03EStwin

To try and sum this up, here's what's been going on:

Bought my ES at about 70K miles, have driven it up to about 100K, and things always ran/shifted great to this point. Recently, about 98K, I started noticing that when taking off from a stop, it takes several seconds to actually get going (Problem #1). Then, if I'm cruising along say around 40-60 mph, I notice it tries to downshift, or for a visual perspective, I watch the RPM gauge go from about 2000 right to 1000, then it goes back up to 2000, and this process repeats while maintaining this speed (Problem #2), and lastly, if I'm at highway speeds, and need to gun it to pass, it hesitates slightly, then over-exerts itself, and then shifts back down roughly to the proper gear/speed.

I don't know if my description made good sense, but that's how it feels.

My big problem is this, I had my mechanic look at the car, replace spark plugs, and drive to see if it was an engine hesitation issue, or something with the tranny. He "recommended" I take it to the Lexus dealer and have them do a thorough inspection of the tranny, and service it if needed, thinking it may be a computer/software issue that only they could perform. (Yes, I do know about TSB #TC004-03.)

After a long weekend with a 2010 HS250h (nice car, but pricey IMO at $41K, considering what a Prius can deliver in MPG), the dealer said they "could not recreate the problem, and couldn't diagnose", but based on my description, could be the start of internal transmission failure."

Ok, so I'm just supposed to wait for my transmission to fail so I can spend $4,800 to have a a rebuilt one from Lexus installed. My car is worth about 9K as it is, so no thanks.

PLEASE, any thoughts or similar situtations/resolutions appreciated. It worries me that Lexus couldn't even give me a solution.

I would love to hear this is normal, or that there is a direct solution to this problem, other than a transmission replacement.

ASG14

iTrader: (1)

Your tranny is going out. All the normal signs. My friend and I just repalced his Auto tranny in his Maxima last week. You can always go to AAMCO and have it rebuilt. I think they have a lifetime warentee.

03EStwin

Thanks for the reply. Not the reply I was hoping to see, but I appreciate your opinion. The dealer quoted $4800, does anyone have any idea what an independent transmission shop might quote, or, I'm probably the only lucky one that may be facing this on this particular car?

I gotta say, I've put my full faith and interest in Toyota/Lexus, and this is not helping my cause for the brand(s), and I'm getting very discouraged.

It just sucks to dream of one day owning a Lexus (for reliability mostly), and then this happens at under 100K.

Geez, I feel like I just left the doctor and got the bad news. Well.....how long do you think I have guys?

ASG14

iTrader: (1)

Likely be under $2000 rebuilt from a shop. http://aamco.com/Rebuilt_Transmission_Auto-Man.asp

My friend picked up his used Tranny fro his Maxima for $450 and took us 3 days to swap it, without an engine lift, lol. We thought we were goign to die at the end.

It IS possible the Previous owner had done soemthing to mess it up, or hd just driven it REALLY had. It's very low miles for this to happen.

intermec

your tranny is going out. It happened on my 97 Camry. It took a few second to get the car going, you can feel the delay. Also if you on a uphill stop, you might feel the car is rolling back (like driving a manual). on Level ground in R, it took 1-2 second before the car will move...

At the end, I had a Toyota tech put on an used tranny for me $1200, everything ok.
You should 1st check your tranny fluid, smell it for burn smell, do a tranny service to see if it help (kind of a cheap way)
or you will be looking of tranny rebuild. good luck

03EStwin

Ok. Some good news, I think. I visited a respected Transmission specialist on Friday, had him drive my ES, and see what his recommendation was, or if what I was feeling was valid (shifting issues). He did feel what I was feeling while driving, but said it is not the transmission. He said that it is an "engine-run" or "miss" problem. He then asked what type of fuel I've been using, and I'll admit I haven't been diligent in using ethanol-free fuel, and he said to change that habit immediately. He also said to start using a fuel injector cleaner every 3,000 miles, something like BG.

Then, we get back to the shop, and while still running, he listens for a tapping sound coming from the engine, and it's coming from the CAM Shaft, he said when I had my timing belt changed (which I had done a couple months back), it may not have taken properly, and may be causing a timing issue, which could explain some of the hesitation or miss issues, if this be the case.

My original description of the problems may have sounded worse than what is actually going on, which may explain why some said the tranny is going out, (and my description over the phone with the transmission tech, he said the same thing), until he drove it, so I may not have used the right terminology for some of what I was feeling, but I would like to think that somebody doing this for 30+ years would know.

Taking the car back to the mechanic who did the belts, and having everything looked at again, hopefully this is the problem, or leads to it.

Thanks again.

97'ES

On a side note, as someone already pointed out, do you ever change the fluid? Hopefully if the timing was off it didn't do any damage. Almost all fuel is 10% ethanol now just fyi. Here in NY its a law. Manual says its fine as long as it doesn't exceed 10%.