2004 Gx 470 Trans Leak

[bcippola]

Long story as short as I can make it...

gx470 4wd stick vibrating like crazy.We have never even used the 4wd. Take it into a referred shop and they say differential oil leaked out. $70 bucks and your god to go. No more 4wd stick shift vibration .2 DAYS LATER fiance calls from parking garage and says puddle under truck and auto trans wont go into gear. Call the shop and the guy drives right over and pops emergency release on gear shift. He keeps car for 2 days and then tells me that it is out of his expertise and we need to take it to Lexus and he wont refund us our money.However car drove fine going home from shop and gear shift worked. But still a puddle on garage floor next day Thinking about complaining to BBB? So I have taken some pics from underside of car for anyone to glance at and give me your opinion. This economy stinks and we are trying to avoid being pillaged at Lexus for a repair.

Pics are of differential case leak I believe? Or is there an actual gasket or o-ring on the trans that need replacement?

Thanks

BC

[Booyah]

Well to get it done RIGHT--I would take it to lexus and just have them do a Diagnostic on it for say 1/2 hr of labor $$ so you will know exactly what kind of bill you are looking for. With todays cars you almost Have to take it to a dealer to get it worked on--it may not be as bad as you think

[bcippola]

Well to get it done RIGHT--I would take it to lexus and just have them do a Diagnostic on it for say 1/2 hr of labor $$ so you will know exactly what kind of bill you are looking for. With todays cars you almost Have to take it to a dealer to get it worked on--it may not be as bad as you think

Thanks for reply. If anyone has had any similar issue as mine please let me know.

Thans

BC

[mann777]

Ok from what I see is the Drive actuator is got a leak, I had the similar one 3 months back, and exactly the spillage, everywhere wherever I had parked, now it is not a serious issue at all. Ok here it what you need to do.

1. First before jacking up the car, ensure Drive Mode s/w off.

2. Jack your car up.

3. To the actuator you have the lead harness going into it, disconnect the one on the body of the transmsission connecting to the harness.

4. Do not at any given time disconnect battery terminals( if done, the ecm stores a message that drive actuator is defective. And to erase this message you will have to go to the lexus and do it from the obd).

5. Remove the drive actuator by remove the 4 bolts in the front and then 2 bolts connecting the trans.

6. You will have a spillage of bit oil from the actuator, not to worry.

7. Get the actuator on the workbench and open it you will see an oil seal within the actuator damaged, try getting a new seal , replace it and ensure proper application of gasket silicon is applied better to buy the ones toyota sell it. Good stuff.

8. Fit the same way backwards.

9. Top up the WS trans oil.

10.Connect the harness connector to the trans and the actuator.

11. Start you car, raise the RPM to 3000 for 2-3 mts. Shift your Transmission gear from P - D - 1-2 ( all of it) Shut down your engine.

12. Again Top up your WS trans oil.

13. Lower your car from jacks.

14. Now get the Drive mode s/w to on ( ride control)

15. Good to go.

let me know how it has faired well.

[bcippola]

Ok from what I see is the Drive actuator is got a leak, I had the similar one 3 months back, and exactly the spillage, everywhere wherever I had parked, now it is not a serious issue at all. Ok here it what you need to do.

1. First before jacking up the car, ensure Drive Mode s/w off.

2. Jack your car up.

3. To the actuator you have the lead harness going into it, disconnect the one on the body of the transmsission connecting to the harness.

4. Do not at any given time disconnect battery terminals( if done, the ecm stores a message that drive actuator is defective. And to erase this message you will have to go to the lexus and do it from the obd).

5. Remove the drive actuator by remove the 4 bolts in the front and then 2 bolts connecting the trans.

6. You will have a spillage of bit oil from the actuator, not to worry.

7. Get the actuator on the workbench and open it you will see an oil seal within the actuator damaged, try getting a new seal , replace it and ensure proper application of gasket silicon is applied better to buy the ones toyota sell it. Good stuff.

8. Fit the same way backwards.

9. Top up the WS trans oil.

10.Connect the harness connector to the trans and the actuator.

11. Start you car, raise the RPM to 3000 for 2-3 mts. Shift your Transmission gear from P - D - 1-2 ( all of it) Shut down your engine.

12. Again Top up your WS trans oil.

13. Lower your car from jacks.

14. Now get the Drive mode s/w to on ( ride control)

15. Good to go.

let me know how it has faired well.

Thanks for your response to my gx470 leak. In your opinion if I took this in to a reputable shop how uch would you "guesstimate" repair would cost?

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=55379

Thanks again

Bill

[mann777]

Bill from the time you have all the parts, like the O-Ring oil seal, WS Trans oil for top up, the complete job time should finish max 1 hr 15 mts. It should not cost more that 50-75/-$. for using the garage for jacking up the car, you yourself can do it, just have the right tools. Here is the snap of the oil seal. I cannot find the part number as Sewell do not have this, they were willing to sell the whole actuator itself. Anyway you should get at any part stores selling oil seals. The inner dia is 15mm and Outer Dia is 23. Make sure you get this exact size a bit variation you will have the same dilemma of oil leak after some time.

cheers i am going to sleep

[Gary55]

Bill,

I am having this same issue with my 2004...167,000 miles on it.  I am seeing a drop or 2 every day when I leave the driveway.  I have researched this am am being told that the transfer case needs to be removed to replace an "O" ring that sits between the actuator and transfer case...