tmuti13

went out to drive the rx this morning. put it in reverse and nothing. revved the engine and felt a kick, but very little movement. when i put in in drive, it did move, but i was parked up against a curb and couldn't move much or I'd hit it. Any way to diagnose if this is the transmission or the torque converter? How can you tell if a torque converter is bad? thanks in advance for your help.

BTW, if its the tranny, then this will be the second time i've had to replace it.

wifesrx300

same thing happened to me a few weeks back. had to have the tranny replaced. dealer diagnosed it as an "internal failure".
how many miles are on your second tranny?
good luck....

salimshah

Yes, Please post more details


milage, model, transmission type, fluid condition, miles when first was replaced, miles since this one has been in, warranty remaining/expired on the current transmission, service history.

Salim

tmuti13

146K now. replaced tranny at 105K. I do all of my maintenance and the fluid is in great condition. I'm really frustrated. if its the tranny again, i'm going to cut my losses and part with this thing

Lexmex

Torque converter is probably not the issue. As you may remember we had mine opened up back in December and it was beefed up (a good suggestion by Salimshah since I had the tranny out), but still it is nothing really different from any other torque converter on any other vehicle.

The issues I see with this setup are the flywheel (we saw as much in my December thread) and that transmission pump.

If the fluid is low, it can stutter and it can also if the fluid is bad. Ok, I will take it for granted your fluid is in good shape. But if that precious little pump has an issue, it can also do much the same thing.

Not being able to move out of reverse is a good sign the tranny has some internal issue (perhaps something warped there as well), but likely not the torque converter. Torque converters going bad leave a shuddering effect that is felt (not just heard) not just on gear changes, but also between them.

When I had my issue back in December, I heard noise (flywheel) but could not sense a shudder, and when they took a look at my torque converter, nothing really wrong, just some old fluid.

tmuti13

thanks lex. I didn't have a chance to check the fluid level this morning, but I just went out and checked it and it is super low. It hardly registered on the dipstick. It was red though. I will get under there as soon as I can but that might not be until this weekend because of work. There is no doubt some kind of leak, but need to do some investigating to see where it's coming from. Do you think I could have done some damage this morning when I tried putting it in gear? Also, I had no problem shifting it out of reverse, the rx just wouldn't move when in reverse.

salimshah

Start by filling it to the right level ... Toyota Type IV or equiv [dont confuse it with Dexron II, III etc].

Once things start moving... do a drain and fill after a week. If you get metal filings do another drain and fill.

Investigate where did the fluid go.

Salim

tmuti13

thanks salim, that's exactly what i was thinking. problem is i'm not sure i'll be able to get to this during the week. luckily i have another vehicle or i'd be screwed. i will keep you posted on what i find.

slw ls1

How long ago was the tranny replaced, (time wise, not milage)? Toyota remans the tranny's and sends them back out to the dealers to get put back in. If it's been under a year since you put the last tranny in the dealer should do it for no charge under parts warentee, but not to many people drive 41k in one year. Since the RX's have such a problem with the tranny's and you're already on your second one, I'd call up lexus personally and make them put in a new one no charge.

tmuti13

the tranny was put in a couple years ago and i didn't have it done at the dealer, because they quoted me $8K. so you know where i told them to go. i had a transmission shop that was recommended by my friend (the dealer i got the car through) rebuild my old tranny.

also, i did call lexus headquarters a few times after this happened the first time and they wouldn't do anything for me. i did file a complaint with i believe the US safety adminsitration or one of those orgainizations. i know that several others on this forum also made the same complaint hoping that it would cause an investigation and ultimately some type of settlement or recall if lexus were found guilty of putting an unsafe vehicle on the road.

lexus114

Thats what I cant understand,why lexus doesnt step up,and recall these transmissions.I know it would be costly,but they have reserves put aside for this sort of thing.And if this doesnt qualify for some sort of recall,I dont know what is worthy then.Not to mention the fact of keeping people satisfied with their product,and loyal to lexus.(coming back for another lexus)

Lexmex

If the fluid level is that low, then it will sputter and surge in gears. Should check to see where the level is after you have driven the vehicle for a bit.

lexmom

I purchased my RX300 in June for my daughter in hopes it would last her for years. I bought it with less than 80000 and have put less than 3500 on it since. Everything checked out great with the exception of the check engine light. My local guy (non-dealer) said not to worry about the light unless car started acting strangely/not running well. Well, all of the sudden, my daughter reported it was hesitating, then lurching. Yesterday, when my husband drove it to a toyota dealer service center, it would hardly drive. They tell us it needs a new transmission for $5600!!! Of course, the car (purchased from a private dealer) is no longer under any warranty.

I'd appreciate any advice on how to get Lexus to take some responsibility and at least share in the repair cost. Am i better off at a Lexus dealer or should i look for a less expensive (but reputable) service place? Would you stay away from any used transmissions? HELP!

lexus114

Quite frankly lexmom,I would take it to a reputable transmission shop.Make sure you get a writen warranty.Lexus will probably not help you out,cause you didnt have it serviced their.(did you?)

wifesrx300

lexus gave me a 40% break, but I had my car serviced exclusively at the dealear since the day I bought it.