slaurey01

I have 2001 Lexus LS430 with 130,000 miles. I went to the local auto parts store today due to my check engine light being on. They say I have an error code P0753 Shift "A" solenoid. I'm being told that since my transmission fluid is brunt black in color that I should change that before I replace the solenoid. Would you recommend changing the fluid or just go ahead and replace the solenoid? Does changing the solenoid normally fix the problem or do I need to replace the transmission (which I don't want to do)

Help!!!

writes123

+1 replace fluid and solenoid. i think that since replacing the solenoid involves a pan drop, at minimum 2-3 qts will need to be replaced. given the solenoid failure, my vote would be to do a flush so you have clean, fresh fluid vs a diluted ATF mix.

JoshuaaXD

Be happy you got the check engine light.

Go get your tranny flushed, shouldn't be any more than 200-250 bucks. And while the pan is off, the solenoid can be replaced. Here's some info that will help.

JoshuaaXD

Number one should be on the left, all the way towards the rear of the car.

The part number should start with 35240. Double check my info for accuracy with the lexus dealer.

You, or the shop doing the work, may want to rebuild the valve body, so be prepared. I definitely would be at my shop.

slaurey01

Hi guys,

Thanks for your post! So I took it to a shop and they stated the car was slipping in 3rd gear. There recommendation replace the tranny they quoted me $2,088.00. They stated my trans fluid was complete burnt and changing it or the solenoid would not help.

My uncle went back up there with me and told them to change the fluid as he did not believe my tranny needed to be replace due to the car driving perfectly fine before the light came on. My uncle told me that if the fluid was completely burnt it could have been clogging stuff up causing the computer to run in safe mode and giving me the check engine light. He also said this happen to his LS400 (he had burnt trans fluid also) and once he changed the fluid the issue with it slipping in 3rd gear went away.

They changed the fluid drove the car and stated it's no longer slipping in 3rd gear. I didn't change the solenoid. They are suggesting I drive it for few weeks and see if the light comes back on. So for now I'm keeping my fingers cross and putting the money to the side just in case the light comes back on. I drove the car this morning on the interstate to work and it drive fine.

Any thoughts????

slaurey01

Please help!!!

Update my check engine light is back on! I called Lexus and they are stating they recommend replacing the tranny ($4,314.00) They are stating to me that changing the solenoid almost never works. I'm taking the car to a tranny shop this afternoon to get a second opinion.

JoshuaaXD can you advise if what Lexus is stating is true? I see you have a bit of experience with this issue before.

Thanks,

jimbosr1

i would change the solenoid first before spending $4.5k.if it didnt work i would put a used trans in.

Tom57

Did they simply do a drain and fill (about 3 qts.) or did they do a complete flush of transmission fluid? Either way, I would now change the faulty solenoid (since you are getting only one specific MIL code that relates to that one solenoid). (Ask if you can supply an OEM solenoid since the list price on those is over the top. Pick it up online.) I'd also replace the trans filter while the trans pan is off too.

* Edit: Causes of P0753 MIL are:
- Low transmission fluid level
- Dirty transmission fluid
- Faulty shift solenoid 'A' valve

JoshuaaXD

I'd quit going to the dealer first off. They're not going to spent time diagnosing the problem.

Can you work on your own car? There's a few places I would start.

You can go in, drop the pan, clean it out, replace the filter and the bad solenoid. Might as well rebuilt the valve body as well. It's cheap enough.

If not you can have a shop do this.

To put this into perspective, you could buy a tranny from me, ship the car to my shop here in Stockton, and after parts and labor you'd still be into it for less than half what lexus quoted you.

Also, it's worth pulling out the speed sensors and cleaning them.

BradTank

If you're not experiencing any of the symptoms of a bad tranny except for the Check Engine light flashing a code, I would definitely look at just replacing that specific solenoid before I replaced the entire transmission.

It sounds like the dealership is not interested in making this repair, I'd ask around and see if you can find an honest transmission shop, which unfortunately isn't always easy.

I'd also change the fluid a few more times with a few "drain and fills". It may just need to have all the old fluid cycled out.

You've got nothing really to lose by just waiting and seeing before putting in a whole new transmission. Who knows, it could go a few more years even with the code.

slaurey01

I think they did a complete flush as I got the filter and fluid changed. Should I get the trans filter changed again while I'm getting the solenoid replaced?

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

Probably no point really slaurey01. If it was done already the "filter", which is really just a screen, never needs to be changed if you change your transmission fluid every 60k as Lexus recommends everywhere else the world except the United States. Really no reason ever to drop a transmission pan unless for repair or extremely filthy transmission.

slaurey01

No I can't I'm a lady :-( and this is what makes this situation crazy because I don't have anyone to help me figure out what's the best way for me to handle this problem.

I found a tranny shop that told me to quit going to Lexus also as they aren't going to do anything but say replace the tranny. The mechanic told me he would replace the solenoid before he would think about replacing the tranny. He stated it will only take about 2.5 hours to replace the solenoid and that he would do it for about $250.00 plus fluid and so forth. The solenoid is roughly $330.00. Think you so much for all your help! I am going to go back up to the tranny shop today on my lunch break and ask him how much he will charge to also drop the pan clean it out, replace the filter, rebuild the valve body, and clean the speed sensors. I'll let you know how things go. I'm looking to put the car in the shop on Monday the 15th when I get paid.

Tom57

At 130K miles and with an existing transmission problem, the trans fluid has likely never been changed. You tried a trans flush only without also changing the known faulty solenoid, and that didn't work. You could not change the filter, and run the risk of having a clogged filter, which would likely leave you thinking you need a new transmission. Many here do preventative maintenance when things are apart for other reasons. Since they'll already have the trans pan off, why wouldn't you change the filter too, just to save a couple $? Why not eliminate the filter as being a possible contributing cause of the trans problem, especially since the original trans fluid was probably burnt?

* Edit*: Have your independent transmission shop check to be sure Lexus replaced the trans filter. It could be run through the parts washer, if necessary.

slaurey01

When I brought the car it had 80,000 miles on it, one owner and he pretty much kept all the maintenance up on it via Lexus. The car now has 136,000 miles give or take because I'm not in my car right now. I have for the most part kept my maintenance up on the car but never had the fluid change (I'm a women so sew me lol). When I the light first came on I was being told by several people to change the fluid because it was practically burnt and that the fluid being burnt was probably the reason for the code coming up. I changed the fluid and filter and the car was driving fine for about a month and the light came back own with the same code.