2007es350

I heard from a Lexus Service Rep. that the transmission slipping/flaring between shifts is considered a "normal" characteristic of our cars. What used to be considered a defect by Lexus is now conveniently called a "normal" feature of our cars.

You will remember that we had a TSIB with the valve body replacement that was supposed to solve the problem. A followup TSIB required a transaxle (transmission) replacement. Now, they have removed the transmission replacement TSIB....well of course why would they have a TSIB for a "normal" characteristic.

These actions by Lexus are dishonest. Lexus really has no clue how to solve the problem. Instead of admitting this and making things right for owners with the slipping transmissions, they are calling this a "normal" characteristic to prevent further buy-backs and to prevent the Lemon Law from being invoked.

I suggested that since the transmission slipping is considered a "nornal" characteristic, Lexus should warn all potential es350 buyers of this "normal" characteristic.

I also feel sorry for the sucker that will be purchasing my car with a replacement transmisssion that still slips!

Any comments from other es350 owners on trying to get your defective transmission replaced with the new Lexus policy?

wanderer99

2007es350 - do we have confirmation for sure that this has happened? I'm not doubting you - I myself was advised by Lexus that the original valve body TSIB was being cancelled and posted that here. I was advised it was being replaced with a new TSIB to just do an immediate transmission replacement... which is exactly what happened. Do we have any 3rd party confirmation as yet?

It's pretty clear they have to do something as their two TSIB's to date have been total failures. Members here have voted in the two polls on this to confirm around 90% fail rates. The TSIB is supposed to be a fix not fail!!!

Once we get some confirmation, then I'll post what I'm doing.

wanderer99

Quick followup - if this "normal behaviour" claim does happen from Lexus, isn't that the same thing that happened to the ES300 and then ES330 owners with the 5 speed back in the previous gen car? They had TSIB's for years I believe (Alan can confirm) that kept flashing the software trying to fix it. I don't believe it was ever satisfactorily resolved. At each point I think Lexus declared "Its fixed" and then owners disagreed.

If the "normal behaviour" claim is made by Lexus now in 2007 on the new model, then this is going to drag on for years... all over again.

2007es350

You can get your own confirmation from your dealer. I got this confirmation from my dealer. They just pulled the last TSB for the transmission replacement and there is no TSB to solve this problem..since it isn't a problem...just a "normal" characteristic of the es350...just like a hidden feature!

Regarding the TSIB not fixing the problem, well according to Lexus, there is no problem to fix (just refer to the "normal" characteristic for your explanation.)

I just thought I would share this since I'm getting out of my es350 through the buyback program which has been discontinued. I'm definitely not getting an es350 replacement.

2007es350

Yes, according to the Lexus Rep, Lexus is not required to fix a "normal" characteristic of the vehicle since according to Lexus the slipping transmission is not a problem.

dunnojack

I'm confused.

What about the people whose transmissions totally died?
Didn't the flare cause the complete failure of their transmissions?

djr

How can it be a "normal" characteristic of the car, if it doesn't happen to ALL of the ES350s? Mine only has 3K on it, but it hasn't flared yet, should I go to the dealer and complain that my car doesn't include this "normal" feature?

ES350Bob

As for the guy buying your car, ease your concern by reporting it's "normal characterisitic" by it's VIN # to the head of your state's highway patrol once you have your money returned to you. I did not know this as explained and then lately re-explained to me, but because they investigate accidents they are at the front of getting defective vehicles addressed through their other state and federal government agency contacts when they see a pattern among vehicles.

If this claim of "normal characteristic" is true rather than one service dept. statement, when we see it in official writing, then what Lexus would be saying is that a dangerous transmission is normal for the ES350 as that is EXACTLY how it will be presented to a judge and/or jury when the lawsuits start flying and without question they will if this is pulled on owners with this issue.

Nobody in their right mind would claim this as normal and those with it will never accept it is normal because it is under no circumstances normal to be slung around in a car during any shift process which can happen to drivers but certainly to passengers who lack the benefit of bracing themselves by holding onto a steering wheel which otherwise lessens the event for drivers.


IMO: If true, all this greed based avenue of approach is going to do is make the 07 ES value drop through the floor as a result of owner actions carried in the news media and in the meantime might harm a few people left stuck in them.

ES350Bob

I think this was true of the second issue the transmission had, the snap ring, which is one of several issues this transmission has or has had.

Apart from that though, this slipping is dangerous to occupants, motorists, and very damaging to the transmission and over time I believe the transmission would fail, at least fail in gears involved in this slipping.

It is also, though not often noted, very damaging to the engine as well when it slams into gear at extreme RPM thrusting the whole engine forward. I believe this may be why the torque converter is replaced. You cannot slam a car into a gear at the extreme upper level of RPM and not do damage.

ES350Bob

I forgot to include this in response prior.

When I contacted my state's Lemon Law help center last October, from 800 number included in Lemon Law pamphlet, this is what I was told when I expressed my concern about the fact my former ES350 Lemon was claimed as operating "normal" by Lexus corporate tech. The lady laughed and said we hear that all the time, so many times she could not count the number of the times people are worried over that type of statement about their defective vehicle, that people are told things are normal for the car or that it cannot be duplicated...she said FILE the complaint and when you do list every issue you ever took in the car in for not just the transmission, EVERY single issue you had to take a new car back for service for.

This will not help Lexus avoid the Lemon Law from her input back then, in fact I think it makes it look worse and devious if it has to go all the way to state assigned officials reviewing the claim.

Check with your own state info center on this.

Swobro

I agree with Bob. In fact, I contacted a few Lemon Law Legal Services and all of them have been almost drooling over my case. It's interesting to me that Lexus may feel that transmission slippage at times in excess of 2000 RPM's is "normal." What a joke; and if this is true I will NEVER buy another Lexus and in fact will steer anyone I can away from them.

ES350Bob

Nobody in an official capacity involving Lemon Law is going to buy this is normal.

Maybe it's one dealer's version of what is the new rule?

I just saw this posted on GS forum oil leak thread.

Over 900 so far and counting bought back is over over $ 35,000,000 dollars and counting tied up till they can be resold never mind the nightmare of logistics and paperwork. If true, this, IMO, is maybe why so many of our members report they are jacked around so horribly told it's learning or stalled out with multiple trips to dealer, forced to videotape etc. or it takes months to get to a position for a buyback.

2007es350

If your car shifts normally, then you are lucky. You can post on other threads. This thread is for people who have the transmission slipping problem to provide comments.

2007es350

A comment from Purebliss from this thread https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...=266541&page=2

Purebliss states:
The tranny problem was def a huge problem for lexus. They have auctioned off well over 900 cars. What happened was when the buy back where fixed they made corp lexus workers drive the car for 2,000 miles to make sure they where okay and then they where auctioned off. But the problem got so bad where we had so many es buy backs and not enough workers to drive them that we started to give them to clerks to drive at Lexus.

caha14

I just looked in the Lexus Technical Information System, and there is still a TSIB calling for transmission replacement. Granted it may not be there much longer, or they may label it obsolete.

However, in my limited experience, when mfrs update or cancel a TSIB, they point to a new TSIB, like they did with the earlier valve body bulletin which got replaced by the tranny replacement bulletin. The latter states that it supersedes the former.

Once stuff like this is on the record, I cannot see how they could turn around and say "never mind, this behavior is normal". It would be a low for Lexus, no question about it, but also a fairly stupid and naive move.