lespaul64

2006 AWD IS250 - automatic transmission - 138K miles


Hey all,


I started noticing some hard shifting into ~3rd gear a few months - mostly at low speeds after sitting at a light or stop sign (e.g., when I accelerate quickly, no bump at all). In hindsight I swear it happened right after pulling my car back from the shop after an oil change. I almost wondered if the tech accidentally drained some tranny fluid by opening the wrong plug initially - if that's even feasible. It disappeared for a bit but has come back; possibly worse. Also, no other gear issues, no smell, no leaking fluid, no CPU codes. I've never changed out the fluid.


I took a test drive with the dealership tech yesterday and he said he "never felt this issue in 2nd gen IS250 before - ever; and that he felt the transmission was about to go based on experience with other models". He gave me the normal Lexus response that they do not fix transmissions and that a new tranny would be 5K (for parts). He suggested I bring it to a transmission shop - not to Lexus.


My gut is to have someone change out the fluid as a start. Lexus wanted $500 to do this and strongly recommended not doing it, because they didn't feel it would solve the problem, and it would possibly hurt it. If I could find a reputable company I could have them drop the pan, see what they could see, and change the fluid (assuming they didn't see anything major). I don't mind dropping $500 if I know for sure I'll have a clear answer one way or the other. My other fear is that if someone pulls it apart, they could make it worse.














Nonetheless, any path seems like a gamble/risk to me. I know I don't want to start rebuilding the tranny (caveat - would consider a rebuild if it would increase value for sale, I know I'd be willing to spend up to $500 to get a solid answer, and I know I don't want a shop to mess it up more.


The other option is just ride it out and see if it gets worse or drops. What would you do? Has anyone else experienced a rough shift into 3rd as a "normal" sign of aging?


PS - I also don't trust anyone on transmissions out here on Long Island. Lexus obviously wants nothing to do with tranny issues and I haven't found a single tranny shop (yet) appears to have a reputable business from the research I've done.


Thanks for any input,
Les

scott1256c

Are you sure the fluid level is correct now? I only have docs for the IS350, but just adding fluid isn't that difficult. I am assuming the 250 won't be too much different, but you would have to check and confirm. If you have a friend even slightly mechanically inclined, they should be able to handle that if you can't. That way you can refill and see if the problem goes away. I mean you are thinking of spending $500 to flush it, so why not? Genuine Toyota fluid is pricey, especially for a trans that is questionable.
Have you considered seafoam? I'd probably start there, if my car had 138k and I was questioning the trans. Those are cheap things to try that can't really hurt.
Another thing to consider is a trans from the salvage yards. I could find a couple for <$1k but you'd have to pay another $100 for shipping if it was located a ways away. I know it is a crap shoot. You could pay someone a good chunk of change to install, only to find out it was a damaged trans. Even if the salvage yard is honest, it isn't like people test drive the cars before they pull the parts out. Anyway, something else to consider.
FYI, even if you put in a brand new trans, you won't raise the price of the car anywhere near $5k.

lespaul64

Not sure if the fluid level is correct now - my understanding is these models have closed transmissions so there is no dipstick.


If its fairly straightforward I am fairly mechanically inclined or I have a friend that's rebuilt a few tranny's so I'm sure he'd do it. I didn't want to even bother him for any substantive work because friends and business never link well and I didn't want to put him in a position of accidentally messing it up. However, I'm sure he could do the fluid.


For some reason I'm starting to think it "may" have something to do with the fluid. It's weird, I noticed today completely smooth transitions when the car was cold (first 10 minutes or so) - it only starts to bump when the engine gets warm.

MWIS350

Drive as long as you can when it broke get used transmission online $1k and get transmission shop to install. You can also try to drain and fill the transmission oils yourself it take about 1.7 quart, you have to do about 3 time or one a week.

Parsa

i agree with mwis350. my tranny having some issues right now too, but shifting hard into second gear. also getting tcc solenoid code. im sure this will happen to you too, the transmissions in these cars are faulty and seem to die 120-150k miles. i will wait it and and probably buy used tranny if not rebuild. need to get quotes for both installation of new transmission and rebuild and see which is the better option.

so just drive it for now. i wouldn't spend money on tranny fluid change, its gona end up failing anyway. too late to change fluid

scott1256c

Not having a dipstick is not the same as being unable to add oil. IS350 has no dipstick but has separate plugs to drain and fill. In that case, you fill till it starts to come out the drain and you are done. It is a pain in the butt just to check level in that case. I only have IS350 info. Someone here must have downloaded the TIS docs for the IS250 trans, but I didn't. If it were me, I'd be adding the seafoam and hoping for the best. It is fairly cheap and can stay in there for the life of the fluid (according to the instructions). I say this because at the moment you seem to have little to lose. Read up on it first. There are some who say it can cause problems that wouldn't have shown up if you had never used it. So you have to weigh the risks and make the decision.

MWIS350

I think buy used will be better and cheaper.

lespaul64

Most of the research I did had a low mileage used tranny with <50K miles at around $750 plus shipping and a 6 month to 1 year warranty.


Coincidentally I found the last oil change receipt (my date marker for when I first started noticing it) and it was 6 months ago...which was surprising but time flies.


I found one other post where someone was having the exact same issue but they never followed up with the diagnosis. I'm still not 100% convinced its not as simple as a fluid issue given the timing the oil change - but - the Lexus tech, who honestly had no interest in trying to get more business, had that "sorry dude, you're in a bad place" look in his eyes and was convinced it wasn't the fluid. But I get the impression Lexus wants NOTHING to do with their transmissions due to liability so he may have been saying that to discourage me from having them change the fluid.


We'll see. Going to get an apparent reputable local tranny shop to take a ride with me and get initial impressions first - have them add fluid possibly. If they think it has to be the tranny I'm going to run around and price trade in values and look at some cars and make my decision. Everything else on the car is mint - hate to be shady but all of my mechanic friends are telling me to get max trade in now, assuming the dealerships don't notice it, because it only goes downhill from here.

MWIS350

You can drain 1.7 quart of transmission oil yourself and add what you drain. For me it seem to help and dealer also updated calibrate transmission ECU for $70.

saltamtami

I have exactly the same problem with my IS250 2012 AWD... And I noticed that the transmission shifts smoothly when disabling the traction control.. So I think the problem is not related to transmission..


Try to disable Trac and see the shifts..

saltamtami

Moreover.. I put the transmission in manual and in gear 1.. And I feel the tap at speed of about 20 km whiteout gear shift .. That's indicates the problem has no relation with transmission..