Hi,

I just purchased a 1995 Lexus LS400. I drove it about 15 miles home and the car drove perfect until I got off the highway. I stopped at the first light and when I tried to accelerate on green the car wouldn't move. I had to shut it off, wait a few seconds and turn it back on for the car to get going. There's no check engine light on. I was hoping someone here knows what could be causing this problem? The previous owner told me changed the fuel pump, spark plugs and he thought the cat converter may be clogged. Thanks in advance.

 

look at the ignition coils. also confirm the ECU check engine light turns on with the key in the ACC position.

 

thanks for the reply. I have to wait till i get home I don't have the car at work. A friend knows some lexus mechanics and they are saying it sounds like a bad transmission.

Thanks again

 

There are a lot more things it could be besides a bad transmission. I would not even listen to any mechanics that tell you that the tranny needs to be changed from the little bit of info you provided. Just do what PD suggested and get back to us.

 

"a bad transmission"? Seriously? I'm not gonna sit here and say that it couldn't be. But that incredibly broad diagnosis is like saying you have a bad engine when you really need an oil change. Theres more to a transmission than just a transmission. It's not one part. It's a plethora of mechanical and electrical parts that work in sync.

 

Welcome to Club Lexus.

The absence of a check engine light is common with an ECU issue provided the dash light is not dead itself. What other symptoms/problems does the car have?

When you tried to accelerate, the engine was still running fine or did it miss when the gas pedal was depressed? The engine RPM's went up and the car didn't move?

 

The Ecu Check Engine Comes On With The Key In acc Position. The ignition coils also look fine. Thanks

 

The engine didn't miss fire it ran fine it just felt like I was accelerating in neutral. Sometimes it would not move at all and other times it felt like the car was pulling a trailer and did have enough power. Every time it lost all power all I had to do is shut the car off and restart it.

Thanks for the help.

 

Does the car have traction control? Sounds like a trac issue. If the trans was slipping than it wouldnt be as simple as turning the car off and on. I would think that it would be constant. How is the fluid level and condition?

 

The fluid level for tranny and engine are fine and look clean. I don't see any traction button.
Thanks

 

Florida in a 95 with known weak capacitors... I'd check the ECU capacitors and replace them first thing. Low cost and needs to be done anyways... they do cause crazy and weird problems depending on how they fail.

 

I will look into getting the ecu re done. Hopefully I can find someone cheap in Miami.
Thanks for the help.

 

how do the coils "look fine"??? Did you test them or what? If so, how?

 

you did tell him to "look" at his ignition coil.. maybe he got

To the OP: To my extremely limited knowledge there's a couple different ways to test an ignition coil.. One is to remove a spark plug and reconnect it to its corresponding wire and touch the thread of the spark plug to the engine block, then crank the engine... If you got blue sparks, you're ignition coil is fine.. wear insulated gloves... friend of mine got shocked doing this one day

The other way is with an ohmmeter... Actually I don't even know if this would be a proper test.. I'm just kinda assuming.. Anything electrical can be tested with an ohmmeter methinks.

 

lol I did not know how to test them. I will try pulling the spark plug and testing them.

Thanks.