hi all,
I own a 99 rx300 and have noticed the slight hesitation in shifting from second to third gear when starting out. I know this common in this model and have made sure the tranny fluid is full and clean. But after having one recent experience with the vehicle not shifting at all from second to third, I have started to look more into the matter.
Something weird struck me when I checked out the DOT's website. When comparing service bulltins on 99 and 00 rx300 models, there are about 11 posts of tranny problems for the 99 and NONE in 00. I believe the tranny is the same, but find strange that I didn't see any posts on the 00.
I hope the tranny doesn't fail as I the cost to replace is around $4000!
Any insight is appreciated.

 

I don't know if this is the same problem your having but on the '00 I had the trans. would not shift from 2nd to 3ed untill the tempature gauge got about a third of the way up. You could force it by increasing your speed to about 35 mph in 2nd. I always hated to race a cold engine. This is programmed into the car. My '04 does it from 3ed to 4th - it's a 5 speed. Also my '99 Corolla does the same thing. I believe it's all about polution.

 

Does your 04 really do that? I haven't really noticed it with our 04. However, we live about 3/4 mile from the freeway entrance, so the speed is keep somewhat low (no more than 40 MPH) and by the time we actually get to the last traffic light to the freeway entrance the car is almost warmed up. Either way though, I've never felt it hold 3rd gear since the revs are always fairly low even at 40 MPH. I'll pay more attention to it next time I drive the 04 RX.

 

Is everyone sure it's between 2-3 (for 4 speed) and 3-4 (for 5 speed) that they're getting the delay shifting? I have a '99 and it has always delayed shifting from 3rd to 4th (final gear) until the temp gauge reached about the second marker. Under 30 mph for the first mile or two you wouldn't notice a thing, but if you went from start to freeway within a mile you would notice that you're doing about 3200 rpm at 60 mph. Then after about a mile the tranny would shift to fourth and you'd be back to about 2000 rpm.

I was told this delay in shifting to final gear is normal to accelerate the engine to 'operating temperature' which is ideal for emissions and fuel economy. Unless I happen to have driven two RX300 with the same problem, mine and a neighbor's (who has a '99 RX also) both exhibit this behavior.

 

A search will reveal a lot of information and threads on delayed shifting until the car warms up - some said it was for emissions control, I don't know. Mine does it, much less in warm weather.

 

mhc0725 is right... there's a minimum operating temp required for overdrive (the top gear) on most Toyota products. They've had it for years.

 

If it's 'the way' the engine was designed to run, then it's a minimal annoyance at best. I really only have issues when I jump on a freeway or highway before the engine reaches the shift point. Like Parula said, it happens less during warm temperature days. During the middle of summer when the sun beats down on the car, you don't even feel the drag because the engine warms up so fast.

As long as it's not really the 2-3 or 3-4 that some owners are reporting, then it's fine.

 

If it is for top gear that could explain why I really haven't noticed it on our 5 speed. Generally the weather temp is pretty warm in Hawaii so it doesn't take long at all for the engine coolent temp to warm up. Plus, if it is for top gear the speeds I travel until the freeway would probably be 4th gear tops anyway.

 

I am very aware that when the car is not warmed up, there is no upshift.

However, at my high altittude, 7,700 feet, I do notice a lag right from a dead stop, even with the car warmed up, that I do not notice at sea level.

At my 1/4 mile track, I usually get a lot of jeers because the car does not squeal its tires when I launch, but rather a drone, and then the transmission picks up and hurls the car down the track.

At sea level, the car is like a dream.

 

I see quite a few (working at a dealership, about 14 months now) and have seen 99-00 RX 300 AWD trannys replaced around 140-200K miles... I think I've seen 6... so ya... if it's AWD. Maybe it's time for an updated RX =D

 

Tell me you don't drag race a RX

 

Well, since you asked, I might as well tell all of you...

Yes, I do. It is actually quite fun and I beat a lot of more powerful things that should not be beaten, like MLs and Muranos, Grand Cherokees, Pathfinders. There is a big, big segment of SUV racers here. What else are you going to do down here...drink tequilla?

I have never lost to an SUV here, though I am waiting for some faster things to stop by my way and have challenged people to bring something that could beat me.

This is my track, http://www.aceleracionsatelite.com.mx

I regularly win reaction time trophies with low .500s and destroy cars with my advantage by up .3 or .4 seconds, even though their cars are faster.

Since I started with the track opening last year, I have managed to go from 19.6 down to 18.2 in the 1/4 mile through weight reduction and modification. Keep in mind, every 1,000 feet you lose 3% HP. I have a friend with an RX-7 twin turbo, 400 hp, that gets just 13.5 as his best time at the track. Not sure what my sea level times would be based on this, but I know it would be way better than the stock 16.8

My times would be even faster than the 18.2 (clocked last Sunday), if it were cooler. That was in 70 degree weather, but during the winter, we have 50 degree weather at night. Mexico ain't always hot where we are at in the central region.

I also race a 1996 VW Golf VR6 modified with an Optima Red Top Battery, Nology Cables, Superchips, direct exhaust, and I just ran a 16.8 (last time stock we ran 17.7), though I could probably drop that under 16.5

Big cars down here for racing:
Dodge Neon SRT-4- these can run 13s up to 15s
Chrysler/Dodge Spirit RT Turbo- 15s to 16s
Turbocharged old-style VW Beetles- 12s...these things are little bastards, and they always beat my buddy's RX-7, drawing wild pro-Mexican cheers from the crowd, but all in good fun, see http://www.vochoweb.com/grillos/
VW Golf GTI 1.8L- 18s to 19s
VW Rabbits, called Caribes here with 2.0 L engines, that run 15s to 16s

If any Clublexus members come down here to Mexico City, let me know, as I will also introduce you to our beautiful track in Toluca and the famous 1/4 mile track at Hermanos Rodriguez, where they just had the NASCAR race here in Mexico.

 

Drag that baby. That's funny, drag racing with a RX and beating some big cars. Gotta love you drag racers.

Later.

 

Can't imagine dragging my baby, but good luck Lex!

 

has anyone fixed this problem yet?