This is what happened to me,
99 rx300 210,952 miles. Went to grocery this morning left car running while wife and baby waited with a/c on. Got in went for reverse and no go. Put back in park turned car off. Restarted car and reverse worked, all the gears worked. Went to gas station fueled up checked trans fluid looked and smelled good. Got on the road and drove about 9 miles and tranny started jumping in and out of gear. pulled over, turned off car restarted car tranny worked, headed towards mechanic 2 miles away. Had to restart again with same problems but made it to his lot(shop closed). Fluid still good looks good smells good. What is this? Restarting seems to somehow reset things. A whirring noise is associated.
Here is what I did about it,
So actual miles 210,952. Pulled pan, original gasket and filter, oil not burnt still red not brown. Lots of fine metal on magnets and in filter, filter all jammed up with particulate metal. Replaced filter, cleaned the pan and magnets. Pulled and cleaned tranny speed sensors. Filled with fluid runs and drives/shifts better than it ever has as long as I have owned it which is about 40,000 miles. I will let you all know when it comes to an end.
Also interested in any updates from people who followed this same path,
Joe