griego Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Hey guys, how are you? So I bought my 2004 RX330 certified as a 2nd owner with 47000 miles in 2006 and at 57000 miles in 2008 I was told I had a bad trans. Under lexus warranty it was changed. Then now under 85000 miles and no warranty, again the dealer tells me there s a noise from the trans and needs to be changed again. This is ridiculous to have a 2nd bad trans as I drive less than 10k miles per year here in Florida with no mountains... So I called Headquarters and I tried to ask to see if the dealer did actually send the 1st transmission in and got a full trans replacement. I wanted to get the serial numbers exchanged but in vain..I dont trust the local dealership.. What do you guys think? Anybody experienced a 2nd bad trans under 100k for a 2004 RX330 ??? Thanks a lot for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cduluk Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 WAHH?? That's horrible! There haven't been many (i believe only one) complaints on this forum about the RX330 transmissions going out prematurely. I can't believe it happened to you twice... Is yours FWD or AWD? You mentioned you live in FL, so my guess front wheel drive? I know the 99-03 RX300 AWD models had a lot of bad transmission problems, but the RX330 is a different design. Definitely keep us updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 You got it right, it is a FWD... I am fighting my way with the dealer to get it replaced for free since is not under warranty.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 Thats crazy...first story like that on a 330 I've heard. Assuming the replacement transmission was new or a rebuild (my guess is rebuild) it should be stronger than the original... Any preventative maintenance done to it? (fluid changes?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 Well they changed the fluid when they put the new one in at 57k. But then the drain and fill should be done at 30k afterwards. I am not even there and I have a bad tran .. Any idea how can i get some paperwork saying that the trans was actually replaced and not some wires or sth inside?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 What did the invoice from the dealer state when they did the work last time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Well the notes on the invoice when they replaced the transmission at 57000 miles said : Customer states vehicle has a humming noise while driving, Lexus Reman Transmision defective, Replaced Transmission Assembly. That was under warranty by Lexus as I bought my car certified.. Recently when i took the car in for another checkup they said "there is an internal bearing noise in the transmission" and they dont do any work in the transmission anymore as they send it back to the HQ to be fixed and they just replace the whole box.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenore Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 You know, I think you have an excellent case, a failure that early is rediculous..I had a failure on my RX300 and the replacement transmission from Lexus was defective from the start..It took me a month of 7 visits to convince them that the new tranny was bad...They finally replaced it...The RX330 just has not had those kind of failures...Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Well the notes on the invoice when they replaced the transmission at 57000 miles said : Customer states vehicle has a humming noise while driving, Lexus Reman Transmision defective, Replaced Transmission Assembly. That was under warranty by Lexus as I bought my car certified.. Recently when i took the car in for another checkup they said "there is an internal bearing noise in the transmission" and they dont do any work in the transmission anymore as they send it back to the HQ to be fixed and they just replace the whole box.. This is really interesting, I bolded the part that I find interesting... "Reman Transmission" must mean "Remanufactured Transmission" which means the transmission was replaced already before you bought your RX, with a remnaufactured transmission. So this is the THIRD time its gone bad...not the second... This is completely bizarre to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 I think you got confused for a second. I purchased the vehicle certified at 47k. At 57k transmission went bad and they replaced it. My invoice had these comments "Lexus Reman Transmision defective, Replaced Transmission Assembly. " Now at 85k they did a checkup again and the comments are "Customer states vehicle has a humming noise while driving". This is the 2nd one going bad...I want to find out if they really did change the whole transmission at 57k. I called the HQ and they said they dont have details like serials of the bad/replacement transmission and they told me to ask the dealer for more info. The dealer told me to ask HQ. So there has to be something going on here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenore Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 I have been told by several dealerships that they do not do any rebuilding at the dealerships. The use of remanufactured is there normal operating mode.I too like SWO3 feel the tranny was replaced before you bought vehicle...That is totally weird or they didnt do a good job...Part of the replacement is to flush the cooling radiators to make sure there are no contaminants in the system...So three transmissions is rediculous..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 Well they printed me the whole history of the car since the 1st owner, i was the second and I dont see any other work on the transmission. The first one was at 57k under my ownership... