rexus31

I'm sure this problem has been posted before so please be patient with me. I was driving home the other night and noticed the Reverse indicator light on the instrument cluster appear when the brakes were depressed. The brake light warning light was also on. Furthermore, the transmission was stuck in first gear. When I let off the throttle and then depress, the cars acts as if it is in neutral and will not drive until a complete stop was made. I took the car to my mechanic this morning and amazingly the shifing problem was gone but the issue with the instument cluster was still present. He told me I probably have a cut wire in the left rear trunk where the wire harness attaches to the trunk arm. I have not checked this yet. When I drove the car tonite, the same shifting problem occured. Is it possible the wiring harness in the trunk could be causing all problems, even the transmission problem? If anyone could give me advice on this I would appreciate it.

GA400

this just happened to someone else too, yes the wire in the left trunk hinge is a known issue, read here for more data https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...877#post772877

Let us know if that helps,
GA400

rexus31

GA400, thanks for the input. What is the best way to investigate the problem? I just took a look and from what I can see, all the wires are wrapped in electrical tape. Should I take the clip off the truck hinge and start unwrapping? I also notice the taped wires run into a plastic cover along the bottom of the trunk hinge. Should I remove this? If so, what is the proper way to remove it?

GA400

Rexus31,

I would suggest doing only what you can get to easily, unless you are very confident and have some basic electrical troubleshooting experience. You can always wait and have your mechanic do it. I would attempt it at least once myself, though. First off, disconnect the battery - no use shorting something else out or shocking yourself. Make sure you have some elextrical tape to put things back the way they were and to cover the wire after you find and repair the break. Before you do the next step, check every wire you can see in the area without dismantling the U cup (no use taking it out if you don't have to). If not found yet, remove the U shaped holder in the hinge, cut the tape around the bundle, and look for wires with severe bends that have cracked the insulation and exposed the wires underneath. If you find one, cut the wire and twist the ends back together very tightly and cover them with the tape.
That is how I would go about it. For an answer from an expert and someone who has actually done this before you could pm VVT-i or sooner, both are Lexus techs who have responded to this in the past.

Good Luck,

GA400

rexus31

Thanks for your assistance. I have sent pm's to both Sooner and VVT-i. I just hope this fixes the tranny problem. I'm really not looking forward to forking out big bucks to get it fixed. I've had the car for over 6 years and this is the first problem I've had with it. I guess if I have to have the tranny rebuilt I'm still ahead of the game. I'll let you know how it turns out.

rexus31

Thanks to all for your assistance. You guys saved me at least $100 bucks and a trip to the dealer! The white wire with the black stripe was broken in half. I soldered an extension between the two pieces and everything is back to normal. Who would have thought one wire would cause all these problems.