2008 LS 600h L 177K mileage. My wife drove the car last week when I was away. She got to the gas station without problem. When she turned the car on and put on reverse, the car will not move backward. She tried to move forward a little then backward, but same results. After few tries, car finally started moving. She went to local hardware store and when she enter the car for the second time the car refused to go on reverse. Hardware store employee played with the car for few minutes and he was able to get the car moving. No problem since then except for loud noise during low speed and regenerative braking. Is like grinding noise coming out of transmission tunnel. The noise disappear after I go over 50mph. I have search online, but I cant not find any information on this problem. If anybody in this forum has experience similar problem, please advise. I hope I don't have to drop the transmission because that noise is annoying, but car drive great without problem.

 

I think something happened to the motor. The motor is making loud noise now ever time I drive. I was looking for someone who had similar problem and what did they do to fix it. This will probably be one of the first motor to fail on ls 600. I am just hoping I don't have to source new/used motor and having to drop the whole transmission to replace.

 

Have you done a transmission fluid change at all? I did mine at 100,000 klms. The fluid was black when it should of been a plum colour.

 

No, I will try that when I get a chance. But the noise is coming from the electric motor (MG2). My understanding is that, MG1 and MG2 are not soaked in transmission fluid, So fluid change will not fix my problem.