ricky1011

the ect light came on on mu 1996 es300 and below that it says power can someone tell me what that means i have no manual to the car email danalagarde@aol.com

Tammy

The ECT (electronic controlled transmission) has a switch near the shift selector, marked power and snow modes. Power is a select stop on the switch while snow is a momentary switch. When in power mode or snow modes, an indicator lamp indicates the mode active. Placing the switch to center will turn off the power mode.

It is used for additional RPM added to each gear change, meaning the shift occurs at a higher RPM than normal. Fuel mileage suffers when left in the power mode. It's good for traveling in mountainous areas.

ssmoked

it means Electonically Controlled Transmission. it basically delays your shifting to stay at a lower gear so you can pick up faster. now, you should thank the lord that we have it on our 96' ES because the car runs like a inline 4 without it

Pheonix

Actually yall are backwards.
It holds gears different while deccellerating. The upshift rpm range is the same.


ssmoked what do u mean it runs like an i4 without it? You must have a mechanical problem, because the power mode makes 0 differance in how the engine runs.

The power mode switch was removed from most Toyota/Lexi between 93 & 96, replaced with better stock shift logic.

Quesiton answered many times. Feel free to use the search feature of this forum.
Also, register your car @ Lexus.com. You can get a free owners manual every 3 months.

Tammy

Thank you, Phoenix.. for you correction. I personally don't use the switch.

ssmoked

what i meant was the power of the car without the ECT on feels like driving a 4 cylinder engine

Pheonix

Then you have some kind of mechanical problem, as the power button has no effect on the engine, or its tuning.

ssmoked

but do admit that with the ECT on the car feels/drives faster compared to it being off? thats what i meant

Pheonix

Never made a differance to me in a drag race.
Now running through the twisties it feels better. The alternate shifting pattern is alot better.

AzNMpower

Seriously on the '96, the transmission upshifts way too early and is kind of a drag. Great for fuel economy and it's finding the earliest possible point to shift into a higher gear. As a result, it becomes pretty darn lazy and unresponsive for highway passing unless I really nail it hard.

ECT PWR is a great touch and I know upshifts happen later given a certain amount of right foot. If I accel moderately from a stop: normal will give me an upshift around 10mph @ 2250rpm; power mode gives an upshift closer to 20mph @ 3250rpm. Downshifts seem to be somewhat more immediate too, although it's still lazy for my tastes.

It really is somewhat fun to nail the gas with it in power mode and watch the tach soar to the redline (or even just 4500rpm). But the higher rpms aren't good for fuel consumption, and the car starts lunging from gear to gear on upshifts.......thus I usually don't use it unless I'm in a sporting mood (if that's possible in a Lexus).

Lexmex

Running a lot of tests at my track, only about .1 faster at the most with the PWR button on, on average. I agree with Pheonix, not much difference.

Sometimes, I run it without the PWR button, and I actually go a little faster.

koolaidman

good info. want to show me where u found that on tis? because that what i was told at work. is that it shifts at higher rpms. didnt know it held the gear long when downshifting

Pheonix

The transmission manuals all have the shift schedule, minus the enwer, more complex ones.

3000

To me, with the ECT button on, it feels like I'm slower because since the RPM is high, it's like on a smaller gear. On lower RPM, it's like a larger gear. Therefore Larger gear=Higher speed. Just an opinion... (either that, you probably mean on take off, I mean when you are already rolling around 40-ish)

Memo0573

Dam it’s been 16 years. Are you guys still online?