wanderer99

This poll is for owners of ES350s that have actually had the Trans TSIB installed. This TSIB is meant to address the 3rd-4th gear slippage, and to make the trans behave normally. Please only vote if you've actually had the TSIB installed on your vehicle.

This information is spread out amongst various topics here on CL, so this is an opportunity to get some definitive information in one place.

If you could post a brief description of your experience after you vote, that would be great.

twister

Well, I originally started that "cold rpm spike" thread. I had that problem described in TSIB. I thought it was not a big deal or something that will go away. Called my dealer while being 100% sure they wont even recreate the problem, and to my surprise got confirmation from the first cold start morning. Apparently, computer reports a specific code when this problem happens. But, in my case the code was different. Engineer from Lexus, CA flew over to my dealership to look into the problem, and they decided not to risk it and replace the whole tranny. So, had my tranny for over a week now and with recent cold mornings (car is parked outside), *knock on wood* everything is good so far. Oh and my ES350 is 06/06 build.

cocopops

iTrader: (1)

hmmm... an 06/06 build. Mine is as well. Touch on wood, I haven't noticed any of the problems yet. Hopefully if there are any problems, they will surface early so I can get it worked on within the warranty. How many miles do you have already, twister?

twister

I have 3k miles. BTW, its not just an RPM spike but being also accompanied by an engine rev up and this split second feeling like someone switched your car in neutral. Even with a new tranny (not sure if its a part of breaking in), I see in the cold morning start often a jump of about 500 on RPM dial when I push acceleration hard (without warming the engine first). But it doesn't affect smoothness of the drive. I'm paranoid a little bit now, constanly watching that needle. Have to start enjoying the car more

marcinNH

My vehicle build date is June. TSIB was applied, but I never got to drive the vehicle after the valve body was replaced. The dealership called me shortly after the work was done and indicated there was still a problem with the transmission. They said they wanted to talk to the factory the next morning and would then get back to me. The next phone call was the following day and dealer explained that the factory recommended replacing the entire transmission.

Tranny was replaced and and I've now got about two weeks on the new one. Symptoms are not as noticeable now, but I do think they may be gradually returning (flare/slipping).

As an aside, the ES350 loaner I had for a week while mine was in the shop shifted flawlessly the entire time I had it. I put over 500 miles on it commuting to/from work and it never hiccuped. Loaner build date was either July or August.

Marc

wanderer99

Thanks for the vote and info Marc. My trans was flawless for the first 2K. Even once it started occasionally flaring, it was still so smooth you couldn't tell it was shifting gears. It's still good for 4-5th and 5-6th gears being very smooth. TSIB for this was installed on my vehicle today. Last few days before this repair it was particularly problematic, easily bumping 1000rpm+ at the change. This is definitely something that has kept increasing over time.

I won't vote in the poll until I know my final trans story. It would be a dream if the repair actually worked for me.

marcinNH

Wanderer, I'm half surprised they even did the TSIB at all and didn't just replace the whole tranny off the bat. Guess we shouldn't read too much into it. I'll be interested to hear what your experience is with the new valve body...

I still can't believe how smooth that loaner transmission was...

Marc

wanderer99

I know what you mean about the smooth trans. I know its possible as I had one that was smooth and I was very happy with it.

This is the first TSIB install for my dealer. They've replaced another trans already on another car. I'm picking up the vehicle tomorrow so I'll know more then.

ES350Bob

Wanderer,

Did they explain to you how the TSIB for gear 3 to 4 is going to remedy the gear 2 to 3 slipping, other, you are dealing with?

I didn't know until the other response you did that your car has 2 to 3 at times.

