Rx300

[lstfs42]

Every morning we have experienced a problem with the RX300 during the first few minutes after startup. It seems to shift hard and does not excellerate properly, sometimes having a momentary hesitation.

If the shifting and hesitation was slight I would not mind, but it is more thqan that and the dealer says that it is a normal characteristic of the card.

Has anyone experienced the same or similar problem?

[LadyLexRX]

Yes I notice the same thing with my RX. Seems once hte car warms up it is fine though.

[RX300owner]

I have similar experiences, though I dont think my rx300 seems to shift as "hard" as yours might. Though, I still think my shifting (and acceleration, etc) is rough. I blamed this on the weather. I live in a pretty cold place (winter here is ~5 - 6 mo. and is continually below freezing day and night for ~2 - 3 mo.) and I think the parts, as previously mentioned, just need to warm up. If you need to picture it, think of it as the lubricated oil is near-frozen (well, not really, but it's cold sludge) and makes the car parts harder to move while cold. So warming up the car, the parts and the oil makes for a smoother, more desireable ride :D

[GROlsen]

I have a similar problem, but not with the shifting. When my car is cold (and I DO NOT live in a cold climate... I live in the San Francisco Bay Area), my brakes make lots of noise. However, when it warms up, no such problem. I talked to my Lexus dealer and was told that was normal.

However, just this week, I had my 60,000 mile service ($617) so had a loaner. It did not display the same issue. I was not given a good explanation for this.

Perhaps some of you out there have the same issue with your brakes?

[RX300owner]

One reason for squeaky breaks is rusting. Rust occurs on Iron surfaces in a range of temperatures, as long as the car sits for a long enough period of time and there is moisture in the air. Unless you leave your car out for a VERY long time (on the order of years) without use, the rust that might build up on your breaks will rub off as you use them. That's why it takes a little bit of use (for me, just driving around the block once) for the sqeaking to stop.

That's just my theory. It works. Call me wrong if you like.

[lordzatez]

On your hard shifting in the morning problem does it happen to be a 1999 they had a major notice on shifing when cold. The operating temp. had to reach a certain temp.(transmission that is) before it would shift into final drive ( seemed to feel like it was over reving or holding back its shift) unfortunetly it is a normal operation especially noticed on 1999 then was reduced quite a bit in 2000 and on. I drove alot on operation complaints and I live at top of a hill at it feels bad, but after 1999 it does not get noticed as much ( barely noticable on my 01 silversport. Sorry

[liljohn]

I'm on this owners forum because I wondered if any other 1999 rx's were having transmission problems. My car has always shifted hard in the morning as well, I never worried about it till it actually started slipping regularly.

Now I have an Rx 300 with 77000 miles on it and it needs a new transmission.

(the warrenty is 6yrs- 70000) I have checked Nashville, Atlanta & Knoxville the $4500.00 transmission is back ordered at all three dealers something like 40 transmissions. How many 99' LS,GS,ES transmissions on backorder? none.

Lexus customer service has been contacted about a "warrenty extension"

but no word yet. My belief is that Lexus has problem with this transmission, and the transmission is in great demand all over the country otherwise it would be easy to get. I love the car, the way it looks ,and drives, but I expect more from a car that cost $35000 new. Anbody else with similar stories?

[barbara]

Mine started shifting hard after the first transmission flush that was done at about 70K. Our mechanic says this is normal according to a technical service bullentin that he has access to. The bullentin suggests that cold weather will cause this to happen but curiously enough I bought the car in cold weather and the problem didn't start until after first the transmission flush. I live in Florida where the current average temp. is 90 degrees so the cold weather theory doesn't fly. My mechanic is a reputable man and has looked at the transmission twice free of charge since this problem started and is stumped. Also, my air conditioner works fine around town but on trips (after about two hours) it will almost stop blowing in the passenger vents and blow warm air out of the others. The diagnostic showed a "code 41" whatever that is. Our mechanic said that since the problem is intermittent it will be hard to diagnose.........any similar problems or comments?

[SKperformance]

barbra code 41 means

air mix damper position sensor value does not change even if the ecu operates it

meaning the little flap in the dash is not working properly to give a reading of where it is positioned in regards to blocking hot or cold air off

liljohn do you have the all wheel drive or the front wheel only

and yah it is kind of irregualr to go bad so quick , es 300 has a slight problem with that as well

but i do find all lexus hold there rpm's when cold until it is real high then stumbles into another gear ( same with camry , es 300 and the list goes on, basically it is to get the fliud to temp

when any of you had you fluid changed what fliud was used and who did it also was it regualr tranny fluid or synthetic?

[barbara]

When the shift problem started I called the mechanic and asked about the type of fluid used and he discovered that he had used the wrong fluid. I took the car back in and they changed the fluid so that it was correct. The shift problem wasn't corrected, though. What kind of transmission fluid should you use AND what kind of oil is recommended?.....Thanks for the response to the air problem. Our mechanic didn't want us to go to the expense of having this valve replaced when he couldn't get the air to act up for him. The air only acts up when it has been on for a couple of hours. Will I do damage to the car if I do not get the valve replaced?

