CDSLex

Hi all,

This is my first post, although I've been lurking for a while.

I have an '02 RX300 2WD, 124k miles, bought new and been mostly trouble-free so far. Last weekend, my wife says it won't shift out of park. After the third or fourth try, she said, it dropped into reverse with a jolt. She also reported a couple of rough shifts between 1st and 2nd. She said the shift lever was easy to move, so it wasn't because she had parked on a hill or anything like that. I've driven it since and had no problems. Fluid level is fine.

Took it to the dealer this morning and he said no codes, shifting normally, everything looks okay, they don't see a problem.

I've read about the early model trans failures. Is this the first sign of impending failure? Are 2002+ 2WD models prone to this problem? Trans fluid was changed at about 70k miles, although the maintenance schedule doesn't call for any changes.

blueridge

FWD are not as prone to failure as the AWD RX's but they can happen. What is the history of ATF service? Was it only at 70K and what did they do? Have you checked the ATF level, color and smell?

Dark brownish color and burnt smell would be bad and needing changed, also being low could give shift problems.

lexus114

This is what I would do:
Drop the transmission pan,see what is going on in their.I.e,is their a lot of shavings at the bottom of the pan by the magnets? is the filter clogged? if you still have the metal screen filter,just clean and replace.Get a trans pan gasket,fill with new fluid.Then if it works well,replace with a good Synthetic fluid.( I just didnt want you to waste money if the trans is shot)

CDSLex

Thanks for the replies. The 70k mile trans service was a flush and fill. The fluid looks a little brown to me but smells normal. Interesting that the dealer didn't suggest changing it. I just went out for lunch, about 10 miles total, Interstate and city streets, and it shifted fine.

blueridge

I'd do what Lexus114 said if you are inclined. There is a DIY on here, that way you can take a look to see how much metal it's making and how big the pieces are.

CDSLex

Thanks, I think I'll try that this weekend. I'm fairly mechanically inclined (I've built and raced a Miata and CRX in SCCA road racing) but I don't know much about automatic transmissions.

Any danger that changing the fluid will stir up all the gunk and cause more trouble? I've read suggestion about not doing a trans flush for that reason. I know removing the pan and draining the fluid is not the same as a full flush, but I would hate to make matters worse.

BTW, we are driving to Hayesville, NC in a few weeks to visit family. Supposed to take the Lexus. Hope it still has a working transmission then.

Lexmex

Just do a drain and fill as I wouldn't want to flush anything back into the system (especially if you have any metal bits in the pan).

What I like to do is 3 drain and fills over the course of 3 weeks, though I can subsitute a week if I do about 100 miles of driving instead.

Key thing is to drain both the front differential (the plug on the left) and also the tranny pan. A lot of first timers forget to drain the plug on the left in this photo.

The DIY is here, https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...er-change.html

Lexmex

One thing I should mention is that on an FWD, the drain and fill of fluid is 3.5 liters versus 4.1 liters with an AWD tranny.

bob2200

I wonder if that is because of the transmission cooler; in which case the capacity would be greater for FWD models with the towing package (which includes a transmission cooler).

blueridge

You got some hills up there too!

CDSLex

Excellent information! Thanks LexMex and everyone else who responded.

blueridge - yep, a few more hills there than here in the flatlands. We love it up there.

lexus114

its not just the cooler that adds capacity,its also the front differential too.