I have a 2004 LS with 240k miles- I have religiously maintained it since I bought it at 70k. Don't remember last time I did the transmission fluid change- will be looking into it in next few days. The car seems to be shifting somewhat differently- mainly when I accelerate a little harder than normal (I drive my car very easy 99% of the time and do a ton of highway driving) - the different feeling is mainly a prolonged time before shifting into the next gear (mainly in 2nd and 3rd gear). I don't feel the transmission slipping or anything like that... but is what I'm describing typical of the indication it's time to change my transmission fluid?

Thanks,

 

How prolonged? Does it slide smoothly into the next gear?

 

maybe the ecm is used to the 99% ez driving your doing, and needs to adapt to the WOT.

 

it slides smoothly into the next gear.

lextout- what is WOT? my initial thought was the car is accustomed to me driving it easy and at times of harder acceleration is the only time i notice the different feeling so i tend to agree with you- but curious about WOT.

is it possible to update the software on the ecm for a car of this age? the '04's had some odd shifting issues at low speeds and gears which my car has always done- so i wouldn't mind updating the ecm anyway to fix that issue.

 

WOT= wide open throttle

 

The ECU has "learned" your driving style and habits. If you want, you could disconnect the battery cables to do a soft reset of the ECU.

 

Typically service life for the transmission fluid is 60k, so by now you should have changed your fluid 4x.

I'm getting ready to have mine done at Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis since their really the only ones that can do it as the trans fluid has to be at a certain temperature and has to go through the gears & blah blah blah when it comes to refilling it w/the proper amount.

 

If you don't mind, what do you expect to pay for this service?

 

I take mine to a Toyota dealership (have taken it to them for last 110k miles) and they quoted me $269 for it. An ex-Lexus mechanic works on my car and said they use the same machine to "extract" the fluid and then refill it. Car has to be cooled down and I think they wait for the engine to be at a certain temp before doing it if I remember correctly. I know there's a really long thread somewhere on here about this topic but I remember it being more of a debate about the right way to do it as opposed to cost, etc. of doing it the way Lexus recommends.

 

Verokaht12, I am curious as well. I was going to get my car transmission flushed at Lexus of Annapolis but decided to just perform it myself. I purchased all my fluids through Toyota of Bowie and the shop quoted a one time flush at 249.99 for the job. I am wondering what the quote would be for the Annapolis Lexus.

 

Yohimbo & legend921: Last time I was their I had the transmission shift TSB done and I inquired about having the trans fluid service and was quoted $320 - granted before I take it in, i'm going to look for a coupon.

 

Vero - what year LS? My mechanic checked my 04's software history and said the trans TSB hadn't been done. Had them do it ($105) and can't tell any difference. Smooth before, smooth now.

 

I'm curious as well. I didn't know there was a TSB for transmission. I have a 2004 as well and only issue I have always been annoyed by is odd shifting when i slow down and then accelerate (ex: when thinking i need to stop for a light- and i get down to about 10mph and then light turns green and i hit gas). car has done this ever since i bought it at 70k. curious what fixes this????

 

How is it between 50-60 mph?

When I accelerate to get on the freeway mine acts funny between that speed. If I at at maybe 20-30% open throttle around 52-55 mph it downshifts 1 or 2 gears and I get more powerful acceleration. If you were sitting in the car with ear plugs and blindfolded not knowing what kind of car you were in it would feel like a secondary scroll of a turbo engine just kicked in.

I plan to have the fluid changed out with OEM when I do the T belt. Otherwise, it is fine under all other conditions.

 

Mine doesn't do that at all. Only issue I have ever had, and still have at 240k miles, is the one I described at very low speed. I have changed the transmission fluid 2 times in life of me owning the car and it has always behaved that way. I remember reading here that it was an issue in '04's and was corrected in '05's. I'm wondering if an update to my computer (ECU i think they call it??) would fix it, what that entails, how much it costs, and if i would need to be worried about anything else as a result of upgrading it. I've learned to live with it over the last 8+ years and it may not be worth the risk of messing with it.