Faint "Clunking" noise when car downshifts
11-30-03, 10:57 PM
#1
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Faint "Clunking" noise when car downshifts
Does anyone with a 330 hear/feel a very faint clunking noise when the car downshifts? Is this normal or should I be worried about this? It IS getting rather cold in Chicago, but I don't know if this is a contributing factor or not. Thanks.
11-30-03, 11:37 PM
#2
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Are you downshifting manually (shifter from 5 to 4) or when the tranny downshifts itself? Both ways on mine produces no clunking noise.
The only gripe I have is when following slow drivers at an intersection, the tranny is very finicky; you can feel it wants more power and if it doesn't get it, upshifts very hard.
Other than that, I LOVE this SUV!
The only gripe I have is when following slow drivers at an intersection, the tranny is very finicky; you can feel it wants more power and if it doesn't get it, upshifts very hard.
Other than that, I LOVE this SUV!
12-01-03, 06:28 AM
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When the car downshifts itself, it produces a faint, but audible, clunk. It doesn't seem to be coming from the engine - it sounds more like it's coming from the bottom of the car. Would the viscous coupling cause this?
12-01-03, 08:48 AM
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I have the same sound your refering to. No problem upshifting but downshifting does sometime clunk when it drops to 1st gear. Its on my list for my next service.
12-05-03, 08:10 AM
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that is a real problem. you should print out this page and show it to ur lexus dealer. at least not very many have it, unlike the gx. we have a clunk but it is when the car is on a stop position and then it feels like u got rear ended.
12-06-03, 04:34 AM
#7
I'm noticing the same faint clunking, or thumping noise. Mine sounds like it is coming from the trans area or directly under the center console storage bin. I can duplicate the noise by lightly taping the gas on an off. With every tap I will hear that faint thump. Mine is a FWD model.
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12-06-03, 07:40 AM
#9
Originally posted by cyboriax
That is EXACTLY what I am hearing. 100%. Is this a normal sound?
That is EXACTLY what I am hearing. 100%. Is this a normal sound?
12-06-03, 01:15 PM
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I have the same 'popping/clunking' sound when slowing down. I normally hear it around 30 mph. I took it to the dealer and was told it was operating normally. The transmission seems to never know when to shift and what gear to shift to. The software upgrade has been done and the problem only seems to worsen. The service consultant told me there was nothing else they could do. He said that Lexus knows they have a problem but don't have a fix for it yet. When I asked what was I supposed to do he suggested I contact Lexus which I most certainly am going to do.
12-08-03, 05:18 PM
#12
I haven't taken it to the dealer yet. I'll do it on my next service. I don't really have any confidence they can fix or even know what the problem is though. It doesn't affect the operation of the car, but it definately is not normal since I didn't have it in the begining. It seems like with the RX330 Lexus doesn't really know how to fix most of the little bugs yet.
12-10-03, 09:04 PM
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RE: Faint "Clunking" noise when car downshifts
I just brought my RX330 for the 5K service and reported the same clunking sound when the transmission downshifts (say from 30 to 20 mph) and the dealer admits that there is a sound but categorically labels it as "normal". I think everyone who doesn't think that a $40,000 plus car should make such a sloppy noise should call Lexus customer service (at 1-800-255-3987 prompt #4) and ask for Saul (I don't remember his last name but there shouldn't be that many Saul's) and report the problem to him--he's the person I talked to. Lexus doesn't think that there's a problem with the transmission clunk because people aren't complaining to the corporate office!
12-10-03, 10:50 PM
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Does anyone know whether the RX300 had the same clunking issue? If not, why did they change to a transmission that clunked? I can't possibly imagine that the clunking noise was not brought up during R&D!
12-11-03, 08:14 AM
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Just goes to show you and I am sure everyone heard it a milion times.
You are always taking a chance by buying a new model in its first production year.
Even a company as good as Lexus can't handle the problems that always exist in the beginning.
Hopefully they will all turn out to be minor and fixes will become available.
As much as I like the RX330 and considered trading up, I think I made the right choice by waiting and am still enjoying the RX300 that was produced at the end of its runs well after there were solutions to all the initial problems.
You are always taking a chance by buying a new model in its first production year.
Even a company as good as Lexus can't handle the problems that always exist in the beginning.
Hopefully they will all turn out to be minor and fixes will become available.
As much as I like the RX330 and considered trading up, I think I made the right choice by waiting and am still enjoying the RX300 that was produced at the end of its runs well after there were solutions to all the initial problems.