Why does Lexus use cr@ppy transmission??
02-08-17, 10:41 PM
#16
Rookie
Thread Starter
Heck, even my old Nissan Minivan that has been passed down to several relatives now has 220K+ miles and still no issues with transmission.
02-09-17, 10:43 AM
#17
do you typically shift your auto transmission in your daily operation? Just throwing it out there because there are people who have that habit for "transmission braking" instead of using their brakes to slow down or regulate speed on hills. I never understood that habit but it can certainly lead to premature transmission wear.
02-15-17, 01:23 AM
#19
Rookie
Thread Starter
It's hard to describe, smelled like burnt brake pads, but when i go near the wheels and pads i don't smell anything. Or like a oil or some type of fluid that is leaking on hot exhaust.
02-15-17, 01:25 AM
#20
Rookie
Thread Starter
do you typically shift your auto transmission in your daily operation? Just throwing it out there because there are people who have that habit for "transmission braking" instead of using their brakes to slow down or regulate speed on hills. I never understood that habit but it can certainly lead to premature transmission wear.
02-23-17, 09:58 PM
#21
Driver School Candidate
I just changed my transmission oil and filter. The auto shop connected a flushing machine to the in and out lines of the transmission. I purchased 13 qt of Castrol import vehicle atf. 9 qt were put into flushing machine. I saw about 9.5 qt of black used ATF fluid come out while 9 qt of fresh fluid was put in. They then dropped the pan and removed filter. This was the first pan drop since original owner purchased vehicle. There were no major metal pieces. Just normal sand like metal mush on the magnets. The pan was cleaned and placed over the new filter. 4 qt of fresh fluid was added again. The issue I had with my reverse gear jerking the car under acceleration went away. The car runs very smooth now. Try to flush all old fluid out. Never mix fluids. I heard the Toyota and Castrol atf having best results. Walmart has Castrol for $5.5 a qt. Can't beat that. Attempting to drain the Trans fluid from the engine bay via a tube, and bucket from the trans fluid out line while adding fluid until the fluid comes out clean might put pressure onto your torque converter. Avoid this. Just pay a shop. It's less than $100 bucks and will save your tranny.
* Never shift an automatic out of D in hopes of manually controlling gear shifts. This hurts your tranny. Leave it in D.
* Never shift an automatic out of D in hopes of manually controlling gear shifts. This hurts your tranny. Leave it in D.
Last edited by shervink24; 02-23-17 at 10:00 PM. Reason: Additional comment
02-23-17, 11:32 PM
#22
Moderator
I just changed my transmission oil and filter. The auto shop connected a flushing machine to the in and out lines of the transmission. I purchased 13 qt of Castrol import vehicle atf. 9 qt were put into flushing machine. I saw about 9.5 qt of black used ATF fluid come out while 9 qt of fresh fluid was put in. They then dropped the pan and removed filter. This was the first pan drop since original owner purchased vehicle. There were no major metal pieces. Just normal sand like metal mush on the magnets. The pan was cleaned and placed over the new filter. 4 qt of fresh fluid was added again. The issue I had with my reverse gear jerking the car under acceleration went away. The car runs very smooth now. Try to flush all old fluid out. Never mix fluids. I heard the Toyota and Castrol atf having best results. Walmart has Castrol for $5.5 a qt. Can't beat that. Attempting to drain the Trans fluid from the engine bay via a tube, and bucket from the trans fluid out line while adding fluid until the fluid comes out clean might put pressure onto your torque converter. Avoid this. Just pay a shop. It's less than $100 bucks and will save your tranny.
* Never shift an automatic out of D in hopes of manually controlling gear shifts. This hurts your tranny. Leave it in D.
* Never shift an automatic out of D in hopes of manually controlling gear shifts. This hurts your tranny. Leave it in D.
Salim
02-24-17, 06:28 AM
#23
Pole Position
Salimshah, hooking up to machine and doing a fluid exchange would be fine, It used the transmissions pump to make the change. I agree totally about not doing a flush. Shops don't like the fluid exchange because it takes more time. But the drain and fill is what we all like. I had the fluid exchange done on my truck to switch from Ford fluid to Mobil 1 full synthetic. Never had any issues since. Doing the exchange is so much safer than the flush.
02-28-17, 06:46 PM
#24
Instructor
At the Mercedes forum I get postings like "I just crossed over the 100k Mile mark. 
". Then it's followed by guys asking "wow how did you do it?" Or "are you a mechanic" or "did you have extended warranty or extended warranty and pre-paid maintenance pkg?"
We r pretty spoiled with our cars.
". Then it's followed by guys asking "wow how did you do it?" Or "are you a mechanic" or "did you have extended warranty or extended warranty and pre-paid maintenance pkg?" We r pretty spoiled with our cars.
