Weird thing that's happening and JUST in the last couple of days. I put the car into drive step on the gas i hear the engine start reving and i move every so slowly forward then it catches (not sure at what RPM saw that on another thread). Not a ****** catch just like picks up and then goes from there. Its very intermittent happens here and there but after it happens once it goes away and MAY happen again at a light or after being parked. Not exactly sure when the last flush happened or even top off. I'm thinking of taking and getting it topped off and see what happens. I just dont want nothing to get messed up.

What are your thoughts. I'll try to remember the RPM it catches at if it happens again.

 

If you've never changed the tranny fluid, now would be the time to see if it makes a difference. It doesn't hurt to do it.

 

you can start by changing the transmission fluid. FYI - transmissions only work efficiently if they are at normal operating temperature. It doesn't like cold. So let the car warmup before driving.

 

hmmm....mine is starting to do this also. Even on a warm day. i just had my 90k/(270k for me) service done. They changed the trans-fluid during this time.

CEO

 

I had this issue once... its was because I was spewing out transmission fluid from my main seal... top off the fluid, check for leaks...

 

Interesting. I noticed that my RX300 shifts sluggishly when cold in the morning, but fine at normal operating temp. Do you have more info on this odd symptom?

 

By the way, a really scary note; if the trans cooler leaks coolant into the trans fluid, big trouble. I hear it will foam, and trans will not shift properly, and may fail terminally.

 

That's a good point.

 

How many miles? Could be the tq converter

 

I just returned from probably the best trans shop in the Southwest. I had them do a full trany service, total fluid replacement and inspection, plus service the Xfer case on my 2000 RX300. Trany fluid was dark, Xfer fluid was dirty, so I think the previous owner did not keep up his service well. I've known these guys for years, and found out something very interesting. Some trany failures on these are NOT what they appear to be, and when diagnosed properly (difficult), cost far less. The often not understood issue is a bad computer, which can send power to the wrong solonoids, thus applying opposing cluches. There was some tech bulletin in Toyota about this problem. Burnt fluid, odor, strange shifting, and at some point, a badly damaged trany.
Who knew? Ahhh, the secrets. Hmmmm.

 

Computer costs around a grand, far cheaper than 4 to 6 grand for trany and computer combo. Hard to find out if computer is faulty, but scan data and light bar test may point in right direction.

 

Yeehaa. The problem seems to have gone away after I had my trany serviced. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

I had the feeling mine had these symptoms after changing the fluid, not before. been keeping an eye on it, happens rarely, when hot, and only when driving very hard for no reason. flooring it for a second, comming off the gas a bit, then flooring it again it won't go in gear just revs till you let off the gas. then drives fine after. normal driving and cold starts never any problems. 1999 GS400 with 230000km and clean fluid, level seems fine.

This happened about 3 times in the past 12000km, like I said rare and It's driven hard daily.

As a side note I noticed when cold start-up and in PWR mode the shifts are a bit noticeable at light trottle in trafic, but in normal ECT mode seems fine.

 

DO NOT CHANGE THE TRANNY FLUID!!!!!!!!!! ONLY TOP IT UP CHANGING YHE FLUID ALWAYS RESULTS IN TRANSMISSION SLIPPING!!!! just top it up if that don't work then u know what's next :-)) new tran!!!

 

Sounds like a computer or solenoid, or maybe an intermittant electrical connection or bad ground somewhere. However, I'm told NOT to FLUSH tranny. It can easily stir some particle of debris loose, which then may lodge somewhere critical. A complete fluid change, not a flush is what I'm told is best. Running a tranny endlessly and never having it serviced is a disaster on the way. Nothing lasts forever, but not servicing a tranny on schedule is like never changing your engine oil and filter.