Can't get it up (into overdrive)... Please help
 

My 95' ES 300 with 150K will not get up into overdrive. A couple of months ago when it was colder here in FL I first started to notice that it would take about 5 seconds after I shifted into drive in the morning before it would go into gear. Also it would take about 5 minutes before the speedo would work. I had no problem with reverse. About three weeks ago I was cruising on the interstate at 70mph with cruise on and used the cruise lever to speed up a bit and the O/D light started flashing and the check engine light came on but with no other noticeable issues. The next time I got in the car the lights were back off. About two weeks ago the car would shift out of overdrive on my way home from work in the afternoon about halfway home on my 25 mile drive(worked fine in the morning when the weather was cool). Yesterday I drained the tranny fluid and refilled with Castrol ATF Dexron III and now the car will not shift into overdrive at all and it took 24 miles of driving this morning before the speedo started to work.

The car shifts fine in all other gears with no slippage. The fluid was brownish clear with no burnt smell and I noticed that even though I drained and refilled yesterday it still looks the same color on the dipstick. I'm hoping it is just a fluid issue and a simple flush Phoenix/Banana style with your recommended tranny fluid will correct the problem. Does anyone here have any advice on this issue?

Thanks,

Club Lexus Forum Newbie
I've had this car for seven years pretty much maintenance free

You might want to change that topic heading there ha ha........

I hear Viagra works wonders.
:p :D



Sorry.....Just couldn't resist!

Back to reality. I am not up on the ES series so much, but I would guess that all Lexus vehicles use the Toyota Type IV fluid. Dexron is like sand for Toyota trannies!

Hehe... good one!

The owners manual specifies Dexron II. I guess if it is true what you say.. I need to flush it with Type IV Toyota fluid then?

Very funny topic headline i couldnt resist laughing... I'm doubting its a mechanical problem im betting its electrical check out the wiring through your shifter and where its connected under the wood trim, by the way does the orange/yellow overdrive light turn on in the dash cluster?

no... if your dipstick and owners manual say run dexronII, then flush it with dexronIII... dexronIII replaced dexronII...

and if i recall, all ES' up to 01 took dexronIII as transmission fluid...

we've seen sienna and camry transmssions that have been very badly neglected, that flushing 16L of fluid still came out dark.. wasn't until we got to 20+ litres of fluid that it started getting clean!!

Definatley need to change the title of this thread ahahha. As for help sorry i'm not much of that in this area.

Thanks for the response. The OD light does go on and off if I click it on and off. Also, it used to stay in overdrive until it heated up a bit I guess and then would down shift out of OD and not go back in until the car cooled down after it sat for awhile. When it was working in the mornings I could click the button and it would go out of OD and then click it again and it would go in. Seems to be heat related to me... but really don't know:uh:

Very funny title..:D . I was thinking about the antenna or power window that won't goes up.

Get the CEL read out. It seems like one of your speed sensor bad(since your speedo takes a long time to works) and won't send the speed signal to the ECM to shift into OD.

What makes the speedo work? Is the sensor or whatever inside the transmission?

Speed sensor in the transmission and then the receiving end inside the combination meter. So, the two parts have to work together.

Well, much to my suprise, after one week of driving since the drain and refill the car started shifting back into overdrive. So I am hoping it was just a fluid issue. Think I will go ahead and do the flush though to get all the fluid changed and cleaned. Thanks for the help.:thumbup: