2001 Ls430 Transmission Linkage

[Charleston SC Realtor]

I recently purchased my dream real estate car, the '01 LS430. The car drives like a dream and has only 115K miles. My question is about the car's transmission linkage. With the car's interior close to "sound proof", I haven't noticed this clicking/ticking noise until today. While the driver's side window was down, I shifted the car into drive and heard a ticking/clicking noise with each engagement of a new gear. Is this normal for a car with this kind of mileage on it? The noise is definitely coming from inside the gearbox. Again, I just bought this car so I do not have any history to compare to. I really do LOVE driving/owning this car. Thanks in advance. Also, I bought this car "as is." Therefore, please avoid the comments about how you would take it back to where you bought it.

[1990LS400]

The good news is that the 5-speed automatic transmission used on the 1998-2003 LS is extraordinarily reliable. I don't remember any reports of failure during my 12 years or so on Lexus forums and I never had any problems during my 10 years with a 2000 LS400.

Are you getting just one tick/click when the transmission shifts or are there a series of ticks/clicks on each shift. The noise may have nothing to do with the transmission.

Regardless, has the transmission had regular fluid changes. I know I did overkill but I always had the transmission and differential fluids on my LS cars changed every 30,000 miles or two years.

A noise on a shift could be something else - maybe the transmission mount. Even though your 01 LS430 has low miles, many components including engine and transmission mounts are affected just as much by time as miles. Based on what I have seen on Lexus forums, engine and transmission mounts seem to fail earlier in southern states. I've seen photos of these mounts on southern cars that showed them being in awful shape at 10 years while the original transmission mount on my 2000 LS400 looked like new when I had it changed at 150,000 miles (about 11 years) way up north here in Kansas.

Are you in a metro area with one or more independent repair shops that specialize in Lexus? I've had vastly better success with indie repair shops than with the local Lexus dealer. My advise is to find an indie repair shop and establish a relationship. Do you have service records? Make sure the timing belt (and water, pump, idlers, tensioner, etc.) has been changed - "should be" done every 90,000 miles or 6 years - whichever comes first. It seems common for low mileage cars to be waaay under-maintained.

[Charleston SC Realtor]

Thank you for your fast reply. Sorry for the confusion. I noticed this noise when the car was at a complete stop and my foot was on the brake. When I began to shift the car from park into drive to leave, I heard the clicking. It happens right at the time a new gear is engaged (regardless of the gear. ie. reverse, drive, and low). That said, I will hear two clicks when going from park to drive. Once entering into reverse and another going into drive. I do not hear anything while I am driving the car.

[1990LS400]

Thank you for your fast reply. Sorry for the confusion. I noticed this noise when the car was at a complete stop and my foot was on the brake. When I began to shift the car from park into drive to leave, I heard the clicking. It happens right at the time a new gear is engaged (regardless of the gear. ie. reverse, drive, and low). That said, I will hear two clicks when going from park to drive. Once entering into reverse and another going into drive. I do not hear anything while I am driving the car.

OK, now I understand. My 2000 LS400 did the same thing. I drove the car from 38,000 to 180,000 miles and don't remember if it always did it or was something that started at some point and then I got used to it.

[Charleston SC Realtor]

Thank you, Guru. I feel much better now that you have answered my question.

[landar]

Welcome Mark, to the world of Lexus sedans.

The clicks that you notice when placing in reverse and then a forward gear is "normal". Mine does it too. I think it has to do with the brake calipers and how they get slightly tugged forward and backward when first backing up and then moving forward. I would not worry about it in the least.

Having said that, if you have no history on the car as far as maintenance records, you may need to do some 'standard' maintenance soon. And it might be expensive. Has the timing belt ever been replaced?

[jainla]

+1 on it probably being normal; I hear this every time I engage park or reverse. If the clicks correspond to gear selections from the transmission selector it sounds like normal operation. it may be solenoids engaging; the selector changing valve settings; not sure but it seems louder in the LS than some of the other cars I've driven.

I replaced the transmission mounts a couple years ago and noticed the car got quieter; but didn't really notice any knocking per se. I'd probably take it in at some point and have them do a complete fluid changeover if you don't know if it's been done. if a reputable shop did the timing belt swap you'd have a sticker in the engine compartment.

It's also worth signing into the owner section of www.lexus.com; they have all the maintenance records posted there now; so if the belt was replaced at a dealer you'd see it there.

Enjoy!

-J

[90Duchess]

Have you inspected the Universal Joints (U-joints) and the rubber driveshaft couplings for play/wear?