JasonG

Sounds like the rebuilt tranny was not done right. Keep bringing it back till they do it right.

Hmmmm....... It's starting to irritate me....

Jason,

The issue has NOTHING to do twith the D in the PRNDL display......your shop does not have a clue......

Thanks, I didn't think so, but I do see that the actual shifter and PRNDL display are only electronically connected, so anything is possible.

Me again... reference Post #1 for the history...

Well, they had it for three weeks and called me today to come and get it. I went and took it for a drive before I talked to them. Same problem. I spoke with the owner, has said he couldn't beleive it was still doing it, (slipping between 2nd and 3rd, but only in automatic, not manual shifting), he said he had two techs drive it before he called me.

So, he took it for a ride with me, he drove, he said it is still not shifting right.

He says he thinks there is too much pressure on the lines, that would make it behave this way.

He kept it, says they will address it tomorrow.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Too much pressure in the line only affecting shifts from 2nd to 3rd?

He also said the backlight on the "D" in the PRNDL went out while he was looking at it, he says the shifting issue could be related to the PRNDL.

I'm desperate for some help here..... any ideas?

In a nut shell:

1) Trans was acting up.

2) Trans Shop said it was bad

3) Trans Shop replaced trans.

4) Trans still misbehaved (hard shifting, no overdrive)

5) Trans Shop did something more.

6) Trans still acting up.

7) Found this forum! Yeah!!!!

8) Replaced Knock sensors and wiring.

9) Overdrive returned! Yeah!

10) Hard shifting is gone for 5 miles.

11) Hard shifting is now diagnosed as slipping between 2nd and 3rd gear while in Drive.

12) Asked dealer to reset computer, specifically those items related to the transmission.

13) Dealer said just remove battery for 25 minutes, then re-install and drive for 25 minutes.

14) Trans still slips from 2nd to 3rd.

15) Trans DOES NOT slip if I *manually* shift from 2nd to 3rd.

What now?

I might also add that I say "slipping" because the engine revs and there is a short loss of forward thrust when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. Then it grabs and lurches forward. The amount of engine rev is directly related to how much throttle you give it. If you are driving along very nice, the rev is about 500rpms if you are racing to the next light, the rev is about 800rpms.

Any help would be most graciously appreciated.

Jason.

After the trans is replaced, the engine ecu must be reset using a scantool. Disconnecting the batttery will not erase the learned shift values completely, even if you unhook the battery for a week, it will not reset completely. A scan tool must be used to actually reset the values to begin relearning the new trans clearance and shift characteristics. Conservative driving habits with premium fuel will relearn within 400 miles. Regular fuel will take longer and actually increase the time delay between each upshift due to lack of the engine ecu's capability to use it's full range of ignition advance from the cheap gas. I know this for a fact as I've replaced at least 90 of these transaxles.

Can the Autozone scan tool do this reset?

When the knock sensors were replaced, was the ground harness by the pcv hose and behing the intake bolted back on? The one behing the intake near the engine removal hook is easy to leave unbolted and will cause hard shifting from the trans. The one by the pcv hose should be 2 wires held on by a 12mm nut on the side of the intake. The one behind the intake is a 2 wire held on by a 1omm bolt. Check these first.

I'll check that. Also, it is now shifting into over drive. It shifts smoothly from 1st to 2nd, but 2nd to 3rd is hard.

The guy that replaced tha trans did some work to it after it was replaced and before the knock sensors were replaced. I wonder if he now needs to undo whatever he did to try and fix the hard shifting, (which we didn't know was the knock sensor at that time)?

My 1999 RX300 has been shifting very hard and will not go into overdrive. I had a CIL code that said the knock sensor was bad. After reading through this forum, I concluded that the knock sensor was causing the hard shifting and preventing the trans from shifting into overdrive.

I ordered the sensors, new sensor wire, and gaskets; had them replaced and still have the problem.

It shifted fine for about three miles. Then it started shifting hard again.

The trans was replaced two months ago, when a trans shop said the trans was bad. So now I have a new trans, new sensors, new sensor wire, the CIL is now off, there are no codes, and I still have the problem.

Can I get some ideas please?, I'm stumped!

Jason.

Greetings,

My 1999 RX300 needs the knock sensors replaced. (Well, I think so anyway.)

I have done a lot of research on the transmission problems I am having, all threads seem to come back to the knock sensors; Autozone gave me a PO330 - Knock Sensor code from the computer.

What I can't find is a local trustworthy shop to do the work. I would prefer not going to the Dealer.

My regular guy says is would prefer not doing the work as he is not experienced on the Lexus vehicles.

So..... Can someone steer me to a trusted local shop for this?

Utica/Sterling Heights/Rochester/Shelby Township is where we are...

Thanks

Jason.