Now that I know that it seems less hassle for you if they had gone ahead and replaced your transmission for you.

wanderer99

I have to demonstrate all issues that my vehicle has - the 1-2 and 2-3 gear issue is completely random, and only seems to occur when my vehicle is hot and I've been in stop and go traffic... with lots of 1-2 and 2-3 changes. It's bad and it sucks, but it's not easily duplicated. I have a steering issue too, and that hasn't been able to be duplicated as yet. That's why I'm concentrating on the 3-4 as that is 100% reproducible, even that my dealer couldn't do. I had to demonstrate it to them

ES350Bob

Yeah I understand I think, it isn't the Disney approach with these where the customer is always right. It is the customer must put up a fight.....LOL

twister

How about adding another option to this poll: New tranny and still having a problem Taking my car on Monday back to see if this is a "real" problem or just my imagination after new tranny was replaced. If they are going to confirm the problem again, I will be very close to giving up on ES350. I actually requested a GS350 for my loaner (for a test driving purposes since I will have to leave my ES350 overnight). Not sure if they will be able to provide that, but its a special situation in here... I'm not too crazy about GS350 "hatchback" look, but don't want to give up on Lexus yet. LS will be way too much for my budget, and I absolutely hated IS when drove it as a loaner while my tranny was being replaced. GS is the only logical step in here. But, I hope it will not come to that cause I love my ES...

Overall, after a new tranny, I feel like car is no longer the same. Acceleration is not as fast, gear shifting is not as smooth. Yeah, I had that infamous TSIB cold start problem, but other than that my old tranny was flawless. This one is so different

wanderer99

Twister - wow, sorry you're having probs on your replacement trans. I could probably have added even more options like your suggestion as a choice in the poll. Or even "I've had my trans replaced, it wasn't fixed, and now I'm driving another model of vehicle".

I know what you mean about the IS - its too small for me. The GS here for me as a base model would add another $14K to what I paid for the ES, and i don't want to go there as I've read its not as comfortable or as smooth a ride. The LS is a little too expensive for me at this point. The GX is nice, but just too big. Which pretty much leaves the RX. And I'm not really crazy about the RX - yet. Maybe a fully loaded one would be nice as a carryover until they get the ES right, but a 'loaded' one, due the way they package options up here, is another $15k+ CA above my PP ES.

From what I can conclude from this poll to date, the chances of the TSIB working are small. I'll find out tomorrow myself as that is when I pick my ES back up from the dealer.

ES350Bob

Twister,

Sorry to read you may have trouble with your replacement trans. And I know what it is like to feel you want out of the car for problem reasons and the uncertainty of what to focus on. I was impressed with Infiniti G35 but only drove the sport model, not the sedan. If backed into a corner over what to do at least check them out.

Wanderer,

I realized there is no place on poll to indicate my odd experience of having a car with a bad transmission but also other issues and having traded out of it to another. Sort of like dealer ignored replacing transmission and replaced whole car for a fee...LOL....j/k mostly

twister

Well, I don't want this thread take into a different direction of "choosing ES replacement". I really hope it will not come to this. I think ES350 is the best looking car out of all Lexus models (just my opinion) and better than competition. There are so many factors that goes into choosing the car. I thought ES350 was absolutely perfect until that tranny problem. If I would want to buy another mean of transportation, I would just get any car with 4 wheels. Choosing a new luxury car at a budget I can afford is a different story. You want everything to be perfect, and problem like this really spoils your experience. With my previous tranny, I was 100% sure that was a problem. Here, I'm not very sure since engine doesn't rev up, RPM only jumps up by 500 (not 2k like in previous). It just so different in shifting and acceleration, night and day from my original one. Therefore, I'm being realistic and starting to think ahead about the next step. I'm not even sure if I'm gonna like GS, its a completely sporty ride (its a drivers car, not a luxury cruiser). If it going to behave like IS, than forget about it. While my dealer had my ES for tranny diagnostics and repair, I drove IS250AWD for 2 days and than RX350 for the rest of the time. Didn't like RX either. We have Highlander at home, and to me its a much better SUV. Also, I'm very familiar with G35 sedan, my friend has one and I driven in it plenty of times. Too crampted up inside, like IS, and its more of a sports tuned car than a luxury like ES350.
So, first step here is to see what they gonna find with my car. Maybe its something they forgot to tune or to adjust when tranny was replaced 2 weeks ago. If not, I don't want to wait and see for any other resolution. Winter is coming up soon. This cold start problem will show up not just in the morning, but after I have my car during the day outside in the parking lot. During the cold and show weather, 8 hours outside before I drive it back home will be just like starting it in the morning.

Will keep everybody updated...