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 I think you got confused for a second. I purchased the vehicle certified at 47k. At 57k transmission went bad and they replaced it. My invoice had these comments "Lexus Reman Transmision defective, Replaced Transmission Assembly. " Now at 85k they did a checkup again and the comments are "Customer states vehicle has a humming noise while driving". This is the 2nd one going bad...I want to find out if they really did change the whole transmission at 57k. If at 57k miles your transmission went bad and the invoice at that time had these comments: "Lexus Reman Transmision defective, Replaced Transmission Assembly. " I read that as saying the "Lexus Remanufactured Transmission is defective, transmission assembly has been replaced" to me that means the transmission that was defective at 57k miles was a remanufactured transmission, meaning the original transmission was replaced with a remanufactured one at some point before you purchased it... I would go to a separate dealership and have them pull the history for the vehicle. Something doesn't add up here, why would they call the transmission you had replaced at 57k miles a "Remanufactured" transmission if it was the original transmission? Nothing wrong with a remanufactured transmission, but something doesn't seem right about your situation, we have this weird reference in your original replacement to the one being replaced being "remanufactured" and now you need another transmission 30k miles later. There's something they aren't telling you IMHO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 Really ? If you are sure about it then i was reading it wrong... They pulled all the records for me at that same dealer but I dont see any other work done on the transm. I went to another local dealer here in Miami, and he said the car information was "purged", meaning they couldn't see it .. He said that every dealer needs to report back to Lexus so the information is accessible by any dealer.. Perhaps I should go see a 3rd dealer to see if they can get the information on my car.. I am calling back and forth the HQ to replace it for me.. For now they said they will cover 50% of the costs but I am not happy.. But your right my gut feeling is that there is something more behind the story , not sure how far i can proceed.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 One more thing.. If it is true what you are saying "SW03ES" , that means this would be the 3rd time this car has trans issue. Could it be considered a "lemon" under Florida law? I need to read more about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Something sounds fishy...the only thing "Reman Transmission" could possibly mean is "Remanufactured Transmission". Anybody else have any other ideas what it could mean? I even Googled "Reman Transmission" and everything that came up read remanufactured. I would bring up to HQ what your original work order from the first time says, and that a different dealer told you the records were "purged" (isn't that interesting?) and tell them that you are starting to wonder whether this vehicle has some history that wasn't disclosed to you when you purchased it Certified Pre Owned. I bet you get this replacement covered real quick... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEXIRX330 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I doubt it would be a lemon. Most states lemon laws to my knowledge only apply to original owners not used or certified. Stay on them I bet they will do more than 50%. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 Yes I will.. I might pass by another dealer to see if they can see my car's history.. I will keep you posted. thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 No problem, yeah keep us posted... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 I talked to the HQ again, and they said that the best they will do is 50%. I am not willing to pay 50% of a $4000 job. No way.. Thinking to send a letter to them or sth.. Does it worth it going to the dealer back ? thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 We called back and forth with the supervisor in the HQ, they said the only thing they can do is 50% coverage of the transmission. Guess I should consider getting a 3rd party warranty and call it in, in a couple of months or something... Unbelievable... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEXIRX330 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 We called back and forth with the supervisor in the HQ, they said the only thing they can do is 50% coverage of the transmission. Guess I should consider getting a 3rd party warranty and call it in, in a couple of months or something... Unbelievable... God I love people like you...ethics only when it applies to you! Unbelievable is right... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 Well i didnt say I am going to do it.. Brainstorming :P any other helpful ideas? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griego Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Well i didnt say I am going to do it.. Brainstorming :P any other helpful ideas? thanks Just to close this thread, i trade it in carmax for 10k. No more lexus for me ... Enjoy your holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Yikes...you got killed on that deal. Especially since spending $2k would have made it worth probably $5k more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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