I have a 1998 Lexus ES 300 which has about 92500 miles on it. About 30 miles ago, I got my 90,000 mile service done at my local toyota dealership. I have had a check engine light on for over 20,000 miles. During this time that the check engine light was on, I never noticed any noises, or engine trouble or anything, and I would regularly get oil changes, and I was at my local auto zone today and asked them about my check engine light. It said there was a management control : Fuel to air metering problem. One of the codes was P-1153 i believe. They guy said that my car has 3 oxygen sensors, 2 of them are before the catalytic converter, and on my car the second oxygen sensor before the catalytic converter is faulty. Also I had another question , over the last 100 miles every time when I initially start the car and drive, the very first time that my engine has to change gears, I have noticed that this takes a long time, like the RPM's may reach 3000 or I'll have to let off of the gas to get it to change gears, but after this inital problem for the rest of the duration that I am driving that car it's fine. I only encounter this problem the first gear change after I have turned on my car. Finally one last thing, as far as I know I have not replaced my timing belt, I took my car to tires plus for a 60000 mile service but I am not sure if they replaced it. Could this be the reason for my gear problems?

Thanks for the help

 

The P1153 is for O2 sensor bank 1 sensor 1( if I'm not mistake) and the sensor is located on the exhaust manifold close to the firewall.
The shifting problem may have something to do with TPS(Throttle Position Sensor) as you stated that you had to let off the gas for the car to upshift.
Take the car to the dealer and get it properly diagnosic.

 

Our 1MZFE engines (RX and ES) also have a delay for a few minutes that prevents one from getting into higher gears and is related to emissions functions. The only other thing I can suggest is pulling the EFI fuse (with the car off and there is a fusebox diagram) or taking off the negative battery cable for about a minute or so) and that should get your ES back up to pep.

That timing belt should not be an issue.

 

Good call Lexmex.