[SKperformance]

i am not sur ewhat valve your are talking about

there are pretty much 2 kinds of tranny fluid

dexron used by toyota gm and the like

and type f for fords mainly

if he used the wrong fluid it would contaminate the whole system of clutches and especially cause a hard shift

i think your mechanic owes you a tranny

the valve body is made up of a mze of channels for fliud to run at certain pressures and is openend and closed by check balls to direct flow to the clutches in the tranny

but it is metal replaceing that kind of valve woould do nothing

sorry i re read you do mean the flap ( valve ) in the ac system

[barbara]

Yes, I did mean flap not valve replacement for the air. I don't mean to appear stupid but what is the tranny that you are talking about? When the mechanic realized he used the wrong fluid in the flush he reflushed it with the proper fluid. Of course this reflush happened about two months after the wrong fluid was put in. What is involved in getting a tranny? Now I am worried! Thanks so much for your help. This info is so helpful.

[SKperformance]

Yes, I did mean flap not valve replacement for the air. I don't mean to appear stupid but what is the tranny that you are talking about? When the mechanic realized he used the wrong fluid in the flush he reflushed it with the proper fluid. Of course this reflush happened about two months after the wrong fluid was put in. What is involved in getting a tranny? Now I am worried! Thanks so much for your help. This info is so helpful.

you don't appear stupid

not everyone is a mechanic or expected to be

thats why we are a "community" of lexus owners

usually tired of a tech giving a high price because they see an L on the front of the car instead of an H ot T

and after 2 months the clutches would have absorbed alot of the fluid and caused it to slip and catch alot

even with the flush there would be a good buit remaining

also how did he tell you he put the wrong fluid and what wrong fliud did he use?

[barbara]

When the car started shifting hard I called and asked what kind of fluid was used. I knew that some cars, like our van needed a particular kind of fluid. When I questioned our mechanic he looked up what a Lexus is supposed to have and said that they had used the wrong fluid and that I needed to come back in and have the fluid switched. The invoice from the first flush reads like this:

Qty Mfg Part Description

1 BG SK200 Transfusion Chemical Kit

16 CQ DEXIII Dexron III Trans Fluid

The Labor explanation said: Complete transfusion of transmission fluid. Use of high strength chemical for deposit cleanup. Use of additive after transfusion for seal conditioning and to prolong life of transmission. That was on 11-12-02

I took the car back one month later (not two as I said before.)

This is the invoice from that transfusion: 12-13-02

Qty Mfg Part Description

1 BG Sk200 Transfusion chemical kit

4 PCT 08886-81015 Type T-IV Synthetic trans. fluid (gal)

The labor explanation said the same as above.

What could be the long term affects from this? How do we approach our mechanic? He is a good man and obviously didn't charge us for the second transfusion. He said that because of this error his shop had adopted a new procedure to prevent this from happening to someone else. What else can they clean or check to see if there is residue left from the first flush? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

[SKperformance]

well dex 3 is not as much a big deal as type f

but the residue would be impregneated in the clutches after a few heat cycles

so unless it wears out soon it is ok

but i doubt it will ever be the same

even though type 3 fluid is upposed to be able to be used in a type 2 tranny

[rnoland]

My 98 RX300 has 138,000 miles on it. It has been treated well and serviced regularly by the Lexus dealer and its all highway miles. The transmission just went out. So my advice - get it checked asap.

[barbara]

Well I guess that I will just have to wait it out then. I appreciate your help. Are you a mechanic? Can you recommend a good mechanic in Panama City, Florida? I am worried now about our mechanic. I want to protect the investment I've made in this car. I am really sick that such an error was made on something as routine as this. Thanks again.

[barbara]

Rnoland, I bought my RX300 used without a warranty. Would is be best to go to a Lexus dealership to have the transmission checked? I worry about the being ripped off at a dealer.

[lordzatez]

Up here in the NW part of US we see very little trans replaced in RX300's 1999 had a different shift point until they were warmed (transmission) to a certain point when they were not in operating temp. they felt like they were stuck in gear more noticable going down a hill in morning. RX300's take type 4 Toyota trans fluid they have a US sourced number that has brought down the price by quite a bit the # is 00279-000t4-01 they will give you a price by the quart by that part number. I have seen more RX300 go through are shop for customers not oil changing then enough and they start to smoke from tar like oil build up then transmisions and Ive been watching them go though since 99 I like them so much I bought my wife an 01 silversport!!

lexus guy

[SKperformance]

not sure if you are asking me if i am a mechanic

but i am a automotive tech ( meaning i went to college,without hand me down knowledge)

but no longer am in the auto repair buisness

only performance ( as i am a kid at heart)

and i don't know any one in panama best bet is the lexus dealer

a little more now saves a lot later