03-08-17, 05:52 PM
#25
Driver School Candidate
Salimshah, hooking up to machine and doing a fluid exchange would be fine, It used the transmissions pump to make the change. I agree totally about not doing a flush. Shops don't like the fluid exchange because it takes more time. But the drain and fill is what we all like. I had the fluid exchange done on my truck to switch from Ford fluid to Mobil 1 full synthetic. Never had any issues since. Doing the exchange is so much safer than the flush.
During hard acceleration the shifts are smooth. During slow, light driving the shifts sometimes have a thud, shaking sensation. THIS FRIGHTENS ME *
Last edited by shervink24; 03-08-17 at 06:03 PM.
03-11-17, 06:12 AM
#26
Pardon my rant, but i'm just so disappointed because the transmission on my RX300 just died. It only has 166K miles on it.
Like most of us here, I've taken care of my RX and have been replacing the transmission fluid using T-IV and replacing the trans filter using OEM part form Lexus dealer. It has been running great and has not given me problems, till one day while I was at a stop light, I stepped on the gas and the car did not go forward. I tried re-shifting and stepped on the gas again then the car jerked violently forward and i heard a strange noise from the transmission. At that point i drove the car slowly to a parking lot and have it towed.
I dropped the pan and tried to change the fluid and filter again, hoping it would miraculously fix it but I think it is in vain. I was shocked to see so much metal pieces in the pan (see pics).
Now the car won't even go reverse, but when I try to shift to D,2 and 1, the noise is gone. Should I still try Lucas transmission fix?
Anyone here in the San francisco bay area had their transmission replaced? preferably a rebuilt one or used? Any recommendation?
PS. after reading other threads about RX300 transmission issues, i did remember a few months back that I smelled something weird near the front of the car. At first I thought it was the brake pads or some engine oil or fluid dripping down the exhaust pipes. It went away after a few days so I did not worry too much about it. Now in hindsight I think that was probably the transmission fluid.
Like most of us here, I've taken care of my RX and have been replacing the transmission fluid using T-IV and replacing the trans filter using OEM part form Lexus dealer. It has been running great and has not given me problems, till one day while I was at a stop light, I stepped on the gas and the car did not go forward. I tried re-shifting and stepped on the gas again then the car jerked violently forward and i heard a strange noise from the transmission. At that point i drove the car slowly to a parking lot and have it towed.
I dropped the pan and tried to change the fluid and filter again, hoping it would miraculously fix it but I think it is in vain. I was shocked to see so much metal pieces in the pan (see pics).
Now the car won't even go reverse, but when I try to shift to D,2 and 1, the noise is gone. Should I still try Lucas transmission fix?
Anyone here in the San francisco bay area had their transmission replaced? preferably a rebuilt one or used? Any recommendation?
PS. after reading other threads about RX300 transmission issues, i did remember a few months back that I smelled something weird near the front of the car. At first I thought it was the brake pads or some engine oil or fluid dripping down the exhaust pipes. It went away after a few days so I did not worry too much about it. Now in hindsight I think that was probably the transmission fluid.
03-11-17, 07:21 AM
#27
Moderator
Theories abound, but no one has determined the common cause of failure.
I have been on lax fluid changes during first 100k [45k drain fill] miles and then on 15k drain fill and had no transmission issues [now at 1/4 million miles]. Folks who have done more changes have run into issues.
Salim
I have been on lax fluid changes during first 100k [45k drain fill] miles and then on 15k drain fill and had no transmission issues [now at 1/4 million miles]. Folks who have done more changes have run into issues.
Salim
03-11-17, 02:04 PM
#28
Driver School Candidate
Theories abound, but no one has determined the common cause of failure.
I have been on lax fluid changes during first 100k [45k drain fill] miles and then on 15k drain fill and had no transmission issues [now at 1/4 million miles]. Folks who have done more changes have run into issues.
Salim
I have been on lax fluid changes during first 100k [45k drain fill] miles and then on 15k drain fill and had no transmission issues [now at 1/4 million miles]. Folks who have done more changes have run into issues.
Salim
03-11-17, 02:22 PM
#29
Moderator
This is interesting. So after 170k I finally change the original trans fluid and my trans is running smoother than before. When you say 15k drain and fill Salim after 100k were you changing the filter also with every drain and fill? Maybe changing the filter excessively hurts the tranny. Lexus intended it to be a lifetime filter.
Everything you have read is speculation as we, consumers, have no specific information about what causes the transmission to die and or what can keep it working longer. Dont forget, it can be driving habits too and back in 1999, 110k from auto-trans was somewhat of a gold standard. [Yes, consumers had vehicles that lasted longer].
Salim
04-01-17, 09:54 PM
#30
Transmission
Really? If it was a transmission from some american cars then I can understand life expectancy of 150k, but not on Lexus/Toyotas. I've Lexus/Toyota could easily go past 250K mi.
Heck, even my old Nissan Minivan that has been passed down to several relatives now has 220K+ miles and still no issues with transmission.
Heck, even my old Nissan Minivan that has been passed down to several relatives now has 220K+ miles and still no issues with transmission.