PO753 trans code on ES300

[41Supercoupe]

Hi Folks.  My '96 ES300 is setting a PO753 solenoid A trouble code and is shifting erratically.    I removed the pan and tested the front solenoid with voltage and got the click.  I tightened the solenoid connector and changed the fluid, which was fairly clean.   The code then returned along with the shifting problems.  It looks like you have to remove the valve body to replace the solenoid.   Has anyone else dealt with this?  Car has 298Kmiles.

Thanks!   Paul Smith    fat37ply@nc.rr.com

 

[TrevC]

Hi Paul....welcome to the Forum

Just an idea but if you tested the solenoid with voltage and it worked then could it be poor wiring or connection to the solenoid?

Let us know how you get on with it

Cheers  Trevor

[41Supercoupe]

Thanks Trevor.  I removed the pan and tightened the plug for the front solenoid.  I can hear it click when I apply voltage, but that doesn't mean a whole lot.  I am hoping someone else has had this problem and fixed it.

 

[lenore]

One thing to remember the solenoid may click, but that doesn't mean the corresponding piston in the valve body is working.  You might have a severly contaminated valve body and that is a sign of tranny failure.

[41Supercoupe]

Thanks Lenore.  This unit has four solenoids.  Two are joined as a pair--this seems to be the most popular item on ebay so perhaps they fail regularly...

[lenore]

Yes I know, I had an RX300 1999 and it was very similar in the tranny, mine failed to shift overdrive.  I took the valve body apart and it was full of fine sediment.  The Solenoid code is what I had too, but it appeared to work fine.  However after looking at how it affected the valve body pistons, I see that the real problem was a contaminated valve body.  Long story short, the tranny had a major failure shortly after, with metal debris.  The Planetary gears assembly was made out of aluminum and the steel gears eventually wore the support assemblies causing them to wobble.  I talked to a tranny shop locally and he said he saw this all the time, the fix was a steel carrier with additional gears added for strength.  The RX300 is a very heavy vehicle, running on a camry transmission.