.

I have ES 330 2005. Just wanted to sat that I do not have any transmission hesitation problem with it. Not sure why, but I do not.

Cheers.

Stokka.

I wish I could say the same. We just picked up a used 330 with less than 15k miles on it and it certainly has this issue. I'm just glad to learn that I'm not losing my mind.

I am going to look into the reflash. If that does not help I may have to sell the car. This issue is driving me crazy.

Interestingly, I just sold my 2006 IS250 that had an awful 6 speed standard in it (terrible clutch, poor gating, and very noisy). Very disappointing for a $45k car (in Canada).

Hey there, I bought a 2006 ES 330 in march of 2009. It also has a weird shift. It will give a kick or lurch if you are driving slow and let off on the pedal a little and push it again. (like when driving on a side street, parking lot or slow moving traffic) Of course it has the latest shift program, but it is not perfect. It is a shame that such a fine automobile has such an ugly glitch. I have since accepted its quirk, and to be honest, it is the ONLY one issue I have with this car. It is close to perfect........Let the pursuit continue!

[gflvette2]

Hello, I have a 2002 with 65,000 mi. and I asked the service advisor if I should change the trans. fluid. He said "Yes" but my concern is that it might make the trans worse than what it is now. Oh, I do have the "ALL THE ABOVE PROBLEMS" AND I DID HAVE THE RE-FLASH. I think its worse now. Could someone give me some advice as to whether I should have them change the fluid? Would it help or am I waisting my time and money. Thanks, George.

[MrLexLuther]

The 5 speed transmission on my new '03 seems a little strange. If I drive about 35mph and then slow down to about 5mph and than try to accelerate there is a hesitation. It's as if the transmission can not decide on what gear to go into. When it finally does there's a slight lurch forward. Can this be adjusted?

Alan

I try 3 things change the Tranmission speed sensor, vehicle speed sensor and this maybe a lil messy but worth it jack your car up safely find the right alan wrench to fit and take off the transmission drain plug, drain all the fluid put that "Seaform for transmission' 1st add the other dexron 2 trans fluid to it run it for 100 miles drain again add new fluid with the lucas transmission additive. and see how she runs with all said spend bout 350 do it yourself

[OGteg]

ES300, I have one and will never buy one again. Problem after problem, I probably got a bad egg.

[SPeller]

Hi guys! Can onyone tell me can I make the re-flash by myself using the Techstream software and obtain new ECU firmware through TIS account?

[corrinla]

mine was build in 2009

[wesv123]

Bought an o2 lexus es300 having some jumping while shifting. I called dealer and they said I could get it reflashed for $95 but wasnt sure if this was due to high mileage 200,000 plus on this transmission or if this is the problem that i have been reading about on this post. While on highway I cant tell if car is going in to overdrive it seems to be running at a higher rpm. Does anyone know if the D lights up in while in overdrive?

[wesv123]

Bought an o2 lexus es300 having some jumping while shifting. I called dealer and they said I could get it reflashed for $95 but wasnt sure if this was due to high mileage 200,000 plus on this transmission or if this is the problem that i have been reading about on this post. While on highway I cant tell if car is going in to overdrive it seems to be running at a higher rpm. Does anyone know if the D lights up in while in overdrive?

[skibear99]

I have an '03 ES300 I got last June with 58K miles on it. I now have 73K on it. Overall very good, except when I'm accelerating, and I back off the gas, it stays in 4th Gear for 5-10 seconds longer than I think it should.

Ideally when backing off of acceleration, it should just pop into 5th gear immediately.

One other issue that occurred recently I should tell others about is that My "Air Bag" (Within the Engine) became cracked. This led to the car bucking under acceleration, even though when you put the car in neutral and revved the car up, it did so without any problem. I took it to a Toyota Dealer, who discovered the issue within a day or two. The problem was inconsistent Vacuum pressure which confused the Engine Computer.

[wesv123]

James have you noticed while on highway in overdrive does your dash display the D or does the 4 stay lit up? Thanks for your post. I really can't tell if mine is going in to overdrive. Or have you noticed what RPM you are running at 65mph? Thanks again for your post!!!!

[AJMAWI]

Hello

I HV LEXUS ES300 2003 AND HV SAME AS WHAT YOU EXPLAINE THE Transmission hesitation problems

CAN YOU TELL ME HOW IT CAN BE FIX PLZ HELP ME

[mikebuyscars]

I have a 2004 ES 330 that we purchased with 101K miles. We had it on our lot for sale and my wife fell in love. She still loves the car. yes, it has the quirky transmission. It just seems that the electronics get confused sometimes. We now have 153K miles and soon plan to give this car to my son for 2 years, then to my youngest son for 2 years. should the transmission be better in a luxury car, YES. Would I buy another one?? In a very fast minute I would surely buy another. My wife is in real estate and runs my kids around all over town. In 3 years of ownership I have had to repair 2 brake calipers, everything else was maintenance. Today I spent about $500 for 2 tires, 2 new belts, rubber bushings for the back and replaced a rusty heat shield between the exhaust and the gas tank. now the car is quiet again. I can live with it! Still way cheaper than buying a new car!

[Brandon93]

I purchased a 2003 ES 300 about a week ago...only 65k miles! Love the car and I rarely notice any hesitation problems. My Mom bought a 2005 ES 330 new (she has since traded it in for a 2013 ES 350) and that 2005 had horrible hesitation issues. We took it to the Lexus dealer for a regional service advisor to have a look. They said they couldn't find anything wrong and just flashed the ECU. I think the hesitation problems started in 2004 when Lexus introduced the ES 330 (3.3L engine vs. 3.0L for ES 300). The horsepower to torque ratio was way off. The ES 330 had 225hp and 240 Ibs-ft of torque @3600rpm as oppose to the ES 300's 210hp and 220 Ibs-ft of torque. From what I was told, the gap between HP and torque caused the car to kind of "jult" as if it was ready to take off and race when you accelerate from about 5mph. Also I was told it is the drive by wire throttle system that causes the issues. In 2006, Lexus adjusted the power of the ES 330 to 218hp and 236 Ibs-ft of torque possibly due to all of the complaints. I don't think it did much, but once the 3.5L engine was introduced in 2007 for the ES 350, the hesitation was no more. Bottom line is there really is no "fix" as to what you can do to get rid of the hesitation. I remember a service advisor telling me that instead of rolling through a stop sign at 5mph, actually stop so the computers/throttle can reset and there will be no hesitation. Or, you can always roll through the stop sign at 5mph and give it a few seconds then accelerate that should work, too. The car as a whole out weighs the hesitation issue I really like it.

[AZLexicon]

It is the early drive by wire set up that is the culprit. I have an 05 ES330 with 88,000 on it and while the periodic hesitation is annoying, it's not a deal breaker. I've heard that manually shifting the transmission will prevent the hesitation/hunting for gears, but will also hurt the mpg.