Made History: ISF Transmission blown
02-17-16, 06:39 AM
#1
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Made History: ISF Transmission blown
Well ISF crew,
It appears I have made history as possibly the third person to have a ISF transmission go (2008, 80k). I'm a engineer so I understand that this might just be a overlooked defect and there is always a percentage of parts that will just not meet the standards but still get by QC but it still makes me salty since I have always preached about the reliability of the ISF and Lexus in general. Now I can only hang my head in shame around my BMW friends
Summary of the issue:
Earlier this week I was pulling into a parking spot, next to a M3 no less, and I go back to up and it feels like I'm the parking brake is on in reverse. The car vibrates and it moves backwards but the whole time is jerking and feels like it's mechanically slipping. I get out of the car and nothing is blocking my way and no fluids are spewing out. I drive forward and everything is normal. So I decide to test it. I have all forward gears and everything is normal, pop it in reverse and the car is vibrating and lurching like a ****box. I take it to Roswell Nalley Lexus near Atlanta (because those guys have a good rep and know our F's). I get a call back the next day and the transmission is the culprit, All fluids where fine (level/color), my guy at the dealer tells me that he has never seen this before and says I just have a fluke transmission. The crazy part is, that of all things to go, it's reverse, so maybe it is just a fluke. The good news is I have a extended warranty that came with the car when I bought it, the bad news is it's a 3rd party warranty, so i'm expecting to get jerked around a bit and they will probably honor my repair with pennies on the dollar. Anyone in the community got a spare transmission they want to unload, worse case? I might need some help here guys.
It appears I have made history as possibly the third person to have a ISF transmission go (2008, 80k). I'm a engineer so I understand that this might just be a overlooked defect and there is always a percentage of parts that will just not meet the standards but still get by QC but it still makes me salty since I have always preached about the reliability of the ISF and Lexus in general. Now I can only hang my head in shame around my BMW friends
Summary of the issue:
Earlier this week I was pulling into a parking spot, next to a M3 no less, and I go back to up and it feels like I'm the parking brake is on in reverse. The car vibrates and it moves backwards but the whole time is jerking and feels like it's mechanically slipping. I get out of the car and nothing is blocking my way and no fluids are spewing out. I drive forward and everything is normal. So I decide to test it. I have all forward gears and everything is normal, pop it in reverse and the car is vibrating and lurching like a ****box. I take it to Roswell Nalley Lexus near Atlanta (because those guys have a good rep and know our F's). I get a call back the next day and the transmission is the culprit, All fluids where fine (level/color), my guy at the dealer tells me that he has never seen this before and says I just have a fluke transmission. The crazy part is, that of all things to go, it's reverse, so maybe it is just a fluke. The good news is I have a extended warranty that came with the car when I bought it, the bad news is it's a 3rd party warranty, so i'm expecting to get jerked around a bit and they will probably honor my repair with pennies on the dollar. Anyone in the community got a spare transmission they want to unload, worse case? I might need some help here guys.
02-17-16, 07:12 AM
#4
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Thread Starter
A warranty agent came out to investigate, so I'm not sure what their conclusion will be but I would guess that a replacement would be easier and less costly than a rebuilt especially on this unit.
02-17-16, 07:37 AM
#6
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Yeah I see one with 9K miles on it for 800, supposedly the owner was doing a manual swap, not sure on that one sounds a little suspect. Not sure if that was anyone on the forums.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2008-Lexus-I...xVfMq9&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2008-Lexus-I...xVfMq9&vxp=mtr
02-17-16, 08:33 AM
#7
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Thats just nuts!!!! Its the Aisin AA80E, right?
If you're going forward and can hit all gears just fine, fluid level is good too, then the only thing I can see from the limited docs I have on this trans is the B2 brake being bad.
If I had a proper valve body and fluid diagram I could see if it were other problems. Not that it matters though!
For fun can you press them to see what the problem was? Morbid curiosity and all
That $900 trans is a good deal BTW.
If you're going forward and can hit all gears just fine, fluid level is good too, then the only thing I can see from the limited docs I have on this trans is the B2 brake being bad.
If I had a proper valve body and fluid diagram I could see if it were other problems. Not that it matters though!
For fun can you press them to see what the problem was? Morbid curiosity and all
That $900 trans is a good deal BTW.
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02-17-16, 08:47 AM
#9
Check kiiji in Canada saw a brand new one in crate for 1500-1700 looks like he bought the ebay ones that where on fire sale. Also gearbanging bought two from pics he posted hit him up
02-17-16, 08:56 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
Thats just nuts!!!! Its the Aisin AA80E, right?
If you're going forward and can hit all gears just fine, fluid level is good too, then the only thing I can see from the limited docs I have on this trans is the B2 brake being bad.
If I had a proper valve body and fluid diagram I could see if it were other problems. Not that it matters though!
For fun can you press them to see what the problem was? Morbid curiosity and all
That $900 trans is a good deal BTW.
If you're going forward and can hit all gears just fine, fluid level is good too, then the only thing I can see from the limited docs I have on this trans is the B2 brake being bad.
If I had a proper valve body and fluid diagram I could see if it were other problems. Not that it matters though!
For fun can you press them to see what the problem was? Morbid curiosity and all
That $900 trans is a good deal BTW.
Thanks for the tip, I will try to get in touch with them if I need to.
02-17-16, 09:05 AM
#11
Driver School Candidate
^^^ http://www.kijiji.ca/v-transmission-...s-f/1132737163
its been for sale for months, and its priced in CAD$ so it's almost free
its been for sale for months, and its priced in CAD$ so it's almost free
02-17-16, 09:18 AM
#13
I remember tommy had over 120k miles before his transmission failed too, since his warranty was over, lexus did paid half of his cost to fixed it. That is wise to replace the transmission fluid every 60k miles even though lexus recommended not too. I talked to several guys that did that here in the forum 
tough luck to you , hopefully the 3rd party paying for it.
tough luck to you , hopefully the 3rd party paying for it.
02-17-16, 09:24 AM
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Yeah man, I might actually take the trans with me and disassemble just out of curiosity (if it is possible to retrieve). I have broken down manual transmissions but automatics are something I never really touched. I will keep updating as I try to find the root cause.
Thanks for the tip, I will try to get in touch with them if I need to.
Thanks for the tip, I will try to get in touch with them if I need to.
If its a simple fix you could recoupe some $$.
FWIW auto trans aren't killer hard to understand. Though time consuming, I rebuilt a GM 4l80e and swapped it into my Yukon without any prior experience. Its broken now, but thats besides the point!
