Eliaquim

Hello!

A couple of weeks ago, with car lifted, a mechanic just shifted from dride to reverse with the wheels still rotating. He had been accelerating, stopped accelerating, did not apply the breaks and just shifted to reverse or maybe straight to park with the wheels still rotating. We heard a very loud noise like when you hear a car spinning. The car still worke ok! Four days ago, he did the same thing. Car runs fine, but I am worried.

What are the possibilities of having a failure in the gearbox because of that?

Note to self: never go to that garage again.

kiwi

i would ensure that it is documented on your receipt so that if anything happens in the next year, they "should" be on the hook.

wouldnt hurt to change the fluid and examine what comes out.

nipponbird

You don't say if it is at a Lexus workshop, but it is sort of implied if you say you're not going back there. What was he testing?

Eliaquim

Good idea, but it's been weeks ago. And yes, I changed the fluid and did not notice much metal. Just some very tiny particles. Is it abnormal? Car is a 2004 RX330 with 125000 miles and they never changed fluid before. But I noticed a gray color in my fingers. Is it normal?

Eliaquim

Nah, it's not Lexus dealership. And they were testing road noise. The same mechanic told me it was the wheel bearings from the 'test', but I could discover later that it were the tires. And I already replaced one bearing and bought the other.

On another note, nipponbird, how easy is it to find parts in South Africa? Sorry I can not send you a message .

nipponbird

Of course not a problem if you go to a Lexus dealer here. My experience with non-OEM parts is not good and I rather spend the extra money and buy over the counter at Lexus (sometimes they're cheaper than the non-OEM guys). But Club Lexus has vendors that supply OEM parts. Try them, believe the part will be on your doorstep in 14 to 21 days.
As to the incident re the shifting into reverse: Well, I would also take my patronage somewhere else. Have you reported it to the workshop manager? I would do so in writing, so that there is a paper trail, should you need to claim from them. In the meantime drive the car as much as possible and keep a close eye for anything untowards. Also remove the transmission sump and check for out of the ordinary, metal particles. Just remember the RX350 doesn't use ordinary ATF, but fancy stuff from Japan (believe there are petroleum companies who market an equivalent).

kiwi

sounds normal to me.

you should really change it more often

HtownBlue

Find a new mechanic ASAP. Absolutely no reason to ever do that.