I own a 2000 Lexus LS400 with approximately 60,000 original miles. I drove about 1.5 miles to get a haircut today. As I was making the return trip home (1.5 miles) the car started having a shifting problem and I immediately thought to myself, there must be something wrong with the transmission. Accelerating from 0-20mph was very difficult and the car's tachometer was registering at about 6,000rpm. Once, the car got past 20mph, I continued down the road at 35mph with the car at a high rpm and the car felt and sounded like it was in the wrong gear. Going up a short incline was even more difficult and I couldn't go past 35mph. I finallly made it home and it was quite a challenge even driving up and over the curb to get into the driveway.
Once I got up past the curb, I noticed a huge puddle of oil that I had not seen before I left because I wasn't paying attention and because the car was covering it. When I turned the engine off, I noticed a steady stream of oil for 100 feet that went on the street before my driveway that followed the pattern of the car. I assume the car must have leaked a lot more oil earlier on the way home when I was going at a faster speed. I opened up the hood and checked the transmission dipstick, and it was dry. The fluid on the driveway was red so it's definitely transmission fluid. The car must have been leaking transmission fluid before I went to the barbershop because when I came home, I noticed the car's front end had covered a huge puddle that I didn't see before. However, the transmission symptoms only appeared on my way home from the barbershop. I didn't check for leaks in the parking lot of the barbershop because I went to a parking spot where there was no one in front of me, so I didn't back out. I'm assuming something was under pressure and burst and caused an even greater leak.
Could a transmission hose or reservoir burst, or do you all think the entire transmission needs to be replaced? When I went under the hood I noticed more wet fluid underneath the right side of the car in front (right side in this situation means passenger side) vs the driver's side. If I need a new transmission, do you all think it's worth spending money on a transmission replacement vs selling the car?
